Page 116 of The Little Flower Shop By the Sea
‘Definitely. Last night at my party you looked beautiful in your pale blue dress. But it wasn’t the dress that was making you look like that, it was you, Poppy. This will sound very corny, but you’ve blossomed since you’ve been here. Blossomed into a beautiful, intelligent and caring young woman.’
‘You’ve told me enough times I should wear more colour,’ I reply lightly, attempting as always to deflect a compliment. ‘Maybe I actually listened for once!’ But I’m very aware of Jake moving closer to me. It’s like the moment in his greenhouse all over again. I can feel his breath on my face, and see his laughter lines at the corner of his eyes, mixed with more prominent lines caused by worry and heartbreak. ‘Your analogy before, very clever, considering my name.’
Jake screws up his face so even more lines appear. ‘Oh, I’ve just realised what I said – about a blossoming Poppy! That makes me sound even more old-fashioned and corny than you probably already think I am.’ His head drops, but I put my hand under his stubble-covered chin to tilt it up again.
‘Don’t be silly,’ I tell him. ‘I don’t think you’re old-fashioned – or old, for that matter. I like it that you think about me in the way you do – I always have. I like the fact you’ve noticed I’ve changed, because that’s true too.’ I pause for a moment. ‘I also likeyouvery much, Jake —’
But I’m prevented from saying more because suddenly my lips are otherwise engaged, as Jake presses his soft, warm mouth to mine.
I’m beginning to relax and enjoy this feeling of being so close to Jake once more, when he pulls away.
No! Not again…
‘I’m sorry, Poppy, I shouldn’t have done that,’ Jake says, looking shocked.
‘No, it’s good,’ I tell him, moving towards him. What could be wrong this time? I wanted Jake and Jake wanted me – it was perfect.
‘No, it’s not good… you’ve got a boyfriend.’
Oh. I realise I’ve kind of forgotten about Ash in the heat of the moment, and it’sveryhot indeed where I’m standing right now. Even the breeze coming off the sea as the waves splash up against the harbour wall next to us isn’t cooling my ardour.
‘Ash and I aren’t really serious,’ I tell him. ‘We’re just friends… with benefits, if you know what I mean?’ I cringe; that was the term Ash had used about Jake.
‘But still, you shouldn’t be kissing other men.’
I have to admit I quite like this ‘proper’ side of Jake.
‘Even if I enjoyed it?’ I say seductively as I lean forward to kiss him again, but our lips don’t quite meet before I hear someone calling my name.
I turn and look into the hazy light of the evening, and it’s then I see Amber hurrying towards us along the harbour front. Immediately I know there’s something wrong.
‘What is it?’ I ask, breaking free from Jake and rushing towards her.
Amber’s face looks terrible, and she’s very pale.
‘Amber, what’s happened? I thought you were going on a date with Woody tonight?’
Amber puts her hand on my arm.
‘Poppy, it’s Basil…’
Forty
Michaelmas Daisy – Farewell
Through a blood-red sky, as the sun finally sets on St Felix, Amber, Jake, Miley and I rush back to the cottage and into the sitting room, where we find curled up in his basket what appears to be a sleeping Basil, with Woody kneeling down next to him. Woody immediately stands when I come into the room.
‘I’m so sorry, Poppy,’ he tries to say as I barge past him to get to Basil.
‘Basil?’ I say softly, kneeling down next to his basket. ‘Wake up, Basil.’
I reach out to stroke him but he doesn’t flinch, his always warm body, which I’d cuddled into many a time since we’d known each other, is already beginning to feel cold.
‘He was quiet in the shop all afternoon,’ Amber says with tears in her eyes. ‘After I’d taken him back to the cottage, Woody and I decided not to go out because we were worried about him. But then Basil seemed to rouse a little, and he even managed some of his dinner. He seemed quite happy before he curled up in his bed to go to sleep, didn’t he, Woody?’
Woody nods furiously.
‘We decided to stay in and watch a DVD anyway,’ Amber says, ‘so we didn’t leave him. But when I got up to check on him halfway through the movie, I realised something was wrong. I tried to wake him, but he didn’t respond. I tried calling you, Poppy, several times.’
