Page 64 of A Secret Cornish Wish
‘Apparently my mum and dad are going to be next in the parental exodus of St Felix.’
‘Really?’ Eddie looks surprised. ‘Are they selling up too?’
‘It would seem so. They told me tonight over dinner they’re going to put our house up for sale sometime this year. Apparently, the property market is just too good in St Felix at the moment. Houses are going for way over the odds as people clamour to buy second homes, or holiday rentals. They’re hoping to buy a bungalow somewhere and possibly take early retirement with the proceeds if all goes well.’
‘How do you feel about it?’ Eddie asks perceptively. ‘By the tone of your voice, I assume not too happy.’
I shrug. ‘It’s always going to be hard when the home you grew up in is sold. It doesn’t surprise me they’re moving on; I just didn’t expect it quite yet. But it’s not just the selling of the house that bothers me, it’s the fact I won’t have any reason to come back here to St Felix if they don’t live here any more.’
‘Claire is still here. You could come and visit her if you need an excuse?’
‘I suppose. Claire and I don’t actually speak as much as we used to, though. What with her young family and everything, I get the feeling she’s really busy these days. Have you noticed that?’
‘Not really, but you two were always a lot closer. She doesn’t always make our MSN chats on the rare occasion we can get everyone together these days, though, does she?’
‘No, I’ve noticed that too. Or she’s really late coming online.’
Eddie nods. ‘Oh, talk of the devil . . . Claire!’ He starts waving madly in the direction of the pub entrance. ‘Claire, over here!’
Claire smiles and raises her hand, then weaves her way through the busy bar to our table.
‘It’s so good to see you both,’ she says, hugging Eddie and then me. ‘So very good.’
Claire hugs me a little longer than feels comfortable.
‘Are you OK?’ I ask, smiling at her.
Each time I’ve seen Claire over the last ten years, she’s looked a little bit more stressed, and a little bit older. Heartbreakingly she lost the baby she was pregnant with at her wedding. But fortunately for her and Jonathan, they managed to conceive again – and they now have three beautiful children between them: Alice, age eight, George, age six, and little Freddie, who is almost four. That’s enough stress and worry for anyone!
At thirty we have all begun to age, of course we have – a few more lines around our mouths and eyes, a few more wrinkles on our foreheads that don’t disappear quite as fast as they used to when we stop frowning. But Claire seems different. Her lines appear worn into her face rather than simply accrued by age, and she looks tired, exhausted even.
‘Yes, of course I’m OK. Why do you ask?’
‘No reason,’ I say quickly, shaking my head. ‘Come, sit down. What are you having to drink?’
For the next twenty minutes or so, it’s just the three of us chatting about what’s been going on in our lives and what’s been going on in St Felix.
‘Rita and Richie seem to have fitted in really well,’ Claire says, looking up at the bar. ‘It was sad when Rob’s parents left, but his dad’s health wasn’t great, so it was becoming too much for them, I think. Have you guys heard Rob’s news?’
I shake my head.
‘He’s only gone and got himself the lead role in a new superhero movie!’
‘Blimey!’ Eddie says. ‘What superhero?’
‘Er . . . he’s going to be Danger Man or something like that. It’s very exciting – it’s going to be his first leading role.’
‘Are you sure it isn’t Danger Mouse?’ I ask sarcastically, raising my eyebrows. ‘It seems more apt.’
But my mind immediately casts back to Rob in his Batman outfit.
‘Ooh, meow!’ Eddie says. ‘I don’t know about mice, but someone’s catty tonight!’
‘Frankie,’ Claire says reproachfully. ‘That’s mean. This is going to be Rob’s big break. He’s very excited about it.’
‘How do you know all this?’ I ask her. ‘He never comes on chat any more.’
‘My mum keeps in contact with his mum; they’re still good friends even though they’ve moved away.’
