by Heidi Swain
Laughing, he took it and added it to his own purchases.
‘You’re sure you wouldn’t rather part with the house?’
‘Sorry,’ I smiled. ‘I’m staying put.’
‘I don’t blame you,’ he smiled back, his dark eyes shining even brighter. ‘I’m Luke, by the way.’
‘Kate,’ I responded, my voice catching in my throat.
We chatted until Mark had paid for his dried cranberries and then all walked back together in the direction of the bakery.
‘I suppose you’ve spotted the sold sign?’ Mark asked me. ‘For Prosperous Place I mean.’
‘Yes,’ I said sadly, ‘you can’t really miss it, can you?’
‘Such a shame,’ he went on, shaking his head. ‘Rumour has it that a developer has snatched it up with the intention of modernising and turning it into exclusive apartments. That’s not you, is it?’ he suspiciously asked Luke, who had stuck with us. ‘You didn’t set your sights on something bigger when you realised you’d missed out on Nightingale Square?’
‘No,’ Luke frowned. ‘I had no idea that had been sold too. It’s such a beautiful house.’
‘But it won’t be for much longer,’ I said sadly. ‘My neighbour, Harold was telling me about the potential plans, which would tie in with the rumour you heard, Mark. I’ve no doubt that if the new owners have their way, they’ll rip the guts out of it. It’ll be all about adding square footage rather than preserving the past.’
‘Harold’s really cut up about it,’ Mark said, stopping outside the bakery door. ‘But then, we all are. We’d been secretly hoping someone would step in and set about returning it to its former glory.’
‘That would have been wonderful,’ I agreed. ‘I did some research about it before I moved and it looked amazing in its heyday, but I guess it’s too late to turn the clock back now.’
‘You’re not wrong,’ sighed Mark. ‘Anyway love, I’d better get back to work. These cranberry buns won’t bake themselves. Are you coming in?’ he added, turning to where Luke had been standing. ‘Oh,’ he said, sounding disappointed. ‘He’s gone. Probably just as well though. If he’d hung around I’d never have got any work done!’
We both laughed.
‘You didn’t recognise him, did you?’ He frowned.
I shook my head.
‘No,’ I said. ‘I don’t think so. Did you?’
‘I thought I did,’ he shrugged, ‘but I can’t quite place where from.’
‘Well, never mind,’ I said, swapping my heavy bag from one hand to the other. ‘I’ll see you tonight.’
‘Yes,’ he said. ‘I’ll catch you later. And don’t be late,’ he added with a wink. ‘We’re a friendly bunch but remember, we know where you live.’
I laughed again as he pushed open the door and called over his shoulder.
‘And whatever you do, don’t let Lisa talk you into sampling any of her bread. You could crack a tooth on her cottage loaf!’
I sat and ate my avocado salad that evening wondering if its twin was equally as delicious and then turned off the lights to peep in privacy around the upstairs curtains. I could see there was quite a crowd gathering on the green and the little bonfire was already lit, the flames casting dancing shadows up into the trees and bathing the scene in a golden glow.
I could pick out Lisa and John, along with their brood, and Harold, as well as Mark who looked to be very much on his own. My stomach squirmed at the thought of venturing out to meet the other half-dozen or so Nightingale Square residents I could see ambling about.
‘I’d almost given up on you,’ Lisa teased, taking the tray of apples and setting it down on an already packed trestle table. ‘Come and say hello to everyone.’
First in the line-up were a couple in their sixties who lived in the house with the twitching curtains. It didn’t take many seconds to work out who was responsible for them dancing about along their poles.
‘I’m Carole,’ said the woman briskly. She was immaculately turned out for a bonfire party, ‘and this is my husband, Graham.’
Neither Graham nor I had time to exchange pleasantries before she launched off, filling me in on the nuts and bolts of living in Nightingale Square, which Lisa had neglected to mention.
‘Bins go out on a Tuesday night, ready for collection on Wednesday,’ she reeled off.
That much I had already worked out for myself but I didn’t dare interrupt her. Carole was clearly the kind of woman who thrived on organisation and order.
‘And the green here is cut by the council every month from April to October, so it’s best not to leave anything lying about. There was very nearly a nasty incident last summer when your eldest left her bike out overnight, wasn’t there Lisa?’
‘Yes,’ said Lisa, theatrically rolling her eyes. ‘Very nearly Carole, but not quite.’
Graham took the tense moment as an opportunity to take a step away from his wife, but she quickly called him back to heel.
‘Don’t go disappearing,’ she said, out of the corner of her mouth. ‘I’m sure there’s still plenty that needs doing.’
I felt Lisa bristle beside me and wanted to laugh. I didn’t think Nightingale Square was big enough for two queen bees and wondered who would win the battle for overall supremacy. Lisa’s approach to life was disarmingly laid-back while Carole’s was the epitome of efficiency. It was too tough to call.
‘Are those the apples you brought for bobbing, Kate?’ asked Mark, stepping in with all the diplomacy of a skilled mediator.
‘They are,’ I nodded, handing over the bag. ‘Maybe you and Graham could go and find a bowl to put them in.’
Graham was gone before Carole had time to object.
‘That was a good idea,’ she smiled, although her tone suggested otherwise. ‘He’s recently retired,’ she confided, ‘so I like to keep him busy. He’ll just sit about reading the paper all day and nothing would ever get done.’
‘I’m sure he’d quite enjoy that,’ snapped Lisa. ‘Isn’t that what retirement is supposed to be all about?’
‘What about your other half, Kate?’ Carole asked, ignoring Lisa with aplomb and looking over my shoulder back towards my little house. ‘Is he going to come out and say hello?’
Given that I had no idea of the current whereabouts of the man whom I could no longer claim as my other half, I didn’t think it very likely that he would be putting in an appearance anytime soon, especially as he didn’t know where I’d moved to.
‘No,’ I said, feeling my face turn ruby red and not because of the heat from the bonfire. ‘I’m living here on my own. I’m separated.’
‘Separated?’
‘Soon to be divorced, actually.’
Without thinking I rubbed my gloved right hand over my left. My ring finger still felt odd without the band of gold, but the impression it had left on my skin was starting to fade a little.
‘Well, it was very nice of him to come and look at the house with you,’ said Carole, her beady eyes snapping back to me. ‘And given the way you looked together I’m guessing it’s been an amicable parting.’
The cheek of the woman!
‘Is there any chance of reconciliation, do you think?’ she asked, bulldozing on.
‘Carole!’ Lisa put in. ‘You can’t just go around asking folk things like that.’
The penny suddenly dropped and I realised that Carole had spotted Tom the day we came to view the house. It was a logical enough assumption to make, but her insensitive questioning ensured I was in no rush to set her straight.
‘Who’s that?’ I asked, drawing both her and Lisa’s attention away from the uncomfortable conversation. ‘Is he another Nightingale Square resident?’
‘Yes,’ said Carole, waving in the man’s direction, ‘he is. Glen!’ she called out in a sing-song voice while Lisa went off to check on John and the kids. ‘Come and meet Kate.’ I couldn’t believe Lisa had abandoned me and hoped she wasn’t feeling put out that I hadn’t mentioned my marital status befor
e.
Glen, his wife Heather and baby daughter Evie, as Carole explained by way of introduction, lived in the first house on the left as you entered the Square.
‘We haven’t been here all that long,’ Glen told me while unsuccessfully trying to stifle a yawn, ‘and to tell you the truth it’s all taking some getting used to, for Heather anyway.’
I got the impression he was talking about more than just the house move.
‘Where is your good lady wife this evening?’ Carole asked, turning her attention to the direction Glen had come from.
There was a light on in the hall, but the curtains were drawn and the downstairs rooms were in darkness. Glen followed her gaze.
‘She’s having a nap.’ He frowned. ‘She’s trying to get some rest before Evie sets her sights on keeping us up again all night.’
‘You need strict routines with newborns,’ Carole knowledgeably spouted off, ‘and there’s no harm in letting them self-soothe. No harm at all.’
Glen didn’t say anything, but the set of his jaw told me he didn’t agree with Carole’s suggestion.
‘I’d better go and check on Graham,’ she said, the second she realised he’d managed to slip out of sight. ‘It’s been lovely to meet you, Kate. You must pop round for coffee so we can really get to know each other.’
She rushed off before I had time to answer. Personally, I was in no hurry to get to know her any better at all.
‘Do you think she’s right?’ Glen asked, running his hands through his hair. ‘About the self-soothing thing, I mean?’
‘Sorry.’ I shrugged. ‘I have no idea. I haven’t got kids so I don’t think I’m qualified to have an opinion on that.’
‘I don’t feel like I have much of an idea at the moment,’ Glen said with a nervous laugh. ‘Most of my opinions on parenting have come from books and the majority of those seem to be contradictory.’
‘It must be difficult,’ I said, thinking back to when Tom and Jemma had their first baby, Ella.
Jemma had always been an absolutely brilliant mum, but she’d be the first to admit what a steep learning curve it had been. I’d heard her say many a time that she’d rather single-handedly ice a thousand cupcakes than go through the rigours of teething again.
‘It is difficult,’ Glen said seriously, ‘and poor Heather’s exhausted. She’s missing her work and her friends and Evie hasn’t been the easiest of babies so far. Heather had everything organised and catalogued before she gave birth, but Evie doesn’t seem to want to follow the rules.’
I nodded, but didn’t know what I could say to make him feel any better.
‘Sorry,’ he said, shaking his head. ‘I don’t know why I just told you all that. I’d best get back and make sure she’s OK.’
‘Maybe you could all come out for something to eat,’ I suggested, not wanting him to leave feeling as fed up as he sounded. ‘It’s not too cold tonight.’
‘Maybe,’ he said and then he was gone.
‘So, how’s Miss High and Mighty finding motherhood then?’ asked Lisa, who returned with a plastic cup containing what looked like a terrifying cocktail. ‘It’s only juice,’ she said as I peered inside.
‘And what are the bits bobbing about?’
‘Fruit,’ she said, before taking a closer look, ‘I think. John’s letting the kids drink it so it must be all right.’
‘What do you mean “Miss High and Mighty”?’ I asked, taking a tentative sip and feeling grateful that she hadn’t taken the opportunity to ask for more details about my failed marriage.
‘Glen’s Mrs,’ she elaborated. ‘I popped round a couple of times when they first moved in thinking she might appreciate getting the low-down on the Square.’
‘What happened?’ I asked, risking a bigger sip and guessing the pair hadn’t exactly hit it off.
‘Snooty cow didn’t even let me over the threshold,’ she sniffed. ‘I clearly wasn’t polished enough to grace her impeccable abode.’
‘Well, I get the impression she might need a friend now,’ I said. ‘I don’t think motherhood is panning out quite how she planned.’
Lisa shrugged. ‘Well, she knows where I live,’ she said brusquely. ‘Come on, let’s get you something to eat and then it’ll be time for the fireworks.’
I was rather taken aback by her response. Lisa struck me as someone who would go out of her way for everyone. Heather’s snub must have really upset her.
Stuffed full of hot dogs and topped up with another glass of non-alcoholic Rocket Punch, I stood and watched the fireworks and listened to the excited squeals of the children, before drawing love hearts and my name in the air with a sparkler which still had the ability to scare me a little as it burnt down towards my fingers.
The last family I had to meet was single dad Robert and his twin boys, Alfie and Jack, both of whom Lisa’s eldest, Tamsin, had been batting her lashes at all evening.
‘Come and say hello to Robert,’ Carole said, steering me determinedly by the elbow when she realised our paths hadn’t yet crossed. ‘He’s single just like you,’ she added plenty loud enough for him to hear. ‘And I’ve no idea how he manages all on his own with those two boys and no woman about the place. He’s an absolute hero.’
Robert smiled awkwardly and Carole, thinking her Blind Date moment was sealed, rushed off to make sure Graham wasn’t enjoying too much freedom.
‘You must be Kate,’ Robert said, his smile now marginally more relaxed.
‘I am,’ I smiled back. ‘Pleased to meet you, Robert.’
‘Please call me Rob,’ he said, before hastily adding, ‘and I’m not actually single.’
‘It’s all right,’ I told him, ‘I’m not going to try and collar you for a date.’
‘No, no,’ he said, stepping away and sounding embarrassed. ‘I wasn’t suggesting you were.’
I raised my eyebrows.
‘I just didn’t want you getting the wrong idea,’ he stumbled on. ‘Not that I had assumed you would, of course.’
I didn’t say anything.
‘God,’ he groaned, ‘sorry. Let me explain. What I meant was, I’m not single . . .’
‘You’ve already told me that,’ I cut in.
‘I’m seeing someone,’ he whispered, pulling off his hat. ‘Sarah. We work together.’
‘That’s nice,’ I nodded.
It really was of no interest to me, but the way he was carrying on you’d think it was a state secret.
‘No one here knows,’ he said, as he finally hit on the heart of the matter. ‘You see, I’m trying to keep it from Carole.’
‘Aha,’ I laughed as the penny suddenly dropped. ‘Now I see.’
‘Sarah’s a single parent like me,’ he elaborated, encouraged by my reaction, ‘so there’s a lot at stake and if Carole finds out about us, she’ll make me invite her along to things like this and we’re simply not ready for such a public declaration.’
The words fell out in a jumbled rush and I decided I rather liked Rob and his urge to protect Sarah from Carole’s scrutiny. Catching my understanding, he finally relaxed.
‘I’m ever so sorry if you thought I was rude.’
‘It’s fine,’ I said, nodding in Graham’s direction as he ducked out of Carole’s sight in what looked to be a well-practised manoeuvre. ‘I’d pretty much already worked out she’s a force to be reckoned with so I can understand the cloak and dagger.’
‘She means well,’ Rob laughed, ‘but sometimes she makes it tricky to remember that.’
‘So I gather.’
‘Has she coerced you into helping with the greenspace community project yet?’
‘The what?’ I asked, as we wandered over to help pile up plates and cups.
‘The greenspace project,’ he repeated. ‘This summer, we thought it would be a good idea to get a communal growing space up and running.’
‘That sounds like a wonderful idea,’ I said, imagining everyone pulling together to grow their own pumpkins and potatoes. Not that I w
anted to be involved with it myself, of course.
‘Yes, well, unfortunately,’ Rob sighed, ‘I’m sorry to say that’s all it is because we still haven’t found a suitable plot.’
‘Aren’t there any allotments available?’
I knew they had become highly sought after in recent years, but couldn’t imagine that somewhere the size of Norwich wouldn’t have at least one patch available to offer a group of keen growers.
‘A couple of sites have empty plots,’ Rob explained, ‘but they’re all on the other side of the city and nowhere near big enough really.’
‘What we want is somewhere within walking distance,’ added Harold, picking up the thread as he joined us. ‘Somewhere nearby that will give everyone a chance to get involved.’
‘Well, what about right here on part of the green?’ I suggested, thinking I’d struck gold on my first attempt. ‘You won’t get any closer to home than this and you could keep an eye on it from the comfort of your armchairs.’
‘We’ve already tried that,’ said Graham, who had abandoned the pint he had been trying to enjoy to help with the tidy up. I stood back as he deftly flipped over a trestle table and tucked in its legs. ‘But the council said no.’
‘What’s it got to do with the council?’ I frowned.
‘Apparently, the responsibility for this little bit of grass was passed on to them when the Wentworths left Prosperous Place,’ explained Harold. ‘I’m not sure if that will alter now the house has changed hands again.’
‘Perhaps we should ask,’ suggested Rob. ‘You never know, the sale might make a difference.’
‘That sounds like a good idea,’ I agreed. ‘It certainly couldn’t do any harm.’
‘So, you like the sound of all this, do you, Kate?’ asked Harold, his eyes shining with excitement. ‘You’d be up for a bit of grow-your-own with us, would you?’
It hadn’t been my intention to imply that, but as I looked around at the friendly faces of the people I could now boast as my neighbours, I felt far more settled than I had expected to when I posted the front door key of my London home back through the letterbox for David to find. I felt something shift inside me and surprised myself by changing my mind about wanting to maintain a completely solitary existence.
