Page 56 of The Little Island Flower Stall
‘But if you needed to?—’
‘I could find a cab.’
‘Not today, you couldn’t,’ Rory cut in. ‘I’ve seen the taxi rank – there’s a huge queue.’
Celestine gave a brief nod. ‘I’m sure I wouldn’t have to wait too long anyway, but I won’t be leaving just yet. I have plans of my own.’
‘What are you planning to do?’ Bella asked.
‘I’m meeting a few people.’
‘Oh…well, if you change your mind…’
‘Did you enjoy the parade?’ Celestine asked, shifting awkwardly on her crutches. Bella tried not to frown as she watched her.
‘Yes. I felt a bit daft at first, but then…Should we go and find a bench to sit down? You don’t look very comfortable on that ankle.’
Rory pointed. ‘There’s one over there. Shall I jog over to make sure nobody takes it?’
‘I’m sure if someone did they’d let us have it when we got there,’ Bella said. She looked at her aunt. ‘Come on. Even if you don’t need to sit down, I do – my feet are boiling in these shoes and I could do with taking them off for a minute.’
‘Are you going to go back and get changed?’ Celestine asked as she allowed Rory to lead them to the bench.
‘I was, but if there’s a huge queue for the taxis, then maybe I won’t bother. I mean, I know it’s not so far to walk if I really wanted to, but by the time I’ve got to Villa Rosa, changed and come back out again, half the evening events will be over.’
Celestine looked up at Rory. ‘This one has been wanting a spot on that parade since I don’t know when.’
‘So I hear,’ Rory said, aiming one of his trademark smiles at Celestine. If she wasn’t feeling like the sun had just come from behind a cloud to warm her, as Bella did every time he gave her one of those, then there had to be something wrong with her.
‘Well, I’ve done it now,’ Bella said. ‘That’s another tick on the bucket list.’
Rory used the corner of his shirt to wipe over the bench so that Celestine could sit, while Bella helped her down and then took her crutches for safekeeping.
‘Bucket list?’ Celestine asked as she settled, a look of relief on her face.
‘You know.’ Bella took a seat next to her. ‘Things to do before you die.’
‘Oh.’ Celestine smiled vaguely as Rory sat next to Bella.
Bella was silent as she kicked off her shoes, grateful for the sea air cooling her feet, waiting for something more, but when there was nothing, she glanced at Celestine to see her staring out to sea again with a faint but melancholy smile. It looked as if there would be nothing less cryptic than that for now. Maybe later, once Rory had left them, she might get more out of her.
‘So who are you meeting later?’ she asked after a pause.
‘A few of us from the bus were going to get together.’
‘Is Dolly going to be there?’
‘I expect so.’
‘So what are you all going to do? Roam around the streets in a big gang terrorising teenagers?’
Celestine chuckled softly. ‘We’re going to the pub, actually.’ Her chuckle grew louder as she saw the look on Rory’s face. ‘Yes, we do go to the pub on occasion, even at this old age. I’m sure I’ll only have a lemonade shandy or two, so you needn’t worry.’
‘Good,’ Bella said. ‘I don’t want you committing drunken antisocial behaviour all over the island.’
‘I’m more likely to fall off my crutches than do anything else. I think you can trust me to behave.’ She paused.‘Dolly, not so much…’
Bella poked her feet back into her shoes. ‘Now that I can believe. I bet she’s always been the loose cannon in your little gang.’
