Chapter 9

Billy sat in the comfy armchair right next to the roaring fire in Bee Cottage and cradled his stomach. ‘That was incredible. But I feel like I’m gonna puke,’ he said piteously. Since getting together with Kara, they quite often came to the Moon family home for a Sunday roast.

‘That’s what happens when you have two pieces of my morello cherry pie and mix it with red wine, young man. I told you one helping was enough, but would you listen?’ Pearl shook her head. ‘I’ll get you an indigestion tablet, hang on.’ And she left the room.

Kara sat on the floor at her boyfriend’s feet, head against his legs. The orange of the fire lit up her face in a warm glow, and the comforting crackling sound made it hard to move. ‘We’d better go,’ she said eventually. ‘I’ve got a funeral tomorrow and the flowers are needed by ten thirty.’

Billy groaned as he got to his feet. ‘OK. I wonder if I can get done for being drunk in charge of a tugboat. I had far too much to drink last night too.’

‘You’ll be all right after a good night’s sleep.’

‘Who says we are sleeping, sweet cheeks?’ He pinched her bottom.

Joe appeared with a tea towel in his hand. ‘Have you one sec before you go, Kerry?’ Her dad and Billy were the only ones who called her Kerry, taken from her full name Kerensa, meaning ‘love’ in Cornish. She followed him into the kitchen while Billy stayed behind and messed about with the fire, before putting the guard up in front of it.

Checking that Pearl was out of sight and earshot, Kara’s father whispered, ‘I want to propose to Pearl – and soon. But I’m not sure how. I want to make it really special. Pull out all the stops.’

‘The divorce has been finalised already then? That was quick.’

‘You say quick, but it’s taken me twenty years to get around to dealing with it. And it was so easy, not to mention cheap, seeing as your mother and I have lived apart for two decades. Lord, I should have done it ages ago. Bloody Doryty.’ He shook his head.

‘Well, it’s over now and I am so excited and happy for you, Dad. Pearl is like her name, a precious gem.’ Kara thought for a bit, then: ‘I know! How about Christmas Day, putting the ring in the Christmas pudding?’

‘No, that’s too clichéd. I was thinking more like—’

On hearing Pearl clattering down the stairs with a box of tablets for Billy in hand, Kara quickly turned to pretend she was getting a glass of water.

‘What are you two whispering about down here? I can see guilt written in both your faces.’

‘Err. Umm. It’s someone’s birthday Christmas Eve, isn’t it?’ Joe piped up.

Pearl smiled. ‘OK, I’ll let you off then, but if you are plotting something, remember – no fuss. You know me, I don’t like a fuss about nuttin’.’ She gave Joe a smacking kiss on the forehead as Billy appeared in the kitchen and gratefully took one of the indigestion pills.

‘Dad, I’ll call you tomorrow, OK?’ Kara gave him a sly wink and a hug. ‘Thanks for a lovely dinner, both.’

Billy held on to Kara’s arm as they walked down from Bee Cottage towards Ferry Lane.

‘That was a nice evening.’ Kara’s breath plumed out like a dragon’s into the freezing air.

‘Yes, it was. I am so chuffed your dad wants me to captain the Happy Hart now too. I nearly choked on my roast potato when he said it.’

‘You’ve worked so hard and I’m proud of you.’ Kara put her head on Billy’s shoulder for a moment. ‘And I’m proud of Dad too. He needed to let it go and the fact that he’s promised to stand in when we want to go on holiday makes it perfect.’

‘How lovely that he and Pearl found each other so late in life,’ Billy mused.

‘Look at you, being the old romantic.’

‘You bring out the soft in me, you do.’ Billy squeezed her bum. ‘But I’m not complaining. Someone needed to.’

‘Yeah, my very own Romeo.’ Kara laughed.

‘We’d better go to my old man and woman’s soon though. You know what Mum’s like.’

Kara put on the accent of Pat Dillon. ‘I never bleedin’ see ya nah you’ve got that treacle tart on yer arm.’

‘You are so funny when you try and use Cockney rhyming slang, Kerry Moon. You just say “treacle” and I think you are exaggerating, just a bit.’

‘I’m glad you told me that it meant sweetheart as I didn’t know what to think when I first heard your dad say it.’ She reached for Billy’s hand as they headed down the steep path of Ferry Lane towards the estuary.

‘Poor old Darren cops it worse than me though, as she contradicts herself by going on about him not having a bird.’

‘So, Darren’s not seeing anyone at the moment then?’

‘Well, seeing is a loose term. He’s usually just shagging around, you know that. Now Twisty Knickers has left town and Lady Rachel from the big house sent him packing, I think he’s having something of a dry spell. He’s been a bit miserable lately, to be fair.’

‘Oh, that’s no good.’

‘Yeah, he’s been like that ever since I moved out of the flat and into yours. I don’t think he likes being on his own.’

‘I didn’t even think of that. We must ask him round more. Do you think he’ll be OK taking on some more shifts on the ferry too?’

‘I hope so.’

‘I never thought Dad would slow up,’ Kara said thoughtfully. ‘I couldn’t believe it when he came out with it.’

‘Yeah, but it’s tough work out there in this weather, whatever age you are.’

‘I’m so pleased for them. Pearl finishes working for good at the hospital on Christmas Eve, so they can just be together in retirement looking after the bees and the honey production. Plus, the garden alone at Bee Cottage is a full-time job, especially now Grandad Harry is not here. Billy, guess what Dad told me tonight? He wants to propose to Pearl – and before Christmas too.’

‘He’s not hanging around, is he? They’re a bit like us two: when you know, you know.’

‘Look at that wine making you all gooey, Captain Dillon.’

Billy laughed. ‘You will refer to me as that at all times from now on, Kerry Moon.’

‘You’re mad,’ she tutted.

‘More money too, so that’s a result, but I need to get responsible now. Daz can share tug duty, which is useful, but when he’s off I will need someone else to load the cars and take the money, et cetera.’

‘Shouldn’t be too hard to find someone, should it?’

‘Hmm.’ Billy mused. ‘Out of college holidays I’m not sure.’

Suddenly Kara dragged Billy into an alleyway in the marketplace and put her finger to his lips. Hoping it was some kind of fantasy she’d been hiding from him, Billy sucked her finger into his mouth and put a hand firmly on her left breast. She smacked him away and said, ‘Shh!’

Star and Conor had stopped just by the side alley that led up to the Passion Flowers flat. ‘Listen!’ Kara hissed.

‘I need a piss.’ Billy stepped from foot to foot.

‘Well, thanks a million for such a great night,’ they heard Conor say, and Kara was delighted to hear the sincerity in his voice.

‘I was supposed to be treating you, remember?’ Star replied.

‘That means we will just have to do it again then, won’t we.’ Kara made a little squeaking noise of delight at the Irishman’s smooth reply. ‘Do you not want me to see you right home? I mean, there’s some nasty characters who lurk around these parts.’

‘Get in, lad,’ Billy said out loud, causing Kara to pinch his hand and make him stifle a cry.

‘Ha! I think I can manage the ten metres on my own, but thanks for asking.’ Star was already walking away from the big man.

‘So, do you want to do it again, then?’ Conor called after her.

The slightly drunk Billy, now badly in need of the toilet, had had enough of playing hide and seek. He appeared out of the alleyway, leaving Kara with no option other than to follow.

‘“Do it again, Star, you know you want to”,’ Billy mimicked with a belch.

‘He’s drunk, sorry.’ Kara took in the full gloriousness that was Conor Brady. ‘I’m Kara, your landlady, and this is my slightly over-served boyfriend, Billy. Sorry we haven’t met properly before.’

‘Hey. Good to see you – and that was kind of my fault, I guess.’

‘No, it was mine for being such a snitch.’ Star turned round, adding, ‘OK, I’m going to bed.’ She then hotfooted it down her alleyway, shouting back as she went, ‘Thanks, Conor. Night, all.’

‘All OK up there for you is it, mate?’ Billy nodded towards the flat above Passion Flowers.

‘Yeah, grand, grand. Honestly.’

‘Well, just shout if you need anything,’ Kara told him.

‘I will. I have your number.’

‘I’m in the shop every day bar Sunday, so just pop your head in.’

Billy took hold of Kara’s hand possessively. ‘See you around, pal.’

By the time Conor had got to the top of the metal steps leading to his new place, Star was inside, door closed and outside light off.

He had hoped that a change of scene might cause a change of direction to his life, but he just hadn’t seen it happening quite this quickly. Yet despite the obvious chemistry between him and the ethereal Steren Bligh, it looked like he might have his work cut out trying to get her to love thy neighbour in the way he imagined.