Page 81 of Stolen Kiss

“Let’s eat, I’m starving,” Mr Shaw said and walked into the dining room.

Jason, Freya, Heidi and Mrs Shaw gathered plates, pots and dishes and ferried them through. Keith was still standing outside on the patio area looking up at the house, seemingly at the roof.

Approaching him, Jason waited for Keith to drop his gaze. When he did he said, “are you coming in?”

Keith gave him a sheepish grin and stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets. Jason scored off the last family member. He was glad her saw the flicker of his old friend.

“Did you bring your board?” he asked.

“Yep,” Jason replied, nodding his head to indicate they should go inside.

“Let’s eat,” Keith said.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Jason

Jason pulled the buggy up outside Diamond’s Jewellers and turned off the engine. Archer was in the passenger seat. It wasn’t their turn to pay respects, but they still wore black to mark the occasion. Bailey had dug out their overcoats making sure the moths hadn’t got to them.

“What time are you meeting Keith?” Archer asked while we waited for Mr McKenzie and Mrs Diamond to arrive.

“Straight after we’re done here, not set time. He doesn’t have any customers this time of year so spends his time doing nothing.”

“I wonder if we can find him a role in the business in the off season.”

“Might be a good idea, we’ll have to get thinking something that he will feel comfortable doing. I can’t imagine he will want to come up to the estate.”

“Maybe something to do with the water.”

Before they could continue debating how they could fit Keith into the Turner wedding business, they heard laughter behindthem. Jason turned to see Mrs Diamond and Mr McKenzie walking with their arms linked down the path. Mrs Diamond had a bunch of winter flowers tied with string and Mr McKenzie was holding a bottle of something.

They took the middle bench and sat down.

“It’s good of you to do this for us,” Mrs Diamond said.

“Anytime you want to come up, you call me and I’ll arrange it,” Jason said. “Are you all set?”

“Yes,” Mr McKenzie said. “I’ve brought a bottle, I hope you boys don’t mind.”

“Not at all, we brought rum when we went,” Archer said.

Mrs Diamond laughed and then Jason pulled away and took them up to their dad’s grave. Mrs Diamond laid flowers and then Mr McKenzie unscrewed the top and took a swig. He passed it to Mrs Diamond, and she did the same. It reminded Jason of him and Heidi on the quayside a couple of months ago.

The two of them stood in front of the grave and Mrs Diamond started to weep. Mr McKenzie pulled her into a side hug and gave her a hanky.

Jason and Archer had been standing away from them in case they wanted to say private words, but strolled nearer when they saw their aunt Cynthia moving through the trees on the other side of the graveyard. Cynthia seemed not to notice them because when she came nearer she stopped with a jolt. Archer and Jason moved nearer when Mrs Diamond looked their way.

“Stay as long as you want and we will be here with you,” Archer said.

“It’s probably best we go now,” Mr McKenzie said looking at Cynthia Turner who hadn’t moved.

“Jason, I’ll take them back if you want to head to Keith.”

“Thanks, dude. I’ll see you later on.”

Jason jogged away from Cynthia and from Jason, Mr McKenzie and Mrs Diamond. He could see their cottages in the distance and he smiled.

It was nearing the end of November and everything was settling. Heidi stayed up at the cottage with Jason unless she had a mum who would be giving birth soon. Then she stayed at her place and Jason with her. Slowly his cottage had additions. The first was a grey blanket over the back of the sofa in the living room. Then tall candle sticks made from chunks of wood. Later came the candles. Each time she arrived another addition came with her. His favourite was her toiletries in his bathroom and a spare pair of scrubs in his chest of drawers.

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