Chapter 29
TWENTY-NINE
Rita cruised into Seahaven Bay harbour, the mid-May morning sun glinting off the waves and warming her face.
She parked up, glanced down at her bump, and adjusted her hoodie.
With her keep-fit regime fully in place, she was headed straight to a one-on-one Reformer session with Jilly.
She was feeling slightly apprehensive to see her friend as she had not had the chance to have a proper chat with her lately.
The effervescent Jilly greeted Rita with a huge grin at the door of the Pilates studio.
As Rita pulled her hoodie over her head to reveal a baggy T-shirt and leggings, Jilly’s eyes nearly popped out of her head.
She stared directly at her friend’s breasts, then cupped her own, which were looking equally large and resplendent in today’s pink Lycra.
‘You’ve either secretly had one of what I have had several of, been eating too many pies, or shut the front door, you’re not for real up the duff, are you, babe?’
Rita took a huge breath. ‘Yes, Jilly. Up the duff. Very, very up the duff.’
Jilly leaned back with a dramatic gasp, then clapped her hands together. Then on seeing that Rita didn’t look so happy, she locked the front door, flicked the kettle on, then pulled two balance balls over for them to perch on.
‘Shit. It is Jago’s, I take it?’
Rita raised her eyebrows and let out a little a laugh. ‘Course it is and wait for it: two for the price of one.’
Jilly dragged her syllables, ‘Fuck… ing… Hell, la.’
‘Tell me. For a moment, I actually wished I were going through the menopause! I could have coped with that. Make sure you’re careful with Joel, won’t you?’
‘No worry of that, I struggled in that department, had to have the whole lot whipped out in my late thirties so it’s probably like throwing a sausage up an alley down there now.’
Rita shook her head. ‘You’re so wrong, but I do love you.’
Jilly got up. ‘Are you drinking caffeine?’
‘No, I’ll have a mint tea, if you have it, or just water if not.’
Jilly sat back down with two steaming pink mugs. ‘And don’t even think of asking me to be a godmother. My friends back home all thought the same. It’s more stressful trying to remember all their bloody kids’ birthdays than having me own, and costs me a fortune at Christmas!’
Rita grinned. ‘OK, noted.’
Jilly took a sip of her coffee and nodded towards Rita’s bump. ‘How far gone are you?’
Rita cradled her tummy. ‘Around fifteen weeks. I look bigger, though, as it’s twins.’
Jilly was wide-eyed. ‘I wondered why you were being short on messages with your answers about Miss Perfect and Jago and everything.’
‘I’m so sorry. I’ve been busy with the retreat and I’ve held it in. Zen knew without me telling her. Kel knows, but nobody else. I just haven’t had much time to have a proper face-to-face conversation with you, that’s all.’
Jilly squeezed Rita’s leg supportively. ‘You’re here now and I’ve got you, girl. So, what’s happening with Jago, then?’
Rolling her shoulders, Rita let out a huge sigh.
‘I can’t even tell you how stressful it’s been.
I… I don’t even know where to start. Seeing Elodie, knowing she’s…
been there… it just… it messed with me. I have moments of clarity and strength.
’ She paused, letting the words trail. ‘I know I have to tell him about this, but she has to be gone, properly gone, before I do. He said she had, then she pitched up and let herself into his house! I’ve been lost, Jilly. Proper lost.’
‘Ah, love. No wonder you’re wound up, hormones are doing a samba, and your heart’s in a twist. So, my advice. First. You don’t sort this on the hoof. You set a proper time to talk. Sit down, no distractions, no phones, no nothing. Neutral ground even, so no bugger turns up at the door.’
Rita nodded. ‘Good idea.’
‘Then you tell him how you feel, what you need. Anger’s fine, tears are fine, just get it out. Pure facts, not some soap opera twist. You want him listening, not legging it to the hills.’
Rita sighed deeply. ‘It’s just… so much history. Too much to ignore, too much to let go.’
Jilly’s lips twitched. ‘Then own it. And as for Elodie? I’ve met types like her before. She’ll wrap him round her finger, no sweat. And the way you talk about Jago… he’ll fall for it. They like empathetic men like him.’
‘I’m sure that is what she is doing now.’
‘You can’t kid a kidder, and it wouldn’t surprise me if Amélie isn’t just a sorry pawn in her game too.’
Rita shivered. ‘I did say exactly that to him, and I do think she could be lying. But oh my God, surely somebody can’t be that wicked!’
Jilly smiled knowingly. ‘Be honest, be brave, and just keep breathing.’
Rita gave a shaky smile. ‘Thanks, Jilly. I’ll set a proper time. No walls. No hiding.’
‘Sound.’ Jilly jumped up. ‘And if he hasn’t got the balls to reciprocate, then more fool him.’
Checking her watch, Rita stood up and stretched her arms high.
‘Yes, look at the time. We’ve got twenty minutes to get you on a machine before my next client. You’re going to need a lead-lined pelvic floor with the two of them inside of yous.’
Rita was driving back from the harbour with a bag of goodies from Betty’s on the passenger seat.
For today, she had decided, was all hers.
No retreat guests, no running around like a headless chicken.
She’d be snacking her way through the afternoon, sitting in her back garden, letting the radio, the sun and sea breeze do their thing.
Jilly was always so no-nonsense and had made her feel as if everything with Jago was just a simple conversation to have in an adult manner. Which it clearly wasn’t!
She was about to alter the course of his life completely.
He would soon be father to two babies with a woman he wasn’t even technically with right now, both of them hovering in that uneasy space between love and doubt.
All after just being told that he had a five-year-old daughter with a probable narcissist. She was just thinking of what she would put in her invite message to him when her phone buzzed.
Clicking it through to hands free, she turned up the volume.
‘Reet, are you at home?’ Kelly’s voice came through, urgent and full of excitement.
Rita screwed up her face. ‘Nearly, you all right?’
‘Yeah, fine. It’s just you know my mate Angie, well, her daughter’s getting hitched, and she’s all over the wedding sites and magazines. I went round for book club the other night and told her what you did, and… well, you’ve got to see this.’
Rita kept one hand on the wheel. ‘I’m driving, mate. What is it?’
‘Somebody called Imogen Hamilton-Clark… writes for one of those lifestyle sites… in this case, the wedding section. And get this, she’s written an article about your retreat.’
Rita blinked. ‘Really?’
‘Oh.’ There was a pause as Kelly scanned the articles.
‘Kel? You there?’
‘Yes, just reading it properly myself.’ Her tone then changed; she tutted. ‘Oh. It’s not all good either.’
Rita tightened her grip on the wheel, a mix of dread and curiosity twisting in her stomach. She could hear the ocean to her left, feel the sun on her face, and yet her mind was now far from relaxed.
‘Do you know this woman?’ Kel quizzed.
‘She was a guest. Very elusive, it kind of makes sense now. I knew she was writing something but didn’t think it would be to do with my place. I didn’t even know she was a journalist…’
‘Some of it is all right,’ Kel soothed.
‘Let me get in. I’ll have a proper look. Can you email me it, please? Thanks, Kel.’
Rita got in, threw her bag down and immediately opened her laptop on the kitchen table. She suddenly felt the presence of Henry behind her, looked back and then let out a soulful smile. She had found herself doing that a lot since he had passed.
Rita clicked the link Kelly had sent and dove in, eyes hungry, straight into the Luxe Lifestyle wedding section, ‘I Dos & Definitely Don’ts’.
She read aloud: ‘The Seahaven Bay Retreat: Cornish Cornucopia or Rushed Regret.’ Rita blew out huge breath and continued.
‘When weddings go awry, quick thinking can save the day… or can it? If you’ve been following my wedding news lately, you might have read about some countryside venue chaos, namely that of Rosecliff Barns in beautiful Cornwall.
A couple of double bookings here threw organisers into a spin.
A spokesperson by one such planner from Weddings by Sennen told me they were let down by the flaky owners of the barn.
leaving a hysterical bride scrambling at the last minute.
NOT exactly the picture of professional planning.
However, in a stroke of inspiration (or was it desperation?), Sennen Jory had a brilliant idea: why not hold the wedding in her mother’s wellness retreat barn in Seahaven Bay?
The Seahaven Bay Retreat, set in its namesake town, is indeed charming.
Pastoral views, a quaint, albeit weathered barn, a scattering of goats and chickens running around for those perfect rustic photos, it certainly has character.
On paper, it could be a contender. But let’s be honest: it’s very much a work in progress.
Licensing, guest logistics, and general organisation are still questions waiting to be answered.
So, I’m on the white picket fence on this one for now.
Could Seahaven Bay Retreat become a favourite for weddings?
Maybe, if you’re the adventurous sort who likes a dash of unpredictability, some barnyard charm, and a side of wellness retreats.
But if you’re looking for reliability and smooth execution, perhaps keep watching this space before committing. ’
Rita sat agog. The spokesperson must have been her!
Imogen had caught her unawares when she had come back from Jago’s in a complete mess that day.
‘How dare she,’ Rita seethed. She read it through again.
Rosecliff Barns had come out of it a lot worse than her, and she was quite sure she hadn’t said the word ‘flaky’.
She immediately went to email Imogen and ask her what the hell she was up to.
Then she remembered that she was coming to stay when the wedding was happening.
The sneaky cow! Rita took a breath. She hadn’t even decided if this would be a one-off wedding or if she would do more, but it was most likely the former.
Who the deuces did that woman think she was!
She would have to tell Sennen. And as for what to do about Imogen, she would just wait.
Wasn’t it Shakespeare who said revenge is a dish best served cold?
Dearest Immie Hamilton-Clark, dare to outwit me, I don’t think so!
Human Resources, the little liar! Next time she came to Seahaven Bay, Rita would be ready.
She emailed the article over to Sennen, then counted aloud, ‘Three, two, one.’
‘How bloody dare she!’ Rita held the handset away from her ear as Sennen screeched. ‘Desperation, the gall of the woman!’
‘Well, it kind of was,’ Rita laughed.
Sennen laughed too. ‘And who was the spokesperson!’
‘Inadvertently me, I’m afraid. She asked me a load of questions and caught me unawares. I believed she was an HR exec, more fool me.’
Sennen sighed. ‘I guess all publicity is good publicity. But you don’t even know if you want to advertise as a wedding venue yet. I think it’s just so wrong.’
‘Did you see how many followers she has on her Instagram page, though?’ Rita added.
‘Yeah, I did. Good point. Even if you don’t want to become a wedding venue, let’s get everyone talking about Weddings by Sennen. I will be international by December.’
Rita smiled at her daughter’s exuberance. ‘I’ll be happy we just get this one right in little old Cornwall first. It’s not long now.’
‘I know! I’m going to come down Friday, so we can make sure everything is fully to plan, is that OK?’
‘Of course it is, love. Just message me whenever you’re leaving, so I know when to expect you.’