Page 47 of Cupcakes and Kisses in Micklewick Bay

‘That day I left Micklewick Bay, I thought my heart was actually going to break, it felt like a real, physical pain. I’ll never forget it as long as I live. My life had been turned upside down and I was being taken to a place I didn’t know, leaving the people I loved, people who’d been the only constant in my life. You and Uncle Steve were like parents to me, Jingilby and Jonathan like siblings and I loved you all.’

A sob escaped Heather’s mouth. ‘Oh, sweetheart.’ She reached over and squeezed Max’s hand. Jasmine felt her eyes blur with tears and she quickly blinked them away. In the background the three children were chattering away happily, sitting on the grass and enjoying their ice pops, oblivious to the contents of the conversation going on at the opposite end of the garden.

‘On top of that, I didn’t know what was going to happen with my dad. I know he hadn’t been the best father, but he was still my dad at the end of the day and I was worried for him. The journey to Harrogate seemed to take forever; I’d never spent so long in a car. You probably know better than me, but, up to that point, I hadn’t had much contact with my grandfather, and it feltlike a stranger was taking me to the opposite side of the world, away from everything and everyone I knew.’

‘Please tell me he was kind to you, lovey,’ Heather said.

‘He was.’ Max nodded. ‘He was very patient with me actually, did all he could to help me settle. Looking back now, I can see he must’ve been lonely. My grandma had died a few years earlier – she was only in her fifties – and I could tell how much he missed her from the way he spoke about her. He was actually a really lovely man, I’ve no idea why my father turned out the way he did. I hasten to add, I’m not telling you all this for you to pity me, it’s just with you saying you wanted to know everything that happened from me leaving here…’

‘We know that, lad,’ Steve reassured him, his voice gruff with emotion. ‘You carry on.’

The three listened as Max told them how his introduction to a new school hadn’t been anywhere near as terrifying as he’d expected. His grandfather had kitted him out in not just a new uniform, but he’d also got rid of his small collection of shabby clothes. He made sure his grandson showered every day and that his mass of curls were regularly trimmed, combed and clean. His home was warm and he was well-fed and the days of going back to an empty house, not knowing if he was going to be on his own overnight, were a thing of the past. Max had been relieved that the stigma of coming from a dysfunctional home where there was very little care, hadn’t followed him to Harrogate. At school there, he wasn’t picked on or called names for having dirty clothes and he’d been thrilled to find that he made friends easily.

‘I’m not surprised, lovey, you always were a friendly, likeable little lad,’ said Heather, her smiles making a return. ‘Always full of fun; a little ray of sunshine despite what you had going on at home.’

‘I made some good mates there, but there was never anyone that matched the friendship I had with you, Jingilby.’ He lifted his gaze and smiled at her, making her heart squeeze.

Max went on to say he’d been surprised to find how quickly he’d managed to put what had happened with his father behind him. ‘Which I suppose was down to my grandfather and his care.’ He’d enjoyed his time at school, where he’d thrived and developed a passion for learning. From what Jasmine could glean, it was clear he’d been popular and it gladdened her heart to know that he’d made lots of friends, that he’d no longer been an outcast amongst his peers.

It would seem his enthusiastic nature and innate zest for life had returned, and there’d been no looking back.

His grandfather had nurtured and guided him with a quiet patience, particularly whenever Max had shown an interest in a subject or hobby. And, just as he’d enjoyed helping Jasmine’s dad with little jobs, it had been so with his grandfather. Jimmy Grainger had started giving his grandson small tasks in order to earn his weekly pocket money, which Max had squirrelled away, taking pleasure in seeing his savings grow. It had quickly led to Max thinking up other ways he could add to his junior savings account. His first dabble into “entrepreneurship”, as his grandad had called it, was to offer his car washing services for their neighbours and other residents in the area. His sunny disposition combined with him leaving their cars gleaming meant Max was often given a bonus for his efforts. It was the same with the path clearing service he’d added to the list of jobs he offered. On top of that, he had a paper round which added to his weekly earnings and was pleased to find his savings soon totted up, even more so when he got a weekend job at a local garden centre, taking on extra shifts during his school holidays.

It meant he was able to pay his way through university, where he’d taken a business degree, which had given him a greatsense of achievement, and a taste of what could be done if you put your mind to it. ‘The best thing was seeing the look on my grandad’s face on graduation day.’

‘I can imagine,’ said Heather. ‘He must’ve been as pleased as punch.’

Max continued, explaining that it was during his time at university, at the age of nineteen, that he’d set up his first proper “grown-up” business, importing and selling artisanal mugs and cups online. He’d sold the brand name after three years, making his first tidy profit, which he’d put towards the purchase of a floundering local homewares business for which he’d paid peanuts. With a strong vision for the future direction of the store, he’d commissioned new branding, invested in better quality stock and streamlined the range. He’d looked closely at their competitors, analysing the strategies they’d used that had contributed to their success, and applied them to his own business. And he hadn’t been afraid to try out new things in a bid to keep one step ahead, which appeared to be something he’d developed a flair for. On top of this, Max had upped the standard of the store’s marketing. He’d also enlisted the skills of a photographer friend to take high-quality photos for the company’s slick new website. As well as increasing their online presence, he’d worked hard to build bonds with social media influencers which had paid dividends. Having turned that business around and improved its fortunes, he’d sold that, making himself a sizeable profit.

It was during this time Max had employed his first member of staff. Marketing executive Danielle Clarke – or Danni, as she preferred to be called – not only had impressive credentials in her field, but she was also bubbly and friendly. With her short, blonde hair and large brown eyes, she was incredibly pretty, too. Danni was a couple of years older than Max, and seemed level-headed and stable which was something he’d found appealing.It hadn’t taken long before their professional relationship had spilled over into their personal lives and they’d started dating.

All had been going well until six months later, Danni had found herself pregnant, which had sent her into a tailspin. She’d yelled at him that she’d never wanted children, that her career would be ruined, that her life was over. Though the news had been just as much of a shock to Max – after all, they’d only known one another a short time and were living in the moment, having never discussed future plans for their relationship – he’d managed to calm her down and assure her that everything would be okay, telling her they were in it together, that he’d support her in any way she needed.

He heaved a sigh. ‘I hadn’t realised it at the time, but I think I was looking to recreate my own little family unit.’

‘No one could blame you for that, lovey,’ Heather said.

‘It was very naïve of me, though. We hardly knew each other, we didn’t even live together. The relationship went downhill quickly after that, and was pretty much non-existent by the time Connor was born.’

Jasmine saw hurt flicker in Max’s eyes as he explained how she’d turned up at his office one day and coolly handed the baby over to him, saying she couldn’t do it any longer. That motherhood wasn’t for her. Declaring that she and Max wanted different things from life. That Connor would be better off without her. Despite Max pleading with her to stay and talk, she’d walked out without a backwards glance.

At the age of twenty-four, he’d found himself in the role of a single parent.

Jasmine felt her mouth fall open but was too stunned to close it. Her first thought was to wonder if Danni had suffered from post-natal depression, but Max went on to clarify that hadn’t been the case. She’d simply had no plans to be a mother. Hercareer and freedom came first, and giving birth to Connor hadn’t changed her views in the slightest.

Jasmine’s heart went out to both Connor and Max. She’d thought she’d had it tough after Bart died, but at least she’d had the support of her parents.

He told them how Danni had popped back into his life occasionally over the last ten years, usually asking for money to get her out of a hole. In each of those times, she’d never asked to see Connor, coolly rejecting Max’s pleas, saying it would “only confuse the boy”. ‘This is the longest I’ve gone without hearing from her.’

Jasmine wanted to ask how he’d explained Danni’s absence to his son, but held back in case Connor overheard. From what she’d seen of grown-up Max so far, she felt he’d have handled it in a way that would cause his son the least hurt.

‘That must’ve been hard after what happened with your mother,’ Heather said, her voice soft. ‘But looking at that little lad over there, anyone can see you’ve done a grand job of him, Max, you should be proud of yourself.’

‘Aye, from what I’ve seen, he’s a proper chip off the old block, isn’t he?’ Steve chuckled. ‘And he’s the spit of you when you were that age, what with those dark copper curls. He’s even got your twinkle in his eyes.’

Max smiled, twisting round to see Connor taking turns to kick a football into a net with Zak and Chloe. The three of them were getting on like a house on fire. ‘I do my best. He’s a great kid.’

‘Sounds like your life’s been a bit of a whirlwind since you went to uni.’ Jasmine batted a wasp away. It would seem she wasn’t the only one to have been dealing with a load of chaos over the last ten years. It didn’t stop her wondering if there’d been any other women in his life. Her thoughts segued to Sabrina, wondering how she slotted into it.

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