The Gift of Cockleberry Bay

by Nicola May

  ‘That’s an amazing tale!’

  Sensing that Hot was asleep, Merlin sauntered downstairs. On finding his bowl now empty, just as he’d suspected, he glared at the snoozing dog and headed in a huff out of his cat flap, letting it bang shut behind him.

  Rosa laughed. ‘That cat! He channels Queenie more and more every day.’

  Mary fumbled in her dressing-gown pocket for her inhaler, pulled it out and took a puff. She then took a gulp of tea before resuming, ‘Going back to my lesson, Rosa, because the veil between the spirit world is more accessible at that time, the tradition of adorning the house in scary-looking decorations is said to keep any bad spirits away.’

  ‘Ah, I see. It all makes sense now. Is it just the UK and Ireland who do this then?’

  ‘No. Many cultures around the world continue to celebrate All Hallows Eve in a more traditional way by lighting candles and offering food for their loved ones who may return. I see it as a lovely celebration to spare a moment to think of those who have crossed over, and send them love and gratitude to help them move on their way.’

  ‘I love that. I’m so glad we stopped by today. I have received a history lesson too.’ Rosa went to wake up Hot.

  ‘Me too.’ Mary stood up and tutted. ‘Anyhow, look at me still in my night clothes. I must get ready for the day.’ Facing her daughter, she put both her hands gently on Rosa’s young shoulders and squeezed them lovingly. ‘Have a good day, but be aware, my girl. The Jacks of this world…they come in many guises.’

  On walking up to the Lobster Pot, Hot once again trotting ahead, Rosa’s thoughts turned to Lucas. Surely Sheila had told her family that she was very ill – and if she hadn’t been able to get a message to Lucas, then his brother must have tried? And if Lucas did know that his mother was ill, then why wasn’t he coming down to see her? Or maybe it was because he couldn’t bear to see his mother unwell… So many scenarios, but if Alec was in front of her now, he would tell her not to make a story in her head. He’d say that time would tell – and that ‘nobody is ever thinking what you tell yourself they are thinking!’ He would also probably say it was none of her business.

  It occurred to Rosa that if something was wrong with Mary, she would want to know immediately and certainly wouldn’t shoot the messenger, whoever they might be. However, that didn’t stop her worrying, in case, despite her deep love for Josh, even talking to Lucas might bring back all the feelings from before. She didn’t love Luke, just lusted after him and also cared about him. After all, they had had sex, for goodness sake; that emotional connection had been made and would never be forgotten. She stopped to check her phone and, as she had thought, the handsome plumber was still in her contacts list: he had not been deleted in a drunken rage as she quite often used to do when men crossed her. And then, with fingers hovering over his number, Rosa took a huge intake of breath and pressed it.

  CHAPTER 17

  Rosa reached for the remote control between the sofa cushions and started to flick through the countless TV channels; not settling on anything she fancied, she turned it off and lay back with her head to one side. She had enjoyed her walk on the beach with all the dogs and now Hot, completely exhausted from chasing and play-fighting with Ugly, Pongo and the Duchess, was also lying flat on his back with his bits on show, snoring in his bed.

  It had been a mild September, but the late-October nights were drawing in and the heating was cranked up high. Rosa had been so busy preparing the announcement about the official launch of the Gift of the Corner Shop that she hadn’t really had time to miss Josh – until now, that is. She checked her watch: it would be 1 p.m. in New York – maybe she could catch him in his lunch break. She tried him on FaceTime but there was no connection. The last time he had used Messenger showed three hours ago and she also realised that he hadn’t replied to her text from this morning. A sudden and familiar pang of jealousy went through her. Where was he? Why wasn’t he picking up?

  Her heart started to beat a little faster. She thought back to Alec’s words of advice for when she started having irrational thoughts; when her fear of abandonment reared its head – a sad result of her childhood in care and never feeling good enough. She must breathe in and out deeply and slowly to help her think clearly. This was the man who had married her, who wanted her children, who had on countless occasions not just said those three important words but had backed them up with even bigger actions.

  At times like this before, she would have reached for a glass of wine, imagined every worst possible scenario, drowned them out with alcohol and either texted in a rage or crashed out and gone to bed early. Tonight, she ran a deep bubble bath.

  Just as she had sunk into the hot soapy water, she heard the sound of a FaceTime call coming in on her iPad. She jumped up, sending water and suds everywhere, and ran naked through to the lounge.

  ‘Rosalar!’ There he was, her handsome husband. ‘Oh my God, look at those pert little breasts. I wasn’t expecting that. It’s not my birthday, is it?’

  ‘Hello, darling!’ Rosa replied. ‘It’s very dark, I can hardly see you. Where are you? I thought it was lunchtime in New York.’ As she spoke, Hot heard a noise downstairs and began barking loudly enough to drown out the ring of the shop’s bell and the noise of the shop door opening.

  ‘Aw, I can hear my little sausage and yes, it is lunchtime in New York.’ Rosa squealed as the voice of her husband suddenly carried up the stairs. ‘But it’s not in Cockleberry Bay.’

  ‘Blimey, what are you doing here?’ Rosa squealed again as all six-foot two of her handsome other half walked in, put his phone on the side and hugged her tiny, wet naked body tightly to him.

  ‘Getting back into that deep soapy bath with you and then you can take me to bed or lose me forever.’

  Rosa giggled. ‘Oh, my God! I love it! Top Gun. Just show me the way, honey!’

  ‘I needed that.’ Josh kissed his wife tenderly. They were both radiating with the glow that only a long session of passionate lovemaking could bring.

  ‘You mean you got on a plane and came all the way back to England just to shag me senseless?’

  ‘Rosa, do you have to be so crude?’ Hot came scampering into the bedroom, whining for Josh to pick him up and put him on the bed so he could settle down near his beloved humans.

  ‘Actually, yes I do. You bring out the harlot in me. And I love it.’ She caressed Josh’s cheek and gave a little groan of pleasure. ‘It’s so lovely to have you here.’ She scrabbled her legs at fast speed under the covers, making Hot rock about and look alarmed. ‘I bloody miss you.’

  ‘Me too, so that’s why I’m here right now. And, as bold as you are, I also thought you might be just a little nervous about the big shop announcement tomorrow. I know how important it is for you to get it right.’

  Rosa cuddled into him. ‘I said I didn’t mind doing it on my own.’

  ‘I know, but I love you, so I’m here to support you, before I go.’

  ‘Before you go?’ She sat up. ‘So how long are you here for?’

  ‘Just tonight.’

  ‘You’re crazy.’

  ‘Not really. I had to come back for an urgent meeting in the City tomorrow afternoon, so work have paid for my flight and, as it’s a business flight, I got the chauffeur car to bring me straight here. Simples.’

  ‘I could have met you in London.’

  ‘No, you couldn’t. You’re being a superstar tomorrow and I wanted to surprise you. Pass me my jacket, can you?’ Rosa handed it to him and Josh reached into an inside pocket. ‘Here.’ He produced a small box.

  They both sat up, leaning against their plush grey velvet headboard, and Rosa excitedly opened the jewellery box. Inside was a beautifully simple platinum band with a blue-flecked heart-shaped stone embedded into it.

  ‘I was thinking of getting you an eternity ring, but I wasn’t sure if that’s supposed to be when we’ve been married for ages. I know how you like all your mum’s spiritual stuff, so I went to a crystal shop in New Yor
k and they made this for you.’

  Rosa had tears in her eyes. She immediately put it on the index finger of her right hand. ‘It’s beautiful. I love it.’

  Josh then handed her the leaflet that had come with it. ‘Here’s the blurb, as I know you will want to learn all about the stone. Lapis Lazuli, I’ve never heard of it myself.’

  Rosa began to read aloud. ‘“One of the most sought-after stones in use since man’s history began. Its deep, celestial blue remains the symbol of royalty and honour, gods and power, spirit and vision. A stone of truth, Lapis encourages honesty of the spirit, and in the spoken and written word. Wear it for all forms of deep communication. Being a stone of truth, while also bringing harmony to your relationship it is a very powerful stone for faithfulness.”’ Rosa made a cooing sound. ‘It is perfect. Thank you, Josh.’

  Josh kissed his wife on the forehead. ‘I will always be true to you, Rosa, I promise.’

  Rosa had tears in her eyes. It was as if he knew what she had been thinking earlier. Josh understood so well that despite her learning more about herself, her fears and insecurities were still there; it was just that she had recently found better ways of coping with them.

  ‘Mary says, or probably Kahlil Gibran did – you know how she quotes her beloved prophet for breakfast,’ Rosa began.

  Josh laughed. ‘Go on, tell me the great wisdom.’

  ‘She says that you can’t direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy of it, directs your course. It found us, didn’t it?’ Rosa’s voice broke.

  ‘Don’t cry, darling.’

  ‘I’m just so happy.’ She took his hand and held it to her tummy. ‘And soon – imagine creating little ones of us too. If they are even half the person that you are, they will still be great.’

  ‘And if they are half of you, not only will they be magnificent, but probably quite unruly too.’ Josh smirked.

  ‘Oi.’ Rosa mock-swiped him.

  Hot, who had fallen asleep at the bottom of the bed, woke, opened his jaw as wide as it would go in an enormous shuddering yawn, then snapped it shut and came running up the duvet to busily lick away the tracks of Rosa’s tears.

  ‘And yes, we will still love you the same, Mr Sausage.’ Josh ruffled the lively little fellow’s coat then made a face. ‘Even if your doggy breath does stink.’

  CHAPTER 18

  Rosa was both excited and slightly nervous to see the Cockleberry Bay church hall so abuzz with activity. The Outside Broadcast van from the South Cliffs Today radio station brought the enormity of what she was doing to the fore. Sara’s friend Wendy was managing the café for an hour so that Sara, ably assisted by Nate, who had insisted on coming along, could serve coffee and tea to the radio and newspaper staff, plus to the abundance of locals. The latter had come along, intrigued to see what was happening with the shop that had been in a lot of their lives forever. There were also a few strangers from out of town. Among them could be one of the lucky bidders, Rosa thought, but this was the exciting thing about the way she was doing this: nobody would know right away who was the lucky recipient of not only the wonderful business opportunity she was offering, but also the building in which it was housed.

  Rosa saw Bart Trent, the vicar, chatting to everyone animatedly and then she spotted tall, gangly Ritchie walking slowly around the hall rocking Theo in his arms. Titch was in her element flirting with the cute young sound man at the plinth they had set up for Rosa and the radio presenter to talk from. Rosa had originally thought that she might just be able to make a decision from among the people she loved and knew, but with Titch not showing a great deal of interest and nobody else putting their hand up, by doing it this way, at least a lot of people in the local community would also really benefit.

  Jacob and Raff were taking a couple of days’ holiday before the Halloween and fireworks rush and Mary, who shied away from crowds at the best of times, was able to look after Hot. With those three not here, it made it even more special that Josh had made the effort to come back to her, Rosa thought. He would have to rush off at eleven to get back to London, but it meant the world to her for him to be involved.

  ‘Rosa hi, I’m Kelly Daly, Editor of the local rag.’

  Kelly Daly must be in her late fifties, Rosa guessed. She was dressed in tight blue jeans and black thigh-high boots, and sported a sharply angled maroon bob hairstyle. Her top lip had the crinkly look caused by years of smoking; the red bobbly cowl-neck sweater she was wearing matched her slightly bloodshot eyes. Rosa noticed the distinct smell of fresh cigarette smoke on her.

  ‘Oh, so you’re the one to blame for getting me on the Daily Mail Online, I guess?’ Rosa said.

  ‘Guilty as charged. Good little story for us to get out to the real world.’ Kelly grinned, revealing teeth slightly yellowed by nicotine. ‘We’re loving what you are doing here and we can get another great scoop to the nationals as a follow-up, I reckon.’

  Rosa smiled. ‘I dare say that’s a good thing, although I’m not really sure what can of worms this will open. I’m amazed at the turn-out, to be frank.’

  ‘A small community breeds nosiness though, doesn’t it, Rosa?’

  ‘It breeds an amazing sense of camaraderie, actually.’ Rosa was getting wiser to the spinning of a journalist’s words. ‘Scott not coming then?’

  ‘Yes. He had some copy to file before he came down but he should be here any minute, I hope. He’ll be writing the story.’

  As the news and weather was coming to an end, Rosa pulled the yellow headphones down over her ears and with a big thumbs-up from Josh she heard the producer saying in her ears, ‘So, Rosa, we are just running with one song and then Barry will come straight to you.’

  Rosa had to grin and bear the fact that she was being interviewed by the South Cliffs Today main presenter, Barry Savage himself. In the past, this man had tried to get information out of her but she had always managed to keep her mouth shut. This time, though, she would be using him and the airwaves for her own benefit – and for the benefit of many others too.

  With his beige-and-white-checked three-piece suit, which was stretched to capacity over his large stomach, Barry Savage was still the image of Mr Toad of Toad Hall, Rosa thought. She also hoped that he had been to the dry cleaners with the suit, as it seemed to be his broadcasting outfit of choice on the last two occasions that she had met him.

  ‘So, that was the Red Hot Chili Peppers with “Give it Away” – and that is exactly what our next guest, Rosa Smith, is doing. She is giving away the Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay, which she currently owns and is successfully running as a pet supplies store. This has obviously caused so much interest in the local community that we are doing a live broadcast direct from Cockleberry Bay village hall. So, let me start by welcoming you, Rosa, and by asking, why on earth are you doing this?’

  Rosa swallowed and looked over to Josh who gave her an encouraging wink. ‘My great-grandparents left me the shop in their will. I think they were worried I might just come down here and sell it off, so they made that legally impossible. You see, the shop had been such a mainstay in the community that they felt they owed it to the residents to keep it running as a local shop and not let it be taken over as a small branch of a big chain, just as Trehalligan’s the newsagents was, by the Co-op.’ Rosa opened up a piece of paper she was holding. ‘In order for everyone to be clear, I would like to read out exactly what my great-grandfather stated in his last will and testament.’

  ‘Go ahead.’ Barry ran his hands through his greasy-looking, greying hair.

  ‘“One proviso of my gift to you is that you must NEVER sell the Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay. When you feel the time is right, it can only be passed on to someone you feel really deserves it, and only then”.’

  ‘But both your great-grandparents are dead, aren’t they?’ Barry said. ‘If you sold it off you could make a fortune, and,’ he guffawed, ‘unless they came back to haunt you, they would never know.’

  There was both a gasp an
d a slight ripple of laughter from the live audience. Rosa thought of Queenie, her outspoken great-grandmother, who would no doubt make her life a misery from the other side if she had ever dared to do such a thing, and smiled wryly.

  ‘Some of us, Barry, have morals. I am very blessed that the business has done so well and enabled me to move forward with a new one, the café I run with Sara Jenkins in Cockleberry Bay. But life isn’t all about money, you know.’

  ‘Oh, isn’t it? One could argue that you probably wouldn’t be doing this if you hadn’t secured yourself a rich husband who could buy your share in the café now known as ROSA’S.’

  Rosa wasn’t quite sure how she managed not to rise to the bait. Kelly and Scott were sniggering in the corner, she saw, no doubt thinking of how they could use all this wonderful content in the South Cliffs Gazette.

  ‘One could also argue, Barry,’ Rosa replied coolly, ‘that some people find it so hard to believe that a twenty-something girl from East London could have single-handedly created a successful business that they are just a teensy bit jealous, couldn’t one?’

  ‘OK, OK, Rosa.’ The rotund presenter was slightly ruffled himself now. ‘Why don’t you explain to all the lovely people in the room and our morning listeners just how they can be the lucky recipients of the shop and flat – that’s right, isn’t it? There is a two-bedroom flat above the shop that comes with this gem of an opportunity too?’

  ‘Yes, that’s correct.’

  There was another little gasp from the audience, as most had assumed it was just the shop that was being given away and not such a substantial investment.