Page 38 of The Little Island Flower Stall
‘They’re brilliant! Celestine has made floral sculptures for it for years now. She’s planning to do them again this year. I can’t wait to get stuck in with her.’
‘I was thinking of watching them in St Helier. I thought they might only be on there.’
‘I think they’re all over the island. The big ones are on in St Helier – I suppose they’re probably the ones that might be the most impressive. I know they’ve always had a parade in St Rosa.I’m sure the St Helier ones are amazing, but I’ll be here with Celestine.’
‘Right. Everyone comes out for them, I suppose.’
‘Pretty much. Not that I’ve taken a register or anything…’
Rory smiled, but it was a vague one, as if he was thinking of something other than Bella’s rubbish quip. ‘Maybe I’ll stay in St Rosa for it then.’
‘Come with us if you want to – me and Celestine. We’ll definitely be there.’
The offer was out before Bella had even thought over the implications. If Rory did go to the celebrations with them, she’d have to warn him not to talk about Violette in front of her aunt, and she couldn’t trust that he wouldn’t do it anyway. She liked to think he’d keep away from the topic for her sake, but, then again, he was desperate for information, and there was no telling how far he might be willing to go, or who he’d be willing to upset to get it.
‘I thought your aunt didn’t like remembering the war,’ he said.
‘She doesn’t, but this is for the end of the war, isn’t it? Or rather, the end of the occupation. No matter what had happened, I’d want to celebrate that. Wouldn’t you? Besides, these days, it’s turned into a great tourist event. I bet most of the people there barely have a clue what it’s really about. I know I didn’t when I was a kid.’
‘I think I will stay in St Rosa. I suppose I could do both if I plan my day right.’
‘I’m sure you could.’
‘So you’re going to be involved this year?’
‘Only in the preparations. Once we’ve done our displays, then we’re free to do whatever. So we should be free on the actual day.’
‘Must be exciting to be on the other side of it.’
‘I don’t know about that. I get the feeling we might be quite stressed by the time it comes around. Celestine isn’t really at her best yet, but she’s insisting on rushing around like she’s not a nonagenarian with a dodgy ankle. Sometimes I don’t know what I’m meant to do with her. I came to help, but she just won’t slow down. God knows what she’s like when she’s well.’
‘She sounds amazing.’
‘She is. Amazingly stressful.’
He laughed and reached for his beer. ‘You’re lucky to have her.’
‘I am, especially now. I came to help her, yes, but in a way she’s probably helping me more. Being here, even though I sometimes feel like my life has gone backward, has been brilliant. I don’t have to think about anything while I’m at Villa Rosa except getting my head straight and working out where I go next. I can’t tell you how much that means to me.’
‘You keep telling me how much you hate that guy, but I can’t help feeling you might not.’
Bella raised her eyebrows. ‘I don’t know where you’re getting that from.’
‘You seem reluctant to let go. I mean fully let go. Yes, you’re here and you’re planning your future and that’s good, but I don’t think you’re really finished with him yet.’
Bella shook her head. ‘You’re wrong. I’m finished. I couldn’t be more finished.’
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean…I’m not trying to give relationship advice or anything. I’m the last person qualified to do that.’
‘Why?’
He shrugged. ‘You don’t want to talk about your break-up, and to be honest, I respect that because I don’t want to talk about mine either. If it’s all the same to you, I think we ought to make a pact to leave both of them out of this…you know, leavethem out of what we’ve got here. I’m enjoying it – I don’t want all that baggage to ruin things.’
Bella wondered what exactly they had there. Did he view it in the same way as she did? Or did he see it as something more, something that might be heading in a romantic direction, despite all they’d said to the contrary? At least she had more information about his situation now. He’d mentioned a break-up. Did that mean he was free now? Was it a question she ought to be asking? In the end, she simply nodded as she cut into her salmon fillet.
‘Sounds like a pact I can get on board with.’
‘Tell me about the plans for Liberation Day. What kind of displays are you and your aunt going to be doing?’
