Chapter 7
7
Peartree Park was a twenty-minute walk from Rosie’s house on Foxglove Street, although Courtney guessed she would’ve got there sooner if she wasn’t heavily pregnant and also slowing down to admire the many pretty front gardens she passed along the way.
People took pride in their homes on Foxglove Street, that much was obvious. Every garden was neat and well-tended, the perfect showcase for the spring flowers and tree blossoms that dappled the street with colour and interest.
Between the beautiful front gardens and the mix of houses that lined the street, it was a pleasure to walk along the pavement, and Courtney was practically gaping as she took in the combination of housing styles, from terraces to cottages, from detached mansions to small apartment buildings, and everything in between. Foxglove Street was long and meandering, twisting and turning towards Riverside Road at the other end, and Courtney decided it was one of the prettiest streets she’d ever seen.
How lucky her cousin, Rosie, was to live here, she thought. And how lucky she was, too, to have the chance to stay here with her, not just for a weekend but possibly for several weeks to come. She couldn’t think of a lovelier place in which to come up with a plan to deal with her joblessness, homelessness, imminent motherhood…
With a wry shake of her head, Courtney stopped the anxious thoughts in their tracks, determined to enjoy the walk and not let her restless mind take over.
Just look at the gorgeous cherry blossoms, she told herself. And just look at the sweet potted tulips outside that house over there, and the wonderful bright yellow pansies in that garden border, and the adorable little garden gnome grinning from beside that doorstep…
The trick worked and Courtney’s mind cleared. A few minutes later she arrived at the wrought iron entrance gates to Peartree Park. Spring flowers tumbled from giant planters on either side of the gates, welcoming her inside to the peaceful oasis beyond.
Once she entered the park, she walked along a wide pathway lined with flower beds and shrubs on either side and dotted with trees filled with songbirds that chirped as she passed by. Slowing her pace again to admire the beautiful water fountain at the far end of the path, Courtney listened to the gentle gurgling of the water and drew in a deep, cleansing breath.
It felt good to have walked this far from Rosie’s house, to get the blood flowing and shake off the shock of the morning’s developments. With less than six weeks to go before she delivered her baby, it was important to keep fit and active. Enjoying the tingle in her legs from the exercise and the injection of energy from the bright sunny morning and the warm spring air, Courtney turned towards the pond she could see off to her right.
A few laps around the winding path that looped around the quaint pond would do her fitness even more good, and enjoying the ducks quacking and splashing in the water would be an added benefit.
The park was busier around the pond area with dog walkers exercising their pets and a few joggers here and there, too. In a children’s play area on the far side of the pond, Courtney saw toddlers rampaging around and having fun while parents watched from the benches beside the climbing frame.
After her third loop around the pond, Courtney decided a sit down was in order to catch her breath. She veered towards a free wooden bench further along the path and let out a sigh of relief as she took the weight off her feet.
With the sun on her face and the ducks quacking in the pond and the sounds of squeals and laughter coming from the children playing nearby, Courtney felt pleasantly drowsy as she sat on the bench—and far more relaxed than she’d imagined was possible, considering she was barely two hours into her shocking and unexpected redundancy.
She closed her eyes, let the sun’s heat warm her skin, and let the gentle sounds of the park cocoon her.
This is nice, she thought. In this moment, all is well.
The sound of scampering claws had her opening her eyes a second later. A small scruffy dog came barrelling towards her, tongue lolling and ears flapping as it raced in her direction before skidding to a halt beside a discarded sandwich crust that lay beneath the bench not far from Courtney’s feet.
Noisy chomping followed as the little dog snaffled up the food with obvious glee.
“Elsa! You cheeky scamp! Come back here this instant!”
Courtney looked up from the dog that was munching on the remains of the sandwich and saw an older lady hurrying towards her with a dog lead flapping in her hand. The dog—Elsa, apparently—barely spared the woman a glance before devouring the rest of the sandwich crust in one bite.
“Oh, you naughty dog!” the woman muttered as she drew near. “If you have an upset tummy later, Elsa, you’ll only have yourself to blame.”
In one fluid motion, the woman leaned down and clipped the lead onto the dog’s collar. Having already finished its contraband snack, the animal didn’t seem particularly bothered about being recaptured. With a shake of her head, the woman gave Courtney an amused smile.
“This rascal seems determined to run me ragged today,” she said. “I should have expected she would seek out the most revolting bits of abandoned food the moment I let her off the lead.”
Courtney laughed. “I don’t think the piece of sandwich she ate looked too awful. It might only have been there for a few hours. I hope your dog won’t end up poorly, though.”
“She’s made of fairly stern stuff, but I suppose I’ll just have to wait and see how she fares during the rest of the day.” The woman gave the dog a philosophical look before returning her attention to Courtney. Her eyebrows bunched together, as if she was in deep thought. “You look familiar, dear. Do we know one another?”
Courtney studied the older lady’s kind face, taking in her sweep of silvery hair that was cut into a smart bob style, and her splash of pink lipstick that matched the blouse she wore beneath a spring green tailored jacket.
“I don’t think so,” Courtney replied. “I’m not from Hamblehurst. I’m just visiting for a while.”
The older lady thought about this, her gaze still on Courtney. “I feel sure I recognise your face, and…” Her eyes dropped to Courtney’s baby bump and then widened as if in recognition. “Wait a minute. Didn’t I see you last week at a birthday party on Foxglove Street?”
“Yes, that might be it,” Courtney said, a curious smile lifting her lips. “You were at the party for Colin Austin, at his daughter, Rosie’s, house?”
The woman nodded. “I was indeed, although only for a short while. I must admit I wasn’t actually invited to the party, as I don’t know Colin Austin at all, but I do know his mother-in-law, Janet, who dragged me in off the street and into the middle of the festivities in order to settle a disagreement she was having with another guest. It was all rather silly and complicated, I must say, although we did sort out the confusion in the end, which is the important thing.” The woman waved a hand and laughed. “But anyway, I think I might have glimpsed your face during the party, and I certainly remember briefly seeing a young pregnant lady arrive at the event just before I left. I’m sure it was you.”
“I think it must have been me. How strange, though, because I wasn’t supposed to be at Friday’s birthday party either. I was an, er, unexpected last-minute guest.”
The older lady chuckled. “It sounds like we have that much in common, in that case. Did you enjoy yourself at the party?”
“I did. Colin is my uncle and it was lovely to see him enjoying himself.”
“The birthday cake certainly was spectacular and very tasty. My friend, Janet, said that her granddaughter, Rosie, ordered the cake specially. I was most impressed with the slice I was served.” The woman gestured to the empty space on the bench beside Courtney. “Do you mind if I join you?”
“Of course not,” Courtney said with a smile.
The lady settled herself on the bench while the little dog sniffed and scampered at their feet, still searching for more tasty morsels to enjoy.
“I’m Olive Nimmo,” the woman said, holding out her hand.
“Courtney Flynn. Pleased to meet you.”
They shook hands and both laughed at the formal greeting exchanged in the relaxed setting of the park. Olive let out a soft sigh.
“This is nice,” she said, tilting her head back to enjoy the sunshine. “Sometimes it’s nice to take a minute and enjoy the world, rather than rushing off to the next thing that has to be done.”
“I was just thinking the same thing,” Courtney said. “Have you had a busy day?”
“Not exactly, I must admit,” Olive grinned. “I’ve been retired for a long time, as you can probably tell from my ancient form.”
Courtney laughed. “You rushed over here pretty quickly in pursuit of your little dog, so I wouldn’t exactly call you ancient. You’re faster on your feet than I am. Although, having said that, I am carrying an entire other person around inside me.”
“In that case, you have a very good excuse.” Olive’s gaze dropped to where Courtney’s hands rested on her stomach. “When is your baby due, dear?”
“Six weeks. I’m having a little girl.”
Olive’s expression filled with joy. “That’s wonderful. You must be very excited.”
“I am. Excited and terrified and everything in between.”
“That’s quite natural, I assure you. But once your baby arrives, all the scary thoughts will disappear to make way for the love.”
Touched by this sweet thought, Courtney smiled. “That’s a lovely way to put it.”
“In the meantime, enjoy these moments of peace and quiet while you can. Once your baby is here, you’ll forget you ever had a minute to yourself.” Olive laughed and patted Courtney’s hand. “Although I’m sure I’m not the first person to tell you that.”
“My Aunt Lorraine said exactly the same thing last night when we were all eating dinner.”
“There you go. So, you’re visiting your aunt and uncle for a few days before your baby comes?”
Courtney shifted in her seat and thought about how to answer. “Something like that. They’ve been very kind to me while I’ve been, uh, going through a bit of a rough patch.”
“That’s what family is for. It’s important to be there for each other when times are tough.” Olive looked thoughtful again, as if she was about to say something more, but the little dog appeared between the two of them just then, popping its front paws up onto the bench and wagging its tail.
“Elsa, you are a cheeky scamp, through and through,” Olive said. “If you think you’re getting a gravy bone after that stunt you pulled with the discarded sandwich, you can think again.”
The little dog let out a woof in response, making Courtney laugh.
“I think she understood every word,” Courtney said.
“I think so, too. Although her comprehension is typically selective, as she demonstrated when she scampered off a few minutes ago, despite me shouting at her not to run off.”
“She’s a lovely dog. Have you had her since she was a puppy?”
Olive shook her head. “Elsa isn’t my dog. She belongs to my neighbour, Angela, and her daughter, Lindsey. I help out with walking duties during the week when Angela is at work.”
“That’s a nice thing to do. You’re very kind.”
“I get as much out of the arrangement as Angela does. Walking Elsa gives me a good reason to get out and stretch my legs. When I first began helping with daily walks about a year ago, it was only supposed to be temporary while my neighbour adjusted to a new work schedule and dealt with a few upheavals in her life. In all honesty, my help is no longer strictly required, and when Angela got a promotion at work recently, she suggested employing a paid dog walker to exercise Elsa when needed. However, I love this little scruff bucket and I love getting out and about, too. So, we continue as we are. I’d miss walking Elsa if I wasn’t doing it any longer.”
Elsa let out another yap.
“It sounds like she’d miss you, too,” Courtney grinned.
“Don’t let her deceive you. She simply wants one of these.”
Olive reached into her pocket and produced a gravy bone. Instantly, Elsa planted herself on the ground and lifted a paw, making Courtney laugh.
“You have her well-trained.”
“No, I think she has me well-trained.”
They watched the dog munch the treat and then look up hopefully for more. When Olive just flicked her wrist at the creature, Elsa snorted and began sniffing around on the ground instead.
“She’s a character,” Courtney said.
“That’s an understatement.” Olive smiled and tilted her head towards Courtney. “So, tell me dear, are you all ready and prepared for your baby arriving?”
Courtney looked away, feeling embarrassed. “Uh, I still have a few things to buy, but… yes, I think I’m ready, more or less.”
“Good for you, dear. And are you still working? Because I’m sure once you finish for maternity leave, you’ll have time to sort out any last bits and bobs you need to take care of.”
“Uh, yes, I suppose you’re right…”
Courtney glanced towards the elderly lady and saw only kindness in her eyes, a kindness that kicked her own scrambled emotions into play once more. Before she realised it, she was speaking again, the truth tumbling out.
“Actually, it’s been a bit of a rotten morning so far. I turned up for work this morning and found out the company I work for has gone bust.”
Olive’s eyes flew wide in shock at this news. “Oh, my goodness! That’s terrible! Where were you working?”
“It was a family-owned furniture shop in Southampton. I’m not the only one out of a job, obviously. There are a couple of dozen of us, between the sales people and the back office staff and the warehouse and delivery workers. No one had any idea the business was in trouble. To be honest, I’m still reeling.”
“Of course you are, dear. How could you not be, after such awful news?”
Courtney offered the lady a smile, keen not to dwell on the subject. “Getting out for a nice walk to the park has helped make me feel a little better.”
“Good. Well, that’s something at least. In your condition, the last thing you needed was a fright like that. To find out your job was gone just a few weeks before your baby arrives? Awful, just awful. I’m very sorry for you, dear.”
“Thank you. That’s kind of you.”
“What did you do there at the furniture shop? Were you a salesgirl or were you in the office or something else?”
“I was an administrator in the office. Over the last few months, I worked extra shifts, sometimes on the sales floor, to earn more money before my baby comes, but I preferred the office work. I liked keeping things in order and organising the paperwork and dealing with the customer correspondence and all that stuff. I think I was good at it, too.”
Olive sighed and gave her a sympathetic look. “I don’t doubt for a second that you were good at it, dear. But I’m sure you have some wonderful skills under your belt and it won’t take long to find another job.”
“My aunt and uncle suggested I wait until after the baby is born before jumping into any job-hunting, and they’re very kind to me and have offered to help. But not working isn’t an option for me financially, even this close to the baby coming, and I don’t feel right about accepting charity. Once I’ve cleared my head after this lovely walk and I’m feeling better about things, I’ll start looking at the online job sites and see if I can find something temporary to tide me over for the next few weeks.”
“Well, if that’s your plan, I hope it works out for you, dear.” Olive gave her a thoughtful look before adding, “I shall keep my ear to the ground in case I hear of any jobs that might be in your area of expertise. As a regular old busybody around Hamblehurst, nothing much gets past me.”
Courtney laughed. “Thank you, I appreciate that, but you don’t have to go to any trouble.”
“My goodness, it’s no trouble. As it happens, I have a bit of a track record of finding temporary jobs for people who need them. Just last summer, I helped the sister of a neighbour of mine earn a little extra money by putting her in touch with another neighbour who was moving house and needed the assistance of a young strong person to move boxes around and what-not.”
“That was nice of you. Although I doubt I’m up to the challenge of moving boxes right now.”
Olive laughed. “Of course you’re not. But perhaps something else will crop up? At any rate, I shall be sure to let you know if I hear anything. Did you say you were staying here in Hamblehurst for a little while?”
“I’m at my cousin, Rosie’s, house on Foxglove Street, for now anyway. But listen, you really don’t have to put yourself out for me. We only just met!”
“Nonsense. If I hear of anything that might interest you, I’ll let you know. That’s hardly going to put me out, is it?”
Touched by this kind gesture from the elderly woman she’d only met ten minutes ago, Courtney felt herself welling up. Much thought she would’ve liked to chalk it up to another onslaught of pregnancy hormones, the truth was she was moved by Olive’s offer of help. Nothing would likely come of it, but that didn’t matter. It was the gesture that counted.
Between the much-needed safety net offered by her aunt and uncle, and the roof over her head at her cousin’s house, and now this wonderful kindness of strangers, Courtney realised that things were nowhere near as bleak as they might have been.
There were good people in the world, helping to make things feel a little less dark for those who’d tumbled into hard times. She clung to this thought and was grateful for it.
“Well, much as I’d love nothing more than to sit here in this wonderful spring sunshine and chat with you some more, I’m afraid I have to go,” Olive said, getting to her feet. “Our book club is having a special event at the library this afternoon and I don’t want to be late.”
“It was nice chatting with you, Olive.”
“Likewise, dear. I’m sure we’ll bump into one another again. I live on Foxglove Street and am often out and about. Come on, Elsa, let’s get moving.”
The scruffy dog enjoyed one last sniff at the grass beside the bench before joining Olive, who tucked the loose length of lead into place between her hands.
“Bye, Elsa,” Courtney said.
The dog scampered over and sniffed her hands in farewell.
“Bye for now, Courtney,” Olive said with a smile.
“Goodbye, Olive.”
With a wave, the elderly lady departed, the dog trotting along at her side. Courtney remained on the bench for a few more minutes, enjoying the sunshine and the peace of the park.
Restored by the bright day and the beautiful park and the brief moments she’d spent chatting with Olive Nimmo while watching sweet and silly little Elsa snuffling here and there, Courtney got to her feet and turned towards the gates.
If there was a temporary job out there for her somewhere, she wouldn’t find it by sitting here doing nothing.
She had to take action. That’s what had kept her going so far over the past year of unexpected upheavals and traumatic grief—and it’s what would keep her going now, too.
Once she was back at Rosie’s house, she’d start trawling the online job sites looking for something temporary to see her through the next few weeks.
Surely there was someone out there who needed a smart, self-motivated person to help them?