Chapter Nine

B rushing her hair, Debbie looked at her reflection in the mirror in her bedroom at Elsie's. She looked different. Happier than she had this morning. The permanent frown that she'd sported for as long as she could remember had all but disappeared, and she felt as though a million worries had been lifted. Seeing her nan this morning, talking to her and knowing she forgave her and didn't blame her for them drifting apart meant so much to her.

‘Hey, Debbie, are you ready?' Wendy appeared at the door, her son, Hudson, jumping up and down beside her as he ran a toy car up and down her side.

‘Hi, sorry.' Putting the hairbrush down, she picked up her bag. ‘Yes, I'm ready.'

‘Great. Daisy and Ollie can't make it tonight, so Nana Elsie and Grampie Ian are going to thoroughly spoil this little one, aren't they, Huddy?'

‘Play cars with Grampie.' Hudson ran towards the living room, his exit shortly followed by an almighty crash.

‘I think he's just emptied the tub of toy cars.' Wendy grimaced.

‘Haha, at least you know he'll be occupied.'

‘Oh yes. He loves his sleepovers here.' Wendy grinned as Debbie joined her on the landing. ‘You look lovely. Your top is gorgeous.'

‘Aw, thanks.' Debbie pulled at the hem of her floral long-sleeved top. ‘You look great too.'

‘Thanks.' Grinning, Wendy led the way towards the living door before pausing and calling inside. ‘We're off now. Good luck with him. He had a quick nap after I got back from work this evening. Sorry.'

‘No worries, love.' Elsie chuckled as she drew Wendy in for a hug. ‘I'm sure Ian will soon wear him out and then I'll make him a hot choccie before bed.'

‘Thanks.'

Elsie turned to Debbie and hugged her. ‘You enjoy yourself tonight, love. And I'm pleased everything went well for you today.'

‘Thanks, me too.' After hugging her back, Debbie and Wendy made their way downstairs and through the bakery. ‘Your partner's not coming tonight?'

‘No, not tonight. Diane and Ollie have some big event happening at the restaurant, so Connor's working an extra shift. It's a private function, a birthday party I think, or else they'd have closed up before the pub quiz begins.'

‘Oh, that's a shame.'

‘Yes, but there's always next week.' Wendy pulled open the bakery door, letting a cool breeze fill the bakery.

‘Thanks.' Stepping outside as Wendy held the door open, Debbie waited until she'd locked it before they began making their way towards the pub.

‘Elsie mentioned you'd been to the bay before?'

‘Yes, my nan lives here so I used to visit a lot as a kid.' Debbie nodded.

‘Do you know Carrie and Daniel then? They didn't make Elsie's bakery family dinner the day you arrived, but they'll be at the pub quiz. They both live down the little lane off the street opposite the pub. Do you know it?'

Debbie frowned. Carrie and Daniel. She recognised the names. ‘That's where my nan lives, down the lane. I recognise the names, but I'm not sure.'

‘That'll be so cool if you do.' Wendy grinned. ‘It must be nice coming back to somewhere you know from your childhood. I'd like to take Hudson to Littlehampton one day and show him the funfair my parents used to take me to, the bumpy slide and the boating lake.'

‘Aw, that would be nice. I can imagine it must be lovely to show your kid places you used to visit.'

‘Yes. I remember we'd always go to this little gift shop, or keyring shop as I called it, as I was always allowed to buy a keyring, next to the promenade. Two older women used to run the shop, and they were both so lovely to the customers, chatting away and advising us where to visit next. I often wonder if they're still there.'

‘I love a good tradition. When I came to visit my nan, she'd always take me and my cousin to Elsie's and let us choose a cupcake. It's little things like that which we remember as adults, isn't it?'

‘It sure is. Do you remember much about your time here?'

Debbie nodded and looked up as the pub came into view. ‘I actually ran into Richie from the pub on my bike when I was thirteen.'

‘Ouch!'

‘Haha, yep. We both still bear the scars today.' She laughed and pointed to her cheek, indicating the jagged line of her scar. ‘It was so strange seeing him again after all this time.'

‘And a coincidence, I bet! He's only here to pub-sit for the regular landlord, Gerald.' Wendy grinned.

‘Yes. It sure is a small world.' Debbie pulled the pub door open, letting the music and chatter from inside seep out into the street.

‘Thanks.' Wendy walked through before waiting for her. ‘We're over there on the big table by the window and Teresa will have the drinks ready and waiting.'

Debbie nodded and followed her through the tables and groups of people towards the large table. As they walked past the bar, Debbie caught Richie's eye and held her hand up, grinning when he waved back at her. As they reached the table, Wendy indicated an empty chair for her. ‘Thanks.'

‘Cocktail?' Teresa held up a pitcher of green-blue liquid.

‘Ooh yes, please.' Sitting down, Debbie lowered her bag to the floor and looked around the table, answering greetings as people called across to her. She may only have met the majority of them once before, but they were welcoming her as though they'd known her for years.

‘Here you go.' Teresa passed across a glass.

‘Thanks.'

‘Here comes Carrie and Daniel now.' Sitting down next to her, Wendy pointed towards a couple making their way towards them.

Debbie tilted her head as she watched Carrie and Daniel. Yes, she did recognise them. Possibly. They certainly looked familiar, but it would have been years since she'd seen them.

‘Hey, Carrie, Daniel, come and sit here.' Wendy stood up, pushing her chair back so Carrie and Daniel could squeeze past her.

Standing up, too, Debbie waited until they'd both taken their seats before looking across at them.

‘Hi, you must be Elsie's new volunteer?' Carrie smiled at Debbie before frowning. ‘Oh, I think I know you from somewhere. Have you volunteered before?'

Daniel turned and looked at Debbie, too. ‘Yes, I think we must have met before. You enjoyed volunteering so much, you returned?'

Biting down on her bottom lip, Debbie then smiled. ‘This is the first time I've visited the bay in years, but I used to come as a child and visit my nan.'

‘Oh, I know who you are! At least I think I do. You're not Florrie's granddaughter, are you?' Carrie blinked. ‘I live right next door to her and did as a child, too. You say you used to visit? I think we used to play together!'

Debbie nodded. She remembered there being a girl who lived next door to her nan. She'd left, though. Something had happened to her mum, she was sure of it, and the girl had gone to live somewhere else. Was that Carrie? ‘Yes, yes. I think I remember you.'

‘Wow, that's crazy! What a small world.'

‘That's what we were saying on the walk down here, wasn't it?' Wendy laughed.

‘You were?' Carrie took a glass as Teresa passed it to her. ‘Thanks, Teresa.'

‘Yes, Debbie knows Richie.'

‘Richie, as in Richie from here?' Carrie pointed her glass towards the bar.

‘Yes, she mowed him down with her bike.'

‘Haha, I did.' Debbie held her hands up, palms forward. ‘In my defence, though, it was an accident and completely unintentional.'

‘Aw. He seems a really good bloke, so I'm sure he's forgiven you.' Carrie grinned.

Debbie smiled as Richie's voice filled the bar and she looked across to him, where he was standing holding a microphone.

‘Evening all. I hope you are all excited for tonight's pub quiz.' Richie's voice was filled with confidence as the chatter subsided and all eyes turned to him.

A series of cheers and ‘yeses' filled the room.

‘Glad to hear it.' He picked up a couple of sheets of paper and held them aloft. ‘Dear Uncle Gerald has emailed me over tonight's questions, and answers thankfully, so without further ado we'll make a start, shall we?'

The room once again filled with cheers as answer sheets were pulled from the middle of tables and pens located.

‘Okay, question number one is for all you whisky drinkers out there... what does the Scottish Gaelic term, Uisge Beatha, translate to in English?'

A cumulative groan rang across the pub.

‘Hey, don't blame me, these are Uncle Gerald's questions, remember? Don't start throwing rotten tomatoes at the messenger.' Richie slapped his forehead with the papers.

Debbie laughed. He was a natural at this, at public speaking. He had everyone in the palm of his hand. She picked up her glass and took a slow sip. The humour of the young boy she'd cycled into was still there, but he'd grown into a man oozing with the quiet confidence of a person everyone loved. She traced the scar on her cheek, unsure of the feeling she felt stirring in the pit of her stomach, the same odd feeling she'd felt when he'd been so caring and kind to her yesterday. She could almost feel the strength of his arms around her again, the warmth from the hug he'd given her. She shook her head. He was probably like that with everyone. Of course, he was. It hadn't meant anything more than a friendly hug. Nothing more, so why did she have this tug of affection towards him? The tug of a connection she felt the need to pursue?

‘Do you know Debbie?' Teresa looked across at her, her voice barely above a whisper. ‘You live up in Scotland, don't you?'

Shaking herself from her thoughts, Debbie tried to remember what the question had been. ‘Sorry, what was the question again?'

‘What does Uisge Beatha mean in English?' Teresa repeated the question. ‘Although I've no idea if I pronounced that correctly or not.'

Debbie grinned. Thanks to Fraser and his love of whisky, she knew the answer. ‘It means the water of life.'

‘Really? Fab, thank you!' Teresa scribbled the answer down.