The Seven Secrets of Happiness

by Sharon Owens

  ‘I told them not to tell you unless you asked if it was me and then I said it would be all right for them to tell you,’ he explained. ‘I thought you would remember I lived next door to the school. Well, my parents still do…’

  ‘Okay, whatever. But why didn’t you come in here yourself and ask me out sooner, though?’ Jasmine wanted to know. ‘I’ve been going crazy trying to work out who was sending me those damn flowers. Ruby was convinced I was being followed home from work some nights.’

  ‘Oh Jesus, I’m such a dickhead! I couldn’t have come any sooner, Jasmine. I was too bloody shy,’ he said sheepishly. ‘All those long nights in the hospital, all I could think of was you.’

  ‘Oh my God, were you very ill? Nothing too serious, I hope?’ Jasmine asked. Suddenly she was very worried. She didn’t want to go falling for a man with a terminal illness, even if he was totally sexy and charming and extremely kissable. She didn’t want to end up like Ruby, left reeling in her early thirties with a broken heart.

  But Mark began to laugh. He sensed Jasmine was warming to him.

  ‘I wasn’t a patient, Jasmine. I’m a doctor working here in Belfast. Just finished my studies in Birmingham last year and now I’m working here. I was very lucky to get a place in Belfast, what with the cutbacks and everything.’

  ‘Oh wow… Well, that’s amazing. A doctor, huh? I thought you always said you were going to be a rally-car driver?’ Jasmine was completely embarrassed now. And more than a little stunned. A man with good prospects was sending her pink flowers every month. A doctor, no less! A gorgeous-looking doctor, with blond hair and cool clothes… Oh wow.

  ‘Aye well, the rally driving didn’t pan out. Nice of you to remember that much about me! I’m only just starting out in my medical career, mind,’ Mark said then as if reading her thoughts. ‘I’m not exactly minted up yet.’

  ‘Well! That’s fine by me,’ Jasmine said, fluttering her eyelashes uncontrollably at him. ‘I’m not the shallow sort of girl to go all giddy and silly over a medical man, you understand?’

  ‘No, of course not! Does that mean you’re not going to let me down then?’ Mark asked hopefully, clasping his hands together in mock-prayer.

  ‘Um… Are you sure you still like me now though, Mark Crawford? Is this not just some trip down Memory Lane for you?’

  ‘Just me being nostalgic, you mean? No, I’ve always liked you, Jasmine Mulholland. I always liked you in school, but you fancied Jimmy White.’

  ‘I did not indeed. He used to spike his hair up with sugar. Anyway he’s a criminal now.’

  ‘I know! Did you see the papers? But you did fancy him. You told Megan you did. You said he had lovely hair. I heard you!’

  ‘You must have spent a lot of time spying on Megan and myself,’ Jasmine said, laughing her head off.

  ‘I did, I’m ashamed to say. And I’ve never forgotten you. I would’ve asked you out sooner only I didn’t know where you lived. Or worked. Or even if you were still living in Belfast. I didn’t even know where your family was living, only that it was somewhere in Sandy Row. And you don’t want to go nosing about in Sandy Row, really… And you’re not on one of those networking sites. I checked. Then a few months ago one of my brothers came in here to buy a present for his girlfriend and he recognized you. But I was too hopeless to do anything about it.’

  ‘Show me your ID,’ Jasmine said suddenly, almost unable to accept his story.

  He showed it. It seemed to check out.

  ‘Swear to me this is all true?’ Jasmine said sternly.

  ‘I swear.’

  ‘And you’re not a married man?’

  ‘No, I’m definitely single.’

  ‘Because if I find out you’re married or even seeing anyone else, I promise you I’ll go straight round to their house or their work or whatever and tell them the truth, point blank. I’m serious.’

  ‘That’s fine by me.’

  ‘Right then.’

  ‘Right then.’

  ‘Well, in that case I’ll be happy to go for that drink with you at the weekend,’ Jasmine said graciously.

  ‘Great. That’s really great. Thanks, Jasmine.’

  At that exact moment Ruby came back from running an errand. Or rather she came back from pretending to be running an errand. Just to give Jasmine and her secret admirer a chance to get to know one another again. And Mark Crawford did look very pleased indeed with himself. He began backing towards the shop door as if he were going to say cheerio. Jasmine was absolutely puffed up with pride, flicking her long hair over her shoulders and fluttering her fingers behind the counter with excitement.

  ‘Jasmine, why don’t you get your coat now?’ Ruby said, trying not to laugh.

  ‘What for?’ Jasmine asked.

  ‘You can leave early today,’ Ruby said at once. ‘It’s dead quiet. Always is in early January. I can lock up on my own.’

  ‘Great idea,’ Mark said. ‘Why wait until the weekend to go for that drink?’

  Jasmine didn’t need asking twice. She grabbed her coat and bag and left the shop arm in arm with Mark.

  ‘Shall we have a bite to eat before we go to the pub?’ Mark said happily.

  ‘Okay,’ Jasmine agreed. ‘We’ll just nip back to my apartment first though. I need to freshen up my make-up.’

  ‘Sure, but you look fine to me. I’ll have a good snoop while you get ready. I’ve often wondered if you were tidy or messy around the house,’ Mark laughed. ‘I’m very tidy, me. Medical training, you know?’

  ‘I’ll have you know I’m an excellent housekeeper,’ Jasmine said mock-huffily.

  Five minutes later, Jasmine and Mark were standing in the bedroom of her immaculate apartment in the Bell Towers. They’d got to the end of the tour of Jasmine’s home… and were now kissing passionately. Jasmine thought she was going to explode with anticipation. Her feelings for Mark had been sudden and overwhelming. Thank God she’d made the bed before going to work that morning, she thought as she tore off Mark’s clothes to reveal a perfect body underneath. Perfect in every way, in fact. Jasmine began to giggle uncontrollably.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ Mark said anxiously, glancing downwards.

  ‘Nothing’s wrong. Do you know, Doctor Crawford, I think I might have something urgent that you can help me with… Oh wow!’ Jasmine said for the third time that day as Mark chased her round the bedroom, scooped her up into his tanned, bare arms and then leapt on to the bed with her. In no time at all her clothes had joined his on the floor and somehow both of them knew that the dinner-and-drinks plan would have to be put on hold. In the flat below, the ceiling pendant began to swing back and forth ever so slightly.

  35. The Beach

  ‘I’ve never seen her like this about a boyfriend. She’s as giddy as a Lotto winner. She’s higher than that old school pal of hers who won the Lotto last year. In fact, she’s probably happier than most of them ever are. It’s all Mark says this and Mark says that. She’s just head over heels about him,’ Ruby told Tom as she poured the tea from a shiny new flask and handed him a cup.

  It was Valentine’s Day, but they’d both decided not to focus too much on the occasion out of respect for past loves. Instead they were having a picnic at the beach. Or rather they were having a picnic in Ruby’s car, as it was too cold to sit on the beach.

  ‘And he’s a doctor, you say?’

  ‘Yes, just newly qualified, would you believe it? He’s tall and handsome and his ID checks out. And she’s met his family too, so that’s a good sign. I always think it’s a red flag when there are no relatives clamouring to meet you.’

  ‘I didn’t have anyone clamouring to meet you,’ Tom pointed out.

  Oops, Ruby thought to herself. Tom Lavery was no dozer, was he?

  ‘Yes, but your parents live abroad, and anyway you had all the staff at Camberwell,’ she said lightly. ‘Mrs Kenny and all the waitresses. Proper little fan club you’ve got there. You’re not the sad loner you think you are, you know! They all adore you!
’

  ‘Stop teasing me!’ he laughed.

  ‘It’s true, they all adore you at Camberwell.’

  ‘And I haven’t met your parents either.’

  ‘Ah well, Tom, it’s different for us. We both have, shall we say, eccentric families?’

  ‘Yes indeed. A bit eccentric! I thought when my parents said they were going to India to open a school for equal numbers of boys and girls that they’d be home again in six weeks. They always were a couple of old lefties, I thought to myself, but this is ridiculous. Yet fair play to them – they did it. And now they say they can’t imagine sitting in traffic for an hour on the M2 in the pouring rain, or waiting in a queue for twenty minutes to buy one cushion in IKEA. One imported cushion!’

  ‘Oh God, yeah, I daresay they’re Fair Trade nuts too! To be honest, I agree with them, and we should also support our local factories a lot more than we do… So anyway Jasmine is completely in love with this Mark lad. He’s practically living with her already from what she tells me. I’m just worried she’s moving too fast. I hope he doesn’t break her heart.’

  ‘Why would he do that?’ Tom asked, puzzled.

  ‘Oh, you know, the usual story. He might just be dallying with a humble shop girl before marrying someone more suitable, as our old boss Theodora would have put it,’ Ruby sighed heavily.

  ‘Come on, Ruby, that’s a bit old-fashioned, isn’t it?’ Tom asked, shaking his head in disagreement.

  ‘Yes, old-fashioned and snobbish!’ Ruby agreed.

  ‘But surely if he’s going to be well paid some day he won’t care what Jasmine does for a living? I don’t think all that many men are bothered what job their girlfriend or wife has, to be fair.’

  ‘We’ll see.’

  ‘No, really. She’s a lovely girl. I’m sure this guy knows when he’s well off,’ Tom said firmly. ‘So don’t be worrying. Now what have you got in that basket? I’m starving.’

  ‘I’ve got salmon and cucumber sandwiches on brown bread, cheddar and lettuce sandwiches on white bread, a small jam and cream sponge and a bit of cooked chicken,’ she told him, opening the dainty picnic basket and wedging it in between them on the back seat. They were sitting on a neatly folded car rug that was helping to take the chill off the leather seats. Ruby only wished she had a second blanket to go over her knees. Or to cuddle up with Tom under…

  ‘Yes to everything,’ Tom said, holding out his plate.

  ‘I suppose we were mad to come here today. It’s so bloody cold. When is this damn winter going to end? My hands keep getting stiff in the shop. I’ll have to wear gloves soon just to be able to operate the cash register.’

  ‘Yeah, I know. You should try digging over a frozen flowerbed,’ Tom agreed.

  ‘Rather you than me,’ Ruby said, slightly embarrassed now that she was complaining about chilly fingers when Tom was out of doors all day. She reached over to the dashboard and turned the heating up full blast. They ate their picnic quickly, keeping their hands wrapped round cups of hot tea. The cold weather kept making them hungry, Ruby noted. Tom was a big man and her small, neat sandwiches looked almost comical in his large hands. He kept dropping them when there was only a bite left. Next time she would use a larger size loaf of bread.

  ‘How’s the business doing?’ Tom asked suddenly. ‘I don’t mean the money end of things. I mean are you still enjoying it?’

  ‘Yes, it’s fine, I haven’t got bored yet anyway. Or gone bankrupt. I think the trick is to keep most of the stock very affordable and only sell a small amount of really expensive stuff,’ Ruby told him. ‘I was worried the downturn would be disastrous for the shop, but it seems we girls still want our shiny trinkets and glittery what-nots.’

  ‘Fair enough,’ Tom said, nodding. He had no idea what a glittery what-not was, but he didn’t feel inclined to ask.

  ‘I don’t mean to harp on, but it’s a bit funny to see Jasmine falling in love overnight like this,’ Ruby mused then as they sat gazing out of the car windows.

  ‘How come?’

  ‘She’s so unafraid of being hurt, you know? She just accepts that this guy has always liked her and now they’ve got together at last and it’s all going to be fine.’

  ‘And it will be, hopefully.’

  ‘Ah. You said the word hopefully.’

  ‘Yes, of course. None of us can see into the future.’

  ‘No.’ Ruby knew he was thinking of Kate.

  ‘Well, if this incredible romance keeps up, I’m sure we’ll be hearing wedding bells soon,’ Ruby said then.

  ‘What? You mean you and me?’ Tom said, obviously joking. But not really joking.

  ‘No. Jasmine and Mark, you eejit. I mean, the pair of them will be getting married in no time. Both so young and full of energy… I’m sure they’ll be getting engaged any day now. I’m telling you, it’s the love story of the century!’

  ‘Hey! We’re not too old ourselves to be getting engaged,’ Tom said, winking at Ruby over his chicken leg.

  ‘What? Oh, don’t be outrageous.’

  ‘We aren’t past it, Ruby. Jesus, we’re in the prime of our lives! Hell, I never thought I’d say that again! But meeting you has changed my life, changed everything. What if I was to propose to you right now? Right here in this car! What if I got down on one knee and asked you to marry me? What would you say?’

  Ruby’s heart turned over in her chest with sheer excitement. Marriage! It seemed like only yesterday she was wishing her own life away. And now she had met this lovely man and he was asking her to marry him! And even though she knew it was sheer bloody madness to even think of marrying again, some vain and feminine part of her was utterly delighted at Tom’s proposal. Best not to give in right away though, Ruby thought to herself. If she said yes now, she’d look a right flake. She decided to make a joke out of the whole thing.

  ‘I’d say you’d have trouble getting down on one knee anywhere in this car,’ Ruby said, and then laughed her head off. ‘Your legs are far too long. Come on, let’s go for a ten-minute walk and then go straight back to mine to thaw out. I am so, so over winter now. I used to adore winter, but I can’t stand it any more. All that snow… and even when the snow clears away it’s still freezing. I’m numb from head to toe.’

  They wiped their hands on paper napkins and ventured out of the car and towards the beach. But before they’d even made it past the sand dunes, the driving wind blew an ice-cold blast into their faces and made it impossible for them to talk to one another. Or even see one another easily as their eyes were watering that much. Ruby’s face was pure white with the cold and even Tom’s scarf wrapped round her neck was no help.

  ‘This is just stupid,’ Tom shouted eventually. ‘We’ll go back now and I’ll make you a hot drink while you warm up in the bath. I’m worried you might get pneumonia.’

  Ruby just nodded and together they raced back to the car park. Luckily there was hardly any traffic on the road home and soon Ruby was running a hot bath while Tom tried not to make too much of a mess in Ruby’s petite yet perfect kitchen. After supper they went to bed again and made love until the sun came up.

  36. The Cottage

  Now it was March and the shops were full of Easter eggs in pale green packaging with pink and yellow ribbons. Jasmine and Mark were so in love with each other it was heartening for everyone to see. The two of them kept finishing each other’s sentences, and calling and sending texts to one another at lunchtimes. Mark was even talking of selling his tiny terrace near the hospital and buying something bigger in the suburbs. Something near the good schools, he said once or twice. Jasmine wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye to the ivory tower that was the Bell Towers but sometimes she would find herself pausing by the estate agent’s window.

  ‘Just having a look,’ she said. ‘Just keeping an eye on the market to see if there are any bargains to be had.’

  Ruby wasn’t a bit jealous of her best friend’s newfound bliss. She’d had that sort of all-encompassing love with Jonathan. Entire d
ays spent in bed, either making love or sharing secrets of the heart. And now she was having it all again with Tom! Or at least she was having the days spent in bed… She wasn’t sure she was at the stage yet where she wanted to make actual plans. All she wanted to do was run her business and spend a good percentage of her spare time with Tom, enjoying his company and feeling safe and cherished with him. She didn’t want a big grand house any more or even children, she decided. She wanted a quiet life now, just some peace and quiet.

  And yet there were other times when she felt she was falling completely in love with Tom. When she knew she would be devastated if he ever stopped wanting to make love to her. He was so sexy sometimes, when he threw off his cloak of shyness and pounced on her hungrily… She had visions of them growing old together, being together for fifty years. All in all, Ruby felt like a love-struck teenager.

  Tonight Ruby was going to cook a meal for Tom at his cottage. And they might even spend the night together there too. Ruby hadn’t spent a night in Tom’s house yet, and so she was giddy with anticipation. She could tell he wanted her desperately, all the time, and it was getting to the stage where she was finding it hard to resist him long enough to even have a chat first. If things kept going the way they were, Ruby could see the two of them having frantic sex before they’d even said hello to one another. But what could she do about it! He was so warm and comforting to hold. So loving and tender afterwards. The only downside was the increasing amount of time she had to spend in the bathroom getting ready to meet him. For they invariably ended up in bed together and so she couldn’t afford to let her personal grooming slip even a little bit.

  Though it was going to be lovely staying at Tom’s for the first time, it also meant she couldn’t nip into her own bathroom for any last-minute preparations. And so Ruby went through her checklist for the tenth time that day. She’d shaved her legs and underarms with scented shaving foam and a brand-new razor. She’d had her sleek bob trimmed and properly blow-dried at the hairdresser’s. She’d bought new underwear in M&S. A beautiful turquoise polka-dot padded bra and lace-trimmed shorts. She was wearing a black dress and black stockings that were easy to take off in a hurry, but which weren’t too provocative in themselves. And only a small heel on her shoes in case they decided to go for yet another long stroll around Camberwell afterwards.