Page 82 of Happy Days Ahead in the Cornish Village

‘Hello, Mia. Lovely to meet you. I like your headband. It’s very sparkly.’ She pointed to Mia’s bright yellow sequinned headband.

‘Thank you. My daddy got it for me for my birthday.’ Mia took it off for a moment, looked at it and then slid it back onto her head.

‘Your daddy has good taste then.’ Megan smiled and indicated the menu. ‘What can I get you both?’

Mia pulled her dad’s arm, waiting until he’d bent down to whisper in his ear.

Straightening his back again, Jay grinned. ‘Yes, you can have a milkshake and a cone. What flavour would you like?’

This time Mia reached up on her tiptoes to look above the counter. ‘Can I have a chocolate milkshake, please?’

‘Of course you can. That’s a good choice.’ Megan nodded. ‘What ice cream would you like?’

‘Umm, strawberry and chocolate.’

‘Two scoops?’ Megan turned to Jay. ‘And how about for Daddy?’

‘Ooh, there’s so much choice.’ Jay tapped his fingers against his chin.

Laughing, Mia tugged on his top. ‘Choose, Daddy.’

‘Okay, okay. I’ll go for a mint choc chip cone, please.’

‘Coming right up.’ Megan turned and started the milkshake machine again just as the chime rang again. It was getting busy now.

‘Mummy! Are you having an ice cream too?’ Mia called.

With the milkshake machine whirring to action, Megan froze. She hadn’t realised Leanne was here too. She’d assumed it was just Jay and Mia. Steadying her breath, she focused on pouring the milkshake. She just hoped Jay wouldn’t make this awkward, them all being in the same room. She didn’t want to get caught in the middle of anything. She turned slowly around, sure enough a woman, presumably Leanne, had joined Jay and Mia at the counter.

Megan swallowed before forcing a smile. ‘Hi, what would you like?’

‘Nothing for me, thank you.’ Leanne stepped behind Mia and began undoing her braided hair. ‘This is falling out. I’ll plait it again, shall I?’

‘Okay, Mummy.’

Megan lowered the milkshake and picked up a cone, catching Jay’s eye in the process. She could tell by the pink tinge colouring the tips of his ears that he felt uncomfortable. She gave him a quick smile.

‘Thank you,’ he said as he picked up the milkshake.

‘No worries.’ Megan turned to Mia. ‘Are we having sprinkles and chocolate shavings on your ice cream?’

‘Yes, please.’ Mia nodded just as her mum attempted to secure her plait again.

After adding the sprinkles and chocolate, Megan passed the cone to Jay.

Having finished tidying Mia’s hair, Leanne placed her hands on her daughter’s shoulders and smiled at her daughter. ‘Guess what I brought for the beach?’

‘My bucket and spade?’ Mia turned around to look at her mum.

‘No, but I did bring the beach ball! We’ll need to blow it up first but then we can play.’ Leanne patted the fabric bag slung over her shoulder.

‘Yay!’ Taking her cone from her dad, Mia said, ‘Thank you, Daddy. Thank you, Megan.’

‘You’re very welcome.’ Megan smiled and held out Jay’s cone. ‘And here’s yours.’

‘Thank you.’ Tapping his card against the machine, Jay smiled at her, and then he turned towards the door.

Megan watched as the family left, Jay holding the door open for his daughter and ex-wife. She could hear Mia telling her mum about her, how she helped with the dogs with her daddy.

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