Page 36 of Sunny Skies and Summer Kisses

Livvie’s eyes twinkled happily. ‘I’m expecting again.’ She placed her hand on the small round of her stomach. ‘I popped in to stock up on pickled onions; I’ve got the wildest craving for them at the moment. Honestly, it’sserious, I’ve just bought the last two jars, but thankfully, Lucy and Freddie are getting more in.’

So, that would explain why Rhoda was looking extra happy; she was going to be a step-grandma again, Anoushka thought. ‘Wow! Congratulations – I mean about the baby, not the pickled onion craving,’ she said, and they all giggled.

‘Thank you. Zander and me are over the moon.’ From the size of the smile she was wearing, their happiness was evident.

‘We were just saying how the pair of them didn’t hang around on the baby production line,’ Freddie said with a chuckle.

‘I know.’ Livvie beamed. ‘We plan on having quite a big brood so we thought, “what the heck, we might as well go for it”.’

Anoushka nodded as she tried to remember how old baby Holly was. If her reckoning was right, she must be no more than six months old. ‘So when’s baby number two due?’

‘It’s actually baby number twoandthree; I’m expecting twins, and they’re due in November; Holly will almost be a year old when they arrive.’ She shook her head, her thick, auburn waves bouncing. ‘We must be mad! I have to admit, I did actually think that when I had horrendous morning sickness, but thankfully that’s eased loads and now I couldn’t be happier.’

‘Might be an idea to avoid snow drifts this time, Liv,’ Freddie said, smiling as he placed her shopping in a bag.

‘Oh, my goodness, yes.’ Anoushka recalled how Livvie had been stranded up on the moors when she was heavily pregnant last year.

‘Ughh! Don’t even joke about it,’ Livvie said, her eyes wide. ‘Trust me, after coming a cropper two winters on the trot, I’ve learnt my lesson big time; it’s definitely not going to happen again.’

‘You heard it here first, folks,’ Lucy said jokingly.

Anoushka left the shop armed with the items on Kitty’s list, her heart feeling light, a spring in her step. She loved village life, loved how you could pop into the local shop for a catch-up, or have a quick drink at the Sunne, everyone welcoming you in. It made you feel you belonged, that folk looked out for one another. It was days like this that made her inexorably glad she hadn’t stuck it out with Damon and turned her back on the village. And it was days like this that helped keep her mind off a certain Irish singer.

As she crossed the road, swinging her bag of shopping, she caught a glimpse of a shiny red car, shockwaves rushing through her.No?Her breath caught in her throat and her stomach squeezed.It couldn’t be? She was imagining things!

24

Before she could give the car any further thought, Reg’s squawks pierced the tranquillity of the village. Anoushka turned in the direction of the unholy sound, craning her neck to locate the bird. She didn’t have long to wait; his vocal outrage was quickly followed by a man’s pompous, angry voice. A pompous, angry voice that sounded uncannily like Damon’s.Please let it not be him.Anxiety prickled over her skin and her heart started thumping. He was the last person she’d expected to see in the village, today of all todays. It was so typical of him to want to take the shine off anything good that happened in her life, his disapproval always having to leave its mark. She was sure it couldn’t be a coincidence he'd decided to show his face on the day of her opening party; he was too calculating for that.

Frustrated, she rubbed her hand across her forehead as she struggled to marshal her thoughts. In the next moment, Reg flew onto the roof of the shiny red car, screeching and flapping his wings in a blatant display of aggression. Damon would be livid! Anoushka wondered if it was wrong that it gave her a tiny sliver of pleasure. Well, more than a tiny bit if the truth be told.

‘Get off there right now! Get off! Get off! Get off before I ring your bloody neck!’ Damon lunged towards his precious car, his arms flailing as he tried to knock Reg off his perch. But the bird was having none of it and delivered a succession of vicious pecks to Damon’s hands. ‘Ow! Bloody ow! You cantankerous little…’

Anoushka felt a giggle bubble up inside her; it really was becoming quite a spectacle.

Soon, people spilled out on the street to see what the commotion was about.

Gerald let out a loud guffaw that seemed to come from the depths of his stomach. ‘Serves the pompous arse right,’ he said. ‘Never liked the lad; he was too arrogant for his own good. You were right to ditch him, pet.’ He gave Anoushka a sympathetic smile which made her wonder just how much he knew about her relationship with Damon.

‘Aye, Reg couldn’t have picked a more deserving person to take his temper out on.’ Big Mary chortled as she peered over the garden hedge. ‘Eee, this is entertaining, mind.’

The stampeding of feet made everyone turn to see Jimby hurtling along the middle of the road. ‘Reg! Wait ’til I get my hands on you, you little basta… oh…’ He slowed his speed when he saw the identity of Reg’s sparring partner. Gradually, he came to a halt, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath, his brow furrowed in puzzlement. ‘Is that who I think it is?’

‘It’s Damon,’ said Anoushka.’

‘What the fu… I mean, what the hell’s he doing in the village?’ he asked.

‘That’s just what we were thinking, bonny lad. I reckon he’ll be wishing he stayed at home after your Reg has finished giving him what fettle.’ Gerald grinned, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

Jimby turned to Anoushka. ‘You okay, Noushka? I mean abouthimbeing here.’ He nodded towards Damon.

‘Yeah, I’m fine, thanks. I haven’t spoken to him, I just spotted his car, then, well… Reg appeared and this happened.’ She gestured in the direction of the disturbance.

The squawking and shouting increased as Reg flew at Damon, landing on his shoulder and pecking angrily at his head. Damon was waving his arms around wildly. ‘Arghh! Get off me! Leave me alone! Get off!’

‘Right.’ Jimby looked on, his mouth twitching with a smile. ‘Much as I’m tempted to leave things a bit longer, I suppose I’d better go and rescue Reg.’

‘Hah! Rescue Reg! I love it!’ Gerald said, as he and Big Mary dissolved into peals of raucous laughter.

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