Page 37 of Sunny Skies and Summer Kisses

Reg’s squawking continued until Jimby managed to grab him by his scraggy yellow ankles, his wings flapping in consternation. ‘Gotcha, you little sod!’

‘That creature’s a bloody liability. It should be shot. Have you seen the state of my car? I’ve just had it cleaned and valeted.’ Damon straightened his jacket, pushed his shoulders back and ran his fingers through his hair as Jimby took in the dollops of bird muck that covered the roof of Damon’s once gleaming car. ‘I’ll be sending you the bill to get rid of the scratches the damn thing’s claws have made.’ Damon sniffed, eyeing Reg with distaste. ‘And look at the state of my jacket; you’ll be getting the dry-cleaning bill for that too, make no mistake. Or an invoice for a new one, and it won’t be cheap.’

‘If I were you, lad, I’d get my arse out of this village before I set Reg free again.’ Jimby’s usual smile had been replaced by a thunderous expression. ‘And what the hell are you doing here anyway? You’ve no reason to be back; unless you’re intent on making trouble.’

Anoushka watched as Damon’s face turned puce. ‘I’ve come to see Anoushka actually – not that it’s any of your business – to wish her well on the opening of her new dance studio; I always knew she could do it. The months’ of support I invested in her are the reason she’s been able to realise her dream.’

‘Hewhat?’ she said under her breath. Damon caught her eye, his gaze cold and sinister.

Ignoring Reg’s vociferous protestations, Jimby said, ‘That right?’ Anoushka had never seen him look so angry.

Damon slid his eyes back to Jimby, looking at him haughtily. ‘I can assure you, if it wasn’t for my encouragement, she wouldn’t have got to this stage. Without me, she’d still be working part-time for another dance school.’

‘What a load of old bollocks,’ said Gerald, spitting out the words. ‘We’ve got the measure of you, laddo.’

Damon turned sharply. ‘And who are you?’ He looked Gerald up and down distastefully.

Anoushka felt her blood begin to boil. She moved forward, anger burning in her stomach. ‘You’ve got no right to be here, Damon, and you’ve got no right to talk to my friends that way. Gerald’s right; what you’ve said is a load of bollocks. If I’d taken the advice you were always ramming down my neck, I wouldn’t be in the position I am. It might not seem much to you, but it’s everything to me and I couldn’t be happier.’

‘You tell him, chick,’ said Little Mary, looking as fierce as genteel Little Mary ever could.

‘And if I’d listened to you, I’d have turned my back on this village and everyone I love here; my family, my friends…’ Anoushka paused a moment, her courage building. ‘And you know what? I would’ve been absolutely bloody miserable. Being with you made me more unhappy than I’ve ever been in my life. I felt isolated and useless and unbearably sad. But not anymore.’

Damon looked daggers at her, his chest heaving with rage. ‘You’re nothing but a fool. You’re clinging on to some pipe dream that’s doomed to amount to nothing! I’ll give it a year before you fall flat on your face. Less; six months if you’re lucky! Like I said, you’re a fool.’

Usually, Anoushka would have felt intimidated by his behaviour, but not today. It hadn’t taken long for his influence to loosen its grip, for her old confidence to emerge. And, boy, was it empowering. ‘I was a fool while I was with you, but not in the way you mean. I was a fool for staying with you for so long, but now I’m free of you, I can see how good my life is here. I’m surrounded by people who love me and who I love back, I’m about to start a career I’ve been dreaming of and it looks as though it’s going to be a success – despite what you say. As far as I can see, there’s nothing foolish about that.’

‘Go, Noushka.’ Brogan’s voice rang out. She’d been dropping old Mavis Breen’s poodle, Fifi, off when she’d heard the kerfuffle and come to investigate. She started clapping her hands and soon a ripple of applause ran around the crowd.

Damon’s top lip pulled over his teeth in a snarl – an expression Anoushka had been on the receiving end of so many times before. ‘Don’t worry, I’m leaving; you’re all a bunch of half-wit, farm yakkers. I don’t know why I thoughtyou’dbe any different,’ he said, throwing a disapproving look over his shoulder at Anoushka as he swaggered over to his car. ‘You’ve had your chance; you won’t be getting any more from me.’ He climbed into the vehicle and a resounding cheer went up as he drove off out of the village, revving his engine in a pitiful display of machismo.

Anoushka looked around her, taking in the smiling faces. Her still-thudding heart lifted at their show of support – even if it did feel slightly surreal.

When everyone had dispersed, she walked home feeling not a little punch-drunk by events. Damon was the last person she’d expected to see when she left the house for her innocuous trip to the shop, but the adrenalin it had triggered and the bolstering she’d received thanks to the support of her friends and neighbours meant an odd mix of emotions were currently swirling around inside her.

Reaching the peace and quiet of Oak Tree Farm, she headed into the sanctuary of the kitchen, absently glancing over at a huge bunch of flowers that filled the sink.

Kitty looked up from the list she was writing. ‘Oh, hi, lovey. You okay?’ she asked.

Anoushka puffed out her cheeks. She felt suddenly shaken as the impact of coming face-to-face with Damon caught up with her, sending thoughts of the bouquet right out of her mind. ‘I think so. I could do with a cuppa; fancy one?’ She shook the kettle and set it down on the Aga hotplate.

‘I’d love one, thanks.’ Kitty’s forehead was crumpled with a frown as she studied her stepdaughter. ‘I’m sure I could hear Reg making a racket not long ago. Did you see anything on your trip to the shop? Our Jimby’s going to have to stop him from getting out before he causes someone a real injury.’

‘You might not say that once you’ve heard this, but…’ Anoushka went on to tell Kitty all about her trip to the shop and the ensuing debacle.

Kitty clapped her hand to her mouth on hearing about the cockerel’s assault on Damon, her giggles spluttering between her fingers. ‘Good old Reg, just when you think he’s pushed his luck, he does something to redeem himself. And you’re right, I take back what I said.’ Her face turned serious for a moment. ‘Mind, I hope you’re not going to let that lad spoil your day, lovey. It was no coincidence he turned up today, you know. He’s the sort that has to be the centre of attention; in control of everything. It’ll have been eating him up to know you’ve been moving on with your life, making a success of it without him having a hand in it.’

‘Don’t worry, I intend to push him right out of my mind; there are too many lovely things happening in this village, and there’s no place in my thoughts for him.’

‘You’re absolutely right there. What with your new dance school and Livvie and Zander’s baby news, it’s all very exciting.’ She smiled fondly at Anoushka.

‘And I wish you could’ve seen how supportive everyone was; it was so touching.’

‘Ah, well, that’s because everyone thinks fondly of you round here, chick,’ Kitty said warmly.

Anoushka smiled. ‘I think it’s probably more to do with them all being really decent people.’

‘Aye, you’re not wrong there. Ooh, I almost forgot.’ Kitty’s eyes grew large. ‘Flowers!’

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