Page 52 of Happy Days Ahead in the Cornish Village

She looked towards the kitchen door as Flora walked in, Cindy rushing ahead of her and beelining for Megan.

‘Oh, hello, Cindy,’ she said as the dog rubbed her nose against Megan’s arm, asking for a fuss. ‘Lovely to see you too.’

‘As soon as we’d stepped foot in the door, she knew you were here.’ Flora chuckled as she closed the door again. ‘Her tail was wagging that hard, I was worried she’d snap it off.’

‘Aw, is that true, Cindy?’ Megan patted her knees, waiting until Cindy had placed her front paws on her lap before fussing her behind the ears. ‘Well, you know what? I love you too.’

‘You’re not looking to rehome a large needy greyhound with separation anxiety, are you?’ Flora raised her eyebrows as she placed a newspaper and a bottle of milk on the table.

‘I would love to.’ Megan grinned. ‘Sadly, though, not at this moment in time.’

‘Well, let me know if you change your mind when you’re all settled in your own place. I think she’d move in with you in a heartbeat.’ Flora grinned and tapped Megan on the shoulder as she walked past her to the fridge with the milk.

Leaning down, Megan kissed the top of Cindy’s head. Getting her own place was a pipe dream which was likely going to take about fifty years to accomplish with the luck she was having.

‘I’ve got some good news,’ Flora said as she closed the fridge door. ‘We may have found a home for little Angus.’

‘Really?’ Megan thought back to her first day at Wagging Tails when Angus, Splash, and Ocean had been brought in. Little Angus was almost a different dog now. His confidence had grown that much.

‘Yep, I’m popping to do the home visit this morning.’ Flora glanced at the clock. ‘In fact, I’ll have to leave in a few minutes.’

‘I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you then.’ Jay held his hand up, crossing his fingers.

‘Yes, please do.’ Flora smiled as she gave both Megan and Jay a mug brimming with coffee. ‘Can I leave that little one with you, Megan? Or should I say not so little one?’

‘Yes, of course.’ Megan turned towards Cindy again. ‘You can help me with my paperwork today, can’t you?’

Megan yawned and deleted the number she’d just entered into the spreadsheet for the seventh time, then checked the receipt once more before inputting it again. She glanced beneath the table at Cindy, sprawled out across the floor, legs in the air and her tongue hanging out as she snored. If only Megan could sleep as easily anywhere.

Rolling her shoulders back and filling her lungs, she forced her eyes to stay open and instead of admitting defeat and lowering her head to the table, she reached for another biscuit. She wasn’t sure how long she could keep this up – the lack of sleep mixed with the lack of food wasn’t a great combination, and she was struggling.

After finishing the biscuit, she wiped the crumbs from the keyboard and pushed the laptop away. Maybe she would just shut her eyes, have a ten-minute rest. It was probably all she needed to get through the rest of the day and then hopefully she’d be too exhausted to worry about anything and would actually fall asleep tonight. Ten minutes, that’s all she needed.

As she folded her arms across the table and lowered her head, the kitchen door opened again and she jerked her head up.

‘I didn’t just catch you trying to take forty winks, did I?’ Jay said as he walked in, feigning an air of shock, looking behind him dramatically.

‘Ha ha, of course not.’ Megan shook her head. ‘I was just… resting my eyes.’

Jay indicated the door behind him. ‘Seriously, though, I can come back if you do want a nap.’

‘No, no. Don’t be daft.’ She waved him in and stood up. ‘Do you fancy a coffee?’

‘Yes, please. A mug of caffeine sounds good to me. I had Mia over last night and she woke about five in the morning full of beans.’

‘Ouch.’ Megan filled the kettle with water and flicked it on.

‘Ouch indeed.’ Jay chuckled as he picked up the laundry basket and began emptying the washing machine. ‘I don’t think her teacher will be thanking me this afternoon when she’s falling asleep at her desk, though. Still, it was lovely to have her over for an extra night. I’d trade my sleep in a heartbeat to have her wake me in the morning.’

‘Ah, she might be okay?’ Megan shrugged as she spooned coffee granules into the mugs, two heaped ones for herself, one level for Jay. ‘I take it she’s a morning person and you’re a night owl then?’

‘Ha ha, yes, that’s right. Something she definitely gets from her mother. I like my evenings too much to go to bed early.’

Megan began pouring the hot water and watched with satisfaction as the coffee granules dissolved. ‘I don’t blame you. I’m the same.’

‘Whose are these, then?’ Jay suddenly sounded baffled.

‘What are they?’ Megan turned and realised he was holding up her wet top. She jumped as the boiling water splashed across her knuckles. ‘Drat.’

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