AllFreeNovel
Share Us
3
Nerves gripped Holly’s stomach the closer she got to Shawlands. She was going home; there was no need to feel like this. And yet, there it was. A heavy, worsening feeling that refused to go away. Part of it was guilt, but most of it was embarrassment.
Yet, she couldn’t help but smile as the taxi drove beside Queen’s Park. Glasgow was affectionately referred to as the Dear Green Place, the literal translation of its name from Gaelic, and with places like Queen’s Park it was easy to see why. It was huge and marked the centre of four major Southside suburbs: Strathbungo, Govanhill, Shawlands, and Battlefield.
Holly’s childhood home was a hop, skip, and jump from Shawlands, in the neighbouring area of Langside. She’d often find herself in Queen’s Park with one of her parents. Whether it was checking on the ducks, grabbing an ice cream near the boating pond, or spotting the squirrels, there were lots of happy memories within its gates.
She craned her neck, certain she’d seen a giant duck floating in the pond. Her eyes must have been deceiving her. Or the locals were adding steroids to the bread.
Plenty of time to explore tomorrow. A walk would be nice; she could reacquaint herself with the area. She could already see so much had changed as the taxi came to a standstill at the traffic lights.
The Shawlands she remembered was long gone. Not that it was a bad thing. The area had a trendy feel to it now, but not in the posh student-y way the actual West End did. More like a casual glow-up. The main shopping street that ran the length of the suburb was once lined with charity shops, bookies, and empty units; not exactly a shopping destination. Now it was home to bookshops, boutiques, and enticing brunch spots. Barely an empty shop in sight. No wonder Mum and Dad’s deli was doing well. This was a haven for their ideal customer. You didn’t need the West when this was right on your doorstep. It was no surprise flat prices were through the roof. Not quite London prices, but she’d got a shock when investigating her options before moving home. She gulped at the thought of sleeping in her childhood bed tonight. Nothing quite screamed failure more than accepting you’d wake surrounded by popstar posters, sheets that smelled like the airing cupboard, and the nightlight you’d had since you were wee.
She sighed, awkwardly catching the taxi driver’s eye in the rearview mirror. She forced a half-smile but he didn’t seem to notice. Or care.
The taxi edged forward up the queue of traffic. They were now level with Langside Hall, an impressive two-storey building famously moved from its original spot, brick by brick, to where it now stood, dominating the square at the edge of Shawlands. It looked good. When she’d left for London it had almost gone to wrack and ruin, but money had obviously been invested; it was shiny and new once more. Even the ground outside looked like it had been repaved and remodelled.
Maybe it was a sign. Shawlands had been transformed almost beyond recognition; perhaps she could, too? A bit of TLC and time and she too could go from ruin, to well, maybe acceptable was a realistic goal just now.
She ran her fingers through her long brown hair and pulled at the ponytail in her half-updo, making sure it looked okay.It’s just Mum and Dad.
The lights changed to green and they were soon in the centre of Shawlands.
‘Anywhere here is fine,’ Holly said, leaning forward.
The driver pulled in and before Holly knew it she was standing on the pavement, suitcase at her side, inexplicably frozen to the spot.
She let out a wavering sigh.It’s just Mum and Dad.
The wheels of her suitcase trundled along the pavement, her legs now working of their own accord. Mum was right: the place was going like a fair. A queue snaked its way out the door.
‘Excuse me, sorry, not skipping, here to work,’ Holly said with a smile. The guy moved aside, not bothering to return pleasantries.
She side-stepped in, her suitcase feeling like it weighed a tonne as she negotiated it around impatient patrons.
It smelled amazing. They’d recently added toasted sandwiches, Mum’s bright idea to showcase a ‘cheese of the month’, and the moreish aroma tickled her nostrils. Holly’s stomach growled; she’d not eaten since leaving London.
Mum and Dad had done a great job with the shop’s interior. She’d seen it on Instagram plenty of times, but seeing it in the flesh was a different experience altogether. It was a delightful mix of traditional grocer with modern-day deli: a large, sage-coloured dresser that wouldn’t look out of place in a farm kitchen dominated the right-hand wall, with a matching table spanning nearly the length of the shop floor. Both were piled high with beautifully packaged produce: pickles, jams, dried pasta, chocolate, and spices, to cover but a few. Some were in aged wicker baskets; others stacked like proud pyramids. It was difficult not to be distracted on the way past – Holly wanted to stop and investigate. A packet of cocoa-dusted truffles looked particularly intriguing. She stopped herself; there would be plenty of time for looking later. The shop’s other wall was filled head to toe with untreated pine shelving, each shelf equally bursting with produce. The pièce de résistance, though, was the deli counter, a massive glass beast that spanned nearly half the left-hand side of the shop and was packed to the brim with cheese and meat. Mum and Dad were in the zone behind the glass, dutifully serving customers as fast as they could.
She scooted round a man looking at a jar of pickled walnuts who had zero intent of moving for her, and edged closer to the counter. Dad nearly dropped the cheese he was wrapping when they made eye contact.
‘Holly,’ he yelped, wiping his hands on his apron as he flew out from behind the counter. ‘Catherine, she’s here!’
Mum’s eyes searched the room, finally settling on her.
All nerves were quashed when Dad’s big arms wrapped around her. She had to swallow down tears as emotion lodged in her throat.
He kissed the top of her head. ‘Hello, stranger.’
‘Hello, you,’ Holly answered, her voice cracking slightly. ‘Back’s better, I see.’
‘Not quite, but you know what your mum’s like. Had me back on the shop floor as soon as poss.’
‘Oi, I heard that,’ Mum said, joining the hug.
Holly was sure she heard anawwfrom their customers and felt a little sheepish, aware all eyes were on them. Mum broke the hug first, taking her daughter by the shoulders. ‘Sorry, love – it’s busy today. I need to get back to work.’
‘It’s fine, we can catch up later,’ she replied, tears still threatening.
