Autumn Dreams at Mermaids Point, page 5
‘Thank you,’ Nerissa cast a guilty smile at the other man as he too got up – not guilty enough to stop her scooting onto the bench and over to the half-wall.
Another reason they loved this pub was the recent changes the landlord, Pete Bray, had made. It had taken a lot of negotiation with the local council, but he’d gained permission to replace the old sash windows with a set of modern folding windows which could be slid back on either side to create an open-terrace feel without anyone spilling out onto the pavement outside. They also let in some much-needed fresh air on stifling summer days like today.
Laurie and Jake sat next to her, Nick on the other side next to his mother, leaving a space for his dad, who stood at the head of the table.
Clapping his hands together, Andrew shot them all an enthusiastic grin. ‘Right, my lovelies, what are we having?’
‘Pinot,’ Sylvia replied before casting a questioning look to Nerissa.
‘Oh, yes please. Make sure it’s ice cold, though.’
‘Pinot three,’ Laurie raised a hand. ‘Get a bottle, Dad, and an ice bucket.’
‘And one of those buckets of beers, eh?’ Nick rose to his feet. ‘What do you reckon, Jake? Fancy a bottle, rather than a pint? It’ll be colder.’
‘I’m in.’ Jake shifted onto one hip, reaching behind to pull his wallet from his back pocket. ‘Let me get these.’
‘Your money’s no good, here, son!’ Andrew waved him off with a smile.
When Jake looked as though he might protest, Laurie laid a hand on his arm. Though she lowered her voice, Nerissa was close enough to hear her say, ‘Leave it. You know what he’s like. We’ll ambush them with a takeaway later.’
‘Good plan.’ Looking happier, Jake wrapped an arm around Laurie’s shoulders and pressed a kiss to her temple. Keeping Laurie against him, he half-turned to face Nerissa. ‘You were telling us about Doc’s plan to deal with Michael.’
Nerissa wrinkled her nose. ‘If only I could believe there was a plan, but you know what he’s like. Never deal with something today which you can put off forever.’ She rubbed the back of her neck, more as a self-soothing gesture than in any hope of relieving the tension which seemed to have set up permanent shop between her shoulder blades lately. ‘I thought we were getting somewhere after I finally cornered him about his future plans last month, but he’s never said another word since promising me he would sort something out and let me know.’ She closed her eyes for a brief moment as the jitters of uncertainty began swirling in her tummy. ‘Things can’t go on like this forever. I just need to know where I stand.’
Sylvia leaned across the table, taking both of Nerissa’s hands in her own. ‘Don’t fret, Ner. Whatever happens, we’ve got you covered.’
Nerissa squeezed Sylvia’s fingers, saying everything she was feeling in that brief touch. She was hugely grateful for all her brother and sister-in-law did for her, but the prospect of giving up what bit of independence she had and moving under their roof filled her with despair. She’d ask Linda if she wanted a room-mate before that happened, although if Michael did persuade Doc to sell up to a developer, she wouldn’t just be out of a home – she’d be out of a job as well. She couldn’t expect Linda to let her move into the cottage she was renting if Nerissa didn’t have the means to contribute to the bills.
Before she could dive too deep down another woe-is-me rabbit hole, Nick and Andrew returned laden with two huge ice buckets: the first full of long-necked beer bottles, the other holding not one, but two bottles of Pinot Grigio.
‘Andrew, it’s a school night!’ Sylvia protested, even as she reached for one of the wine bottles.
‘Don’t worry, my love, I’ll see you home safely.’ Andrew slipped onto the bench seat before Nick could steal his spot.
‘That’s what you told me after our first date, and look at the trouble I ended up in!’ Sylvia laughed as she said it, already tilting her face up as her husband leaned down for a kiss.
Nerissa felt something twist deep inside her, a yearning for that kind of easy familiarity. Though it’d only been a few months, she’d noticed the same sort of interactions developing between Laurie and Jake, the special emotional shorthand couples had that only made sense to them. Her fingers itched with the need to touch the ring dangling at her throat. Had she and Gareth had the same thing? It was getting harder and harder to remember specifics about their short time together. Another little bit of him stolen away by the cruel sweep of time’s hands.
‘Nerissa?’
Startled, she focused on the glass Sylvia was holding out to her. ‘Sorry, I was miles away.’ From the concern in Sylvia’s eyes, Nerissa knew she’d given herself away. Not wanting another lecture about leaving the past where it belonged, Nerissa accepted her wine with a small shake of her head. ‘I’m fine,’ she said, low enough for it to be just between the two of them.
Sylvia eyed her for one long moment before letting something Laurie was saying draw her attention away and Nerissa heaved a small sigh of relief as she too made an effort to join in the rest of the conversation.
They were a bottle down when a familiar voice at her elbow turned Nerissa’s attention away from a terrible joke her brother was regaling them with to the man standing on the pavement beside and a little below her, thanks to the pub’s slightly raised position from the pavement. It was Andy Sullivan, who ran the fish and chip shop on the high street. ‘Hi, Andy, how’s things?’
‘Can’t grumble,’ he said with a grin before lifting the front of the large, padded satchel he was wearing cross-body and withdrawing the first of several paper-wrapped parcels Nerissa could see nestled inside it. ‘Right then,’ he continued, holding out the package towards her. ‘Everything is labelled on the front.’ He all but pushed the parcel into her hands. ‘That’s a large cod and chips.’
‘Thanks, Andy,’ Jake half-leaned across Nerissa to take the fish and chips. ‘You’re a lifesaver.’ He slid the package across to Andrew. ‘There you go.’
‘What’s this?’ Andrew asked, unwrapping the food and sending the heavenly sent of fried fish, salt and vinegar into the air.
‘Our treat, and it’s already paid for,’ Jake said in a tone that brooked no argument before he nudged Nerissa. ‘Grab the rest, will you?’
‘Oh, of course.’ She took the next package, then the next, handing them off to Jake like a game of pass the parcel as he dished them out around the table.
Andy set the last one in her hands. ‘Fish cake and a small chips, that must be yours,’ he said with a wink because it was the same thing she always ordered.
‘Curry sauce?’ she asked, hopefully, mouth already beginning to water as the smell of the food intensified with each unwrapping.
‘As if I’d forget!’ Andy reached into his bag one last time and produced two Styrofoam cups with plastic lids.
Jake leaned across once more, a five-pound note for a tip held out. ‘Cheers, for the delivery, Andy.’
‘All part of the service.’ Andy tucked the money into his back pocket with a grin and a nod of thanks before turning away at someone calling his name. ‘And thanks for the extra business.’ He gave Jake a quick thumbs up before taking a few steps towards the people sitting somewhere behind them, a paper menu already in his hand.
‘Well, this is very kind of you, Jake,’ Nerissa said as she popped the lid on one of the curry sauces. Having given up on her lunch she was starving, her appetite very much restored by the sauce’s sweet-spicy fragrance.
‘It’s nothing. Just my way of doing my bit and saying thank you to everyone for making Mum feel so welcome.’
‘How is she?’ Nerissa hadn’t liked to ask earlier because things were still a bit raw between Jake and Linda, and she didn’t want him to feel pressured.
A wry grin twisted his mouth. ‘She seems really good. Doing a beginner’s salsa class this evening, if you can believe it.’ The way he said it made it clear he couldn’t quite get his head around the idea.
Nerissa laughed. ‘She’s certainly taking turning a new leaf to heart – and good for her! I haven’t had a chance to catch up with her this week, but I’ll have to make a point of it now.’
Salsa classes! Nerissa wanted to clap her hands together with glee. Since their chat a few weeks previously, Linda had tried her hand at a pottery class, joined the local knitting circle and – with a bit of encouragement from Sylvia, who worked a couple of mornings a week at the local primary as a teaching assistant – was waiting on a DBS background check to be completed so she could lend a hand with some of the after-school activities. She was even considering investing in a wetsuit in order to join the local open water swimming group. Rather her than Nerissa, but it was just such a joy to see the other woman taking their conversation to heart and trying new things. Unlike me. She’d been full of determination to turn over a new leaf and yet here she was still bobbing around in the wake of other people’s lives. Maybe she should reconsider the wetsuit idea and jump in at the deep end herself.
‘Another?’ Sylvia asked as she reached for the unopened bottle of wine.
Nerissa tapped the screen on her phone beside her and checked the time. It was just after seven, so even if she indulged a little, a walk on the beach and a couple of big glasses of water when she got home would stave off any potential hangover. ‘Oh, go on then.’
‘Good girl.’ Sylvia grinned as she poured them both a generous measure. ‘You can finish the rest,’ she said to Laurie. ‘You’ve got more tolerance than us old ladies.’
Nick laughed. ‘Come off it, Mum, you know what a shandy-lightweight she is. She’ll be suffering for days if she has another glass.’
‘I’m not the one who was cuddling up to the toilet last weekend, was I?’ Laurie shot back at her brother as she lifted her glass and held it out for their mother to fill.
Nick protested, ‘That was a one-off after Darren’s stag night, and I still went out on the boat that morning.’ Nick and their Uncle Tony – Sylvia’s older brother – ran a boat tour business operating out of the old harbour just over the crest from the main seafront. As well as sightseeing tours to the string of islands situated off the end of the Point, they ran deep-sea fishing trips and helped out the local conservation group when they needed to visit the larger islands in the chain which made up a local wildlife preserve.
‘Maybe so, but your face was as green as the Hulk’s,’ Andrew chipped in as he pulled the beer bucket closer. ‘I think I’ll look after these now.’
Nerissa laughed as she watched her brother and nephew play-scuffle over the bucket, while Sylvia rolled her eyes and pointedly looked past them.
‘Busy tonight,’ she observed. ‘I guess we weren’t the only ones feeling the heat.’
‘People have got that Friday feeling a day early,’ Nerissa agreed, following Sylvia’s gaze towards the bar. ‘Ha! So much for a quiet night in front of the TV,’ she exclaimed, catching sight of Doc perched on his usual stool by the bar.
Sitting up straighter, she looked past her niece’s shoulder and could see Toby curled up at Doc’s feet. He looked hot and miserable, his nose tucked between his front paws. He’d probably thought he was getting an extra evening walk, not a short trot to the pub, poor thing. At least someone had put a bowl of water down for him. Deciding she would rescue him as soon as she’d finished her drink, Nerissa leaned back, only for Sylvia to reach across and pat her arm.
‘Who is that?’ Sylvia was pointing somewhere behind Nerissa, making no attempt at keeping her voice down.
Nerissa cast a quick glance over her shoulder and froze as her eyes clashed with those of the stranger who’d just entered the pub. Shock thrilled through her, like a static overload as he held her gaze for a long moment before his lips curled into a smile that threatened to stop her heart. His features in repose were quite stern thanks to a strong jawline and a nose that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a Roman emperor’s coin. That smile changed everything though, lighting up his eyes and displaying the kind of lines that spoke of an easy sense of humour. When he raised the thick brows curving over his deep-set eyes, Nerissa came back to herself and spun around – horrified she’d been caught staring.
‘Well, that was a moment if ever I saw one!’ Sylvia crowed, clutching her hands to her heart and swooning back in her seat. ‘A proper their eyes met across a crowded room, like you normally only read about in books.’
‘Stop it!’ Nerissa hissed as she grabbed her wine and took a gulp so large Jake had to pat her on the back as she choked on it. ‘I’m fine, I’m fine,’ she gasped when she could draw in air, wondering whether it might be a good idea to slide off her seat and hide under the table. She cast a glance to her left, or maybe she could vault over the open side of the pub wall and make her escape into the not-very-dark. Damn these long summer nights when the sun didn’t set until nearly ten o’clock.
‘Oh.’ Sylvia’s face fell. ‘False alarm on the hot man front, he’s got a couple of kids with him.’
She would not look around. She would not look around. Nerissa’s will power lasted all of thirty seconds before she grabbed Jake’s arm. ‘Sit still a minute,’ she said before using him as a shield to peer around. Sure enough, the man was heading towards the bar with a couple of teenagers following on his heels. She watched as he pointed to a small table in the corner and the older girl led the boy towards it, pulling out her phone the moment her bottom hit the cushion. The man continued towards the bar, taking up position next to Doc. As she watched them shake hands, she couldn’t help a little sigh over how friendly he seemed.
‘Can I move yet?’ Jake asked, laughter in his words.
‘Shh, and no you can’t,’ Nerissa replied because as she watched it became clear it was more than a casual greeting being shared by the stranger and Doc. The old man was patting a spare stool next to him and – even more shockingly – had pulled out his wallet to buy a drink. What on earth was going on?
7
‘No, it’s fine, I’ll get these,’ Tom protested as Malcolm Gadd produced his wallet from inside the pocket of a smart pair of chinos. The temperature was still pushing the high twenties, and he could already feel a trickle of sweat rolling down his back, but the elder man looked as fresh as if he’d just stepped from the shower. ‘I’ve got the kids with me,’ he continued, pointing to where Emily and Max were both hunched over their phones. At least they weren’t fighting, unlike the interminable car journey earlier. If he’d had any sense, he would’ve put the other doctor off for a day or two and given himself time to get the children settled into their holiday let and to find his bearings. But if he’d had any sense, would he be thinking about upending his family and transferring them to a little village in the back of beyond in the first place?
He’d been idly flicking through his latest copy of the British Journal of General Practice, earmarking articles he wanted to read and having a nose around in the classified section when the striking image of a sprawling white building framed by a sky so blue it had to have been digitally enhanced caught his eye. The somewhat terse text accompanying the image had further sparked his interest – ‘Partnership opportunity supporting small rural community. Current incumbent retiring. Call Malcolm Gadd for more details.’
When he’d done as the advert suggested and called Malcolm, he’d been even less forthcoming, telling Tom he’d only talk to him face-to-face and he’d need to see Mermaids Point for himself.
Mermaids Point. Who could resist a name like that? Not Tom, who was a bit of a romantic at heart.
A quick Google search had brought up a bunch of articles about a pop star and a viral video campaign as well as scores of images of a long stretch of beach and rows of quaint shops and old-fashioned cottages.
It’d been ages since he’d taken the kids away on holiday – there’d been a disastrous escape too soon after Anna’s death which he’d allowed some friends to talk him into, and which had put them off the idea of holidays altogether. When they had explained that they had a villa already booked and no-of-course-it-wouldn’t-be-too-much-trouble, he’d been in no fit state to make any kind of a decision beyond a howling need to just not be in the place – now a terrible void – where Anna had been their everything. Instead of giving him and the children a neutral space to talk about their feelings, Tom had found Claire, their hostess, just a little too eager to delve into their grief. It had been disappointing, if not altogether surprising when he’d had a message from another mutual friend about an intrusive Facebook post Claire had put up, including photos of Emily and Max without his permission. It was only after he’d hustled the kids out of the villa and they’d been in the queue for the next available flight back to the UK that Max had confided his tearful relief at them leaving because one of Claire’s boys had been picking on him.
When he’d suggested a week at the seaside, Tom had used the recent news reports as an excuse for choosing Mermaids Point, saying they could go mermaid hunting. Emily had rolled her eyes, but he’d seen a glimmer of excitement behind the façade – she’d been obsessed with Aurora Storm, the pop star behind the stunt which had put the village front and centre in popular attention – and had seemed impressed he’d secured them a holiday cottage in such a sought-after location.
Malcolm Gadd had helped him find somewhere to stay – a last-minute cancellation he’d heard about on the grapevine. Not that they’d seen much of the cottage. A horrendous accident on the M5 had led to miles of tailbacks. With his temper at breaking point as Emily and Max started another pointless argument, he’d grit his teeth until the traffic crawled level with a motorway services and turned off. Full of McDonald’s and with Max ordered into the front passenger seat to give Emily space to spread out, they’d re-joined the queue and limped along for another hour before their exit had blessedly come into view. With only ten minutes to go before he was due to meet Malcolm, Tom had herded the children into the pretty – if tiny – cottage in the heart of the village with instructions to dump their bags and have a pee so they could go exploring. They’d seemed unbothered when he’d mentioned meeting an old colleague and steered them into the pub a few minutes later, their noses glued to their phones, headphones cutting them off from the world around them.
