Chapter 6
6
DEE
‘I hope Sylvia’s got it right this time,’ Dee said as she followed the instructions and took the very sharp bend to the left. Sylvia was Babs’ nickname for the voice of her Google Maps phone app, because she said the woman speaking sounded like one of the regular customers at the shop who was called Sylvia and always spoke with a fake posh accent. Thank goodness Dee was in her Clio and not Nigel’s BMW because Babs’ Google Maps had taken them along some narrow and windy roads. Not that she’d have been able to use Nigel’s car as he’d taken it to the airport and left it in parking. She was getting tired now and her head was aching a little. She’d be glad to get there. It had been a long journey with a fair amount of traffic, and the satnav instructions had been constantly punctuated by texts and phone calls from Geoff urging Babs to come home.
‘I’m so sorry, maybe we should use your phone for Google Maps,’ Babs said. But Dee had left her phone in her handbag in the boot of the car, so in the end Babs had blocked Geoff’s number. ‘I’ll unblock him when we get there,’ she said.
Dee turned the corner into a long narrow road going down a cobbled street lined with quaint little houses, and there at the bottom was a blue ribbon of sea. Port Telwyn.
‘Oh wow!’ Babs exclaimed from the passenger seat. ‘That’s gorgeous!’
It was spectacular. The advertisement had boasted sea views but Dee hadn’t expected this. When she’d visited before all those years ago, they’d been in a hotel in a nearby town and only visited the harbour front on a short day trip.
‘Continue straight for 250 yards and your destination is on the right,’ Sylvia the Google Maps lady said.
‘Thank goodness we’re near the bottom of the hill. I wouldn’t want to be walking up here every day from the beach,’ Babs said. ‘I don’t know how you’re going to park here though, the road is too narrow.’
‘It said on the website that there’s car parking around the back.’ Dee looked out for a turning on the right. Ah, there it was, just before the row of cottages – one of which she presumed was Sunset View. She took the turning and drove past the side of the end cottage to an open patch of land at the back, noticing there were already a couple of cars parked on it. ‘I think this is where we’re meant to park,’ she said, pulling up. ‘We’ll leave the car here and walk to the letting agents. They’re apparently only a couple of streets away.’
‘That’s fine, I could do with stretching my legs,’ Babs said as they both got out of the car and looked at the row of gated high walls enclosing the back gardens of the cottages. ‘I wonder which one we’re stopping in.’
‘The name might be on the back gate.’ Dee grabbed her handbag from the boot and locked the car, putting the keys in her bag before walking over to the row of gates and reading the signs on them, Babs beside her. ‘Maritime Wanderer, Primrose Cottage, Dun Roaming – that was an old classic – ah, here we are, Sunset View.’
‘Hard to tell what it’s like from the back with these high gates, can’t wait to look inside,’ Babs said. ‘And to have a cuppa.’
A cuppa – or a glass of wine! – was Babs’ answer to everything, although Dee had to admit she could do with a nice hot drink too.
‘How about we collect the keys then walk on down to the harbour and find a nice café to have a drink in?’ she suggested.
Babs nodded. ‘Suits me! I can smell the sea air and I’m dying for a paddle.’
Dee felt her spirits lift as they walked down the hill to the letting agents. It was so wonderful to be here by the sea, and with Babs too.
‘Thank goodness it’s downhill,’ Babs puffed as they turned the corner into the next street. ‘Mind I don’t fancy the walk back up again. I’m not as fit as I used to be.’
‘Not much further now,’ Dee said, glancing at the shops they passed. Davis & Co, the letting agents, was halfway down the street. What a gorgeous place to work, she thought. A few minutes down the hill and you were at the harbour.
When they walked in a tall, thin woman with a mop of dark hair looked up and smiled. ‘You must be Dee and Babs? Did you get held up in the traffic?’ She held out her hand. ‘I’m Sylvia Davis,’ she announced in an upmarket accent.
Babs caught Dee’s gaze, her eyes twinkling. The woman even sounded a bit like Babs’ satnav, Dee thought, suppressing a smile. ‘Yes. Sorry we’re late, our satnav sent us the wrong way a couple of times. We were also hoping to set out earlier but we kept being distracted.’
‘It’s Dee’s birthday so she had lots of phone calls and messages,’ Babs added.
‘Ah, I thought it must be your birthday. The courier tried to deliver some flowers to the cottage but no one was there so he brought them to us. I’ve taken them to the cottage and stood them in water. I hope that’s all right?’
‘Perfect, thank you.’ Could they be from Nigel, Dee wondered. He might have got the address off Annabel and sent her flowers to make up for going away.
‘Well happy birthday!’ Sylvia smiled. ‘Now, we have some paperwork for you to sign. You’re lucky, we had a last-minute cancellation on this one and it’s a lovely cottage.’ She indicated for them to sit at the two seats by the desk and then took a piece of paper out of the in-tray. Placing it on the desk in front of Dee she pointed to the printed page. ‘If you could sign by the crosses, please.’
Dee picked up the pen offered to her and signed where Sylvia had indicated.
Sylvia handed her the keys and a business card. ‘Any problems, either phone this number or come and see me. I need the keys back by noon next Saturday.’
‘Thank you.’ Dee put the keys in her pocket. She still couldn’t believe she’d done this, and without telling Nigel either. She bet Annabel had told him though. And given him an ear bashing for going away on her birthday. That’s probably why he’d sent her the flowers. If they were from him. Maybe Annabel had sent them, although she had said she’d give Dee her presents when she returned home.
Her birthday. She was sixty today.
‘Enjoy your visit, and happy birthday again,’ Sylvia said. ‘I think you’ll love the cottage, it’s aptly named Sunset View because of the beautiful sunsets you can see from it.’
‘It sounds perfect!’ Babs said. She’d been sitting quietly up until now. ‘First though, we’re going down to the harbour and finding a café to have a nice cup of tea.’
‘There’s one right on the harbour front. It’s called Moira’s Café and has a delicious selection of home-made cakes and sandwiches as well as hot drinks.’
‘Fab!’ Babs said.
They both set off down the hill to the sea, coming out right in front of the picturesque harbour. Half a dozen fishing boats were moored, bobbing up and down on the calm sea, and out in the middle of the ocean, a jet ski zoomed past leaving a white foamy trail in its wake.
Dee drew in a deep breath. She could taste the sea air. It was so beautiful and invigorating she already didn’t want to go home.
Her phone trilled in her pocket to announce an incoming call. She took it out and looked at the screen and was surprised to see that it was Nigel. He never called when he was away, he always said he didn’t have time. All she got was the occasional text message. He was probably still feeling guilty about forgetting her birthday. Well, so he should. She was about to answer when the call stopped. A couple of minutes later a text pinged in.
Annabel said you’ve gone away for a bit. I’m having an important document delivered to the house on Monday afternoon. Can you make sure you’re back to collect it? It has to be signed for.
‘Is that from Nige?’ Babs asked.
Dee nodded and told her what was in the text. ‘I wish he’d have told me sooner, I could have gone away Monday once the document had been delivered.’
‘Don’t you go feeling guilty! Nigel takes you for granted far too much. He’ll have to arrange for the document to be delivered to his office. It’s not your problem.’
No, it wasn’t, Dee agreed. She guessed Nigel had arranged for the document to be delivered to the house because it had sensitive information in it. He did that sometimes if he was working on something confidential and wasn’t in the office. She quickly messaged back that she’d gone away for a few days, and couldn’t possibly drive back in time so he would have to make alternative arrangements. She’d pressed send before she realised that this was the first time she had ever refused to do anything that Nigel had asked. She had built her life around him, seeing it as her job to keep him happy. He’d be shocked at her reply.
‘Well done, you’re finally standing up to him,’ Babs said approvingly. ‘How appalling of him to expect you to drop everything for him when he can’t even be bothered to remember your big birthday.’
A text came whizzing back from Nigel.
How inconsiderate! You could have let me know you were going away. I hope you’re home for when I return early on Saturday morning.
‘He wants to make sure you’ll be there to do his cooking, cleaning and washing,’ Babs said, reading the text over Dee’s shoulder. ‘Don’t you dare go home early to wait on him. Let’s stay all day Saturday! That’ll teach him.’
Dee gazed out at the ocean. Babs was right. Nigel hadn’t asked where she was, how long she was intending to stay away, told her to enjoy herself, or showed any concern at all. He merely wanted to make sure was there to do what he needed and that he wasn’t coming home to an empty house. Nigel hated having to fend for himself, although he was always leaving her to fend for herself.
And there was no mention of the bouquet of flowers. Maybe Annabel had sent them.
‘You should block him for a bit, that’ll teach him,’ Babs said. ‘Actually, I’d better unblock Geoff now or he’ll be having a fit.’ She felt in her pocket, took out her phone and swiped the screen. ‘Wow. A dozen missed phone calls and God knows how many messages from Molly.’ Then she swore.
‘What it is?’ Dee asked.
‘Apparently Geoff’s been trying to call me. The estate agent has taken the photos and they’re putting the house on the market right away.’
‘That’s quick!’ Dee said.
‘Well, he can whistle, I’m not going home.’ Babs followed Dee’s gaze out to the sea. ‘Gorgeous here, isn’t it?’ She turned to Dee. ‘Fancy an ice cream instead of a cuppa?’
‘You know, I think I will,’ said Dee.
They both bought a 99 cone and sat on the wall overlooking the harbour.
‘There’s a lovely-looking restaurant over there, shall we book a table for tonight?’ Babs asked. ‘We can celebrate your birthday.’
‘I’d like that.’ Dee licked the soft ice cream that was dripping down the side of her cone. This birthday was completely different to any she’d had before, but she had a feeling she was going to really enjoy it.