Summer at Little Beach Street Bakery
Page 90
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‘The most amazing engagement ring… Oh God, Huckle! HUCKLE!’
‘Could you quickly say a handy yes or no?’ said Huckle. ‘Before I fall into the sea?’
Polly stood up and flung her arms around him.
‘YES YES YES YES!’ she hollered at the top of her voice.
‘You sound like Selina and that new boyfriend of hers,’ observed Jayden, who was still carrying rolls out to Nan the Van.
Carefully Huckle tied the seaweed around Polly’s fourth finger. ‘We’ll choose another,’ he said.
‘I like this one,’ said Polly stubbornly, and kissed him, then kissed him again. ‘Oh my! Oh my goodness!’
‘I can’t believe you’re surprised,’ said Huckle. ‘Everyone else in this entire town is totally going to yawn when we tell them. They’ve been on at me for months. I can’t go into the bakery without Malcolm’s mother harrumphing at me and making remarks about honest women.’
‘Well I don’t care about anyone else in this town,’ said Polly. ‘Except when I’m feeding them and taking their money and relying on them for friendship and emotional support.’
Huckle beamed at her as she held up the ring and admired it.
‘I don’t want another ring,’ she said. ‘Maybe you could just make me a new one every week when it starts to smell.’
‘We’re going to have health and safety round again.’
Huckle took her in his arms.
‘Do you… I mean… Do you think you could love me as much as you love Neil?’
‘Shut up,’ said Polly. ‘Totally almost!’
Then he held her close again and swung her round in the bright pink dawn light as another perfect summer’s day came in over Mount Polbearne, and the little village started to stir, and Mrs Neil fluffed herself importantly on her egg, and Jayden kept on loading up the trays of bread, and Polly and Huckle kissed on and on as if nothing could ever part them again, and Neil fluttered and flittered and flew up, round and round the whole height of the lighthouse, higher and higher, his feathers catching the very first rays of the morning sun.
‘And are you still dreaming about him?’
Selina’s face was distant.
‘Yes,’ she said, with a noise like a small sigh escaping her lips. ‘Sometimes. But now, it’s just like he’s there. Do you understand? Just like he’s there and it’s nice to see him.’
‘And how does that make you feel?’
‘Happy. Sad. Happy and sad. Isn’t that good enough?’
The therapist closed her notebook.
‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Yes, it is.’
‘Could you quickly say a handy yes or no?’ said Huckle. ‘Before I fall into the sea?’
Polly stood up and flung her arms around him.
‘YES YES YES YES!’ she hollered at the top of her voice.
‘You sound like Selina and that new boyfriend of hers,’ observed Jayden, who was still carrying rolls out to Nan the Van.
Carefully Huckle tied the seaweed around Polly’s fourth finger. ‘We’ll choose another,’ he said.
‘I like this one,’ said Polly stubbornly, and kissed him, then kissed him again. ‘Oh my! Oh my goodness!’
‘I can’t believe you’re surprised,’ said Huckle. ‘Everyone else in this entire town is totally going to yawn when we tell them. They’ve been on at me for months. I can’t go into the bakery without Malcolm’s mother harrumphing at me and making remarks about honest women.’
‘Well I don’t care about anyone else in this town,’ said Polly. ‘Except when I’m feeding them and taking their money and relying on them for friendship and emotional support.’
Huckle beamed at her as she held up the ring and admired it.
‘I don’t want another ring,’ she said. ‘Maybe you could just make me a new one every week when it starts to smell.’
‘We’re going to have health and safety round again.’
Huckle took her in his arms.
‘Do you… I mean… Do you think you could love me as much as you love Neil?’
‘Shut up,’ said Polly. ‘Totally almost!’
Then he held her close again and swung her round in the bright pink dawn light as another perfect summer’s day came in over Mount Polbearne, and the little village started to stir, and Mrs Neil fluffed herself importantly on her egg, and Jayden kept on loading up the trays of bread, and Polly and Huckle kissed on and on as if nothing could ever part them again, and Neil fluttered and flittered and flew up, round and round the whole height of the lighthouse, higher and higher, his feathers catching the very first rays of the morning sun.
‘And are you still dreaming about him?’
Selina’s face was distant.
‘Yes,’ she said, with a noise like a small sigh escaping her lips. ‘Sometimes. But now, it’s just like he’s there. Do you understand? Just like he’s there and it’s nice to see him.’
‘And how does that make you feel?’
‘Happy. Sad. Happy and sad. Isn’t that good enough?’
The therapist closed her notebook.
‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Yes, it is.’
