Chapter Twenty-Three Freya’s House #2
Meanwhile, Amelia had continued down Kirkwall high street, popping into several shops and exclaiming over the clothes and accessories.
She found herself outside Hume Sweet Hume where Evie had once tried on a green dress in the window and then wore it on the way home, feeling all sophisticated and daring.
Amelia was going through the rails when the assistant went over to speak to her.
“Goodness, I thought that was Evie for a minute there with a daring new hair colour. You must be Amelia. News travels fast here and Kate was in earlier telling me all about you coming over from America. I’m Fiona. Can I help you with anything?”
Amelia gave her a dazzling smile.
“I need something for a very special party.”
“I’m guessing that will be Freya’s surprise eightieth birthday party? We’ve had a fair few of her friends in here buying new dresses. Does Freya really not know all about it?”
“What do you think?” Amelia said with a giggle. “Course she does but she’s going to pretend that it’s a huge shock. I’ve left her planning her outfit.”
Amelia looked around. “This really is a lovely shop. You have so many interesting and unusual things. I don’t understand why Evie told me to go online for Freya’s party because she could never find anything to wear in Orkney.”
Fiona couldn’t believe what she was hearing. This didn’t sound like Evie.
Amelia continued, “And then I found her throwing out that gorgeous green dress she got from here. I had to rescue it from the jumble sale bag. I said to her, ‘If you don’t want it, I will have it.’ ” She gave a tinkling laugh.
Fiona looked stricken. “Are you sure? Evie is one of our best customers. She pops in a lot, and she told me she loved that green dress and would still be wearing it when she was an old woman.”
Amelia said in a rush, “Oh, I must have got it wrong then. I’m sure it’s all a misunderstanding.” She continued flicking through the clothes rails.
“Can I try on this blue silk top with the matching trousers? It’s gorgeous and will be perfect for the party. I have just the right shoes, but I might need your help with a bag.”
“Of course,” said Fiona, but she was frowning, and Amelia could see she had successfully planted doubts in her mind about Evie.
‘So far, so good,’ she thought. ‘And this shop really is a treasure trove. I am absolutely treating myself to this fabulous outfit, and that handbag is a must.’
Back at Freya’s, Amelia showed off her new hair and her purchases. Freya loved the pink look and heartily approved of the whisky-flavoured tablet Amelia had bought her as a present, immediately scoffing the whole lot.
She wasn’t so sure about the new blue outfit, which she considered to be very much on the plain side. “Maybe if you jazzed it up with some silk scarves and massive earrings and a really colourful belt it might be dressy enough for my party. You can borrow some stuff from me if you like.”
Amelia gave her a broad smile. “You are so kind Freya, and you always look spectacular. I don’t see how anyone would ever think your outfits are too much.”
Freya looked at her. “Well, I hope they wouldn’t. I like to be colourful. It makes me happy.” Throwing her arms in the air, she added with a laugh, “It’s my signature look.”
“Of course it is, and no one would want you any other way. That’s why I can’t get my head round it,” said Amelia.
“Can’t get your head around what?” asked Freya.
“Oh it’s nothing. Just that when we were talking about the party, Evie said she hoped you would tone it down a bit, that’s all. She said something about us all needing sunglasses on the night.”
Freya’s face fell. Amelia said hastily, “But of course she was just joking.”
Whether it was because she was recovering from her illness and feeling a bit wobbly, Freya felt herself becoming really upset. She’d also been wondering why Evie hadn’t visited her.
She looked up at Amelia and said quietly, “I don’t think Evie would ever say that to anyone about me. I know she wouldn’t.”
Amelia decided she had gone too far. She had been right to think Freya was going to be the most difficult nut to crack. She’d have to be more subtle. “Of course, she wouldn’t. I must have picked her up all wrong. I’m so sorry, Freya. I should never have mentioned it. She adores you. We all do.”
She went on, “Let me pour you a drink and we can watch that daft show we love. You know the one where the couples get married despite the fact they’ve never even met each other.”
“Actually Amelia, I’m feeling a peedie bit tired. I think I will take to my bed.”
Lying in bed, Freya tried to work out what was going on.
She had grown very fond of Amelia and didn’t think she was trying to cause trouble, but why say anything like that in the first place?
Would Evie really have spoken so unkindly about her?
It was unimaginable. She had to admit that sometimes she did go a bit overboard with her clothes and her jewellery, but it was her suit of armour, and it made her feel pretty.
What if they all think the same? That I’m just a ridiculous sad old woman.
Someone they feel sorry for and put up with?
She had a restless night, but in the bright morning light, felt much better. She told herself she was being daft. Amelia had said it was just a joke after all. She heard her in the kitchen making breakfast.
“She’s a good lass really,” Freya told herself. “I need to behave myself. Christ, I’m going to be eighty soon. I need to be a bit more thick skinned.”
She gave herself a shake and called out. “I’m getting up for breakfast this morning, Amelia. I feel much better.”
“Oh, I’m so glad. I’ve been worrying that I upset you by putting my foot in it about Evie. I shouldn’t have said anything. Honestly, I need to learn to think before I open my mouth and let my belly rumble.”
“Forget it. Just a misunderstanding, like you said.”
Amelia looked relieved. Freya grabbed her mug of coffee and took a long sip. “Perfect. Just the way I like it,” she smiled at Amelia.
“Now I’ve got a back log of work to be getting on with, so right after breakfast I’m going to get started. Evie says we need more of those silver earrings that look like peedie shells and I have a heap of stones to paint.”
“I wish I could help you,” said Amelia, “but I’m hopeless at anything arty and I need to get back to see Agnes at the salon. Are you certain it’s alright for me to take your car? I’ll make sure I fill her right up to the top.”
“Away with you,” said Freya. “That poor car sits there in the drive bored out of its tiny mind. Hardly anyone drives it these days. It was good of you to get yourself insured online. I had no idea you could do that for short spells.” She chuckled, “The interweb is an amazing thing altogether.”
‘You have no idea,’ thought Amelia. Out loud she said, “Well, I will bring back some shopping, we are nearly out of butter and cheese. I’m away to get this pink washed out and when I come back, I will be a new woman.”
At the salon, Agnes outdid herself and Amelia’s hair turned out to be just like Evie’s, shiny and thick and streaked with different shades of blonde. The transformation was uncanny. Amelia looked in the mirror and even she gasped. It could have been Evie’s face staring right back at her.
“Thanks, Agnes. This would have cost me an absolute fortune in a salon back home. Are you sure that’s all it costs?” she gushed.
“You get mate’s rates, Amelia. And maybe when Evie sees how good you look, she might not be so snippy about my skills as a hairdresser.”
“I told you I’m sure that was a misunderstanding.”
Agnes thought she really was such a kind-hearted woman, sticking up for that snobbish Evie. She gave her a beaming smile and a massive hug.
As Amelia walked out of the door, she told herself, ‘This is going to be a piece of cake.’ She almost purred with satisfaction.