Ottercombe Bay

by Bella Osborne

  Chapter Nine

  She was settling herself down with Plus One on the television and another bottle of wine when her phone sprang into life; before she could speak Tamsyn commenced a monologue.

  ‘I’m worried. Are you worried? I know you say you don’t care about Max, but I know you do. Maybe not like I care about Jason but you still care. Should we wait or go to the lifeboat station? I don’t know what’s best. We won’t know much sooner either way. What do you think?’

  ‘Hello,’ said Daisy wearily. ‘Sorry, what are you talking about?’ She let out a giant yawn making her jaw click. Her head was foggy.

  ‘The storm. Jason and Max are on a lifeboat callout in the worst storm we’ve had in years.’

  Daisy perked up. She peered out of the window and watched the virtually horizontal rain being chucked forcefully at the windows. It did look pretty bad out there and Daisy was already imagining the lifeboat being manhandled by the sea and it almost sobered her up. ‘Right. What should we do?’ asked Daisy, waving a finger at the window as if she were remonstrating with the weather.

  ‘I can’t sit here any more, I think I’m going down to the lifeboat station. At least I can make tea for the wives and girlfriends and feel like I’m being useful.’

  Daisy nodded heartily and then realised that wasn’t a lot of use on the phone. ‘Good idea. Let me know what happens,’ she said, pulling her hoody tighter around her even though she wasn’t cold.

  There was a delay from Tamsyn. ‘You’re not coming with me?’

  ‘Do I need to?’

  Tamsyn made a noise that sounded like she was blowing out air. ‘No, not if you don’t want to.’

  Daisy watched the rain lash against the windows. ‘Okay then take care.’ She hung up and snuggled back down on the sofa much to Bug’s annoyance as he had taken over her seat while she’d been looking out of the window. Daisy switched off the television. She wasn’t really watching it. It was dark outside now but she could still hear the insistent wind.

  She wondered if she should have gone. But like Tamsyn said, at the lifeboat station there would be wives and girlfriends of the crew, and Daisy was neither. What was she to Max? Ex-sort-of-friend-and-employer? It wasn’t the same. It didn’t mean she didn’t care about Max. Of course she cared. She was in the worst place she could be – a no-win situation. She needed to clear her head and figure this out, some very strong coffee was called for.

  Two mugs later, she was wired with a slight headache and a plan. The more she thought about Max being on the lifeboat in the storm the more she realised, despite all his faults, of which there were many, she did care for him quite a lot. Having him back in her life had been one of the best things about being back in the bay. They annoyed the hell out of each other but somehow that came from a deep-rooted place of caring about each other.

  ‘Bye Bug, I’m going to tell Max that I care about him,’ she said. Bug blinked and then closed his eyes. He didn’t seem impressed with this revelation. Daisy stroked his head. ‘I quite like him, you see.’ Telling Bug somehow made it more real. ‘I need to go now.’

  She grabbed her coat and tugged on her wellies with great difficulty; standing upright was still somewhat of a challenge. She opened the front door to what felt like someone hosing her down. She dragged on her hood and marched off towards the beach.

  The sky was dark but she could still see the deep clouds moving at speed as the rain drove its way under her hood. As she walked she thought about Max. He was infuriating, but just the image of him in her mind brought a smile to her face. Could two people who annoyed the crap out of each other embark on a worthwhile relationship? For a moment she imagined translating the anger into passion and a shudder ran through her. He was attractive, that went without saying: his dishevelled roguish look had grown on her. More than once she had fantasised about ripping off his top. Bloody hell, why had she wasted so much time being cross with him? She put her head down and determination with a hint of lust and a lot of wine and coffee drove her on.

  When she reached the turning to the beach she could see the abandoned cars of the lifeboat crew strewn along the road down to the lifeboat station meaning they were still out on the shout.

  Daisy found Tamsyn huddled near the station entrance hugging a mug of tea.

  ‘You came!’ Tamsyn sloshed tea everywhere as she threw herself at Daisy.

  ‘I couldn’t sit at home while our friends are out in this.’

  ‘Friends? Is Max just a friend?’

  Daisy paused. ‘No,’ she said and Tamsyn’s face lit up. ‘He’s also an almighty pain in the arse.’ Tamsyn’s face dropped. ‘But he came by earlier with some notion of us giving things a go and …’ Tamsyn gave her another hug and spilled the rest of her tea.

  ‘I knew you’d see sense eventually.’

  ‘No promises,’ said Daisy, turning to watch the sea with a hint of a smile on her lips. She couldn’t take her eyes off the waves. Giant thunderous ones battering the shoreline. The thought of Max being out there rubbed away her smile.

  ‘I need more tea,’ said Tamsyn waving her empty mug. ‘You want one?’

  ‘No, thanks.’ Daisy shook her head. She couldn’t pull her eyes away from the giant rollers. She scanned the sea meticulously for any sign of the lifeboat, her feet and hands growing colder by the second as the wind whipped off the sea and up the beach chilling her. She stepped outside and battled to stay upright but continued her careful search for any sign of the orange vessel. Her stomach was doing backflips and this time it wasn’t the wine and coffee mixture. It was seriously dangerous out there and Max and Jason were at the mercy of the sea.

  Daisy swallowed hard. She knew now how much she cared. All she wanted in the world was to see the lifeboat appear and to see Max safe. But there was no sign of it.

  Tamsyn returned with a fresh mug. ‘It’s a yacht about three miles out,’ she said, dipping her chin towards the small office inside the station where a mumbled exchange with the lifeboat could be heard.

  ‘Right. Are they all okay?’ asked Daisy, stepping back inside.

  ‘Yeah, they do this all the time. Doesn’t stop everyone worrying though,’ Tamsyn said.

  Daisy dragged her eyes away from the beach for a moment and caught sight of the radio operator looking worried and it drew her attention. She started to walk towards the office and the words hit her as she approached.

  ‘… Man overboard? Confirm? Who is it?’

  The radio crackled a response before Jason’s voice could be heard. ‘Yes, confirmed it’s Max. He’s roped but he’s—’

  Daisy was frozen to the spot. She knew Tamsyn had joined her and another woman but her hearing was fuzzy and the room started to spin around her. She gripped the doorway of the office and took deep breaths until she was back in control. All she could think was if he’s in the sea, then he’s dead. Just like Mum. On a night like this nobody comes out alive.

  ‘Daisy?’ Tamsyn was standing in front of her, trying to force her mug at her. ‘Here, sit down and drink this. He’s roped. He’ll be okay.’ But Tamsyn’s furtive glances at the radio operator and pale complexion told her otherwise.

  Daisy listened to the one-sided conversation of the operator speaking to the emergency services. ‘Ambulance … Ottercombe lifeboat station … Member of crew unconscious … Max Davey … Still at sea but due to shore shortly … He’s receiving first aid on board.’

  The minutes passed desperately slowly until a wave swelled and receded and they at last caught a glimpse of the lifeboat. Daisy felt a sob escape and she quickly tried to take hold of her emotions. A commotion broke out on the beach as an ambulance drove onto the sand and two paramedics jumped out. The radio operator joined them but he was shaking his head too much for Daisy’s liking and his expression was grim. They got a stretcher out of the ambulance and she thought she was going to be sick.

  After all this time, it took something like this to make her realise what Max meant to her and in a flash she’d lost
him.

  The lifeboat neared the shore and the others ran down to join the tractor and trailer waiting for them. Daisy couldn’t move. She didn’t want to witness this. She didn’t want to see a lifeless Max. Tamsyn was gripping her hand tightly and she realised she was crying. Daisy started to panic. How could this be happening?

  Tamsyn tugged on her arm and pointed to the lifeboat. The sea was still raging up the beach like an uncaged wild animal. Daisy closed her eyes. She needed to be strong.

  ‘Daisy!’ She heard her name being carried on the wind but she didn’t want to believe whose voice it was.

  She opened her tear-stained eyes to see Max, who was conscious and being forced onto a stretcher by the two paramedics. Daisy let out the breath she hadn’t realised she was holding and a sob escaped.

  ‘Cock-a-doodle-doo,’ said Daisy, breaking into a mess of laughter and tears as the tension released its grip on her shoulders. Max was alive.

  She launched herself into the stinging wind and hurtled across the stones. Max shoved the stretcher to one side and pulled Daisy into a tight hug.

  ‘I thought … I thought …’ She couldn’t finish the sentence. ‘You’re bleeding, Max.’ She reached for the blood trickling down his face and he winced.

  ‘Just a bump. I mistimed my jump and the yacht lurched at the wrong moment. It’s fine.’ He said this more to the paramedic who was trying to get a look at the wound.

  ‘Come on,’ said Daisy, steering him back towards the lifeboat station. ‘They can patch you up inside. Let’s get you in the warm.’

  ‘I thought you’d never ask,’ said Max, his eyebrows dancing cheekily.

  Down on the beach Tamsyn was smothering Jason in kisses. ‘I love you sooooo much.’ She hugged him again for emphasis. ‘You are as brave as Aragorn and I’m seriously proud of you. Of all of you!’ She shouted the last bit at the other crew members and some of them looked up from securing the boat to the trailer.

  In the warmth of the lifeboat station Daisy hugged a hot cup of tea and shivered uncontrollably while Max argued with the paramedics who wanted to take him to hospital. She closed her eyes and tried hard to steady her juddering limbs as she lifted the mug to her lips and took a sip.

  ‘Daisy.’ Max’s voice was soft and tentative. She opened her eyes and smiled at him crouching in front of her, sticky strips now holding his cut together. ‘You okay?’

  ‘I’m fine. It’s you who got knocked unconscious.’

  ‘Only for a minute or two.’

  ‘You could have drowned.’ The conversation was too raw for Daisy and she went back to sipping her tea.

  ‘I’m sorry.’ Max’s eyes were cast downward.

  Daisy felt she needed to clarify things. ‘Which of the many things you’ve done to piss me off are you apologising for exactly?’ Maybe her brain wasn’t quite back to normal yet because her words came out a bit harsher than she’d intended, especially after what had just happened.

  Max surveyed his feet like a naughty schoolboy. ‘For nearly drowning. For letting Pasco sleep in the carriage. For not telling you the moment I recognised the locket. For not realising how much I’d hurt you. And for being a general bum hole.’

  A smile finally pulled at the edges of Daisy’s lips. ‘Is General Bum Hole higher ranking than Captain Cuddles?’

  ‘All day long,’ he said, looking a little surer of himself. He pulled a small black velvet box from his pocket. ‘This is a family heirloom that’s been passed on to me, but I’d like you to have it.’

  Daisy put down the mug, rubbed her hands together and took the box from Max, her eyebrows knotted in puzzlement. She opened it and a smile lit up her face. ‘The locket. I can’t take this. I’ve already kept it for far too long.’

  Max shook his head. ‘No, you should have it. Pasco gave it to me and whilst he may have been able to pull off wearing a fancy locket, I’d just look ridiculous.’

  ‘I don’t know.’ Daisy paused, her eyes studying the locket. Despite knowing the truth, she still felt a connection to it.

  ‘It suits you.’ Max took it from the box and fastened it around her neck.

  Daisy’s hand immediately closed around it as the cool metal touched her skin. It felt right.

  ‘I have missed this so much, thank you.’ She looked up and the slightly vulnerable look about him made her smile.

  ‘It was only going to sit in a drawer.’

  Daisy stood up quickly, a little too quickly as it turned out making her feel dizzy, she reached out for support and Max was there. ‘Steady on, what’s the hurry?’

  ‘I was going to kiss you,’ she said, the wine still having a loosening effect on her tongue.

  ‘Then I understand the rush and the fainting. Happens all the time.’

  Daisy gave him a playful thump. ‘Do you want this kiss or not?’

  Max appeared to consider it. ‘What sort of kiss is it going to be?’

  ‘Do you want a diagram?’

  ‘I meant is it a thank you kiss or a let’s start a relationship kiss or a you’re a hero and I can’t control myself kiss. All of which are completely acceptable by the way.’ Max loosened his hold on Daisy and she stood firmly on her own without swaying.

  ‘It’s definitely not the third one,’ she said, taking a step closer to him. ‘It could be the first one or …’ Daisy tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear and looked into Max’s eyes. He was trying hard to appear cool and unconcerned but she could see the trepidation nestled there.

  ‘We could just give the kiss a try and see if it gives us any clues,’ suggested Max, bobbing his head as if mulling over the prospect. ‘I mean, I don’t mind if you don’t?’

  Daisy’s grin spread across her face. ‘Okay.’

  Max put his arms around her, bowed his head a fraction and Daisy pulled him slowly to her until their lips met. Daisy found it was a little hard to kiss when you were smiling this much. The kiss felt easy with just a hint of passion – very unlike their liaisons to date. She had no doubt a relationship with Max was going to be tumultuous but she owed it to herself to give it a chance. Daisy pulled away at a point where she hoped she’d left Max wanting more.

  Max put his finger to his lips. ‘That felt like a number three to me.’

  Daisy gave him a thump. ‘It’s a two, you idiot.’

  ‘Can we handle a two?’ asked Max, his eyes searching hers.

  Daisy didn’t want to bring the mood down. If she thought about this too much it would spoil everything. ‘I don’t know, all we can do is give it a go.’ He gave a tentative smile and she pulled him into an even deeper kiss.

  Chapter Ten

  When Daisy woke the next morning the world seemed quite different somehow. Although when Bug snored loudly and woke himself up she realised some things hadn’t changed at all. She scratched him behind his ears and he gave a stretch and let out a squeaky trump from the effort of jumping off the bed. Daisy yawned and reached for her locket. She had slept well, only now she recognised her sleep had been disturbed since she’d lost the locket. She switched her phone on and saw a message from Max, she smiled before she’d even read it.

  Hi Please can I borrow your old helmet for fancy dress at work. They said I can’t come as Lifeboat crew again this year lol M

  It wasn’t exactly what she’d been hoping for but one kiss did not a relationship make she reminded herself. Right now she didn’t know if this was going to be a very short-term one that ended when she went travelling or one of those awkward long-distance affairs. She shoved her thoughts to the back of her mind, strolled through to the kitchen, let Bug out in the garden and popped some bread in the toaster.

  Daisy wondered where her old helmet was, she’d left it in the hall and it had stayed there for ages and then disappeared. Daisy had no use for it since her bike had died and Jason had taken it to the motorbike graveyard. Aunt Coral had either chucked it out or put it away somewhere. She set about tidying up her room – she didn’t know where her kiss with Max was headin
g but just in case it led back here she didn’t want her messy ways putting him off and it was high time she got in the habit of making her bed anyway.

  The helmet was still puzzling her and she went through various cupboards and the shed but there was no sign of it. She remembered the cupboard above the stairs and went to have a look in there.

  ‘Gotcha,’ she said, spotting the helmet peeking from behind a box at the back of the cupboard. She reached in and pulled the cardboard box out of the way. Curiosity got the better of her and she had a rummage in the box. There were bundles and bundles of postcards and letters. Daisy sat on the floor with a bump. Everything she had ever sent to Great Uncle Reg he had kept and there was a lot, way more than she’d realised. She lost an hour rereading her messages and remembering how much she’d loved exploring new places but how hard it had been to be constantly working. It felt good to think she could just sightsee when she went to South America. At the bottom of the box an old photograph album caught her eye. She lifted it out and instantly felt a familiarity with it. She couldn’t be certain but she thought she remembered it from her childhood. She carefully brushed off the dust and along with the helmet took it downstairs.

  She sat at the kitchen table, took a deep breath and opened the album. There on the first page were pictures of her as a baby with both her parents. The sight of them hit her like a punch to the stomach. The happy family beamed back at her. Her mother was beautiful. Daisy wasn’t sure she looked like her, it was difficult to see yourself in others although the mop of bouncing golden curls was definitely the same. Daisy studied each photograph in turn. Under some were comments in neat blue biro. It wasn’t her father’s handwriting, she assumed it must be her mother’s. Daisy ran her finger along the sentences as she read them, trying to imagine her mother jotting down the notes.

  She turned the page to see a picture of her younger self in blue dungarees sat in a high chair with a sunny smile on her face, waving two spoons in the air. Underneath was written ‘My little two spoons having dinner’. Daisy moved on to the next photo of them sat on a picnic rug on the beach but something pulled her back to the high chair photograph; she wasn’t exactly sure why.