CHAPTER 13
Days flew past, mainly spent in a whirlwind of cleaning, painting and generally getting the shop as shipshape as possible. Rosa and Josh had also managed to walk Hot on a few different beautiful beaches and then, completely knackered, their nights had consisted of staying in with beers, wine, easy food and general chit-chat before going to their separate sleeping quarters and snoring until the seagulls broke their deep slumber.
Josh made sure that Rosa didn’t go anywhere near the Ship and remarkably, they hadn’t bumped into anyone all week to upset their peace.
Josh had measured the old damp blinds and they managed to find some ready-made ones in a big store in Ulchester that were a perfect fit. Rosa had chosen a duck-egg blue for the front door. Josh advised that she should wait until the weather was better before she considered any outside painting.
By New Year’s Eve Rosa felt that she was ready to start putting stock on the shelves, but the big question was – what?
On the morning of that day, a bleary-eyed Josh walked into the kitchen to find her making scrambled eggs.
‘Want some?’
‘Yes, lovely. I’ll have breakfast and better get going, I suppose.’ But he didn’t sound enthusiastic at the prospect.
Rosa looked down-hearted.
‘It’s the rugby club New Year bash, you know I can’t miss that. Plus, I did promise to pop in and see my Great-Auntie Deirdre.’
‘I know you have to go. But it’s been so lovely having you here and I really appreciate just how much you’ve helped me.’ Rosa stirred the eggs to hide her sadness.
‘So, you’re sorted with all the paperwork I went through with you now?’
‘Yes.’ Rosa turned and made a face.
‘Don’t be like that. Insurance is important and for goodness sake get down the bank today and open a new account. You can set up direct debits for gas, et cetera.’
‘I will.’
‘You’re like a petulant child sometimes, you know that?’ Josh said sternly.
‘And?’
‘Same old Rosa, but I wouldn’t change you for the world.’ He gently smacked her bum. Then: ‘So, that Luke was just down here for Christmas, was he?’
‘Er . . . yes. Although if his girlfriend’s still in hospital, he might stay down here, I suppose. The Gazette is out today – I’m sure it will tell us everything we need to know. Why do you ask?’
‘Oh, just wondered.’
‘Look Josh, it’s fine. I will be fine. Maybe I was being over-sensitive. The more people who know the shop is open, the better really. I need as much custom as I can get.’
They took their breakfast through to the lounge and sat with it on their laps.
‘Bugger. We should have got you a TV,’ Josh said. ‘We didn’t notice, did we, as we were too tired to care in the evenings.’
‘Doesn’t bother me,’ Rosa said. ‘Not having one will make me concentrate on this place, and when I’m ready I can look at the ads in the newsagent’s window; someone might be selling one. Seems that’s the most direct place of barter around here, anyway.’
Hot came running in from the balcony, shivering from the intense cold.
‘Poor little sausage, come here.’ Josh put his plate down and swept the dog into his arms. ‘Now make sure you look after your mummy, you are man of the house now. Aw, I shall miss him.’
‘And me too obviously.’
‘That goes without saying, you crazy cat.’
Rosa suddenly stood up. ‘That’s it! I know what I can start with.’
‘Go on.’ Josh continued to play with Hot.
‘Pets! What have I seen the most of since I’ve been here? Dogs! The Cockleberry Coven have a cat. There were two pub cats. It’s genius.’
‘Oh Rosa, you can’t sell animals,’ Josh tutted. ‘You probably have to have a special licence.’
‘Not the animals, silly, but everything connected with them. Coats for when it’s cold, discounted food, toys, flea spray. The list is endless. Don’t they say that sex, food and animals sell?’
‘Er . . . I think it’s just sex and food.’
‘Well, it’s going to be pets too now.’ Rosa mused, ‘When I was in the Co-op, I noticed how limited the dog-food range was - and how expensive. The buses are not very frequent to Ulchester, where the big supermarkets with the cheap prices are, and so I think there could be a market for more choice locally and at a better price. Plus, when tourists come down with dogs, I can maybe do some doggy knick-knacks too. And nice bowls - yes, every dog lover loves a nice bowl. And how about designer doggy stuff too?’ Her eyes had gone all sparkly with inspiration.
‘OK, it could be a start. I saw a cash and carry in Ulchester - do you want to pick up some food before I go?’
‘No, no. I can do this. Let me work out how much spare money I have, then I can get it delivered.’
‘Do you need some extra cash, Rosa?’
‘No. I must do this myself, using the money that was left to me. I can start small and build on it. Now, come on – think. What else would be a cheap outlay to get me started?’
‘Postcards and greetings cards maybe?’ Josh suggested.
‘Not postcards, too many shops are selling them down this street. But maybe gifts? I love trinket-like things and they will be great for the kids.’
‘Good idea.’ Josh grinned. ‘Whilst Mummy and Daddy look at stuff for their fur babies, their own babies are kept quiet.’
‘Exactly! I have to trial and error these things though, Josh. I’m so excited now!’
Josh smiled at Rosa’s enthusiasm. ‘Next time I come down, the Corner Shop will be like a mini hyper-market.’
‘Let’s hope so, eh. Oh my God!’
‘What?’
Rosa scurried off, then reappeared a moment later, carrying something.
‘Here, look. I forgot all about it. The mention of extra cash reminded me.’
Josh unwrapped the toilet paper from around the object she had handed him.
‘Wow, Rosa, that’s beautiful. And with the size of that sapphire, I should imagine it’s worth quite a bit too.’
‘That’s what I thought. Look at the engraving.’
‘Aw, that’s so sweet.’
‘I found it down the back of the sofa.’
‘I told you,’ Josh said triumphantly. ‘You just never know what you might find.’
‘I see nothing wrong in selling it, do you?’ Rosa asked. ‘Finders, keepers and all that. It will be just the kick-start I need.’
‘Don’t do anything rash though, Rosa. I’d get it valued properly first.’
‘Yeah, I will.’ She wrapped it back up in the toilet roll, then cried: ‘Oh, I don’t want you to go yet!’
‘OK. I’ll do you a deal. How about we take Hot for a walk and then have lunch in the Lobster Pot. You need to check it out in there and it will be easier if I’m with you.’
‘Cool. Let me go and get ready.’
The Lobster Pot was quiet with the calm before the New Year’s Eve storm. A poster inside announced that there was to be a fancy-dress party that night: two free glasses of fizz and a buffet, with £10 as the entry ticket price.
‘That would be at least fifty quid in London,’ Josh noted between mouthfuls of his fish and chips.
‘I know. It’s so much cheaper down here. This food is bloody lovely too. Do you reckon they own this place then?’ Rosa pointed to the couple of men behind the bar with her fork.
‘Maybe. They were both really friendly, weren’t they, and their voices didn’t sound as if they’re from these parts.’
The interior of the Lobster Pot was more gastro-pub than Devon local. Beautifully handwritten blackboards announced the local fayre and there was a big display of fresh flowers on the end of the bar.
They finished their lunch and Josh drained his pint of lager.
‘Right. I’d better go, Rosalar. I’ve got a long drive ahead of me, so no more booze for me.’
But Rosa, feeling a bit tipsy from a large glass of Merlot, wasn’t ready for the party to finish. ‘Go on, Josh, just one for the road,’ she wheedled.
‘If I have one more, I shall have to stay.’
Rosa stuck her bottom lip out and faux-fluttered her eyelashes at him. ‘Pretty please.’
He immediately gave in. ‘Oh, go on then . . .’
By five o’ clock, Rosa and Josh were not only a bottle of wine and three pints down respectively, they had sat at the bar and learned that the managers of the Lobster Pot were Jacob and Raffaele, a married couple who had sold up in London to make a life down in the south-west.
The two men had been able to afford a beautiful cliff-top home in Polhampton Sands, where they spent their time off. Jacob, who had a camp taste in humour, ran the bar, while husband Raffaele was the chef. Jacob’s sister Alyson worked behind the bar; she ran the place when they took time out. Her boyfriend Brad helped Raffaele in the kitchen.
‘I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you lovely people to leave now,’ Jacob said. He was cleaning down the bar. ‘We need to get everything ready for later, plus I’ve got to put my glad rags on.’ He dramatically pushed back his brown fringe. ‘One has to be the Belle of the Balls obviously.’
Rosa loved him already. ‘Who are you coming as?’
He spun around. ‘Looking at this arse, I know you’re probably thinking Kylie in her gold hot pants. But me and my hubby have decided on Betty Turpin and Bet Lynch. The best hotpot-maker and landlady in history.’
Rosa looked perplexed and Josh laughed out loud as Jacob explained, ‘From Coronation Street, darling, characters before your time probably. Right, off you go. Happy New Year, unless of course you are coming back later. And goodbye, little one.’ He waved down at Hot, who had been remarkably quiet, sleeping under Rosa’s barstool.
As they were putting on their coats, a young good-looking guy appeared in chef’s whites. He must have been twenty years Jacob’s junior. Jacob introduced them.
‘Meet Rosa, a newbie in the village - owns the Corner Shop no less - and this is Josh, her friend.’ He lingered on the last word.
Raffaele shook their hands. ‘Hi, pleased to meet you both, but I’ve got to dash - sorry. I’ve run out of gherkins.’
‘Not like you to fall short of a gherkin, dear,’ Jacob called after him as he opened the door for Josh and Rosa. ‘Time to go, people. Happy New Year.’
‘I don’t think this is a good idea, Rosa.’
‘Look, I’ll have to face them sometime.’
‘But you’re drunk,’ Josh said nervously, ‘and you know how you get when you’re drunk.’
‘I’ve stopped you going home to your rugby club New Year’s Eve bash, so there’s no way we can consider just sitting in the flat with not even a TV to watch Jools Holland’s Hootenanny on.’
‘Well, we could go back to the Lobster Pot - I think it would be a laugh there. We’d get to see the guys in drag.’
Josh half-wished he had left when he wanted to earlier, but Rosa always had a way of cleverly manipulating him. They had got back from lunch, fed Hot and then downed two JD and Cokes - and now here they were, marching down the front to the Ship.
The live music was already blaring when they arrived, and the bar was packed with old and young alike.
Seb was propping up the bar and he smiled lasciviously when he saw her. ‘Ravishing Rosa. I’ve missed you.’
She felt slightly sick. ‘Hi Seb, this is my friend Josh. Josh, this is the guy who kindly gave me a lift from the station.’
‘Ah. I understand now.’ Seb nodded and winked. Rosa cringed inwardly.
‘Understand what?’ Josh mouthed, moving them away.
‘The reason I turned him down the other night.’
‘Oh. You hate beards - is that why?’
‘No, I hate dickheads, that’s why.’
‘Singles now, I reckon, Rosa.’
‘Josh, don’t be bloody ridiculous, it’s New Year’s Eve.’
‘Mustang Sally . . . Ride, Rosa, ride.’ Lucas appeared and began to sing loudly into Rosa’s ear. Just then, the band decided to stop - leaving Rosa to shout her drunk reply for all to hear.
‘Well, oh well. Here he is, the man whose mouth is obviously bigger than his dick.’
People around sniggered. Sheila walked down to the end of the bar and addressed her.
‘Don’t be like that, Rosa. It’s just our way down here - when a stranger arrives.’
Josh took her arm. ‘Come on, let’s get out of here.’
‘No, Josh, I have something to say.’
At that moment, a girl appeared by her side, hobbling on crutches. She must have been around Rosa’s age, immaculately dressed with a perfect shiny brown bob, a tiny pointed nose and a thin top lip. Rosa didn’t trust people with a thin top lip.
‘Hi, I’m Jas, Lucas’s other half. So, you’re the reason he was late picking me up the other night. He told me how full-on you were when he did your plumbing. Pleased with yourself, are you?’ She pointed to her plastered leg with one of her crutches.
Lucas was already hot-footing his way to the gents.
‘Full-on? Full-on! How dare you? He didn’t even mention he had a girlfriend and I
wonder if he told you that his mother had sent him round just to find out exactly what I was up to with my new shop. I hope you realise what sort of family you are getting yourself into.’ Rosa was just about to kick one of Jas’s crutches away, when Josh lifted her under one arm and negotiated his way out of the pub with her.
He gently put her down by the rocks at the start of the beach. ‘That went well then.’
‘Why do you always have to be my knight in bloody shining armour, Josh. I can sort things on my own. I don’t need you.’ She screamed and stamped her foot like a child.
Josh remained calm. ‘But sometimes you just need to turn the dial down. It wasn’t the right time to take that lot on. You could have sorted it out another day - when you were sober.’
‘Sober, shober. I didn’t try it on with her bloody boyfriend. I flirted a bit but that was all - and who are you to tell me to turn the dial down? You sound like another bloody social worker.’
‘Maybe she’s just testing you. A bloke wouldn’t tell his girlfriend that another girl was full-on - too much information. To be fair though, if he was late because he was with you and the poor cow got run over, well . . .’
‘Well - what? He didn’t mention he was late. In fact, he didn’t mention her at all. Anyway, shut up, Josh. Mr bloody Sensible. I wish I’d come here on my own now.’
Josh bit his lip. He knew that when Rosa was like this, there was no reasoning with her.
‘Are you coming back to the shop with me?’ he asked.
Rosa’s back was now to him as she looked out to sea.
‘No, I’m not. It’s only eleven ‘o’ clock on New Year’s Eve. Boring bastard.’
Josh walked slowly up to the flat, giving her the chance to follow if she wanted, but there was no stopping her when she was in this sort of mood. He was worried about what she might do, but there was only so much he could take - and short of carrying her the whole way home, what else could he do? She was an adult. But a troubled, misguided adult, and when drunk all her childhood insecurities rose to the top and sprayed out like an out-of-control firework.
He went in, let Hot out for a pee and sat on the roof terrace. The sound of the music carried in the still air and he could hear all sorts of singing and shouting. He was tempted to go up to the Lobster Pot and see the New Year in there, but then thought better of it. He called Rosa’s phone; its familiar ringtone rang out from where she’d forgotten it in the lounge.
At ten to midnight, Josh couldn’t bear to think what sort of trouble she was getting herself into and headed back down to the beach. Rosa was no longer on the rock, sitting where he’d left her. He pushed the pub door open and the next thing he knew, he was being forced back outside with Titch’s lips pressed full on to his.
‘Nooo!’ At that very moment, Rosa rushed past them both. ‘Not her!’
Josh broke free from the man-eater’s grasp and started running after Rosa.
‘It wasn’t what you thought!’ he called out breathlessly.
‘It never bloody is with men, is it, Josh?’
‘And why do you care anyway? You talked to me like a piece of shit earlier.’
Rosa continued to march ahead up the hill. She turned and said nastily, ‘Don’t think I care, Josh. It’s just I can’t bear them having something else to talk about.’
‘She just grabbed me, Rosa, I swear.’
‘Like I said, I don’t care.’
Josh caught up with her and swung her around.
‘Maybe this will make you.’ He held her tightly, so she had no chance to push him away, and kissed her passionately on the lips. He could feel her body melt into his, but the might of her mind enabled her to yank herself free.
Her voice was cracking. ‘Like I said, Josh, I really don’t care.’