Page 122 of Kate and Clara's Curious Cornish Craft Shop
‘I’d be happy to, as long as you send me photos of your travels in return.’
‘I’d be more than happy to keep in touch with you, Kate. That goes without saying.’
‘I’m almost jealous of you,’ I tell him. ‘Going off and travelling the world while the rest of us are left here in one of the remotest parts of Cornwall. It’s hardly the Amazon rainforest, is it?’
‘You wouldn’t have it any other way,’ Julian says, smiling at me. ‘You love it here. And St Felix loves you. That’s why I’ve got a surprise for you.’
‘Really? What?’
‘It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you, would it? Now, don’t ask me any more questions, you’ll find out in a few days, all right?’
I pull a huffy expression, but then I grin. ‘Okay then, you win, I suppose, but now you’ve got me wondering.’
‘You’ll like it. I guarantee that,’ he says. ‘Just promise me you’ll accept it.’
‘Why wouldn’t I accept it?’ I ask, puzzled all the more.
‘Kate, just promise?’
I nod. ‘Sure. I promise.’
‘Excellent. Now I must go. Goodbye, my dear Kate, and thank you once again.’
‘No, thank you, Julian, for making everything so easy for us.’
‘It’s been my pleasure,’ he says, standing up. ‘Really it has. You’ve freed me from my self-imposed prison, and I can never thank you enough.’ We hug again and then I watch Julian walk along a path that leads from the garden out to the hotel car park. He waves one last time and he’s gone.
I sigh. I was going to miss Julian and his funny ways. He’d really been so understanding about his father, and had made everything so stress-free with regard to Freddie being finally acknowledged. It was a real shame he wouldn’t be here to see the paintings returned to where they truly belonged.
Still pondering what his surprise might be, I’m about to walk back inside the hotel when I hear raised voices from around the corner. I walk in the direction of the noise, but stop when I see what I think are a group of young guests arguing.
‘None of my business,’ I think, deciding I’ll leave them be. It wouldn’t be the first wedding to host a family quarrel as part of its celebrations. I’m about to turn away when I notice that the back view of one of the people looks familiar. It’s Ben.
I’m about to move forwards again when I hear what he’s saying.
‘Say that again?’ he says to another boy in a calm yet forceful tone.
‘Your dad is a useless cripple,’ the same boy says in a sneering voice. ‘And you are a gay wanker.’
I gasp, and my hand flies automatically to my mouth, but the group is far enough away not to hear me.
Ben just nods his head slowly, then he steps forwards equally as slowly and stands in front of the boy, towering over him. ‘I should punch you for that,’ he says quietly, ‘but then I’d be lowering myself to your standards, which I don’t particularly wish to do, so I will politely request that you take that back.’
‘Take what back?’ the boy, who I can now clearly see is Chesney, jeers mockingly. ‘It’s the truth, ain’t it?’
There’s a horrible pause, and I think for a moment that Ben is actually going to punch him.Iwant to punch Chesney, so how Ben is stopping himself I have no idea.
‘Come on, Molly,’ he says calmly. ‘Shall we go back inside?’
To my horror, I suddenly realise that Molly is also one of the people standing in the small group, and I have to stop myself from rushing forwards and immediately getting involved.
‘Molly don’t wanna go with you, youqueer!’ Chesney taunts. ‘Do ya, Molls? She’s my girlfriend, ain’t ya, babe?’
Molly is silent for what seems like for ever, but what is in fact likely only a few seconds, before she sidles up in front of Chesney and says in a low, and if it wasn’t my daughter I was listening to, I’d say seductive voice, ‘Chesney?’
‘Yeah, babe,’ Chesney says, glancing away from Molly to grin at Ben triumphantly.
‘I am no longeryourgirlfriend,’ Molly now speaks in a loud and commanding voice so everyone can hear. ‘I broke up with you ages ago, which you would know if you weren’t so thick, so thelastthing I want to do is go anywhere withyou, you homophobic Neanderthal!’
