Chapter 13
13
DEE
‘Dee Walton! Goodness me, it’s been years!’
It had, but Dee would have recognised Kenny anywhere, especially that rich deep voice of his. Fancy bumping into him here!
Babs looked from one to the other. ‘You know each other?’
‘Kenny and Margot lived near Nigel and me when we were first married. They moved away though, and we lost touch,’ Dee explained.
Babs indicated her phone, then the doorway and stepped outside into the street. Dee guessed that Geoff or one of her children had called. She turned her attention back to Kenny. ‘Is Margot with you?’ She looked around for Kenny’s wife.
Kenny shook his head. ‘I’m afraid she died a few years ago.’
‘I’m so sorry,’ Dee said softly, reaching out and briefly touching his hand in sympathy.
‘Me too, but I’ve learnt to live with it. You have to, don’t you?’ He smiled at Dee. ‘How about you? Is Nigel with you?’
‘No, he’s on a golfing holiday in Portugal.’ Dee looked again at the painting. ‘This really is good. Have you always been an artist?’
‘I started painting in France, as a hobby, then when we came back to live in Port Telwyn – I grew up here, you know – we opened a craft shop. In the winter Margot made jewellery and I painted, in the summer we sold what we made in our shop.’
‘Do you still have the shop?’ Dee asked.
‘No, I’m retired now and I paint as a hobby. I’ve a little studio in my backyard.’ He stroked his beard. ‘How long are you here for?’
‘Only until Saturday, we got a last minute deal,’ Dee told him.
‘Well if you’re at a loose end tonight why don’t you and your friend drop into The Pirate’s Head later for a drink and a chat? It would be good to catch up again.’
‘That sounds great, I’m sure Babs, my friend, would enjoy it too. What time would be best?’
‘We’ve got a meeting about raising funds for the new Artists’ Studios first, but we should be finished by eight, so make it after then?’
‘I’ll run it by Babs, see what she thinks. If not, maybe I’ll bump into you again while we’re here.’
‘I’m sure you will. You’ll find me in Moira’s most lunchtimes. That lady does a mean bacon and egg buttie.’ He nodded. ‘Enjoy the rest of your day and hopefully see you later.’
‘Well, he’s a bit of a dish, isn’t he?’ Babs joined her as Kenny walked away. ‘He reminds me of an older David Cassidy. You had quite a thing for him, didn’t you? You used to plaster your walls with pictures of him, remember?’
‘And you used to be mad on Donny Osmond,’ Dee replied. ‘Goodness, where have those years gone?’
‘It feels like it was only yesterday.’ Babs fixed her eyes on Dee. ‘Now tell me more about this Kenny. Is he on holiday too? How long has it been since you last met?’
Dee thought for a moment. ‘It must be at least thirty years.’ She repeated her conversation with Kenny. ‘It’s such a shame about Margot, she was a lovely woman. So full of life, and always ready to lend a hand.’ Like Babs, she thought. She could tell that Nigel had been delighted when Margot had moved away. He would have probably liked her to lose contact with Babs too, but they had been friends far too long for that. And Margot leaving brought them even closer, as Babs had moved nearby a few months later when Geoff’s father died.
‘Fancy meeting down here though, when we’ve done a runner from our husbands. It’s such a small world,’ Babs remarked.
‘It is. I do wish Margot was here too,’ Dee said wistfully. She would have loved to have a catch up with Margot. ‘Kenny has invited us to the local pub, The Pirate’s Head, this evening, if you fancy it. Apparently a few of the villagers will be there as they’re having a meeting about raising funds for the local Artists’ Studios. What do you think?’
‘Sure, it might be fun,’ Babs agreed. ‘It’s nice that you’ve met Kenny again, isn’t it? I was looking forward to you and me time but it’s great to connect with some of the villagers while we’re down here.’ She looped her arm through Dee’s. ‘Now, how about a walk along the beach and a paddle in the sea?’
‘That sounds perfect!’ Dee told her. She doubted if she would be paddling but she she knew Babs would.
‘This is the life,’ Babs said contentedly as they walked along the sand, the breeze blowing their hair. She stopped by a wall and sat down. ‘I’m going to take my sandals off and walk barefoot. It’s been years since I felt the sand between my toes.’
Dee smiled as she watched her friend slip off her sandals. Babs always had the gift of enjoying the moment, no matter what else was happening.
‘Go on, be a devil and let your hair down. You know you want to,’ Babs said, looking up at her.
Dee hesitated then sat down and took her sandals off too. She wriggled her toes in the warm sand. Maybe she would go for a paddle after all.
As if reading her mind, Babs stood up, her sandals dangling on her fingers. ‘Race you to the sea!’ She darted off across the beach.
Dee paused then followed, catching up with Babs as she reached the water, both leaving their sandals by a nearby rock. They stepped in, letting the cool water flow over their feet. The waves gently rolled in, breaking over their feet.
‘Let’s jump them!’ Babs suggested. She paddled out into the sea towards a white, foamy wave and jumped over it as it broke, splashing water all over her. ‘Come on, Dee, this is fun!’ She laughed.
Dee hesitated and looked around. The beach was pretty empty, no one was watching them. No one cares if two older ladies lark around in the sea, she told herself. She paddled over to join Babs just as a bigger wave came crashing onto the shore covering her from head to toe.
She spluttered and coughed, pushing her wet hair off her face.
‘I’m soaking!’ she shouted to Babs.
‘You’ll soon dry.’ Babs laughed as she jumped over another wave.
What the heck, she couldn’t get any wetter, could she? Dee thought. Besides it was quite exhilarating. She waded further into the sea.
Babs grinned at her. ‘Good job I packed a cossie in my case, I might have a swim tomorrow. Did you bring one? I meant to remind you.’
Dee hastily stepped back as a huge wave tumbled in. ‘No, it didn’t even occur to me.’
‘Shame, you bought some lovely new ones too. Never mind, you can get one in the town in the morning,’ Babs suggested.
‘It’s a bit public to wear a swimming costume.’ Dee wasn’t as confident about her body now she was getting older. When she’d bought the new tankinis she’d thought she’d be wearing them in the pool of a private villa in Portugal.
Babs tossed her hair from her face. ‘Who cares? The older I get, the less I care what other people think.’
‘I don’t think you’ve ever cared what other people think,’ Dee replied with a smile. Actually, it would be good to be as carefree as Babs, and to stop worrying about what people thought. Maybe she would buy a swimming costume and go for a swim in the sea.
When they’d had a paddle, they dried their feet on a couple of tissues Babs had in her handbag, slipped their sandals back on and put the tissues in their pockets then continued their walk across the sand. It was warm and Dee was soon feeling thirsty. She looked around to see if there was a refreshment stall anywhere and spotted an ice cream van a few feet in front of them.
‘Fancy an ice cream?’ she asked.
‘God, yes, I’m parched. Shall we have a 99 again?’ Babs asked. ‘Double flake this time?’
Dee grinned. This is one of the reasons she loved having Babs as a friend. Her joy for life was infectious.
‘Are you on holiday, ladies?’ the ice cream man asked as he filled two cones with ice cream and put two chocolate flakes in each.
‘Yes, we’re down here for the week,’ Babs told him. ‘Celebrating this one’s birthday,’ she jerked her finger at Dee.
‘Really? Then happy birthday.’ The man smiled and squirted chocolate sauce on both cones, then stuck an extra flake in Dee’s.
‘Thank you.’ Babs handed over the money, insisting it was her treat, then they both set off across the beach again.
‘I’ll have gained a stone by the time we go home,’ Dee said as she licked the ice cream before it dripped off her cone.
‘There’s worse things than having a bit of extra weight,’ Babs told her. ‘You worry too much about your figure. Stop trying to please Nigel.’
Dee knew her friend was right, but it was hard to change the habits of a lifetime. Nigel had an image to keep up, and as his wife, he pointed out that Dee did too. He kept a firm eye on his weight, and how he dressed, and expected Dee to do the same. Babs and Geoff were both far more relaxed about it and never let the thought of putting on a couple of extra pounds stop them from eating their favourite foods.
‘That was delicious, but my hands are all sticky now. I think I’ve got some wipes in my bag.’ Babs opened her bag, she always carried wipes and tissues with her because she was forever spilling things. She took out a packet of wipes, handed the packet to Dee to take one, then took one herself and slipped the packet back into her bag.
‘Thanks.’ Dee wiped her fingers carefully and looked around for a bin. Suddenly a gust of wind blew the wipe out of Babs’ hand and onto the sand in front of her. Before she could get to pick it up a voice shouted. ‘Oi, pick that up! Do you realise what harm litter does to wildlife! You holidaymakers are always the same!’
A tall, well-built man with a thick mop of dark auburn hair and a beard was walking towards them, evidently furious. ‘Apart from littering the beach and making it look disgusting, if those wet wipes get swept into the sea, they’ll play havoc with marine life.’
Babs glared at him. ‘Wind your neck in! I was about to put it in the bin when the wind blew it out of my hand.’
‘That’s everyone’s excuse!’ the man retorted.
‘Actually, it’s the truth!’ The man really was so rude, Dee felt compelled to speak up. Babs had retrieved her wipe by now and was marching over to the bin with it. Dee followed suit. They took the crumpled tissues they’d use to wipe their feet out of their pockets and put them in the bin too.
‘Make sure you don’t drop any litter again, or I’ll report you and you’ll be fined,’ the man said, pointing to a ‘don’t drop litter’ sign beside the bin. Then he strode off.
‘What an unpleasant man! Though he is quite striking, rather like a Titan,’ Babs said. ‘I hope we don’t bump into him again or I might not be able to stop myself from giving him a piece of my mind.’
‘He was unpleasant but there is a lot of litter on the beach, I can see his point, even if he did judge us too hastily,’ Dee said.
Babs pulled a face. ‘You’re always too forgiving with people.’ She took out a tissue and mopped her forehead, making sure she held it tightly in her hand, then returned it to her bag. ‘It’s getting hot.’
They took a walk around the town, popping into several of the little souvenir shops, coming a full circle to Sunset View. Dee paused as they approached the row of cottages, looking out for Primrose Cottage, Snowy’s home. There it was, the second one along, and she could hear a cat miaowing. She glanced over the low wall with an iron gate surrounding the front of the house, and saw Snowy yowling plaintively, scratching at the front door as if asking to be let in. Edna must be out. Dee’s eyes flitted towards the bay window, the curtains were closed, and so were the upstairs’ bedroom curtains.
‘What’s up?’ Babs glanced over. ‘Oh, it’s Snowy. It looks like Edna’s out, no wonder he came to you for food.’
‘Strange for her to go out without opening the curtains,’ Dee mused. Checking her watch she saw that it was gone two o’clock. She had an uneasy feeling in her gut. She often visited local elderly people and helped with their shopping, and knew how particular they were about opening their curtains. And how vulnerable they were. And Snowy sounded very distressed. What if Edna was ill? What harm would it do to check? Dee opened the gate and stepped inside the front garden.
‘What are you doing?’ Babs asked curiously.
‘Just making sure that everything’s all right.’ Dee headed for the front door, stooped down and shouted through the letter box. ‘Edna! Are you there?’
Snowy had stopped miaowing now, his dark eyes watching her. Then she heard it. It was faint but audible.
‘Help! Help me!’