Page 17 of The Little Flower Shop By the Sea
‘I know,’ Jake says. ‘She’s very talented. She was only fourteen when she did that. She paints, too.’
‘Really? Does she get her artistic abilities from you?’
Jake shakes his head. ‘No, her mother was the arty one. I’m more hands-on practical, you know?’
I nod.
Jake pushes open the door of the classroom, and we find ourselves standing on the edge of an art class in full flow. There are about a dozen full-length easels dotted about the room with adults standing and sitting at them, painting and sketching. Some are using pastels, some charcoal, some pencils, but what all the pictures have in common is the subject.
A monkey.
There are pictures of a single Miley, multiple Mileys in different positions, abstract Mileys that look nothing like a monkey but more like a treble clef, and, sitting in amongst all this, high up on a shelf nibbling on a slice of banana – but by the look of some of the paintings it would appear she’s been in many places tonight – is the real thing.
She sees Jake at the door, squeals with delight, then makes her way over towards him, first by climbing the shelves, then by scuttling along the floor into his arms.
‘Perfect timing!’ calls a slender young woman with long blonde hair, who I guess is the tutor. ‘I think you’ll all agree it’s been a challenging, but very rewarding class tonight. I should like to thank Miley for allowing us to capture her – she’s been an absolute star.’
The class applauds, and Miley, now sitting on Jake’s shoulder, gives a tiny bow.
The students begin packing their kit up and the tutor wanders over towards us.
She smiles at me, then speaks to Jake.
‘Thank you so much as always, Jake,’ she says touching his arm. ‘Miley was wonderful to work with, so animated and interesting to sketch.’
‘I’d have thought you would have preferred something more static,’ Jake replies. ‘Be a lot easier to draw.’
‘But that’s the challenge!’ she exclaims, leaning in towards him, laughing.
‘Oh, let me introduce you two. Poppy, this is Belle, our resident artist here in St Felix. Belle, meet Poppy, she’s…’ he hesitates. ‘She’s new to St Felix.’
‘Hi,’ Belle says, looking me up and down, clearly deciding very quickly I pose no threat to her quite obvious interest in Jake. An interest Jake appears completely unaware of. ‘And what brings you to St Felix, Poppy?’
‘I’ve inherited the florist’s on Harbour Street,’ I tell her, deciding it’s not worth trying to keep it quiet any longer, considering so many people know.
‘Really? How fabulous,’ Belle says, sounding like she means it. ‘You’re not far away from me. I have the studio a few doors down from you.’
‘Oh, yes, I saw it earlier today.’
‘So, what are we all up to now?’ Belle asks, already losing interest in this thread of conversation. ‘Can I take you for a quick pint down the Mermaid to thank you for lending us Miley, Jake? You too of course, Poppy,’ she adds as an afterthought.
Jake hesitates. ‘Actually, I was in there earlier, Belle.’
‘Really?’ She seems surprised. ‘That’s early for you. Feel like popping back in again?’ She leans in towards both of us and whispers: ‘Just between the three of us, I canalwaysdo with a quick drink after teaching this class! Yes, goodnight, Bob!’ She waves at a man carrying an easel and box of paints. ‘See you next week.’
‘Poppy?’ Jake asks. ‘Would you like to attempt another drink at the Mermaid?’
‘Goodnight, June!’ Belle turns away from us for a moment to speak to a woman making her way past us. ‘Great work tonight, those charcoal sketches you did were amazing.’
‘Promise it won’t be a date this time,’ Jake whispers in my ear. ‘Belle can be our chaperone.’
‘Well, if you put it like that…’ I whisper back. ‘I guess a drink with you would be perfectly acceptable.’
But as we wait for the rest of Belle’s class to file past us carrying easels, brushes, and pictures of Miley, a tiny part of me wishes itwasjust going to be the two of us again.
Six
Lavender – Mistrust
