Page 49 of Sun, Sea & Strawberry Shortcake
‘That last time, you told me it was over and you neverwanted to see me again. So I assumed I wouldn’t be welcome here.’
She sighs, stepping back from him. ‘I feel bad about that.Sorry, Jon. I just... I had to tell you straight. I didn’twant you thinking there was a chance we could get back together. Because wecan’t. And you know that, right?’
He nods sadly, and my heart goes out to him.
‘Hey, listen, Bee isn’t the only one feeling bad.’ I stepforward awkwardly. ‘I’mso sorryI kicked you in the...erm... the goolies. I was just panicking because you wereholding Jodie’s hand and I thought for a moment that you were some horriblepredator...’
He shakes his head, smiling. ‘It’s fine. Honestly.Thankfully, your aim was rubbish. You missed the crown jewels altogether.’
I laugh with relief. ‘Thank goodness for that.’
‘What’s goolies?’ pipes up Jodie.
I grin at Bee, who’s trying to hide a smile. ‘Ruby meant hisleg, my love,’ she says. Then she looks at Jon. ‘Jon, this is Ruby. She’s...a good friend of ours. Ruby, this is Jon, who I told you about.’
‘All good, I hope?’ quips Jon.
‘Of course.’ Bee’s reply is soft and I catch a hint ofregret in her tone. ‘Where are you staying?’
‘In a cottage at the far end of the promenade.’ He points.
‘Near the hotel?’
He nods. ‘I’ve booked for a couple of days. If you like, wecould... do something together. The three of us?’ He rufflesJodie’s hair. ‘A picnic on the beach, maybe?’
He sounds so hopeful, my heart twists. But I know Bee’sthoughts on relationships. She’s so cynical after her bad experiences...
‘A picnic!’ Jodie’s eyes light up. ‘Can we, Mummy?’
‘Maybe.’ Bee strokes her daughter’s hair, a sad look on herface. ‘I don’t know. I’ll have to think.’
‘But I want to have a picnic with Jon!’ protests Jodie.
Jon smiles down at her. ‘It’s up to your mummy.’
‘I’ll be good.’ Jodie gazes earnestly at Bee. ‘I won’t runaway to the park again. I promise.’
‘Well, that’s good,’ says Bee softly, taking her hand. ‘Comeon. We’d better get you back home to bed.’ She looks at Jon and they exchange alittle smile. Then she walks away with Jodie.
‘I love her, you know. Both of them,’ he murmurs, watchingthem go. ‘I should just accept it’s all over.’
I smile at him. He’s got such a lovely, honest face. ‘It’sthe summer solstice on Saturday. There’s a touch of magic in the air. Anythingcould happen.’
‘Magic?’ He laughs softly. ‘If that’s all I have to pin myhopes on, I might as well give up and go home now.’
‘I’d stick around for a while if I were you.’ I smile, raisemy hand and walk away, towards the park gates, where Bee and Jodie are waitingfor me...
*****
Later, when Jodie’s in bed, Bee finally opens up to meabout her harrowing past.
We sit on the sofa, drinking wine, and she heaves a big sighand says, ‘My mum died giving birth to me. And then when I was four, Dad wascycling to work when he was knocked off his bike by a bus.’ She smiles sadly.‘He was killed outright. But I have memories of him. Nice ones. Snuggling upwith him and looking at the pictures in a book. Watching him flip a pancake forme. Looking back at him, standing by the gate, on my first day at school.’
‘Oh, Bee. That’s so awful. What happened after you lost yourdad?’
She twists her lips in a bitter expression. ‘I had no oneelse – no other relatives to take care of me – and I just remember being lookedafter by a succession of strangers. I don’t think I was an easy child, so maybethat’s why I was passed from pillar to post.’ She shakes her head, remembering.Then she pastes on a smile. ‘I guess it was character-building.’
‘I can’t imagine any child would be “easy” if they’d lostboth their parents, the way you had,’ I murmur, feeling quite overwhelmed atthe thought of Bee aged just four, desperately missing her dad and feelingcompletely alone in the world.
