‘So Skye, you’re all sorted, aren’t you?’ Kara rushed into Passion Flowers to make a last check on her able assistant. ‘Why oh why did I arrange to go on holiday on a market day!’ She opened the till to check there was change in there for the rare cash-paying customers. ‘I’ve kept it simple, so say no to bouquets until Tuesday unless it is very urgent, then of course you must do it, but all hotel deliveries can wait.’
An impatient Billy was waiting outside in his van ready to drive them to the airport. He tooted to hurry her up.
‘Dad and Pearl are going to swing by later on and tomorrow, and if they need to jump on the stall and help, do let them.’
‘Kara,’ Skye said calmly. ‘You’ve written it all down for me. I’ve done many a market day. I will close Sunday, and Monday is always like a morgue, so stop worrying. Just go and enjoy yourselves, will you.’ The teenager ushered her boss towards the door. ‘Mum is next door, so I will be fine, and as you say, Joe and Pearl will help me if I need it. I’d love to run a flower stall myself one day, so this will be a perfect opportunity for me.’
‘Aw, well, that’s a great ambition. OK, call me if you need me, promise – but I will text you each day anyway. Bye.’
Kara signalled to Billy that she just had to run quickly in to see Star. He held his hands up in despair. He liked to be at least an extra hour early to an airport, he had told her, so there was time for him to have a couple of beers in Departures to calm his pre-flight nerves.
Star came through to the front of the shop as the wind chime signalled a customer.
‘I’ve gotta be quick as Billy’s outside,’ Kara said in a rush. ‘I just wanted to say, James Bond has been fed and watered so don’t worry about today, but if you could do once tomorrow, Sunday and Monday morning that would be good. The Airbnb guy’s name is Ralph, he looks hot on his profile photo, but try not to catch him in the shower.’ She added archly, ‘You do have a history with my previous guests.’
‘Guest,’ Star corrected, now having a vision of Jack Murray in her mind that she really could do without.
‘Anyway, he’s arriving this afternoon and leaving really early Monday morning. I will give him your number and message you his, just in case he needs to ask you something. Anything else?’ Kara asked herself.
‘Key code?’ Star queried.
‘I checked the spare key is in the box and that it’s the same 1066 code as before and um … that’s it, I think. I’ve left him Frank’s vouchers for breakfast, and tea and coffee is on the kitchen side.’ Billy tooted the horn again. ‘I’d better go. He’ll be going crazy out there.’ Kara looked more closely at her friend. ‘You seem quiet, are you all right?’
‘Yes, just a bit tired, that’s all.’
‘Can’t believe I forgot! The test – did you do it?’
‘Yes. It was negative, thank goodness.’
‘Phew, yes, complete relief, I’m sure. Sorry, been so full of it getting ready for this trip. See you Monday. I’ll text you and thank you SO much for doing this.’
Star’s ‘Have fun’ got lost in the tinkling of the wind chime.
Walking back through to her workroom, Star put a hand on her rounded abdomen. Damn her mother being right again! Star had never lied to her best friend before, but Kara had been in a rush and the truth was, Star wanted to keep things to herself for now. Herself and the little person growing inside of her. Team Bligh. For once she told Conor – in fact, as soon as she told anyone – life as she knew it would be so very different and she wasn’t ready for that just yet.
Turning her mind to the job in hand, she reached for the little red jewellery box that housed the engagement ring she’d made for Pearl. She had put her heart and soul into making it perfect for dear Joe and couldn’t wait to see what his fiancée thought of it when he popped the question. She reached for a miniature brush from her toolbox and, removing it from the box, delicately began to wipe at the bespoke sparkling piece. Its white gold double band studded with diamonds displayed a single freshwater pearl and her suggestion of a delicate flower made from a pink shell finished the second band off perfectly. Once clean, Star held up the exquisite piece and admired her handiwork. ‘Shit,’ she then muttered aloud, waving her hands about excitedly as she searched for the little spiritual card she had calligraphed earlier to include with the ring. On one side a plain red heart, on the other, the words, Pearl: a person or thing of great rarity and worth. The gems of the sea are believed to offer protection to the wearer, as well as attract good luck and wealth. Moreover, pearls speak of the wearer’s purity and integrity. She popped it in the box and sighed contentedly. Job done.
Star then brought up the calendar on her mobile phone and started counting the weeks with her fingers. Her due date would be July sometime, she reckoned. Conor had only been here a matter of weeks, so it was pretty easy to calculate the delivery date even without her having a last period date to work from. Clever little eggs she must have, ovulating in a magical way. Her body had thought Conor Brady was The One obviously, even if she wasn’t feeling it, and this surely must count for something. The love angels had sent him, and this was the reason: for her to have another, much-longed-for child.
Star began to convince herself that all was well. Conor was single, great to look at and a hard worker; also, being a dad already, on paper he had some great credentials. And a summer baby would be nice, no freezing cold night feeds like she had had with Skye. Then: ‘Oh God,’ she said aloud. Her worst thought was that Conor would be really angry with her. But as with everything, it took two to tango and they had agreed not to use condoms. So risky, looking back. Also, Conor was a self-confessed traveller. It was all right saying you wanted to stay in a place because you liked it, but not because some local girl had trapped you by getting pregnant. Which wasn’t the case at all – but what if he thought that?
Star made a little huffy noise and picked up her phone again. Whatever, she would make it work. She had managed with Skye and she’d been only sixteen then. She was a grown working woman now, and if she had to do this alone then she would. She could do feeds in the workroom, maybe get an assistant. Anything was possible.
She dialled her doctor’s surgery. ‘Hello? Yes, I’d like to make an appointment with the midwife, please … That’s right, she hasn’t seen me before … Tuesday at 8 a.m. is perfect. Thank you.’