Love Heart Lane Series

Chapter 6

Isla waved Martha off to the pub to meet Rona and walked up Love Heart Lane towards Heartwood Cottage clutching a bottle of wine. The last twenty-four hours in the farmhouse had been tense, but luckily Martha seemed oblivious to the strain between Isla and Drew. Thankfully Drew hadn’t taken whatever frustrations he had out on Martha and was pleasant enough with her, even though he’d disappeared off to bed earlier than normal without kissing Isla on the top of her head like he’d done every night of their married life without fail, leaving her feeling dejected.

After a hectic teatime Isla was relieved to be escaping from the farmhouse for a couple of hours this evening. As usual Angus had screamed through the whole of the meal and the second Isla had put down her knife and fork had been the time Angus had decided to fall asleep in his bouncy chair.

Drew had been late returning to the farmhouse, and she’d left him eating his tea from a tray in front of the TV while gently rocking Angus in his chair with his foot and instructing Finn how to build his Lego house.

Isla spotted Fergus racing along the road jiggling Esme on his back, who let out a rapturous giggle. They were on their way up to the farm to keep Drew company. Isla smiled at them both and waved her hand above her head as they both grinned back.

Swinging open the garden gate to Heartwood Cottage, Isla could see her friends Allie, Jessica and Polly gathered in the living room already sipping wine. Their laughter filtered out through the open window which immediately lifted Isla’s mood. She needed this, a night with her friends, where she could just be herself and not feel like she was walking on eggshells.

‘Flick … I’m here,’ shouted Isla, opening the front door and kicking off her shoes in the hallway.

Felicity appeared with a beam on her face, ‘And you’ve brought wine! You can come again … but you shouldn’t have!’

Isla laughed, ‘I’d be the talk of the village if I didn’t turn up with supplies!’

‘Too right,’ shouted Allie from the living room.

Isla walked into the living room to a group of smiley girls. There were already at least four bottles of wine on the coffee table alongside bowls of nibbles and leftover pastries from the teashop.

Felicity welcomed Isla like a long-lost friend, pulling her in for a hug and squeezing her hard before whipping the coat off her back and handing her a glass of wine.

The mood was jovial, and Isla settled on the settee next to Polly.

‘What have I missed?’ asked Isla, grabbing a handful of nuts from the bowl on the table.

‘Well I’m unemployable,’ said Polly, exhaling.

‘I’ve had a row with Rory,’ claimed Allie.

‘And I’ve got a pile of marking to do when I get home,’ Jessica rolled her eyes.

‘And it looks like I’ve got a bunch of miserable friends that need cheering up,’ grinned Felicity.

‘So, we can conclude we are all living our best lives! And it’s just the same old same old,’ laughed Isla, putting her arguments with Drew to the back of her mind while she enjoyed time with her friends.

‘But in other news, mum mentioned Martha was back in the village?’ said Allie, looking towards Isla. ‘Who’s the latest squeeze?’

Everyone laughed.

‘She drove into the village early yesterday morning with her Mini jam-packed to the rafters. Apparently she kicked Walter into touch a long time ago … or maybe it was the other way around.’

‘Were you expecting her?’ asked Allie.

‘No … but we all know what Gran’s like … lives every day like it’s her last … and disappears for long periods of time.’

‘But always turns up in the end … I hope I grow up to be like her,’ added Allie, topping up her wine. ‘I’m quite envious of her carefree lifestyle.’

‘She does amaze me, her energy … she’ll outlive us all, that one, but no doubt she’ll hook up with another man soon.’

‘Off Tinder,’ added Felicity with a chuckle, ‘then she’ll be off on her next adventure.’

‘Tinder?’ Allie queried. ‘Stop winding me up … are you telling us Martha is on Tinder?’

‘I’m absolutely telling you my seventy-year-old gran is on Tinder and probably has a more active sex life than all of us put together … eww …’ Isla scrunched up her face. ‘In fact, I don’t even want to think about it.’

‘I’m actually quite jealous,’ laughed Jessica, ‘this single lark is getting a bit boring.’

‘I’ll second that,’ chipped in Polly.

‘You can borrow Rory anytime … the way I feel at the moment, I was thinking of putting him on eBay … free to a good home.’

‘I can’t actually tell whether you are joking,’ said Jessica, her laughter evaporating.

All eyes were on Allie.

‘Ignore me, I’m just having a moan.’

‘That’s what we are here for,’ said Felicity, tucking her feet underneath and getting comfy on the old battered armchair. ‘Spill.’

Allie’s tone was sulky, ‘It’s the job.’

‘Rory’s job? He’s got a brilliant job,’ said Isla.

Allie pulled an unimpressed face, ‘That’s not in dispute … you’d think he’d be happy, wouldn’t you?’

‘And he’s not?’ asked Jessica.

Allie rolled her eyes, ‘We all know he’s a partner in the family veterinary business. A business that has been built up from scratch by his parents … a steady solid income …’

‘So, what’s the problem?’ interrupted Felicity.

‘Hmm,’ said Allie, ‘I think he kind of feels stifled by his dad’s ways.’

‘I kind of get that …’ said Felicity. ‘A young vet with new ideas, and a dad who’s run the business successfully for years and probably doesn’t see any sort of need for change … it’s a generation thing.’

‘That’s exactly it. Rory just gets a little frustrated and wants to expand … open a second practice, increase the staff … he’s enthusiastic, whereas …’

‘His dad is set in his ways and probably ready for retirement,’ chipped in Jessica.

‘Exactly,’ agreed Allie, ‘I’m just a little cheesed off with having the same conversations and frustrations over and over again. I think he should bide his time and not rock the boat, and as soon as his dad decides to retire he can do whatever he likes.’

‘There’s the old saying: don’t try and fix something that isn’t broken,’ said Polly, topping up everyone’s glass. ‘But if there are any jobs going that might be an excuse to stick around … going back to London is becoming less appealing by the day.’

‘That’s the problem with living in a small village, it’s a beautiful place but most of the businesses are family run, so there are few employment opportunities. I’ve fallen on my feet with the teashop and working alongside Mum, but if it wasn’t for my grandma and her good ideas, goodness knows what career path I’d have ventured down.’

‘So, you fancy sticking around then, Polly?’ said Jessica.

‘I wish, but it’s not that easy, is it? There’s nothing keeping me in London and I’m finding it so difficult to even get an interview … it’s disheartening.’

‘And I didn’t know you were looking for a job, Isla?’ Jessica said, turning the conversation towards Isla, whose eyes widened and locked with Felicity’s.

Felicity shrugged discreetly, she hadn’t told a soul about the conversation between them. Everyone was now looking at Isla.

‘Sorry, have I said something I shouldn’t?’ asked Jessica, clocking the look between them both.

‘What’s going on?’ asked Allie, sitting up straight. ‘Why are you looking for a job?’

Suddenly, Isla was overcome with emotion, all the tension between her and Drew she had been bottling up snapped. She felt enveloped with anguish and it churned her stomach up.

‘It’s just Drew asked me whether there were any jobs going at the school …’

‘He did what?’ Isla stared open-mouthed.

‘The other day, he caught me outside school and asked me,’ elaborated Jessica.

‘How bloody dare he go behind my back like this?’ Isla shook her head in disbelief, she was fuming.

At a loss for words, she gulped back her wine. This behaviour was so out of character for Drew. He would never normally go behind her back like this, but at the minute it was like she didn’t know him at all.

‘Why the need to get a job?’ asked Polly.

‘Your guess is as good as mine. Drew’s got a bee in his bonnet about me wasting money on breakfast and lunches while he’s out working on the farm.’

‘Maybe he’s just panicking with a new baby in the house and doesn’t want to struggle financially,’ added Allie, noticing Isla’s eyes welling with tears.

‘That’s all good and well, but if I do get a job, all I’ll be doing is earning money to pay someone else to look after Angus, and what’s the point in that?’ Isla knew leaving baby Angus with anyone would definitely pull at her heartstrings.

‘I watched a programme recently about a secretive gambler, it all spiralled out of control and his wife hadn’t got a clue about his debts, until the bailiffs turned up,’ said Jessica dramatically.

Isla sat up straight, ‘You don’t think Drew’s gambling, do you?’ she asked alarmed, feeling all panicky inside.

Everyone laughed.

‘Of course not,’ reassured Felicity.

‘He’s on his phone more and more though. You can get those gambling apps, can’t you?’

‘Isla, don’t be daft. Drew isn’t the type to risk everything he has or put his family in any sort of jeopardy.’

In spite of everything, Isla knew that Felicity was right, Drew would never risk his business or their family home. He had been working every hour possible and more than likely this was the reason he’d been so difficult to talk to recently. And with the new baby, he was probably just tired.

‘Maybe Martha is your fairy godmother, turning up when she did,’ smiled Felicity softly. ‘Having her around might help to defuse any tensions.’

‘Let’s hope so,’ answered Isla despondently, but attempting a smile.

‘Anyway, let’s put all this doom and gloom behind us and talk christenings,’ suggested Allie, lightening the mood.

Felicity clapped her hands together joyfully, ‘Have we got a date yet?’

It had been on Isla’s list nearly every week to visit the minister to confirm a date for the christening, but she just hadn’t gotten round to it. ‘Not yet, but I’m on it,’ she said, and her worried expression began to change into a smile. Feeling more joyful, the thought of an afternoon celebrating with all her friends and family lifted her mood. And maybe it was just what Drew needed too, to let his hair down and enjoy himself for a change.

‘We can take care of the catering between us,’ Allie flapped her hand between herself and Felicity, ‘obviously we can have the party at the pub.’

‘And I’ll bake the cake,’ added Felicity.

‘And I can ask the children at school to make some decorations,’ added Jessica.

‘And I’m on hand to help with anything too,’ smiled Polly.

This was just what Isla needed, all her friends rallying around her. They had a way of making her feel better about things.

‘And try not to worry about Drew, it’ll be something and nothing. We are all entitled to off days,’ said Felicity, her gaze drifting towards the second empty bottle of wine.

‘Hopefully … and anyway …’ said Isla, shifting the conversation into a different direction, ‘when are you moving in with Fergus?’

Felicity blushed, ‘Hmm … not just yet.’

‘Why, is there something wrong between you pair?’ said Jessica, leaning forward and grabbing a handful of peanuts from the bowl on the table.

‘No, it’s not that.’

Felicity had mixed feelings about her situation with Fergus. Of course, she wanted to move into Fox Hollow Cottage with Fergus and Esme, she’d fallen in love with them both, but the thought of leaving her mum on her own in the cottage since the death of her grandmother just didn’t sit right with her at the moment. She was torn between her own happiness and that of her mum.

‘It’s too soon for my mum, but I’ll know when the time is right. It’s just … I’m not even sure about moving into Fox Hollow Cottage.’

‘Why? It’s a beautiful place,’ queried Isla.

Felicity pinched the bridge of her nose, ‘I know, but, as much as I love Aggie, I want our own place, just for the three of us.’

‘It’s a difficult one,’ Allie said softly.

Fergus had lived at Fox Hollow Cottage for all of his life and when Esme’s mum had passed away he’d stayed living with his mother, Aggie, who’d supported him through his grief and was very much a hands-on grandmother.

‘Do you think that sounds selfish of me?’

‘No, not at all, you need your own family space,’ answered Polly.

‘Maybe in time you could do a house swap?’ said Jessica in all seriousness. ‘Aggie could move in here, or Rona could move in with her.’

The thought crossed Felicity’s mind for a fleeting moment, but she knew her mum would never move out of Heartwood Cottage. This place was her life and no doubt Aggie felt the same about Fox Hollow Cottage.

‘Do you think there will be room for my gran too?’ giggled Isla, now feeling a little tipsy on wine and forgetting her own troubles for a brief moment. ‘Even though I’m not sure how long she’s going to stay around for this time … your guess is as good as mine, but can you imagine their Friday nights … nights of gin, poker and Tinder.’

Everyone laughed.

‘Living the dream!’ chuckled Allie. ‘I’d actually be quite jealous.’

‘Shh, what’s that noise?’ asked Polly.

‘That’ll be Mum back,’ answered Felicity, amazed at how quickly the time had flown. They heard the sound of the garden gate being opened, followed by the cackle of laughter.

‘Sounds like Gran is with her … and tipsier than us,’ said Isla in a whisper, while straining to hear.

Felicity had not witnessed her mum drunk for as long as she could remember. She often enjoyed a gin and tonic at the pub but was never one for excessive drinking. But it was about time she let her hair down and had some fun with her friends.

The girls heard Rona, Martha and Aggie fall into the hallway still giggling.

‘I’ve got a match,’ squealed Rona. ‘Oh my … he’s got no teeth and looks like he would be better fitted in a police line-up … look!’

‘I told you, you were swiping the wrong way … let’s have a look,’ chuckled Martha. ‘He’s not too bad, maybe a little overweight, bald and probably has his own teeth – well, the ones he has … well worth a date, I say.’

Rona looked horrified as all three of them appeared in the living-room doorway. ‘There’s not a cat-in-hell’s chance.’

‘I’m with Rona,’ laughed Aggie, who sounded relatively sober compared to the other two women.

‘You can’t judge by a photograph. What if he has an amazing personality or is a millionaire in disguise?’ Martha gave Rona a serious look.

‘Mmm,’ said Rona, far from convinced, ‘I don’t mind missing out this time and I really can’t see why any millionaires would need to be on a dating app. Is this what my life has become … is this all I’m destined for?’

The girls supressed their giggles.

‘Sorry, it appears my gran is leading your mum astray,’ Isla said, grinning, while shaking her head in disbelief as Martha stumbled into the living room clutching her phone.

‘We’ve set your mum up on a dating app,’ she informed everyone proudly. ‘And I’ll have you know she already has a match.’ Martha gave a goofy grin and seemed rather pleased with herself.

‘Even though she’s been swiping the wrong way, apparently,’ joined in Aggie, who’d eyed the remaining bottle of wine on the table.

‘I really didn’t have much choice, Martha wouldn’t take no for an answer.’ Rona rolled her eyes in jest.

‘I can believe that,’ laughed Isla.

‘Martha is very persuasive,’ Rona replied, before trying to walk in a straight line towards the kitchen. ‘One for the road,’ she said, returning holding three wine glasses.

‘And I’ll have you know,’ hiccupped Rona, ‘I don’t want a man or need a man. I’m perfectly happy on my own.’ She began to pour the wine while Martha and Aggie squeezed on to the settee.

‘So, what have we missed … anything interesting?’ asked Aggie, looking between the girls.

Isla snagged Felicity’s eye, a look that meant, Don’t mention anything about my argument with Drew.

‘Just general stuff,’ answered Jessica.

‘So how long are you staying for, Polly?’ asked Aggie.

‘However long Felicity and Rona will put up with me for. I’ve nothing to rush back for but I don’t want to outstay my welcome either.’

Felicity gave Polly a warm smile, ‘You’re welcome to stay as long as you want.’

Everyone’s attention was suddenly drawn to Martha’s phone which pinged with a notification.

‘It’s another match!’ she squealed in a drunken stupor. She narrowed her eyes and then they sprang back open. She scrutinised the screen. ‘Not bad … not bad at all,’ she said, twisting the phone to Rona. ‘Let’s message him.’

‘Let’s not,’ replied Rona, making a series of huffing and puffing noises and taking the phone from Martha’s hand.

‘You’re no fun,’ Martha claimed, a little disgruntled.

‘Can you see what I’ve had to put up with all night?’ grinned Aggie. ‘It’s like refereeing children.’

To everyone’s surprise, Rona was quiet, then the corners of her mouth lifted. ‘Oh …’ she exclaimed.

‘Told you,’ exclaimed Martha, in a smug tone. ‘He’s quite dishy.’

Everyone waited in anticipation to hear Rona’s verdict.

‘Come on …’ urged Allie. ‘The suspense is killing us.’

‘He’s actually, not bad … Prince Charming, indeed.’

Martha gave Aggie a knowing look, ‘See, just call me Cupid.’

All attention was on Rona.

‘This is exciting! Maybe I do need to get myself on Tinder after all,’ joked Polly.

‘He’s called Bill, and lives ten kilometres away …’

‘He must be somewhere over in Glensheil then,’ interrupted Isla.

‘And he’s retired and loves hiking. He does have a kind face,’ said Rona, thinking out loud.

‘It can’t hurt to drop him a message,’ said Felicity, beginning to clear away the empty bowls from the table.

But Rona wasn’t listening. ‘As much as I’ve had fun tonight … there … the profile is deleted.’

‘Spoilsport!’ the disappointment was written all over Martha’s face as Rona handed her back the phone.

‘If I’m going to meet a man, and call me old fashioned, but I want to meet him because he’s walked into my life, not through some sort of … what do you call them … apps?’

‘Unfortunately, it’s the way of the world these days,’ chipped in Polly. ‘But I know what you mean, I want someone to walk into my life and knock me dead.’

‘You’re no good to anyone dead,’ grinned Allie.

‘You know what I mean! I want to feel the first flush of love, feel the butterflies flutter in my stomach and be swept off my feet by someone in person. I want the whole fairy tale.’

‘So, you won’t be joining Tinder then, Pol,’ said Isla, draining the last of her wine from her glass.

‘Not any day soon!’

They all chatted and listened to Martha’s stories for the next ten minutes, then Isla felt herself beginning to physically tire. She knew she’d be up during the night with Angus for his night feeds. ‘It’s time for me to be making a move,’ Isla said, knowing she should make a move yet dreading going home to Drew, but as her gaze drifted towards her watch, she felt relieved knowing he’d be fast asleep due to his early morning start.

‘And me,’ admitted Jessica. ‘I’m up early for school.’

Everyone began to gather their belongings and they all thanked Felicity for a great evening. As the front door shut behind them, Felicity slouched into the chair and smiled to herself, hearing Martha singing down the road. ‘I hope I have that amount of energy at that age,’ she said.

‘Don’t we all. I’m exhausted just watching her,’ laughed Polly, pressing a swift kiss to Felicity and Rona’s cheeks. ‘See you in the morning … night.’

As Rona and Felicity began to load the dishwasher, Felicity noticed her mum deep in thought.

‘What is it, Mum? You seem like you’ve suddenly got the weight of the world on your shoulders,’ added Felicity tentatively.

Rona straightened and exhaled slightly. ‘Don’t mind me, I’m a little tipsy.’ Rona took a breath and leant over to wipe the worktops. ‘But for the first time in a long time I actually laughed tonight, and I mean laughed.’

‘So why the sigh?’ asked Felicity, perplexed.

‘Because as much as Martha is a loveable old eccentric, she knows how to have fun.’

‘You know how to have fun.’

Rona leant against the worktop. ‘When do I ever have any fun? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying I’m unhappy, far from it …’

‘But?’ interrupted Felicity.

‘Even though I’m surrounded by people every day and I have you … sometimes I actually feel lonely.’

Felicity felt saddened, she’d never even considered that her mum felt this way.

‘I do the same thing, day in and day out … and I love my life … and I love our teashop and you are my world, but tonight … it made me think about the past … and all those special times I’d spent with your father. Nothing will ever replace the love we had, but sometimes …’ She took a breath. ‘Sometimes I wish to be cuddled or even have the opportunity to make more of myself … dress up, maybe be wined and dined.’

Felicity was unable to hide her amazement at her mum’s words but was quick to reassure her. ‘Dad died many years ago and you are very much alive. It’s natural you should feel this way. As much as we laughed and joked tonight, maybe it’s about time you looked for that special someone in your life,’ she said, knowing it was only a matter of time before she and Fergus would talk about setting up home together, leaving her mum rattling around in Heartwood Cottage all by herself.