Page 17 of Happy Days Ahead in the Cornish Village

‘You’re a fine one to talk.’

‘Oi, Percy. I’m not the one trying to dig up a dried-out patch of mud, am I? I told you to take a break over an hour ago, but would you listen to me?’ Flora shook her head as she freed a hot water bottle from beneath a pile of tea towels.

Shaking his head, Percy sighed. ‘No, I wouldn’t.’

Megan watched as Flora walked back around the table to Percy and placed her hand on his.

‘I say it out of a place of love, Percy. You need to start looking after yourself. There’s plenty of us here who can help. We’ve plenty of volunteers who would be happy to pitch in.’

‘Absolutely. Tell me what you need doing and I’ll do it.’ Jay nodded as he sat back down.

‘We’ve not got long, that’s all. I need to get the groundwork done before I can lay the concrete.’ Percy winced again.

‘You’re not doing that. As far as I’m concerned, you’re off duty for the rest of today and as long as you need to get your back right again.’

Flora ran the hot tap, holding her hand beneath the running water before filling the hot water bottle.

‘Ah no, don’t say that, Flora, love. You know that I like to be busy. Can’t stand the thought of sitting around.’

‘You should have thought about that before you went and injured yourself then, shouldn’t you?’ Placing her hand on Percy’s shoulder, she gently pushed him forward before slipping the hot water bottle down against the back of his chair.

‘Aw, that’s lovely. It feels much better already with that.’ Percy relaxed back.

‘Good. Now, do you want a coffee or a cold drink?’

‘A nice coffee please, love.’

‘Jay? Megan?’ Flora made her way towards the kettle.

‘No, you’re all right, thanks. I’ll go and carry on from where Percy left off.’ Jay closed the lid of his lunchbox and stood up.

‘Is there anything you want me to do?’ Megan asked. ‘I could do with a break from this lot, to be honest.’ She indicated the pile of papers. ‘I could walk a couple of the dogs or something?’

Flora paused, kettle in hand. ‘Would you mind helping Jay please, lovely? All the dogs have been out already today, and we won’t start the next round of walks until it’s a bit cooler.’

‘Yes, okay.’ Megan nodded. Anything to get away from the thoughts whirring around in her mind. Besides, clearing the ground would be quite therapeutic. Just what she needed.

7

‘I can see how Percy pulled his back.’ With one foot on the shovel, Megan leaned as far back as she could in an attempt to lift the dirt.

‘Mind yourself, you don’t want to end up in the same predicament. I’ll go and grab the hose and soak the ground a bit.’ Jay leaned his shovel against the wheelbarrow.

As Megan watched him walk away, she smiled. Jay was a good man.

She released her shovel from the ground and stood it next to the one Jay had been using. Then she pulled her mobile from her back pocket, holding her breath as the screen illuminated. Nothing. No missed calls, not even a message from Lyle to acknowledge that he’d received the papers. She’d expected something. Probably an angry call, but nothing? Maybe he’d seen it coming. Maybe he’d been waiting for it. Or maybe he was just thankful she’d no longer be able to sabotage any of his dodgy building deals again.

She looked out across to the paddocks. Whatever the reason, she was relieved. Surprised, but relieved. Maybe she really could get on with building a new life for herself now. Yes, there was the financial agreement to get through – and that wasn’t going to be easy or pleasant, she knew that – but for now, maybe she could try to start imagining how she wanted her future to look.

‘Here we go,’ she heard Jay say, who’d just returned. ‘Once the ground is soaked, it’ll be a lot easier to dig up.’

Turning back, Megan watched as he turned the hose on, the water flowing in a steady stream, the earth hungrily guzzling the cool liquid between its deep dry cracks.

‘There.’ After turning the hose off, Jay waited until the water had dribbled to a stop.

‘Great, thanks.’ After returning her phone to her pocket, Megan took hold of the shovel again and sunk it into the now-sodden earth. Sure enough, the blunt metal cut through the dirt easily and she was able to throw the loose earth to the side. She turned to Jay. ‘You’re volunteering here every day, then?’

‘Yep, every day apart from Saturdays. I have my daughter on then, although Mia’s desperate to come and meet all the pups I’ve been telling her about. I’ve promised her I’ll check with Flora if it’s okay to bring her in.’ He bent down and picked up a clump of earth before throwing it across to the pile.

---