‘Yes, but what happened was about as far from perfect as it could have been. I lost my child. Worse still, she lost me.’ Mary looked Christopher in the eye. ‘And we both lost you.’
The kindly man put a hand on Mary’s trembling one. ‘As I said, we are here now and there is time to rectify everything. For all of us.’
‘I need to speak to Rosa.’ Mary sighed.
‘And I’ve made the decision that I’m going to leave Rosa to come to me. It sounds like she has a lot on her young shoulders to deal with at the moment.’
‘Yes, Grandad, she has. And knowing my daughter as I do now, I’d really appreciate that.’
‘Of course – and oi, less of the “Grandad”.’ This time, they both laughed. ‘And Mary?’ Christopher looked directly at her. ‘Seeing as we are going to be sharing that joy, maybe we should do this again, sometime?’
CHAPTER 53
‘Pigs in chuffing Blankets? What does that mean anyway?’ Thankful that it was Sunday and they could spend a whole day in peace together, Josh and Rosa were sitting at the table in the lounge going through the few entries they had had for the shop. As expected, Josh had been slightly shocked at first on hearing the new family revelation, but, in true matter-of-fact style, he said that whatever happened they would cope, and if Rosa wanted him to be there when she met with Mary – or her dad, for that matter – to talk about it, then of course he would come along to fully support her. Josh also stressed to her that although Nate had initially thought he had a claim on the shop, he truly didn’t. Legally, it had been left to Rosa – and if she wanted to gift anything to him it would totally be down to her.
During their talk on the clifftop, Nate had, however, made it clear that he was so happy to have Rosa as a half-sister that he was going to talk to his dad about living with him in North Devon and paying his way properly. He also said that he had never expected to have such a rapport with her, to feel so close to Rosa in such a short time, and that she had inspired him to be a better man already.
‘You must have had Pigs in Blankets at Christmas dinner at home before, or somewhere surely?’ Rosa asked now.
‘Nope.’
‘It’s mini-sausages – a bit like Hot’s puppies, really – wrapped in bacon.’
‘Oh, them,’ Josh tutted. ‘Mum just used to call them just that: sausages wrapped in bacon.’
Rosa laughed. ‘I learn something new about you every day, husband.’
Hot was sleeping soundly in his bed until the shop doorbell went, and then he struggled up, all agog to see who was troubling them on a non-workday. Josh nipped downstairs and returned with another envelope, which he gave to Rosa, saying, ‘Talk about last-minute.’
Josh then opened his laptop, going to the spreadsheet entitled ‘Shop’. He laid out all the envelopes in front of him. ‘I’m going to type out all the main points and then we can go through them in order. Are you happy with that, dearest?’
‘Do as you will, my darling. You know me, I just want the bare facts and then I can make my final decision.’
‘OK.’ Josh spoke aloud as he gazed at his spreadsheet. ‘I will put in the biggest charity money order first.’
‘But that’s not how I’m choosing,’ Rosa objected. ‘That’s just an extra bonus.’
‘I know, my little chinchilla.’ Josh blew her a kiss. ‘Rosa Smith will no doubt be following her heart, as she does with most things.’
‘Yes, she will.’ Hot was now snuggled next to her as Rosa went to lie on the sofa, having a rest at her husband’s insistence.
‘So, we have Frosty the Snowman, who wants to donate the massive sum of one thousand pounds to Polhampton Paws, a rescue centre for dogs and cats. He or she wants to sell crystals and designer dog blankets. And, the reason for them wanting it is…’
‘I don’t want to hear all the reasons now.’
‘All right, Miss Stroppy.’
‘Well, I’ve read them already.’
Josh continued to talk aloud as he worked on the spreadsheet. ‘So, next is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Now he – or I guess it could be she – is donating seven hundred and fifty pounds to – wait for it – the Carrot Footprint, who are a charity campaigning for a safer planet. They want to set up a plant-based healthfood shop.’
‘Hmm. Would the locals of Cockleberry really be ready for that, just yet?’ Rosa wondered.
‘Maybe Vegan Vera is putting her stamp on it.’ Rosa grimaced at even the mention of that woman’s name, but said nothing as her lovely husband went on, ‘Next is – ooh yes, here they are – Pigs in Blankets, donating two hundred and fifty pounds to the Cockleberry Bay Residents Association. Nice.’ Josh carried on typing. ‘And a beauty salon. Can’t really see how that will work, unless they intend to use the flat as treatment rooms.’ He took a slurp of his now cold coffee. ‘And, last but by no means least, we have Quality Street. My favourite chocolates. Did you get any, by the way? We must have a tin for Christmas.’
With a massive sense of relief, Rosa was now intently reading the envelope that had just been put through the door.
Josh carried on talking to himself. ‘So, Mr or Mrs Quality Street, they are donating one hundred pounds to the local Lifeboats and they want to turn the shop into a DIY store.’ At the mention of a DIY store, Rosa smiled. That had to be Danny. When he had called her the other day, he did say that he knew it was closed bids, but he wanted her to know, anyway.
Josh noticed how quiet Rosa had become. He looked over at the sofa where she was still reading the letter from the envelope he had given her. The tracks of her silent tears were evident.
‘Oh, my darling, what is it?’
‘I now know the two we are taking to the grand finale on Christmas Eve. And you, my gorgeous husband, will just have to trust me on this one.’
CHAPTER 54
‘I can’t believe you got us through to the final. You’re a canny one, you are.’ The Managing Director of Costsmart Supermarkets lay back in his comfy office chair, feeling well pleased.
‘She thinks she’s clever, the one who runs it,’ his caller said snidely, ‘but she was easier to fool than my mother when I was a teenager. And I knew the charity I chose would pull at her silly little heart-strings. I wrote a pledge that would be Oscar-worthy too. We’ve got this!’
‘I bloody hope so. My job nigh-on depends on it.’
‘Have you got my cash?’ the caller then demanded.
‘Just let me know when the shops is ours and I will transfer it.’
‘I would rather have it in cash.’
‘OK, OK. Well, thanks again and good luck at the grand finale, although by the sound of it, it’s in the bag.’
‘Paper ones not plastic, of course, to keep all the do-gooding environmentalists happy.’ The caller sniggered.
The managing director was amused. ‘Somehow,’ he commented, ‘I don’t think you’ll be going to heaven.’
‘Somehow, I don’t care. Merry Christmas, Mr Badger.’