by Nicola May
Rosa looked again towards Josh, who blew her a kiss. Sara nodded vigorously in support, and even Nate mouthed, ‘Go on, girl.’
Rosa stood tall and addressed everyone there.
‘I thought long and hard about how to do this fairly. I also want to make my great-grandparents proud of me.’ She took a moment before going on. ‘It is often said that something good can come out of a tragedy. And the idea of exactly how to do this fairly, and do right by everyone involved, came to me following the destruction caused by the recent storm. Seeing the compassionate dedication and sheer hard work with which Sea and Save managed to rebuild our beach and save our wildlife led me to recognise that there are so many wonderful local charities out there that don’t get the funding they need. So, if you are passionate about taking over my business – and passion is the key word here – these are the very simple steps you need to follow.’ Rosa turned to Barry. ‘Is it OK for me to go ahead?’
‘Yes, yes, I’m as intrigued as everybody else. I might even go for it myself.’ As Barry laughed, his stomach rose and fell. There was absolute silence in the hall. You could have heard a pin drop.
Rosa held up her right index finger, on which Josh’s beautiful ring fitted so well. The lapis Lazuli heart shone out, helping her to speak with sincerity and truth.
‘These are the simple steps you need to take in order to be in with a chance of acquiring my business.’ She paused for effect. ‘I want somebody sharp to take over from me, not someone who needs to be spoon-fed instructions. So, please listen carefully. However, if you do miss something, the steps will be printed in this week’s South Cliffs Gazette. What’s more, the newspaper has kindly agreed to donate one thousand pounds to Sea and Save in exchange for having the exclusivity of this story. So, thank you to them for that.’ Rosa smiled towards Scott and Kelly.
‘That’s my girl,’ Josh said under his breath, as Bergamot flounced in and shut the church hall door noisily behind her.
‘OK, here we go. Step One: Take the brightest coloured envelope you can find and address it to Ned’s Gift, The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay, Main Street, Cockleberry Bay, Devon. Step Two,’ Rosa carried on, then realising that nobody on the radio could see her holding her fingers up, she quickly put them down again. ‘On one sheet of paper, I want you to tell me the local charity you would like to donate to, a brief reason why you have chosen them, and finally, the amount you would like to donate to them when the ballot is closed.’
‘Intriguing, Rosa, very intriguing,’ Barry interrupted. ‘So, is there a number three?’ He was already counting numbers himself – the number of listeners he would be gaining if he announced the winner on air.
‘Yes, there is. Number three is, in fact, the most important. In a paragraph or two I would like you to state what exactly it would mean to you to run the Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay and what you are intending to sell when you take it on.’
‘Wow, that’s exciting stuff! And how will this work timewise?’
‘I would like all envelopes to be posted or hand-delivered to me by the last day of November. I will then shortlist the best two, who would then go head-to-head in a meeting like this again, where the lucky contenders will present to us exactly what they are proposing. I will be discussing this with my husband, but I shall be making the final decision.’
‘Actually, saying that, you didn’t mention adding a name and contact number to the form?’
‘I was just coming to that.’ Rosa smiled falsely at the annoying presenter.
‘These entries are to be anonymous. I would just like you to make up a name and put it on the back of the envelope and on the top of the piece of paper. Please also add your best contact number. If I know you, please organise a number I won’t recognise. The name you choose must relate to anything Christmassy. This way it will be a fair shot for everyone, and I won’t be swayed as to whether I know who you are or not.’
‘So, for example, Santa Claus,’ Barry interjected with a big boastful grin.
‘Exactly. Thank you, Barry.’
‘And when will this head-to-head contest take place?’
‘Christmas Eve, of course,’ Rosa told him. ‘The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay will be the most wonderful Christmas gift for the most deserving person.’
‘And the charity money that people propose – do they still have to donate if they are not chosen?’
‘Yes, of course. They must pay up on Christmas Eve. I think this gives the whole thing a wonderful local-charity feel. So, just as dear, compassionate Ned would have wished, not only will somebody deserving re-inherit the shop, but lots of other local people will benefit from the charity money too.’
There was a collective ‘Ah’ from the audience as Rosa carried on. ‘Moving forward, my intention is to set up a charity called Ned’s Gift, that will encompass all the charities that are included in the letters. And from then on there will be collection points in any local businesses who would like to participate.’
‘That really is amazing, Rosa, so generous in so many ways.’ Barry actually sounded sincere, and Rosa’s face reddened as applause erupted around the hall and lasted for a good few seconds.
‘I know you said you didn’t want to do a recap, but I am going to quickly run through what you said earlier. Is that OK?’
‘That’s fine, Barry, just go for it.’
‘So…to everybody listening: you need a coloured envelope and a piece of paper. Write a Christmas name and a phone number on the envelope and paper. State a local charity and amount you are willing to donate, followed by your reason for wanting the shop and what you are going to sell. And then just mark it Ned’s Gift and get it to the Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay. Easy! And folks, remember the ten-year block on selling the property, won’t you? So that just leaves me to thank Rosa Smith for coming in and offering this amazing gift and for me to play this track. Here we have the gorgeous Mariah Carey with “All I Want for Christmas Is You” – and the Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay, of course. Ho ho ho!’
Barry took off his headphones. ‘Love this, love everything about it.’ He motioned his producer over. ‘We’ve got to cover the decision-making and, of course, have Rosa on Christmas Eve announcing the winner. Let’s make it happen, people.’
Josh rushed over to Rosa and gave her a massive hug. ‘I didn’t think I could love you more. You were right. It is genius! The whole thing is genius. I love you madly, Rosa Smith, but I’ve got to go. I’ll call you as soon as I land back in New York.’ He then lifted her hand and kissed the stone of the new ring he had given her. ‘Always yours, you know that.’ As he raced out of the door, Rosa felt warm inside.
Mary appeared with Hot on his lead. ‘We stood at the back and listened,’ she told her daughter. ‘I couldn’t not. Ned and Queenie would have been so proud of what you are doing, as are we, aren’t we, Mr Sausage?’
Hot barked his approval, then promptly cocked his leg up against the sound engineer’s rucksack.
CHAPTER 19
All Hallows Eve brought with it a beautiful sunny and crisp autumn day. Titch had agreed to work in the Corner Shop every day because it was half-term and the café had been absolutely heaving all week with the influx of visitors. Sara had been doing some superb baking, which sold as fast as she produced the ghostly, spidery fairy cakes and witch biscuits. They had also sold alcohol-free Creepy Cocktails which they were serving to the kids from a dry-iced smoking cauldron on the front counter. Rosa had based herself there and was enjoying the buzz of everything that was going on.
After successfully painting the outside of the shop and proving his worth to Rosa, Nate had been employed by ROSA’S for the half-term week to run ‘Spooky Café Cave Tours’ for kids and their parents. The event included a pre-tour snack of pumpkin soup and bat-shaped sandwiches, plus a Halloween gift bag. The tour itself was a ghost-inspired walk along the front of the caves at the bottom end of South Cliffs, where Nate had set up some wailing-type music and various cut-outs and flappy t
hings that rustled. Rosa’s initial feelings of wariness towards him had faded as he was really bending over backwards to make the tours a success. What’s more, he had also taken on the morning cleaning duties at the café, much to Sara and Rosa’s delight.
What was pleasing Rosa even more was that her period was three days late and her boobs felt more sore than usual. Well done Josh for his unannounced visit at exactly the right time! Also, this was proof that her mother’s warnings – i.e. telling Josh not to come back before the fireworks, didn’t always need to be heeded. Rosa had decided to wait until now, when she was three days late, not just one, to do the test. Following some kind of crazy logic, she felt that not knowing for a while was far less disappointing than knowing for sure that she wasn’t pregnant.
The final tour was ready to set off. Rosa stepped outside the café to help Nate switch on all the head-torches. As she waved the noisy lot off up the beach path, she looked across to the Ship Inn. The big pub was in darkness, apart from one light on upstairs and an orange glow downstairs. It was obviously still not open to the public. Rosa felt a sudden pang of sadness for Sheila. Nobody deserved to be lonely or in pain, whatever trouble they might have caused. Sheila’s crime, if you looked at it in its simplest form, was that she was a lioness of a mother. Her involvement in the hit-and-run incident that had occurred during Rosa’s first days in the Bay was due to a mother’s love; quite a drastic way to try to get rid of Lucas’s girlfriend at the time, just because Sheila didn’t like her, Rosa thought. Her subsequent paying off of Titch when Sheila thought the young girl was pregnant with her son’s child was just because she wanted the best for him. Misguided love maybe, but her malevolence had come from a good place in the landlady’s own eyes.
That was the trouble with life sometimes, Rosa thought. There were ups and downs and disagreements with people. But what it all boiled down to, whether you were rich man, poor man, beggar or thief, was that, fundamentally, all you wanted to do was live in comfort with the people you loved around you. And the fact was that, whoever you were in life, you still lived and died the same way as everyone else. We were all human beings. If only everyone could co-exist in peace and harmony in a world where wealth could be shared around a bit, so poverty was not such an issue.
With the departure of the excitable Halloween tour, the café had quietened slightly, and with a strong gut feeling drawing her over to the pub, Rosa wrapped a couple of witchy cakes in a serviette and told Sara that she wouldn’t be long.
Shivering as she walked across the beach, she pulled her coat around her and lit her way with the torch from her phone. She could have done with one of the head-torches they’d borrowed for the tour. The waves lapped their soothing lament and a lone seagull gave its familiar cry. With no moon or stars lighting her way, and without the pub lights on, it really was very dark.
This time last year had been a completely different scenario, Rosa recalled. The Ship Inn had just been completely refurbished and a big opening night Halloween party had been thrown. Live music had been blaring and everyone, having been told to WEAR to SCARE, was dressed up as ghouls, ghosts or witches. This was the very party to which she and Titch had pitched up drunk, despite Josh’s insistence that Rosa mustn’t go; the very party where Lucas had tried to kiss her, and she had turned her head so that his lips landed on her cheek.
Rosa tentatively made her way around to the back door of the pub and pressed the intercom buzzer. Nate had been telling her way too many spooky stories earlier, so when the wind blew an empty crisp bag up over the car park she jumped back and gave a cry of fear. She pushed the buzzer again, hoping that with the orange glow coming from downstairs, Sheila might still be up and about. The wind had started to strengthen now, so trying the buzzer a third and last time, Rosa pressed her ear to it in case she could hear Sheila reply. Nothing. She then pushed open the letter box to check if she could see anything, but it wasn’t what she saw, it was what she could hear that caused her alarm. ‘Help! Help me! Please, somebody help me.’
Rosa was just about to phone Sara, but on trying the handle, she found that the back door into the pub kitchen was unlocked. Entering in haste, fumbling for light switches, Rosa called out: ‘Sheila! Sheila? Where are you?’ Now she was inside, Rosa was sure she could hear the lyrical melody of James Arthur’s new single coming from upstairs. As soon as she switched the lights on, however, the music stopped and she thought she must have imagined it.
‘Down here.’ The publican’s voice was barely audible. ‘In the cellar.’
Rosa shot behind the bar, then trod carefully down the steep cellar steps. There at the bottom, lying in an awkward heap, was Sheila Hannafore, a shadow of the bold and feisty character that Rosa once knew. Her white hair was stained with fresh blood; her face was gaunt and etched with both illness and fear.
Rosa got down to her level. ‘Oh my God, Sheila, I’m calling an ambulance now.’
Sheila held out her bony hand to Rosa and said weakly, with a lone tear running down her left cheek, ‘I didn’t think it would be you who came to my rescue.’
Rosa felt tears stinging her own eyes. ‘Well, it is, and I will do everything I can to help you.’
‘Please don’t call an ambulance, love. This wasn’t an accident, see. And I don’t want to get anyone into any trouble. Just sit here a minute.’
‘Oh Sheila, I can’t leave you like this. Lucas would kill me.’ Rosa got through to the emergency services quickly. ‘An hour, really?’ she objected. ‘The lady has cancer and a head wound. This is serious. Please come as quickly as you can.’ Ending the call, she asked softly, ‘Where are you hurting?’
‘My back.’
Sheila was slightly delirious now; her eyes were closed and blood was running from the wound in her head. Rosa took off her scarf and did the best she could to stem the flow. Trying not to panic, she then placed her hand gently on the ailing woman’s clammy forehead.
‘Tell my boys it was an accident, won’t you? Promise?’
Rosa took Sheila’s hand. Her head was moving agitatedly from side to side.
‘Try and keep still, Sheila. We’ll get you to hospital where you’ll be sorted.’
The injured woman then let out a terrible groan. ‘Bloody cancer! Nobody tells you how painful it is.’ She started to cry.
‘Have you got any painkillers?’ Rosa asked. ‘I can go and get them.’
‘I’ve had enough of those already. Plenty. Don’t leave me, please don’t leave me.’
Rosa squeezed her hand. ‘I’m here.’
Sheila’s tears flowed faster. ‘I’ve been a terrible mother,’ she sobbed. ‘I didn’t intend to do bad things.’
‘No, you haven’t. I spoke to Lucas,’ Rosa lied. ‘He didn’t mean to stay away so long. He’s just been so busy, and he had problems with his phone and problems with his love-life. You know what men are like. He said that he was going to be coming down soon. He didn’t even realise that so much time had passed.’
A smile spread over the woman’s dry lips as Rosa promised, ‘He loves you, Sheila. He loves you very much.’
‘I think he loves you more,’ Sheila managed.
Not knowing how to respond, Rosa was glad to spot some glass bottles of water within reach. She opened one up and poured some on a tissue to dampen Sheila’s dry lips. She didn’t give her any to drink in case she had to have an operation.
‘Thank you,’ the woman whispered. Then, ‘I didn’t want to worry Tom and the girls either; they have their own lives to lead. Can’t be looking after a silly old woman down by the sea.’
Rosa felt remorse for lying to her – but what else could she say to explain Lucas’s lack of attendance? She then had a terrible thought. Luke had stopped coming down immediately after the conversation they had had about him moving on with his life. Maybe it was her fault he wasn’t here. She had to call him – right now. Looking at Sheila, she didn’t think his mother had long to live, and he was in London, at least four hours away. Why, oh why
could he not have picked up or called back when she had left the message for him the other day?
‘Tell them it was an accident, that I tripped and fell, won’t you?’ Sheila repeated, her voice getting weaker. ‘I don’t want them to have to go through anything else.’ Her eyes flickered open and shut. ‘The will is in the back safe. They will get their money. Tell them, Rosa, tell them.’
‘Sheila, Sheila, stay with me. Please – the ambulance will soon be here.’
Seeing a shadowy figure coming down the cellar steps, Rosa screamed a full-lunged scream. Then, on seeing who it was, she simply exclaimed, ‘Luke! Thank God you’re here.’
‘Well done for leaving the back door wide open, bird. I left my bloody key at home. Have you called for an ambulance?’
Rosa was sure she had shut it so just replied with a stressed, ‘Yes. It’s on its way.’
Luke went down to Sheila’s level. ‘Oh Mum! What have you done?’ His voice broke. ‘Where’s Tom?’
Rosa saw a glimmer of light flash back into the now open eyes of Sheila and she, too, felt a rush of relief, knowing it had been the right thing to call Lucas before.
‘My boy, my boy, you came. Call Tom for me, call him, please.’
Lucas’s eyes had the look of a frightened horse. Gently, Rosa moved out of the way so that he could get close to his mother. Then, with Lucas on the phone to Tom, Sheila put her arm up and gripped Rosa’s hand as hard as she could muster.
‘Thank you, kid,’ she said breathlessly. ‘Whatever happened, I respected you. You’re one of life’s survivors and I admire that. Look after my boy…’ Her head flopped to the side.
Rosa clasped two hands around hers. ‘Fight, Sheila, fight, because you’re a survivor too. Lucas is here now, and Tom is on his way. Your boys will both be with you.’
‘Will you keep my secret?’ Sheila said in a threadlike voice.
Rosa put her mouth close to Sheila’s ear and whispered, ‘I promise that they’ll think it was an accident.’ Then moving away and in a slightly louder voice: ‘Just hang on in there, you’re not going anywhere.’
