Chapter 23

23

‘Thank you for last night, but now the storm's over, I'll be fine back in my car.' Megan looked out of the kitchen at Wagging Tails. Both she and Jay had arrived early and no one else was to be seen.

‘No, you can't do that.' Jay ran his fingers through his hair. ‘Have the spare room again.'

‘Thanks, but no. Putting me up last night was amazing of you, but you have your daughter tonight and there's no chance I'm going to intrude on your time with her.'

As the kettle boiled, Megan spooned coffee into two mugs. She felt a million dollars after having a shower and a good night's rest. She smiled as she caught sight of Flora and Percy chatting by the gate to the bottom paddock. She watched as Flora let Cindy loose into the paddock before leaning against the fence next to Percy.

Megan groaned. She hadn't told Percy what Flora had said when she spoke to her about dating again. She'd been so wrapped up in Lyle's games and trying to survive the nights in the car that she'd clean forgotten to report back to him.

‘Have you forgotten something?'

Glancing over her shoulder, Megan smiled at Jay. ‘Just something I was meant to tell Percy. I'll speak to him today.'

‘You're going to tell him and Flora about Lyle having blocked your cards?'

‘No, not that. Something else entirely.' She shook her head. ‘Like I said, I'll be fine back in my car.'

‘And what about the small matter of food? You're going to carry on filling up on biscuits from here?' Jay indicated a plate of Bourbons sitting in the middle of the table.

Megan turned back to the kettle, filling the mugs with boiling water. ‘I don't want to tell Flora. I don't want to tell anyone. Heck, I didn't even want you to find out.'

If she was being honest, Jay was the last person she'd have wanted to know about her situation. She felt the warmth of embarrassment mixed with shame sweep across her.

‘I know you didn't. But I'm glad you told me, and Flora will be too.'

‘I didn't tell you. You guessed and came looking for me.' Megan placed a mug in front of Jay before slipping into the chair opposite him. He'd admitted it last night, eventually.

‘Yes, well. I'm glad I did. Anything could have happened to you in that storm. Anything could happen to you any night, sleeping in a lay-by.' He locked eyes with her.

‘No, it won't. This is West Par, not Las Vegas or somewhere.' She laughed, trying to make light of the conversation.

Jay lowered his mug. ‘Megan, please? Tell Flora. Someone will have a spare room you can stay in. Besides, she might even give you a job here.'

‘There's no way I'd accept a job here, I'm a volunteer.' Her whole trip down to Cornwall would be rendered pointless if she were to be given a job at Wagging Tails. She was here to make up in some small way for what Lyle had done and the only way she could do that was by volunteering.

‘Okay, well, she might know someone who would give you a job then.'

‘Please, drop it.' Megan spoke quietly. She knew he was right. She knew she should ask for help. But she couldn't. That wasn't who she was, who she wanted to be.

Sighing, Jay shook his head. ‘Then you can sleep at mine again tonight.'

‘We've already been through this. You've got your daughter tonight.'

Jay shrugged. ‘I'll think of something to tell her.'

‘No.' Megan sat a little straighter. ‘And I mean that. I'm not imposing.'

‘You—'

Jay stopped as the kitchen door swung open and Cindy bounded in, followed shortly by Flora and then Percy.

‘Hello, you.' Megan fussed over Cindy, grateful for the excuse to drop the conversation.

When Flora sat down at the table, she looked from Megan to Jay and back again. ‘Are we interrupting something?'

‘Nope.' Megan spoke quietly, but firmly.

‘Are you sure?' Percy asked. ‘Not being rude, but it feels as though I could cut the atmosphere in here with a knife.' He picked up a teaspoon from the counter before flicking he kettle on.

Jay cleared his throat. ‘So, we have the new kennels being constructed today, then?'

Percy smiled. ‘We certainly do.'

‘Great. How's the concrete holding up?' Jay asked as he finished the last of his coffee.

‘Come and take a look if you like? I can grab a coffee after.'

‘Okay, sounds good.' Jay stood up.

‘Are you coming, Megan?' Percy asked. ‘You put a lot of work into it too.'

Megan nodded, pushing her chair back and standing up.

‘Megan, hold on a moment, would you?' Flora held her hand up and indicated the chair Megan had just vacated. ‘Take a seat a moment, lovely.'

Sitting back down, Megan automatically wrapped her hands around her empty mug. ‘Is everything all right?'

‘I couldn't help but overhear a little of the conversation you were having with Jay. I'm sorry, I promise I wasn't eavesdropping, and I wouldn't usually butt into a conversation I wasn't privy to, but I heard Jay saying that you could sleep at his again tonight. Are you having problems finding another bed and breakfast?'

Megan looked down into her mug. There was a faint tide line around the edge of the ceramic indicating where her coffee had been filled up to.

‘I can imagine it's a little tricky finding somewhere at the last minute.' Flora looked across at her. ‘Especially with it being the summer holidays.'

Megan nodded. What was she supposed to say?

‘I have a friend who works at a bed and breakfast just outside Trestow. I could have a word with her and see if they have any rooms available?'

Megan bit down on her lip.

‘Or is there something else going on? Is there another reason you left Honeysuckle Bed and Breakfast?' Leaning forward, Flora briefly touched the back of Megan's hand.

She didn't have a choice, did she? She couldn't lie. Flora would only find out one way or another, and then what would she think of her? Besides, things weren't going to change anytime soon. Lyle wasn't going to suddenly backtrack and give her what she deserved, and she was pretty certain there wasn't a queue of prospective employers ready to offer her a job. All she had was the truth.

‘Lyle has cut me off from any money.'

Flora leaned back in her chair, visibly shocked.

Megan steadied her voice. ‘I have nothing.'

‘Oh, lovely.'

‘It's fine though,' Megan continued, despite her voice cracking. ‘I'm looking for jobs and as soon as I get one, I'll be able to find somewhere to live. And I have my car in the meantime.'

‘Please don't tell me you've been sleeping in your car?'

Megan shrugged. ‘I didn't last night. Jay somehow guessed what I was doing and insisted I stay over at his.'

‘That horrible, horrible man.' Flora pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. ‘Lyle, of course, not Jay. He's one of the good ones. Why on earth didn't you say anything? Why didn't you ask for help?'

Megan could feel the sting of tears behind her eyes. ‘I… I don't want to be a burden to anyone. I should be able to do this myself. I should be able to cope by myself, provide for myself. Everyone else does.'

‘Everyone else doesn't have a Lyle in the background pulling the strings, do they?' Flora patted Megan's hand. ‘Everyone needs help at some point.'

‘No, they don't. Look at Jay. He's coping after his divorce. Ginny had a bad experience with her ex and she's just fine.' Megan wiped her eyes, pressing against her eyelids, willing the tears to stop.

‘Jay's ex-wife moved out, leaving him to live in the marital home, I believe. And Ginny. Well, has she told you how she got this job? She rang me from Trestow train station after she'd left her ex, Jason. She saw a poster I'd popped up asking for volunteers and arrived here with only the clothes on her back. I gave her a room and eventually a job.'

‘Really? You did?'

‘I did.' Flora shook her head. ‘So, you see, everyone needs a little bit of support every so often. And I'll tell you what we're going to do, you're going to come and stay over at the cottage with Poppy and me and I'll see if I can give you a little for all the work you're doing with the books.'

Megan held up her hands. ‘No, I'm not taking any money from the charity.'

‘You wouldn't be taking money, lovely. You'd be working for it, and besides, it'll be out of my own money, not the charity's.'

‘Definitely not.' Megan shook her head. ‘Thank you, but I really won't be taking any money from you.' She had to learn how to stand on her own two feet. And she most definitely would not be taking any handouts.

Flora nodded slowly. ‘Okay, well, in that case, you come and stay, and we'll pop some cards up in the local shops, see if anywhere has any job vacancies. I know it's unlikely in West Par but one of the village residents might just be able to pass your name on to their boss in Trestow or wherever they work and let you know about any upcoming work.'

‘I don't know.' Megan turned her cold mug on the tabletop so the picture was facing her; a yellow teddy, the huge smile cracked from being washed so often.

‘I'll help you search for jobs online, too. You'll be earning in no time.' Flora raised her eyebrows at her. ‘And I won't take no for an answer to you staying at the cottage. No one from my team sleeps in a car.'

Megan sighed. ‘Are you sure?'

‘As sure as I know that we could both do with another cuppa.' Standing up, Flora picked up her and Megan's mugs and turned to the kettle. ‘Everything passes and this will too.'

Megan looked down at her hands. Would it? The future looked pretty bleak from where she was sitting, and it could get worse if Lyle wanted it to. She wasn't quite sure what he was capable of.

With her tote bag hanging from her shoulder, Megan gripped her other bags in her hand and rang the doorbell to Flora's cottage. She smiled as she heard the scurrying and excited barking from the other side of the door. She could tell which bark was Cindy's and which must be Dougal's, Poppy's little dog.

As soon as the front door opened, Cindy bolted out, standing on her hind legs and leaning her front paws on Megan's stomach while little Dougal circled her legs, reminding her of an old friend's cat.

‘Hi, come on in, welcome to the madhouse.' Poppy grinned. ‘Aunt Flora's just burning dinner.'

Just on cue, the fire alarm sounded from the back of the cottage and Poppy grimaced.

Megan laughed and stepped inside. ‘Are you sure you don't mind me invading your space?'

‘Of course not! The more the merrier.' Poppy held out her hands for some of Megan's bags. ‘I'll take those. I'll show you to your bedroom in a bit, but first, we'd best check Aunt Flora isn't actually burning down the house.'

Megan copied Poppy in piling her bags at the foot of the stairs before following her through the living room to the kitchen at the back of the cottage. Sure enough, Flora was in there, wafting a tea towel towards the alarm on the ceiling. Eventually, the piercing beep-beep of the alarm slowed and stopped.

‘Sorry about that, lovelies.' Flora now waved the tea towel in the air, dispersing the smoke. ‘I hope you're not a fussy eater, Megan.'

‘Nope, I'll eat anything.' Megan smiled and looked across to the oven where two pizzas and a garlic baguette stood lightly singed.

‘I wouldn't say that if I were you,' Poppy stage-whispered, holding her hand in front of her mouth.

‘Oi.' Flora flung the tea towel at Poppy, who caught it deftly and glanced at the pizzas. ‘Takeout it is then.'

‘Now you're talking.' Poppy laughed.

‘Why don't you show Megan her room whilst I order?' Flora said, taking the tea towel back from Poppy.

‘Okay.' Poppy nodded and turned towards the door again. ‘This way.'

‘Thanks.'

As Poppy led Megan back through to the hallway again, Cindy followed, almost leaning her long body against Megan's legs with every step, as if glued to her side.

‘She sure does like you, doesn't she?' Poppy laughed as they gathered Megan's bags and headed up the stairs.

‘Aw, she's such a sweetheart. I know she has her problems, but she more than makes up for them with her lovely nature. She's such a gentle character.'

‘She sure is. Dougal loves her. He waits on the doormat for Flora to bring her over. I don't know what he'll do when she's rehomed.' Poppy shook her head and opened a door on the landing. ‘Here's your room.'

‘Great. Thank you.' Stepping inside, Megan lowered her bags onto the floor and looked around. Three walls of the room were painted a pale yellow, the fourth, behind the pine headboard was wallpapered, large sunflowers the size of dinner plates emblazoned across a deep royal blue background. ‘It's lovely.'

‘I'll leave you to settle in. Come on down when you're ready.' Poppy smiled as she lowered the bags she was holding. ‘Come on, Cindy. Let's give Megan a bit of peace and quiet.'

Instead of following her, Cindy sat next to the bed, her eyes fixed on Megan.

‘Don't worry,' Megan said, as Poppy tapped her leg, to encourage the dog to come with her. ‘She's okay.'

Poppy nodded and closed the door whilst Cindy jumped onto a pale blue crocheted blanket which was draped across the duvet.

‘Well, you've certainly made yourself at home here, haven't you, Cindy?'

Megan looked down at her bags heaped by the doorway. She should probably unpack, but she was drained. Not tired – she'd had the best night's sleep in a long time at Jay's last night – but she was most definitely emotionally drained. She perched on the bed next to Cindy before lying back and staring at the ceiling. How could she ever thank Flora for taking her in? And Poppy for making her feel so welcome?