Chapter Twenty
‘It’s not the finest food, that’s all I’m saying.
Only the French say French cuisine is the finest. Ask anyone, and they will tell you, the honest flavours of Italian will win out every time.
Traditional recipes handed down over generations.
We respect our ingredients. We let them speak for themselves. ’
As Gino had been speaking for a good ten minutes on the merits of Italian over French food, Ava wondered if he was actually going to let anything or anyone speak for themselves.
‘You see, a meal to us is—’
‘Gino!’ Ava held up her hand. While she appreciated his passion, she feared how long he might go on if left to continue his rant.
‘Yes?’ Gino looked confused by the interruption.
‘The point is, you can’t host a French-themed night with you denigrating the star of the show — the French cuisine.
Otherwise, you should have called your venture around the world in one perfect cuisine and seven not so good ones!
’ Ava waved to the waitress and asked for the bill, before taking out her purse.
Gino slunk back into his seat, sighed and shook his head. ‘So, you think it’s too late to change the name?’
Ava noticed the teasing glint in his eyes and threw her napkin at him. ‘What are you like?’
Gino picked the napkin up and placed it on his plate. ‘The night will be a sell-out. You’ll see. I’m a professional. Didn’t I make the English night a success?’
‘Fish and Chip Friday wasn’t exactly a hard sell or the truest representation of English cuisine.’
‘No. But it was popular. You can’t deny it.’
Ava thought about the Friday night they had spent, enjoying fish and chips in the pub while listening to classic pop songs. ‘No, I can’t, but it does make me fear what you’re offering for the French night.’
‘Chef is taking the lead, offering traditional French cuisine.’
‘That’ll be nice.’
‘Besides . . . I can always offer an Italian alternative.’
‘You’re terrible.’ Ava laughed, accepting the bill from the waitress with thanks.
‘Hey, it’s my turn to pay.’ Gino reached across the table, but Ava pushed his hand away.
‘No. It’s definitely mine. Besides, next time Mary will be with us. I’m getting a good deal.’ Ava shrugged her shoulders and placed cash on the table. ‘It’s a shame she had to work today.’
‘Did she, really? I was worried she hadn’t come because you told her what we—’
‘No, really. She’s taken some abandoned kittens to a local fosterer.’
‘Kittens?’
‘Yes, you’d be surprised how often people call about domestic strays and rescues.
I guess they just want someone to help the animals and they know we won’t ignore them.
We do what we can, passing them on to the best place for them.
’ Ava stood up and slipped her fleece on.
‘And remember, I promised I wouldn’t say about the other.
’ She smiled at Gino, pleased that she had managed to keep her lips sealed, even though she and Mary usually shared everything.
‘Good. Thank you.’ Gino smiled, relief clear in his eyes. He stood to do up his jacket and followed Ava to the door as they chatted.
‘Sorry, it’s a bit of a rushed breakfast today.
I’ve left Flo putting up a Mother’s Day display.
She offered, and while I normally do the displays, I was grateful.
’ Ava scrunched up her nose and shrugged her shoulders.
‘I thought we should mark the weekend, before I get sorted with the French theme on Monday.’
As they stepped out onto the pavement, Gino took hold of Ava’s hand, drawing her attention to him. ‘If you don’t want to be alone tomorrow, you can come to my house. You know my Mamma loves you.’
‘Thank you, that’s very kind, but really, I’ll be fine.’ Ava smiled, appreciating the kindness in Gino’s eyes as much as his gesture.
Her mum had been gone eighteen months and Ava missed her every day.
Her second Mother’s Day without her would be difficult, of course, but she also knew it was one day in the forever she faced without her.
She felt the loss of her mum today, she’d feel it tomorrow and she knew it was a pain she’d still feel as she took her own final breath.
Mother’s Day might pass with little more than a numb feeling of emptiness while smelling a similar washing powder to her mum’s on clothes donated to the charity shop, or hearing her mum’s favourite song, could have her in floods of tears.
Flo had once told Ava that grief is as unpredictable as the sea, some days the waves come in gentle ripples, while others they rage with a force so wild it feels they might consume you; the secret, she said, was learning how to stay afloat.
In the past eighteen months, with the help of her friends and the Flynn spirit that was very much alive inside of her, Ava had learned that was true.
Gino released her hand, and the two of them walked side by side, towards the charity shop.
Ava took in the sight of the daffodils growing in planters outside the café.
March was in full swing; the days were getting warmer, and spring was coming.
There was a time of change ahead, and for the first time in a long time, she felt ready to embrace it.
‘Besides, I have to stay home tomorrow, I have an expectant mum to look after. Myrtle needs me.’
‘Of course, how is she doing? Taking it all in her four-legged stride?’
‘She certainly is. She’s looking rounder!’
‘You haven’t told her that, have you? I once made a similar comment to my eldest sister, and I’m lucky I lived to tell the tale.’
‘Ha, of course not. A lady never wants to hear such a thing. She’s on limited exercise, and she’s not supposed to jump which is . . . What the—!’ Ava froze as she took in the sight before her.
‘Oh no, isn’t that . . . ?’ Gino’s eyes went wide.
‘But I told Flo . . . I gave her . . . I don’t even know where they .
. .’ Ava closed her mouth, aware that she was no longer forming coherent sentences.
Instead, she shook her head and looked bewildered at the display of sex toys in the charity shop window.
It was something she never imagined she’d see, and something that was made so much worse by the fact that the only one of her instructions Flo seemed to have followed was to hang the sign she had left, prominently above the display.
Ava’s cheeks flushed as she read the words aloud, ‘Treat yourself and relieve the tension this Mother’s Day!
’ Ava put her hand to her forehead, wishing the ground would swallow her up.
‘Oh, God!’ She ran inside, Gino following.
‘Quite a bold statement you’ve gone for this year!’ He laughed.
Flo welcomed Ava with a broad smile. ‘Aren’t they wonderful?’
‘No! They’re really not.’
‘But you said to go for it with a relax on Mother’s Day theme.’ Flo looked between Ava and Gino, clearly disappointed at their lack of enthusiasm.
‘But I left yoga mats, detox books, calming CDs, not . . . I mean . . . where did you . . . ?’ Ava decided she might not want to know where the offending objects came from and left the sentence hanging.
‘They were donated this morning. Wasn’t that great timing! They’re so much more fun to look at than yoga mats and CDs.’
Gino burst out a giggle, resulting in an admonishing look from Ava as she tried to hold it together.
‘Flo, do you know what they are?’
‘Of course I do. I might be old, but I’ve not lost my marbles yet.
I keep up with the latest trends. I read magazines.
They’re back massagers! And, how great is this?
The woman that brought them in said that big one is suitable for in the shower, while that smaller one is handbag sized. Who’d have thought!’
‘I never thought . . . Did you Ava?’ Gino teased, while Flo continued.
‘But my favourites are those shiny balls. They keep your fingers nimble — great for rheumatism if you move them around in your hand. Wait I’ll show you—’
‘No! Please don’t,’ Ava interjected.
‘It’s no bother. I thought about getting them to take along to Knit and Natter this week. They could all do with—’
On hearing that, Ava succumbed to the giggles she could feel building inside and joined Gino as they each let out a peal of laughter. Flo looked between them, clearly discombobulated by their reaction.
Attempting to regain her composure, Ava spoke, ‘Bless you, Flo, and thank you for . . . this.’ She gestured to the display. ‘But the thing is—’
‘They’re all new, and Gift-Aided!’
Ava could tell Flo was proud of her achievement and didn’t want to upset her. She had to handle this carefully, but while she was trying to think, Flo continued to speak.
‘She’d bought them on impulse and then decided she was no Anastasia . . . Anastasia Steele. I’ll admit, I don’t know who that is, but she must be like Jane Fonda back in the day — she had us all in leotards and leg warmers, and wearing those things on your wrists.’
‘Zip ties?’ Gino suggested, mischief in his expression, earning him a punch on the arm from Ava.
‘Sweatbands,’ Flo corrected, looking between Gino and Ava. ‘Honestly, what did you two have for breakfast? I don’t know what’s so funny!’
Ava couldn’t help herself and burst into another fit of the giggles. Gino leaned closer to Flo and whispered in her ear. Ava had no idea what he said, but judging by the shade of crimson Flo turned before she burst into laughter herself, Ava assumed she had been enlightened.
‘Well, I never. Who’d have thought? Imagine if I’d taken them to Knit and Natter. And to think, she stood there nice as pie!’ Tears ran down Flo’s cheeks as she saw the funny side.
‘I think we’d better remove them, don’t you?
’ Ava managed, attempting to get her giggles under control.
As she went to fetch a bag to dispose of them, her phone rang.
Seeing it was Mary, Ava pressed to pick up the call, hoping to share what had happened.
But before she could speak, Mary’s voice came out in a rush.
‘Ava, you need to come here now. I’m at the Lodge.’ Her tone was insistent.
‘What is it? Are you OK?’
‘I am. But your boyfriend’s not going to be. I am going to bloody kill him!’
‘Boyfriend? Wh—’
‘Lord Gitlington! There are some men here, surveying the land or something. Ava — he’s going to sell it.’
‘What?’ Ava’s head spun.
‘Are you OK?’ Gino’s voice came from behind her.
She swung around. ‘Gino, I need a lift to Critters’ Lodge.
Can you take me? I don’t think I can ride my bike.
’ Her hands were shaking. Critters’ Lodge was the heart of the charity, its rehabilitation and rehoming centre.
Losing that would set them back decades, to a time when her mum did what she could at her cottage and often had to send animals on to other centres.
She had to get there and find out what was going on.