‘I thought I’d walk you home.’ A voice with an accent as thick as homemade soup sounded loudly on the still air.
Oh thank God for that. Her heart restarted. ‘Rhodri! You frightened me!’
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to,’ he said, taking a step toward her. ‘The film’s not long come out, and I was walking right past.’
‘Oh well, thanks. Good movie?’
‘Not as good as the original but then they never are. The popcorn was good though, extra butter.’
‘Yum.’
‘How was your night?’
Isabel told Rhodri about Brenda’s bunions and had him laughing over her depiction of her hobbling around ringing her bell for last orders. ‘I found a natural remedy on Google that might help her poor feet although I should have let her suffer like she’s going to make me suffer.’ She sighed heavily as she thought of Brenda’s karaoke plan.
Rhodri glanced at her. ‘That sounded like the weight of the world is on your shoulders. What’s up?’
She told him in glum tones what Brenda expected of her as they rounded the street corner and Pier View House came into view. The Esplanade echoed of another era the street lights sluicing through the wet mist. She could hear the gentle shushing of the waves as they lapped beneath the Pier. Somewhere tucked away in the buildings behind them the thudding beat of a late license venue along with sporadic shouts of revelry broke the night. Rhodri, was silent for a step or two and then turned to Isabel and said, ‘Would it help if I got up on stage with you. We could do a duet?’ Isabel looked at Rhodri, her eyes wide in the dark. At that moment in time, she could have kissed him.
Chapter 29
It was Saturday morning, and the town of Ryde was bustling as Isabel made her way up Union Street to The Natural Way. This morning, she planned on being a Good Samaritan. Delwyn was in deep conversation with a customer she saw upon pushing the door open, and so she took the opportunity to browse the Aladdin’s cave. There were so many weird and wonderful packets and jars, lotions and potions. She’d love to know what their different purposes were but for now, she was on the hunt for some apple cider vinegar. Molly would have made her own she guessed as her eyes settled on a bottle of the organic vinegar she was after. It was locally brewed with apples grown on the island, and picking it up she read the label. Delwyn, came over to say hi leaving her customer to weigh up the anti-inflammatory benefits of turmeric.
‘Apple cider vinegar’s brilliant stuff. It helps with all sorts of things from diabetes, weight loss through to sinus congestion. It’s nature’s tonic.’
‘Really? I’m getting it for gout.’
‘Gout? Well, that’s one ailment I haven’t heard of it being used for.’ She looked at Isabel in surprise her eyes dropping down to her legs, which were hidden beneath denim.
‘Not for me, thank goodness that on top of eczema would not be a good look. No, it’s for one of the resident’s at Sea Vistas. That and some cherry juice, if you have it?’
‘We do. It’s even on offer this week.’
Delwyn retrieved a bottle and handed it to her. ‘Well, I have to say. I’m learning all sorts from you, Isabel. I ought to put you on the payroll. Did Constance suggest it?’ Delwyn looked at her curiously, head cocked to one side making her look like an inquisitive pretty little Robin redbreast.
‘Yes, her neighbour is driving her potty by giving her daily updates on his gout and Constance reckons this will fix him. Oh, and she told me to tell you she will be in all day tomorrow. It might pay to take her in a packet of Maltesers; she loves them.’ She turned the bottle over, and her eyes doubled in size, and she tried not to balk as she spied the price stuck firmly to the back.
‘Great, I’ll definitely call on her, and yes, it’s a bit pricey I know, but it’s the real deal and one hundred percent organic. You can take about two pounds off that price too,’ Delwyn offered up.
It was still an eye-watering price for squeezed cherries, two pounds off or not, Isabel silently huffed. Constance had better bloody well enjoy her egg tomorrow or gout would be the least of the old boy’s problems. Today’s haul was going to set her back to what amounted close enough to a night’s wages. It was an expensive business helping others, she thought, as Delwyn rang her purchases up and gave her the total. In for a penny in for a pound, she thought spying the bags of Irish moss in a basket beside the till. ‘I’ll take one of those too, thanks, Delwyn and don’t forget to call in and say hi at the Rum Den one night soon.’
͠
Isabel had arranged to meet Don in the same spot where they’d first encountered each other. He was on time and greeted her jovially before sitting down next to her on the bench seat where she’d been waiting. She felt like a spy meeting with her foreign contact, as she handed him the bag. He was peering inside it now exclaiming with the same enthusiasm she imagined a small child might ripping open a lucky dip. It might have cost her most of her pay, but it was worth every penny, she concluded watching his face light up.
Riley who had flopped at his master’s feet was feeding off his excitement by emitting little woofs; his tail thumped against the pavement with the rhythm of windscreen wipers in heavy rain. Isabel leaned over and patted him. ‘Hello boy.’ She shivered a little as Don retrieved his glasses out
