Willow Cottage – Part Two: Christmas Cheer. Bella Osborne

started to think about what she had on her ‘to-do’ list for the day and decided that, although it pained her, Jack was right and she needed to get on with the outside paintwork. The trees on the green were turning all the colours of a fanned flame; some were starting to drop their leaves and, though the weather was fair and dry today, there was no telling how long that would last.

      As she rounded the willow tree, she saw Jack. He was suited up and checking his watch. Beth slowed her pace for a second to give herself a moment longer to admire him. There was no getting away from the fact that Jack Selby was rather good-looking. His hair was neater than usual and his suit showed off his broad shoulders and slim hips. He really did suit a suit, she thought, and it made her giggle. Doris sat at his side looking around and probably wondering what was going on.

      ‘Good morning and welcome to doggy daycare,’ said Beth, striding past them to unlock the door. Doris padded in and started sniffing everything.

      ‘Here’s her bowl and blanket. She’s been fed, she just needs water. She’s been for a run so she’ll most likely sleep all day. Any problems, give me a call.’ This was going to be easy, thought Beth.

      ‘Have you got a busy day ahead?’ she asked but as soon as the words had left her lips she wanted to curl into a ball. She sounded like her mother; if she wasn’t careful she’d be asking if he’d got clean underwear on next. She shook her head to dispel any thoughts of Jack’s underwear.

      Jack gave a half-smile. ‘Just the usual.’ He handed her a business card. She was still reading the card and holding the dog’s bowl and blanket when she realized that Jack had gone and Shirley was walking past, taking in the scene and shaking her head.

      ‘Morning, Shirley,’ she said, with a wave.

      ‘Morning, crazy lady,’ said Shirley, as she and her trolley shuffled by. Beth felt a thump in her thigh as Doris charged past her. Doris’s gruff bark made Beth jump and cost her valuable moments as she lunged unsuccessfully for her collar. Doris bounded up to Shirley, making Shirley look even smaller than usual.

      ‘Doris! Come here! Heel! Stop! Halt!’ Beth tried a series of commands as she ran over to the barking dog, but Doris wasn’t paying attention. Doris was fixated on barking at Shirley and her wheelie trolley.

      ‘Stupid animal!’ said Shirley, waving her arms about wildly, which put the dog on her guard and she stepped back and wagged her tail whilst continuing to bark.

      This gave Beth a chance to grab hold of her collar and she marched a reluctant Doris back inside. ‘Sorry!’ Beth called over her shoulder. Shirley shook her head, muttered something, patted her wheelie trolley and moved off again.

      Beth guided Doris inside, shut the door firmly, and the dog recommenced her exploration of the cottage whilst Beth reread the business card.

       Jack Selby

       IT Consultant

       Selby Systems

      She was intrigued. Was he moonlighting? Or just bigging up a very small part? She turned the card over in her hand, looking for more clues, but that would have to wait until later as there was a noise coming from upstairs. Beth started up the stairs but, before she got halfway, her tent appeared in the bedroom doorway. Doris had somehow managed to get inside the tent but now was unable to get out of it and looked as if she was wearing it as a fancy dress costume. She tried and failed repeatedly to get through the doorway but the springy tent frame bounced her back each time as she whimpered her frustration. Beth blinked hard; maybe this wasn’t going to be that easy after all.

      Carly was waiting on the cobbles in Covent Garden. She and Fergus were having a date night. She froze when she saw the bouquet of pale roses coming towards her but relaxed as soon as she saw it was Fergus carrying them.

      ‘You okay?’ he asked, planting a kiss on her lips.

      ‘Yes. I wasn’t because, for a second there, I thought you were Nick.’

      ‘Whoops. I got the roses because you really liked the ones he bought you.’

      She had to admit it was a lovely thought, even if it was borrowed from Nick. ‘Your bunch is bigger than his.’

      ‘I know,’ grinned Fergus, before handing them over and giving her another kiss.

      Date night was another of Beth’s ideas and Carly hoped it would end better than the Minecraft tutorial. Carly and Beth had slipped into having long conversations on the phone on a Wednesday evening and it was definitely helping Carly’s state of mind. There were few people that Carly would listen to but Beth was one of them. She had suggested that the proposal was becoming a destructive obsession and that Carly needed to recognize this. It wasn’t what Carly had wanted to hear but she knew her friend was right. And now she was trying very hard to shove it firmly to the back of her mind.

      Fergus had booked the restaurant so Carly was a little apprehensive, although she had said that they could pay for it from the bills account in the hope that it would steer Fergus away from fast food. Fergus was wearing trousers and a jumper. No jogging bottoms or lounge trousers in sight – it was a very good start.

      They strolled around Covent Garden for a while, popping in and out of the stalls and shops. Covent Garden was always full of life but especially in the early evening when the theatre crowd descended. People were sitting outside making the most of the lack of rain and mild September weather. Music was coming from somewhere but, before they could investigate, Fergus took her arm and guided her away. They ambled along Garrick Street until Fergus stopped and opened the door to a small restaurant.

      ‘It’s new,’ he whispered, ‘but I’ve heard good things about it online.’

      It looked as if a lot of other people had heard good things – the restaurant was heaving. Every inch of available space had a table in it and every table had as many chairs around it as possible but the jolly waiting staff seemed to squeeze through the awkward set-up with ease.

      The menus arrived and, on realizing Fergus was deaf, their young waitress proceeded to shout at Fergus, ‘Can you hear me now?’

      ‘No, I’m still deaf,’ said Fergus, to the puzzled young woman. ‘I can lip-read but it’s easier if you don’t shout.’ She blushed and proceeded to go through the specials at a normal volume. Fergus had long since stopped getting cross with people who thought shouting at him would solve the problem; their lack of awareness wasn’t meant as a personal attack.

      The food was incredible and, for the first time in too long, they signed to each other and had proper conversations in between courses. At first, Carly felt the intrigued eyes of other customers on them but they soon lost interest.

      Fergus talked about them getting away to Ireland. There were places he wanted to show her, parts of his history he wanted her to see for herself. He brought to life the smell of the peat fires and the noise of the bars as well as the madness of his family. She had met his parents a few times when they’d visited London and she’d been to Ireland once but it had been a flying visit where she was wheeled round elderly relative after elderly relative before they attended his cousin’s wedding. On that trip she had got to know quite a lot of his relatives, the fun and overwhelming volume of an Irish wedding reception, and the effects of too much Guinness, but sadly nothing of County Westmeath.

      At the end of the meal, they sat and sipped tea until one of the waitresses coughed and they noticed they were the only ones left in the restaurant.

      Fergus took Carly’s hand across the small table. ‘Are you happy, Carls?’

      She didn’t have to think. ‘Yes, I am.’ Things were looking better and, more importantly, things felt better. She wasn’t foolish enough to think everything was completely fixed but they were definitely heading in the right direction.

      ‘That’s good, ’cause I’m happy too. Just the way things are.’ Carly wasn’t sure what that meant. She tried to keep smiling but her brain was working overtime now.