Page 41 of The Little Island Flower Stall
‘Marvellous. Celestine has my details; please send over your measurements so we can find you something to wear. If you could do that as soon as possible, it would be very helpful.’
‘OK, I’ll do it just as soon as we get home.’
Bernard nodded at Celestine, who simply raised her eyebrows in return and then went back to her cake. Then he nodded at Bella.
‘Bye,’ she said. As soon as he was out of earshot, she turned to Celestine. ‘I’m assuming you find him a bit annoying.’
‘Was it that obvious?’ she asked with a wry tone. ‘Him and his stupid committee. He thinks he’s such a big cheese.’
‘He is in charge of the celebrations. I suppose that’s quite a responsibility.’
‘You won’t be so charitable after you’ve suffered an afternoon of him checking every single thing you do over and over and telling you just as often that it’s not right. One year he asked mefor a new display. I spent hours on it, got the measurements an inch out, and he went on about it for at least twelve months. One inch! What did it matter?’
‘Well, I’ve agreed to that dressing-up business, so I suppose I will find out for myself.’
Celestine broke into a smile now. ‘You’re going to look lovely in your uniform.’
‘I’m going to feel like an idiot. He caught me off guard, otherwise I might have been tempted to make my excuses. How am I meant to watch the parade with you if I’m in it?’
Celestine waved away her question. ‘I won’t be alone – don’t worry about that. There are plenty of people I can watch with. I’ll be proud to see you up there. I’ll be able to say to everyone, “That’s my Bella.” You always wanted to do it as a child, you know, but you weren’t allowed because you were too young. You used to get so grumpy about that. Don’t you remember?’
‘Well, yes, but I was about ten, and when you’re ten, that stuff does look exciting. At forty, not so much. Were Bernard and his committee in charge back then?’
‘Some of them.’
‘In that case, I ought to give him a piece of my mind for not letting me do it when I was ten and I wanted to.’
Celestine started to laugh. ‘You were never in St Rosa long enough to make the preparations either. Much as I’d love to see you tear a strip off Busybody Bernard, perhaps you could let him off for that.’
Bella was about to reply when she noticed someone looking over the ready-made bouquets on display at the front of the stall. Celestine looked at the same time and made a move to go over, but Bella stopped her.
‘I’ve got this. Finish your tea.’
‘Thank you.’ Celestine smiled. ‘I really am going to miss you when you go home, you know.’
Bella tried to put her aunt’s statement out of her mind as she went to help the customer. The truth was, she was going to miss Celestine too. She was going to miss a lot of things about this visit when it was over.
‘Here we are…Bella, could you make some space?’
Bella cleared away the leftovers from their dinner and took the album from Celestine, laying it down on the table. Celestine eased herself onto a chair.
‘These are last year’s displays,’ she said. ‘I thought it might be useful for you to see so you have some idea of what they’re going to look like when we’re done.’
‘Wow!’ Bella pulled the book towards her and studied the photos. ‘They’re amazing. You did these by yourself?’
Celestine nodded.
‘They must have taken you ages,’ Bella continued, turning her attention back to the photographs. She flicked to the next page and was greeted by more photographs, but this time of the parade itself, Celestine’s arrangements taking pride of place on one of the floats. ‘That’s so cool. I hardly remember all this, you know. I only have vague memories of it all being mad and loud and quite exciting, but I can hardly remember details. I know I was always envious of the girls who sat on the floats and in the cars waving at everyone. I wonder what my ten-year-old self would say now, knowing I’m finally going to get to do it.’
‘I’m sure she’d be talking ten to the dozen,’ Celestine said. ‘I’m sure I have some photos of those old parades in another album. There must be some with you in them. Perhaps I can find them…’
‘I’ll go,’ Bella said. ‘You’re supposed to be resting that ankle. Are they in the dresser where this one was?’
‘Yes, they should all be in there. You might have to hunt through them. In fact, you might as well bring them all; it’ll be easier than going back and forth until I’ve found the right one. One day I’ll label them properly. I’m sure I’ve been saying that for longer than I care to remember, but still.’
Bella got up and went to the dresser, gathering up all the old albums, recalling the evening when she’d snuck a look as Celestine slept. At least this time it was all above board. Perhaps Celestine would talk her through some of the others after they’d looked at the old parade photos. They were heavier than they looked, and by the time she’d got back to the kitchen with them, she was about ready to drop the whole lot. They fell to the table with a heavy thud as she let go.
‘Oh, they’re all dusty.’ Celestine tutted to herself. ‘Fetch a duster from the cupboard under the sink, would you? We’ll be sneezing all night otherwise.’
