Page 10 of A Second Chance in Seabury
But… there was no real hurry, was there? The two weeks wasn’t some kind of final deadline. It was simply the earliest she could make a start on actually selling the house.
‘One step at a time, Han!’ she murmured, taking a deep breath.
First things first, she needed to head down into Seabury to buy some basics. Bin bags and cleaning materials were at the top of the list, and some in-date groceries might be a good idea too—after all, Mr Eaves’s kind gift wouldn’t last forever.
As if to underline that sad fact, she popped the last bit of honey-smothered toast into her mouth and groaned in delight.
Actually, that was another thing she needed to do today—hunt down her next-door neighbour and say thank you properly. Not just for the honey and her goodies, but for taking such good care of the gardens while she’d been away. Sure, it had been a surprise yesterday, and she hadn’t really known what to think, but thanks were mostdefinitelydue. That was one major job ticked off her to-do list before she’d even started!
Maybe she should get him a little something to say thanks… not that she had a clue what he might like!
Hannah shrugged and rolled back out of bed. It was time to get dressed. She could make a start on the house when she got back from town… or maybe even tomorrow.
Right now, she was actually excited to head into Seabury and take in the familiar sights. Perhaps she’d get the chance to say hello to a few people while she was there. Yesterday, that prospect had felt decidedly daunting, but for some reason, this morning it felt like an excellent plan.
‘I know, I’ll go and see Doris!’ she said, with a decisive little nod. If anyone could suggest a thank-you gift for Mr Eaves, it would be the postmistress.
CHAPTER 6
Hannah couldn’t begin to count the number of times she’d done this walk in her lifetime. Back when she was little, she’d wandered along with her hand clasped tightly in Aunty Millie’s. They’d swung their arms and chatted away about sweets and fairies, beach finds and paint.
Sadly, her walks into Seabury in more recent years had been very different. They’d usually been coloured by anger or upset from her most recent argument with Gareth. Even back when they’d been relatively happy together, Gareth had made it clear he’d rather be anywhere else other than Seabury. He’d treated their visits to Aunty Millie as a duty to endure rather than a treat to enjoy.
Hannah shook her head and blew out a loud raspberry, swinging her arms as she strode along in an attempt to clear her mind and body of the sad memories. Sure, it had happened… but that didn’t mean she had to drag it all around behind her, did it?!
A little trail of tingles ran down her spine, and for a second, Hannah could swear she could feel the ghost of a warm, gloved hand wrapping around hers. And… was that the faint scent of lavender in the air?
Aunty Millie.
Hannah smiled. Suddenly, the bright, crystal-blue autumn sky was more vivid, and the prospect of being back in the town she’d once adored felt as cosy as a patchwork blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Today, she’d dive back into Seabury and seek out that joy one last time.
Hannah was practically beaming by the time she reached the bottom of the hill and rounded the bend onto the seafront at North Beach. It was such a shame that Nanna’s Ice Cream Parlour had closed down… it had often been her first port of call with Aunty Millie.
Now, the space had been turned into a cute little wool shop. Hannah paused in front of the window to admire the display. There was a vast leather trunk, full to the brim with balls of wool in every shade of autumn. Overhead, a strand of fairy lights doubled as a washing line, with an array of hats and mittens pegged along its glowing length.
She’d have to nip in there later for a rummage around. Hannah couldn’t knit for toffee, but Aunty Millie had taught her some simple crochet one disastrously wet summer. Perhaps it would be a nice thing to try to pick back up while she was in town… after all, there wasn’t much to keep her occupied in the evenings other than binge-watching more romcoms to keep her mind off things.
Right now, though, she was going to head into the Post Office to see Doris. Hannah turned and marched across the street, pushing the door open before she could change her mind.
‘Well, good morning!’
‘Hi,’ said Hannah, smiling at the woman behind the glass partition. She wasn’t sure if Doris had actually recognised her, or if that was simply her customary greeting. ‘I don’t know if you remember me, but…’
Doris hooted out a laugh. ‘Hannah, my dear girl—you’ve not been gone that long, and I’m not that senile! Besides, even if Ididn’t remember you, there’s no mistaking who you’re related to. You’re the dead spit of your Aunty Millie when she was your age.’
Hannah smiled at that. Frankly, she’d take it as a compliment. Even in her old age, Millie had been striking.
‘It’s nice to see you.’
Doris hadn’t really changed much over the years. Those eyes were still full of their customary twinkle.
‘You too,’ said Doris. ‘I had a feeling you’d be back.’
Hannah felt her smile stiffen slightly. ‘Well, I need to sort out the house… and…’ she trailed off.
If she told Doris she was planning to sell, it’d be all over Seabury before she’d even left the shop. Then again, was that really a problem? It wasn’t like she was going to change her mind.
‘I’m afraid I’m not here to stay,’ she said. ‘I’m back to clear the house ready for the estate agent to do their thing.’
