Page 4 of Happy Days Ahead in the Cornish Village

‘I suppose so.’ Megan took a sip of her drink, the sharp taste of black coffee welcome. Flora was right, she knew she was.

‘I don’t want you volunteering because you feel you have something to make up to us. Because from where I’m sitting, you don’t. You’ve been as much fooled by that man as we have. And lost a lot more because of him, too.’

Megan took another sip of her drink. ‘I do feel as though I have something to put right. Even though I wasn’t aware of what he was doing and his underhand tactics, I was still part of the problem. I was still supporting him.’

Flora sighed. ‘I don’t think that’s true. As soon as you discovered what he was up to, you and Andy worked so hard to bring his plans to a stop. And you succeeded. If it wasn’t for you, Wagging Tails would likely still be trying to put up a fight against him. Or worse.’

‘Still, I’d like to volunteer. Please?’

‘I’m not going to stop you from volunteering, but I’d like you to make that decision because you want to, not because you feel you have to.’

‘I do. I do want to.’ Megan looked out of the window. The sun was shining, and she could just about make out a couple of figures and dogs in the top paddock. Sally and Susan must still be up there. She laid her hands, palms down, on the table in front of her and looked down at them. ‘I feel as though I don’t have any control over my life any more. Everything I thought was real wasn’t, and everything I thought I wanted in life, I realise I don’t. This is the one thing I can do to try to feel better about myself. I would like to volunteer here. I want to make a difference. Even if it’s an insignificant one.’

Frowning, Flora nodded slowly and pulled the sign-up sheet towards them. ‘Let’s get you signed up, then.’

‘Thank you. I appreciate it.’ Megan smiled as relief flooded through her. It probably seemed disproportionate to Flora, but this, Wagging Tails and trying to make up for the part she may or may not have played in Lyle’s attempt to destroy it, was all she had to cling on to at the moment, all she had to build her life around.

The kitchen door opened slightly, and Megan saw Ginny peering through. ‘Sorry to interrupt, but can I just have a quick word please, Flora?’

‘Of course, lovely. I think we’re done here, anyway.’ Flora turned back to Megan and patted her hand. ‘You fill this out and finish your coffee and I’ll go and help Ginny. Take your time.’

‘Thanks.’ Megan picked up the pen and looked down at the sheet. A list of names and available time slots stared back at her. Most people had indicated that they wanted to volunteer at the weekends and the majority had highlighted just one or two hours. What was she supposed to write? That she was available every day, all day?

She downed the rest of her coffee. She might as well be honest and write that she could volunteer whenever. There might be a time or a day that Flora and the team needed more help. And it wasn’t as though she had anything else to do with her time. Apart from staring at the four walls of her room back at Honeysuckle Bed and Breakfast, that was.

After scribbling her name and contact number down, she paused and looked down at the list again. Huh, there was someone else with a lot of time on their hands too. Someone else who had signalled that they could be flexible with their volunteering time. Someone called Jay had indicated he was free most days. Every day apart from a Friday and Saturday. She wasn’t the only one after all then. That was a relief.

There, done. Hopefully, they’d think she was just happy being flexible rather than literally not having anything else to do, but she’d be happy volunteering every day if they needed her.

Standing up, she placed her empty mug in the sink and made her way towards the door. She could hear Flora and Ginny’s voices on the other side. They must still be discussing whatever Ginny had needed Flora for. She picked up the sign-up sheet. She’d hand it to them on her way past.

Pushing the door open, she found both Flora and Ginny standing behind the counter, Flora flicking through a notebook, her reading glasses perched at the end of her nose and her forehead creased.

Megan placed the sheet of paper on the edge of the counter. ‘Here’s the form.’

‘Thanks, Megan. I’ll let you know as soon as I’ve taken a look through and come up with a rota.’

‘Great. Thank you.’ Megan paused, unsure whether to dash away or say what she wanted to.

‘Everything okay?’

‘Yes, I just wanted to say thank you for not dismissing me.’

Flora smiled. ‘Of course not, lovely. We’re happy you want to help us, aren’t we, Ginny?’

‘Absolutely. We couldn’t operate without our volunteers.’

Megan nodded and turned away.

‘Megan, mind your lace. It’s undone,’ Flora called.

‘Oh, thanks.’ Bending down, Megan began to tie her lace.

‘Ah, I just don’t understand,’ Flora said, her voice filled with exasperation. ‘I’m sure it was this notebook I’d written it all in.’

‘Let’s try another one,’ Ginny replied. ‘Maybe you wrote it in the red one? I’m sure it was that red one which has been lying about for days.’

‘Maybe. Yes, yes, let’s take a look in there.’

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