Page 64 of Happy Days Ahead in the Cornish Village

‘Okay.’ Poppy nodded and turned towards the door again. ‘This way.’

‘Thanks.’

As Poppy led Megan back through to the hallway again, Cindy followed, almost leaning her long body against Megan’s legs with every step, as if glued to her side.

‘She sure does like you, doesn’t she?’ Poppy laughed as they gathered Megan’s bags and headed up the stairs.

‘Aw, she’s such a sweetheart. I know she has her problems, but she more than makes up for them with her lovely nature. She’s such a gentle character.’

‘She sure is. Dougal loves her. He waits on the doormat for Flora to bring her over. I don’t know what he’ll do when she’s rehomed.’ Poppy shook her head and opened a door on the landing. ‘Here’s your room.’

‘Great. Thank you.’ Stepping inside, Megan lowered her bags onto the floor and looked around. Three walls of the room were painted a pale yellow, the fourth, behind the pine headboard was wallpapered, large sunflowers the size of dinner plates emblazoned across a deep royal blue background. ‘It’s lovely.’

‘I’ll leave you to settle in. Come on down when you’re ready.’ Poppy smiled as she lowered the bags she was holding. ‘Come on, Cindy. Let’s give Megan a bit of peace and quiet.’

Instead of following her, Cindy sat next to the bed, her eyes fixed on Megan.

‘Don’t worry,’ Megan said, as Poppy tapped her leg, to encourage the dog to come with her. ‘She’s okay.’

Poppy nodded and closed the door whilst Cindy jumped onto a pale blue crocheted blanket which was draped across the duvet.

‘Well, you’ve certainly made yourself at home here, haven’t you, Cindy?’

Megan looked down at her bags heaped by the doorway. She should probably unpack, but she was drained. Not tired – she’d had the best night’s sleep in a long time at Jay’s last night – but she was most definitely emotionally drained. She perched on the bed next to Cindy before lying back and staring at the ceiling. How could she ever thank Flora for taking her in? And Poppy for making her feel so welcome?

24

‘Thank you.’ Megan smiled at the shopkeeper as he took the small A5-sized postcard from her. She’d made sure to write her contact details and a couple of lines about herself and the type of work she was looking for, which was basically anything, in her neatest handwriting. Now all she could do was hope and continue to look and apply for jobs online.

‘No worries. I’ll pop it up.’ He walked around the counter and pinned it to the noticeboard next to the tills.

As she left the shop, she took Cindy’s lead back from Jay.

‘All done?’ He clicked his fingers, signalling to Petal and Willow that they were on the move again.

‘Yep. All done. That’s a card up in there as well as in the ice-cream parlour, plus the village noticeboard. Not that I’m expecting anything to come of them, but Flora thought it would be a good idea.’ She paused as Cindy sniffed a tuft of grass at the side of the path.

‘You never know.’ Jay glanced down at the ground. ‘I hope you don’t think I was trying to meddle when I encouraged you to tell Flora about the car and everything?’

‘No, not at all.’ She had at the time, but she knew why he had. She’d have done the same. ‘Flora overheard the end of our conversation in the kitchen, anyway.’

‘Ah, so it wasn’t my brilliant advice that has resulted in you staying at Flora’s, then?’ Catching her eye, he grinned, the dimple deepening in his cheek.

‘Ha ha, no I’m afraid not.’ She laughed. ‘But, hey, I should have listened to you. Both Flora and Poppy have made me feel really welcome.’

It was true. She might have only stayed there for one night so far, but to have a room, a bed again, a place to call her own, it meant more to her than either Flora or Poppy probably realised.

‘Well, I’m glad it’s all worked out for the best.’

‘Yes, me too. I don’t know why I was so adamant not to ask for help earlier. I just…’ She shrugged. She couldn’t really explain it. It hadn’t been that she was too proud to admit what path her life was taking her down. It hadn’t been that. More that she just hadn’t wanted to be anyone’s burden, but over at the cottage, she didn’t feel as though she was. She felt welcome, accepted. ‘I don’t know.’

‘It’s okay. I think I know what you mean.’ Jay paused and looked at her, running his fingers through his hair. ‘Now that you’ve got a place to stay, did you fancy celebrating?’

‘Celebrating the fact I’m not sleeping in my car any more?’ Megan grinned and raised her eyebrows.

‘Exactly. Why not?’

‘Umm, I guess so. You think I should shout it from the clifftops or something to celebrate?’

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