Page 33 of One Perfect Day in Lovely Bay
Cally wasn’t quite sure how to respond. Shedidn’tactually know about jetting off to more exotic places. The idea of getting a small plane was completely and utterly alien to her. Octavia didn't need or want to know that. ‘Yes, sounds good to me.’
'Right then, what are you drinking, Cal?' Alastair interrupted.
‘What’s Logan having?’
‘A local ale, I think.’
‘I’ll have the same but only a half, or, umm, maybe just a gin and tonic?'
'Nonsense!' Reg interjected. 'You can't come to Scotland and not try a wee dram of whisky in the pub.’
Feeling slightly out of her depth but not wanting to seem impolite, Cally nodded. She didn’t fancy whisky in the slightest. 'Okay, I'll give it a try.'
Cally chatted away to Octavia, who mostly rattled on about herself, her life and her travels. Cally didn’t really care. She was tired, happy to be resting her legs and couldn’t wait toorder some food. She nodded, smiled and made the appropriate sounds here and there as Octavia told her all about how much she was looking forward to visiting Fiji and how they’d decided to take a year off because you never knew what was around the corner.
Alright for some,Cally thought and instantly chided herself for being mean.
Just after they’d studied the menus and were still waiting for Alastair to come back from the bar, Logan’s aunt Agatha arrived. Logan got up so that she could squeeze in on the bench seat. Cally grimaced internally, not enamoured with the premise of having to listen to Agatha’s twaddle as Agatha wriggled along the bench seat and sat down right next to her.
After a bit of small talk about the weather, Agatha smiled. 'Logan tells me you're a chemist. How fascinating! I've always been interested in the history of pharmacy. Did you know that the Scots were pioneers in the field?'
Cally internally rolled her eyes. Course they were. Before she could respond, Agatha launched into a detailed history of Scottish contributions to modern medicine. Agatha’s eyes gleamed with enthusiasm as Cally’s glazed six times over. She wanted to top herself at the thought of having to listen to Agatha droning on for the whole meal.
'...and of course, there's the famous story of the discovery of chloroform as an anaesthetic. Quite by accident, you know.'
Cally loved learning new things, but tired and starving, she couldn’t have cared less. She tried and failed to look interested. 'That's quite something.’
‘Oh yes, he was the one who introduced pain relief in childbirth.’
Cally wasn’t sure whether she could stomach another long, boring conversation with Logan’s aunt. Thankfully, Alastair returned at that moment, distributing the drinks around thetable. Cally wrinkled her nose as a small tumbler of amber liquid was placed in front of her. She picked it up and inhaled a strong smell. Maybe downing it in one was an excellent antidote to boring old aunts.
'There you are, Cally,' Reg raised his own glass. 'Take a small sip, just to wet your palate. Then, take a larger sip and let it roll around your tongue before swallowing. You'll get all the flavours that way.'
Cally really wasn’t that interested in the correct way to drink whisky. She just wanted to eat. The carton of blackcurrant in her bag would have done her fine. She pretended she was into the whisky and played the game. Lifting the glass tentatively, she brought it to her lips inhaled deeply before taking a tiny sip as instructed.Disgusting.Absolutely vile. The liquid burned slightly as it touched her tongue.
'Well?' Reg asked with raised eyebrows.
'It's, umm, interesting,' Cally replied diplomatically. 'I think it might take some getting used to.'
Reg chuckled. 'It's an acquired taste for some. But give it time. By the end of your stay, you might love it.'
Cally doubted that but maybe it was another thing about being in Scotland she might come to like. She took another sip, hid a wince and studied the menu as all the while Agatha rattled on.
A few hours later, Reg had consumed way too much whisky. Cally had finished hers and moved on to soft drinks. She had practically vacuumed up an Aberdeen Angus steak pie and after watching Octavia chase her chips around her plate and leave half of her pie, she’d wolfed Octavia’s down, too. As she sat with Logan’s hand on her leg feeling happy, full, and content, she felt pretty pleased with herself to be sitting happily with Logan’s family. When she’d first stepped into the Henry-Hicks world, she’d been unsure of her place, embarrassed about her pastand had spent way too much time and brain power constantly second-guessing herself on repeat. Now, she slotted in with them and their funny ways as if she was part of the furniture.
Logan’s mum, Anne, chatted across the table. ‘Logan said you’re looking at property.’
Cally nodded, not sure whether or not Logan had mentioned to Anne about them living together properly. Knowing how casual Logan was about them living together officially he’d probably not even covered it with his mum. ‘Yes.’
‘How nice to be buying a house.’
Cally shook her head. ‘It will be a small flat.’
‘Oh, right, yes. You prefer a flat and not having to have all the upkeep. Right.’
That wasn’t it at all. Cally would give her right, or left, arm for a house in Lovely. Unfortunately, the bank was having none of it. ‘Mmm.’
‘So, have you found anything?’
