Chapter 12
12
Clemmie’s Little Cornish Kitchen, Seaspray Cottage, St Aidan
Slush puppies, pom poms, and request slots
Wednesday
‘S ounds like you wowed Milla and her friends on Saturday if they’re wanting a return visit so fast?’
Sophie, Plum, Shadow and I have popped into Clemmie’s Little Cornish Kitchen for lunch. We’re actually crashing the St Aidan Mums and Bumps group, which have regular get-togethers in Clemmie’s café, just along the sands from St Aidan harbour.
Clemmie’s doing well to comment. Not only has she got Arnie in her arms, she’s also spooning jelly into Bud’s mouth as she sits on the floor by her feet.
I shrug. ‘I’m not under any illusions about Milla and her crew. The hotel gardeners are the major attraction, not me.’
As Nell and Clemmie were going to be here anyway, the rest of us decided to brave the sticky-fingered toddlers and drop in too. Today the furniture has been pushed back to make room for toys, but on normal days the space is spectacular, with its floor-to-ceiling windows on three sides giving a view right around the bay.
The place is filled with a riot of bright clashing colours, set off by the deep blue of the sea beyond the windows, which today is striped with parallel lines of white breakers frothing towards the shore. As I look around at the painted wooden chairs in pinks and blues and yellows and reds clustered around bright-coloured wooden tables, and the fuchsia velvet sofas, it’s making me realise what Mum meant about minimalism being boring.
Sophie leans across, tapping my shoulder to get my attention. ‘Don’t worry, Floss, teenagers turn faster than the wind. The second something more interesting comes along, you’ll have your deck back.’
I’m very aware I might be treading on her toes with Milla and her impromptu invitations. ‘So long as you don’t mind them being at mine?’
Sophie’s voice is shrill. ‘ Mind? Why ever would I mind ?’ Which means she does. A lot. She gives a rueful sniff. ‘At least when they’re at yours I still know what they’re doing.’
Nell chortles. ‘By the way, Floss, I bumped into Kit earlier in Hardware Haven.’
I pull a face. ‘I’m keeping well out of his way.’ I’ve dodged his early-morning waves, and if I’m missing him dropping in every morning after Jean and Shirley, I’m not about to admit it. I wanted him out of my orbit, and I’ve got my wish. It’s not as if we were close. A month on I still hadn’t found a time to ask after his fiancée. For all I know she might be holed up in the beach hut that I don’t see, although somehow I can’t imagine her putting up with sand between her toes.
Nell ignores me and carries on. ‘He’s well up for a singles night. I said you’d join in.’
I groan. ‘But I’ve cut ties with next door!’
Sophie frowns at me ‘I still can’t believe you knocked back a free spa night.’
I sniff. ‘I refuse to deal with people who are dishonest or underhand, and Shadow’s the same.’ I’m giving his ear a tickle, as the door opens and Mum walks in.
She perches on the edge of a chair. ‘I saw Rye in town earlier. Has he dropped anything off for me?’
Plum sits bolt upright as she hears Rye’s name. ‘Will it be a big package or a small one?’ She gives a cough. ‘So Clemmie’s prepared.’
I’m shaking my head. ‘I expect it will be a box of smoke alarms.’
Plum’s sitting up even straighter. ‘I could do with some of those too. If I can catch Rye at the fire station, I’ll grab yours while I’m there, Suze.’
I’m looking round the circle of eager faces. Whatever happened to friends and family solidarity? ‘If you’re that desperate, I’ll go to B&Q myself and treat you both.’
Mum frowns at me. ‘Take a chill pill, Floss. Smoke alarms will make us all safer, no one needs to lose their shizzle.’ ‘No one’ meaning very specifically – me .
I’m realistic enough to know there are bigger fires to fight than this one. ‘Right. I take your point. They’re free, with no link to High Tides other than Rye. Why not grab them?’
My mum smiles at me. ‘Good girl.’ She pats my hand. ‘I’m on my way to the paint shop, shall I get some for you while I’m there?’
I can’t help smiling that her way of expressing her affection slash appreciation is to offer to buy me some decorating materials.
She turns and looks at the walls. ‘You’re in the right place for inspiration, with all Clemmie’s different colours. A feature wall would look fabulous at yours behind the paper swallows.’
I’d never have thought of it myself, but now she’s said it I know in my gut she’s right. ‘Okay. Dark, dark navy blue with a hint of green, like the sea when it’s angry and the sun comes out. And deep cerise please.’ I’d say Sophie’s nails but a shade lighter, except I don’t want to sound demanding.
Mum looks at me patiently. ‘The whole point of a feature wall is that it “features” one colour, not two, Floss.’
Clemmie laughs. ‘From where I’m sitting in my rainbow interior, I’d say all the best decorating rules are made to be broken. Pink plant pots would look awesome!’
That encouragement fires me up. ‘You’d better get me some brushes too, Mum! And a painting gang.’
Mum’s pushing back her hair. ‘Best avoid a crowd in a small space, sweetheart. You and I will nail this ourselves.’
It’s too weird to admit the thought is giving me butterflies because it’s years since I last had those. Apart from Kit obviously. Except what I felt that first day when Kit walked across the beach towards us, and every day since if I’m honest, has more to do with huge beating gull wings and feeling so sick it’s almost as bad as chemo. Nothing to do with nice associations at all.
‘So lots to look forward to!’ I’m beaming round the group.
Nell nods. ‘Don’t take too long to pick a date for the joint singles night. If it goes well, we could do more!’
Maybe I spoke too soon about looking forward to things – Plum chasing Rye all over town is fine for her, but I draw the line at liaising with Kit.
And then Sophie chimes in too. ‘I’ll bring you some old towels for Saturday. Tallulah and some of the others want to dye their hair.’
This sounds like a secret plan of Sophie’s to put a stop to my Hideaway days. ‘What colour are they thinking? Some subtle blonde on blonde?’
Sophie grins. ‘They’re not sixty, Floss!’ My mum winces at that. ‘They’re mostly going shades of pink!’
Clemmie grins. ‘They’ll match the plant pots!’
Sophie nods. ‘So long as she’s painted them by then.’ She turns to the others to justify this comment. ‘Floss tends to prevaricate with her interiors. Don’t you, sweetheart? ’
It would be more accurate to say, ‘Floss doesn’t do homes, full stop,’ but I’m not going to argue. And the second comment is her long-running gripe with our mum, for calling me pet names when she doesn’t have any. Between us, it’s her own fault for never tolerating them back in the day.
Mum sends Sophie a look. ‘Give her a chance, please, for once in your life.’
‘Fine.’ Sophie’s sticking her chin out. ‘For once in your life, sweetie would be nice.’
Clemmie jumps to my defence to move this on. ‘With those colours and that blank canvas, I doubt Floss will be hanging back this time.’ She gives Sophie a placating pat on the knee. ‘And the hair dye sounds wild!’
Sophie turns to me. ‘So long as Milla doesn’t come home with pink hair, everything will be fine.’
Plum says, ‘Can you handle that, Flo? If not, I can always come and help.’
And we all know why that is.
How come I feel like the most popular woman in the village, and the most unpopular, all at the same time?