Page 21 of The Runaway Wives

‘Don’t worry, he’ll be back,’ Babs assured her.

Dee hope so. She’d impulsively offered to look after him; what else could she do? But what if he had run off and never came back?

15

When they got back to Sunset View, Dee put Snowy’s basket in the far corner of the living room, by the French doors. Then she opened the doors and stepped outside.

‘Snowy!’ she called, hoping that the cat had decided to visit again.

‘Is he here?’ Babs stood in the doorway, looking out.

Dee shook her head. ‘What if he’s so scared he’s run off?’

‘He’s lived with Edna a long time, he’ll be back,’ Babs told her. ‘I’ll put the shopping in the fridge.’ They’d picked up some ham, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber, and crusty rolls during their walk around the village.

‘I think I’ll put some cat food in a dish and leave it on Edna’s front doorstep in case Snowy comes back home,’ Dee said. ‘I won’t be long.’

Babs nodded. ‘That’s a good idea.’

Dee was back in a few minutes and they both sat outside having a cold drink. Then the police phoned to say that they’d traced Edna’s son, Martin, and informed him about what had happened, and that Dee was looking after Snowy.

If only she was, Dee thought sadly. She was worried that the little cat was so frightened, it might not come back.

After dinner they popped around to Edna’s to see if Snowy had returned. Dee was disappointed to see that the cat food was still in the bowl and there was no sign of Snowy. He could be in the back garden, she guessed, but she wasn’t attempting to climb over that wall again. She would go round again in the morning.

‘Right, now, let’s get our glad rags on and go off to The Pirate’s Head. I’m looking forward to having a drink and meeting everyone,’ Babs said.

Dee had been hoping Babs had forgotten about that. She was dreading meeting Kenny again after he’d seen her hanging from Edna’s gate with her shorts around her ankles.

‘How about we get a bottle of wine and stay in?’ she suggested. ‘We can put a film on.’

Babs folded her arms and looked at her sternly. ‘I’m guessing this is because sexy Kenny saw your knickers?’

Dee felt herself flush.

‘Look, I’m sorry, that was my fault and I guess it’s embarrassing, but you saved Edna’s life. That’s more important than Kenny seeing your knickers.’ She winked. ‘And very nice knickers they were, too, by the way. If my shorts had fallen down, all he’d have got was an eyeful of my big white patterned pants! Can you imagine what a sight that would have been?’

‘Rubbish!’ Dee said, smiling in spite of herself. ‘Okay, yes, I do feel a bit awkward.’

‘Well, don’t. If Kenny’s the gentleman he seems to be he won’t mention it at all.’ She nudged Dee with her elbow. ‘Although he might think about it!’

Dee gave her a playful slap. ‘Oh, you!’

The Pirate’s Head was teeming when they walked in that evening. Kenny was sitting at a long table with a few others, and waved them over. Dee felt a little bit uncomfortable but as soon as they’d got themselves a spritzer each they wound their way through the crowd to join him. Amongst them was the couple from the restaurant.

‘Everyone, this is Dee and Babs.’ He turned to the two friends. ‘I’ve been telling them how you both rescued poor Edna. Have you heard how she is?’

Dee wondered exactly what Kenny had told everyone but their faces seemed concerned not amused, so maybe he hadn’t said anything. She repeated what the police had told her. ‘Edna’s cat, Snowy, still hasn’t come home,’ she said. ‘I’ve left some food out for him and will check again in the morning.’

‘It was a good job you realised something was wrong with Edna, and very kind of you to offer to take care of Snowy.’ The woman from the restaurant smiled. ‘I’m Cath, by the way. And this is my partner, Stu.’ She turned to the group. ‘We met these two ladies at the restaurant last night, celebrating Dee’s birthday.’

‘Belated happy birthday, Dee,’ Kenny said. The others raised their glasses. ‘Cheers!’

‘Thank you.’ Dee felt a little embarrassed but Kenny continued the introductions. ‘This is Teri, Flic and Dot.’ Kenny pointed to each person in turn. Dee guessed that Flic was short for Felicity. ‘Dee is an old friend of mine and Margot’s. She and Babs are on holiday for a week, staying in Sunset View,’ he explained.

‘We also met earlier,’ boomed a voice behind them. ‘I caught them throwing litter on the beach.’ It was the Titan.

Dee felt her cheeks flush and was about to deny this, but Babs got there before her. ‘You most certainly did not!’ Babs retorted emphatically. ‘As we told you at the time, what you saw was the wind blowing the wipe out of our hands!’ She glared at the man in a ‘how dare you’ kind of way.

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