Page 35 of Sunny Skies and Summer Kisses

Anoushka did her best to suppress a giggle. ‘I’m looking forward to them too; loads of locals have signed up for them.’ It would definitely make for a fun night with Big Mary and Gerald as students.

The sound of a cockerel crowing nearby rang around the village. It was Jimby’s infamously cantankerous leghorn, Reg. The cat ceased licking the false teeth and glanced around warily before shooting off.

Big Mary rolled her eyes. ‘Uh-oh. He’s been making his presence very felt this morning, that little menace.’

‘Hasn’t he just?’ Gerald quickly scooped up his denture and popped it into his mouth, making Anoushka’s stomach curdle. ‘He might be cracking on for a bird, but the little bugger’s been strutting up and down the street like he owns the place; he’s showing no sign of hanging up his spurs, that’s for sure. And he’s looking for trouble today, mark my words.’

Anoushka pulled a concerned face; Reg’s bad temper was legendary and woe betide anyone who got on the wrong side of him. ‘In that case, I’d better skedaddle before he sees me and decides I’m the one he’s going to vent his anger on. I’ll see you folks later.’

‘Aye, bye, pet,’ they chorused in their lilting Geordie accent.

As she crossed the road to the shop, the thought of what she’d just witnessed with Gerald’s teeth running through her mind, she spotted Little Mary making her way along the trod, her familiar huge shopping bag over her arm; it was almost as big as her. It was fair to say, you couldn’t go far in the village without seeing a whole host of locals. When she’d just broken up with Damon, she’d been thankful she lived on the edge of the village, so she could sneak out and go for a walk without having to encounter anyone. But that feeling was well and truly in the past and now she relished bumping into her fellow villagers.

‘Morning.’ Anoushka beamed at the petite, older woman.

‘Good morning, lovey. What a glorious day. Are you looking forward to tonight?’ Little Mary smiled up at Anoushka, her cheeks pink from the heat.

‘I am, yes. And I have to say, you’re looking very smart, Mary.’

Little Mary patted her neat rows of snow-white curls and smiled shyly. ‘Thank you, sweetheart, I’ve just had my hair done, specially for your party.’

‘Well, you look lovely.’

‘Thank you, that’s very kind of you. Thought I’d pop to the Post Office to send a parcel and get some more stamps before it closes for lunch. Then I’m going to sit in the garden and read my book.’

Before they could say anything more, they were joined by Rhoda and Freda from Fern Cottage. Rhoda negotiated the small pram she was pushing onto the trod.

‘Hello, ladies,’ Anoushka said, squinting in the bright sunlight.

‘Morning,’ the pair said in unison, wearing matching happy smiles.

‘We’re just heading over to the teashop; we’re meeting Livvie there for her lunchbreak. We’re hoping Len can join us at some point.’ Rhoda seemed to be in particularly high spirits. Both she and her stepdaughter, Livvie, had only lived in the village for a couple of years but both had settled in quickly and were regarded warmly. Livvie had secured herself a job designing and making wedding dresses for Kitty and Vi at Romantique, and it hadn’t taken long for a gentle romance to bloom between Rhoda and local cycling enthusiast, Len.

Anoushka peered into the pram to see a chubby-cheeked baby Holly sleeping contentedly, plump arms thrown above her head, rosebud lips pouting, and a shock of dark auburn hair, so like her mum’s, bright in the sunshine. ‘Ah, she’s beautiful.’

‘She is,’ said Little Mary softly. ‘And she’s growing so fast.’

‘You’re not wrong there,’ said Rhoda proudly. ‘She’s having a real growing spurt, and has a hearty appetite on her, I can tell you.’

‘Aye, she’s a right little gannet, but she’s lovely to cuddle,’ said Freda, chuckling. The older lady had been staying with Rhoda ever since she’d been poorly a year-and-a-half ago, and the two had become firm friends.

‘Ooh, she certainly is.’ Rhoda’s eye’s shone happily as she gently jigged the pram up and down. ‘She’s just had a feed so we’re hoping she’ll have a good sleep while we have our lunch and some cake before she wakes up,’ she said with a giggle. ‘I’ve got my heart set on a huge slice of Lucy’s chocolate-fudge traybake.’

‘Aye, me too.’ Freda chuckled, patting her stomach. ‘We can’t resist the cakes in there; it’s a bit too handy the tearoom just being over the road.’

The village shop – whose shelves were stocked with everything you could imagine and more – had a busy tearoom attached to it. It was famous for owner Lucy’s mouth-watering cakes, particularly her moreish chocolate-dipped flapjacks.

‘Seems we’re all heading in the same direction,’ said Anoushka as they made their way down the street, reaching the shop first. ‘Right, ladies, I’ll see you tonight.’

‘That you will,’ said Freda.

‘Bye, flower,’ said Rhoda.

The bell above the shop door jangled as Anoushka pushed it open, the scent of freshly baked scones filtering through from the teashop and making her mouth water. She clocked Livvie at the counter, talking to Lucy and her husband, Freddie. ‘Oh hi, Livvie. I’ve just this minute been talking to Rhoda and Freda before they headed to the tearoom with little Holly – who’s looking absolutely gorgeous, by the way.’

‘Hi there, Noushka.’ Livvie flashed a wide smile. ‘Thank you; I think so too, but then I’m biased. I can’t tell you how I’m looking forward to catching up on some baby cuddles. Actually, I was just sharing my news with Lucy and Freddie here before I joined them.’

‘Your news?’

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