Page 40 of The Little Island Flower Stall
‘Oui, Mama,’ Celestine said, and Bella laughed again.
‘I’ll see you bright and early. Goodnight.’
CHAPTER TEN
Bella had been for coffee and cake at Michel’s and Celestine was sipping at a cup of tea from her flask as they sat outside the stall waiting for customers. The day so far had been a slack one, and conversation had turned to plans for the upcoming Liberation Day celebrations. Celestine munched on an apple turnover. Bella had demolished hers almost as soon as she’d left the bakery, hungry, despite a decent breakfast and a good dinner the night before with Rory.
‘Oh Lord,’ Celestine muttered as she put her cake back into the box and wiped her hands. ‘Here comes Bernard.’
‘Who’s…?’ Bella began, but was cut off by Celestine pushing a bright smile across her face and greeting a tall, pale man of about seventy as he made his way over.
‘Hello, Bernard!’
‘Celestine!’ He smiled. ‘How are you doing? How’s the leg? On the mend now?’
‘Yes, mending nicely, thank you.’
‘Good, good…’ Bernard glanced at Bella, as if waiting to be introduced. But Celestine didn’t and so Bernard took the lead. ‘How do you do? I’m Bernard Babin. You must be Celestine’s niece.’
‘Um, yes,’ Bella said, taken aback that he already knew of her.
‘I bet you don’t remember me,’ Bernard said. ‘We met many years ago. You must have been about this high…’ He indicated his knees.
‘I’m sorry, I don’t…’
For a moment, he seemed offended at her admission, but then he puffed out his chest and continued to Celestine. ‘I thought I’d take a moment to go and see all our contributors for the Liberation Day event. Just to make sure everyone is on track to meet their deadlines.’
‘I’m perfectly on schedule,’ Celestine said primly. ‘There’s no need to worry.’
‘We…the committee, that is, wondered if you might need some help. Taking into consideration your current circumstances.’
‘I have Bella. We’re managing nicely, thank you.’
‘And you have enough money?’
‘Yes.’
‘And you’ve got the dimensions of the displays? Because we need them to be very precise to fit?—’
‘I have the dimensions,’ Celestine said. ‘They’re exactly the same as last year’s dimensions and the year before that and the year before that. Unless the committee has decided to change them without telling me, and then it would hardly be my fault if they were wrong, would it?’
‘No, we haven’t changed them. So we need to dress the floats?—’
‘The day before, yes. I know that too. I’ve been helping you to dress the floats for over forty years now.’
‘Right…’ He glanced at Bella again, who couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for him. Celestine seemed intent on giving him short shrift. ‘So…Bella…You’re going to be here for the parade? Or areyou going over to St Helier for their celebrations? Most tourists do, you know.’
‘She’s not a tourist,’ Celestine said. ‘She’s family. Of course she’s staying for ours.’
Bella tried not to show her surprise at Celestine’s response.
‘Ah. Then in that case,’ he continued, undaunted, ‘you’d be most welcome to sit up on one of the floats. We’re going to have some old army vehicles too. We’re always looking for characters to travel in them.’
‘Characters?’ Bella frowned.
‘Yes, you know, dress up, wave to the crowds, that sort of thing. I’m sure we must have some Wren uniform or something in your size in the storeroom, if you were interested.’
Bella glanced at Celestine, who didn’t seem to have an opinion either way. At this point, she’d gone back to her cake and was munching silently. ‘I suppose I could do that if you’re short of volunteers.’
