The Village Shop for Lonely Hearts

by Alison Sherlock

  ‘I hope you left some berries for the birds,’ called out Frank as he headed past with a wave.

  ‘Of course,’ she told him. ‘Stanley’s just headed up there. Enjoy your day out.’

  ‘Will do,’ he replied. ‘Thank you!’

  It was certainly a beautiful day to be outside, she thought. She placed the holly onto the veranda and looked back at the view. Under the low winter sun, the grass was sparkling and silver from the early frost. The river had finally lost its muddy colour and was crystal clear once more as it ran slowly through the centre of the village.

  Did she miss the bright lights of Christmas in New York? Not especially, she found. She had realised that getting to know everyone personally was far nicer than the faceless neighbourhood in which she’d been living and working for so many years.

  A couple of neighbours waved as they walked down the other side of the river. People were out and about more these days than she had ever seen before. Life was beginning to return to the narrow lanes of Cranbridge. More people stopped and chatted to each other. Friendships were being formed. And hopefully just a little bit of the loneliness that had seeped into the village was now ebbing away as well.

  And if she needed bright lights, then the sheer amount of fairy lights that was placed around the village would almost certainly outshine Manhattan. Everything on Riverside Lane was all set for the Christmas fair that weekend.

  In the shop, everything was twinkling and festive as well. There was a decorated Christmas tree in each window, as well as a new wreath on the front door. A couple of small Christmas trees flanked the front door outside. Even the tractor had some holly and a couple of poinsettias on its seat. Christmas music played on the radio and the air was filled with the scent of oranges, cloves and cinnamon, thanks to some home-made pomades that she had made and placed along the mantelpiece above the fire.

  The shelves were looking ready for Christmas as well. Mince pies jostled for space next to Christmas cakes and decorated cookies. In the crates surrounding the tractor, seasonal vegetables were ready to be bought, alongside an order form for local turkeys reared on one of the nearby farms that could be collected on Christmas Eve.

  Amber caught her breath at the thought of not being in Cranbridge for Christmas. She took a deep breath and suppressed her tears. For now, she would just have to make do with the festive decorations.

  She had just finished putting the finishing touches to the holly along the tops of the shelves, entwined with fairy lights, when Josh came in through the door.

  ‘Wow,’ he said, stopping short as he stared around.

  ‘What do you think?’ she asked, as she came back down the small stepladder.

  ‘I think it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas,’ he told her, smiling.

  For a second their gazes locked and she held her breath. Then he turned away.

  Amber sighed, the misery eating away at her inside. The Christmas fair was only three days away. But that also meant that her flight to New Zealand was a mere four days away. She couldn’t believe that she was leaving so soon.

  Thankfully the Christmas fair was keeping her busy. The idea for the fair had gone down very well with all of the villagers and everyone was very excited about the upcoming weekend.

  ‘We’re up to twelve stalls already,’ Amber told Grandma Tilly, who was sitting on a chair next to the fire. She often came in for the company as she knitted. ‘And I’m going to wrap each of your blankets with a ribbon and place them in a large basket in the corner ready to be sold.’

  ‘I’ve been knitting as fast as I can,’ said Tilly, her fingers flying as she knitted the red wool bales in her lap. ‘Three blankets are done already.’

  ‘They’re so pretty,’ said Amber, looking down at the red Scandi design that Tilly had chosen. ‘I’m sure they’ll sell really quickly. The pub is going to serve drinks outside. There are a lot of food stalls as well. Then there’s a whole range of others, like Christmas wreaths and even home-made decorations.’

  ‘It’s going to be wonderful,’ said Grandma Tilly.

  Amber nodded in agreement.

  It would indeed be wonderful, if only her heart wasn’t breaking, she told herself.

  All the time, she was aware that the countdown was on. Time was running out.

  Cathy was flying home that weekend so at least Amber would get to see her one more time before she left. Apparently, Cathy had a big surprise for them both. Amber had no idea what it was, but it was wonderful to hear Cathy sounding so happy on the phone.

  Amber also thought that saying goodbye to Josh might perhaps be easier with Cathy around. Because it was going to be the hardest thing she had ever done.

  She swayed between cancelling the flight and staying, almost on a daily basis. She loved Josh. She knew that now. But he had never told her how he felt. Perhaps it wasn’t the same for him. Perhaps it never would be.

  But she hadn’t told him how she felt either. She wasn’t brave enough to face the fact that he might not feel the same way. Anyway, it was too late now.

  She looked up at the front door as yet another large group of visitors arrived. In fact, since Dodgy Del’s deliberate breakdown, there appeared to be a number of problems with quite a few of the local coach firms now. They were breaking down just by the shop on an almost daily basis.

  ‘It’ll cost us any profit in Willow Tree Hall cider if we’re going to have to pay off all the drivers,’ said Josh in a low voice to Amber as they watched yet another coach party make their way up the steps to the front door.

  ‘Won’t someone guess?’ asked Amber.

  ‘They haven’t so far,’ said Josh, before laughing. ‘Well, you’ve got to hand it to Del.’

  ‘Only if there’s beer in it,’ said Amber, turning back to her list for the Christmas fair.

  There was so much to think about. She had drawn up posters that were now in most people’s front windows and all along the front of the veranda. Tables and chairs were going to be borrowed from the back room of the pub. Gazebos and umbrellas were going to have to be begged, borrowed or stolen from anyone that had one. Amber was just praying that it would stay dry and that they wouldn’t need them. But rain wasn’t the main concern. It was actually the threat of snow, which might or might not appear.

  ‘I don’t see snow being a problem,’ Grandma Tilly had said at the time. ‘It’ll be far prettier than all that mud anyway.’

  Amber had privately agreed with her. She just hoped that it wouldn’t be so cold as to prevent anyone coming to the fair.

  Then there was the decoration. Her idea to wind fairy lights around the trees along the riverbank sounded great, but the reality of watching Josh, Tom and Del up a ladder had made her fear that they would end up in the water again.

  She smiled to herself whenever she thought about when she had first seen Josh all those weeks ago, dripping wet in the middle of the river. He had been so angry, so unhappy. And now? Well, the shop was slowly becoming more profitable. They had more customers than ever before. He was obviously pleased that the business had turned around. She was so pleased for him. The family deserved some happiness. She just wished she could be there to share it with them.

  At total odds with the pain in her heart, she had begun to feel confident in herself. For the first time that she could remember, she could face strangers with a smile. She trusted her abilities. She was finally living the full life that she had so longed for. She could face anything, except losing Josh. But it would have to be done.

  Once the Christmas fair was over, she would move on. It would be time to look forward to the future.

  It wasn’t just Josh she would miss, though. Molly and Belle had taken her out for a couple of drinks the previous night, where there had been much sniffling and tears. They had begun to be close over the past few weeks. Amber would miss her new friends terribly. And the other villagers too. Grandma Tilly, of course. Stanley and Frank were like the grandfathers she never knew she needed. Tom was funn
y. Even Mike and Angie in the pub and their many arguments had grown on her. The villagers of Cranbridge had stolen her heart. And though she knew their lives would carry on as before after she’d left, she just wasn’t sure where hers was going to take her without Josh.

  Despite feeling utterly miserable about Amber leaving, Josh was actually pretty positive about the business. The shop seemed to have turned a corner profit-wise, in large part thanks to the frequent coach parties that were now a daily occurrence. The Christmas fair organisation was going well and bringing in even more new suppliers. Even his mum had called to say that she was coming home with a surprise. She had been disappointed about the news that Amber was leaving but perhaps not as upset as he thought she would have been.

  They hadn’t dwelt on it too much in their phone call. He didn’t want to ruin the last few days of her holiday with her best friend. Anyway, she had some kind of exciting plans for the future now apparently. They didn’t involve him, she assured him.

  And so life would move on. He would have to move on. He just wasn’t convinced how he was going to do that.

  Keeping busy helped. Along with all the coachloads of customers arriving, there had been a surge in other visitors into the shop. Mainly thanks to Tom placing a large editorial about the importance of local business in his newspaper. Cranbridge Stores had featured heavily with regard to the community spirit they invoked during and after the storm.

  Amber had even shed a tear or two when she had read it. ‘Seasonal food,’ she’d read aloud. ‘No big corporations. Local people for local customers. All that and a tractor as well! Oh! This is so great, Tom,’ she had said, leaning over to give him a peck on the cheek. ‘I must go and show Grandma Tilly.’

  Once she had left, Tom had turned to look at Josh, who was frowning at him. ‘Relax,’ he’d said. ‘It’s just my magnetic personality with the ladies. Nothing more, I promise.’

  Josh knew deep down that he trusted Tom. He trusted Amber. He just didn’t like the idea of her kissing anyone who wasn’t him.

  Sometimes he regretted making that first move. He had kissed her and at the time it had felt like the right thing to do. The only thing that he had ever wanted to do. He ached inside for her, but their time together was about to come to an end. And he had no way of stopping her from leaving.

  44

  The day of the Christmas fair dawned bright and cold. A hard frost covered the ground and made the trees glisten and sparkle. The predicted snow had stayed away despite the somewhat overcast sky.

  As the low winter sun began to sink in the sky, Amber weaved her way through Riverside Lane. Normally so quiet, it was now bustling with people. Trestle tables were covered with piles of goodies to be bought.

  The first stall she could see was piled high with beautiful gift boxes of home-made chocolate. The next had decorated advent candles. She could also see festive Christmas wreaths made from holly and spruce, lots of decorated fruit cakes and pretty bottles of home-made gin.

  The stallholders were milling around, drinking their hot drinks and taking a peek at what everyone else was selling.

  Amber realised that she’d better head back to the shop to help Josh and began to weave her way through the hundreds of people packing out the lane. She had never seen it so busy. It was even more packed than she had imagined and the fair had only just begun. She would have loved to have done a little shopping herself, but she couldn’t even get near any of the stalls, such were the customers crowding around each one.

  ‘Hi,’ said Molly, appearing in front of her. ‘Wow! This is amazing!’

  ‘I know, it’s great,’ Amber told her. ‘It’s such a success.’

  ‘You will come for that farewell drink with me and Belle later,’ said Molly.

  ‘I promise,’ said Amber, reaching out to give her arm a squeeze. ‘I’ve got to get back to the shop. I’ll see you tonight.’

  Amber gave her a smile, despite her heartbreak at leaving the following day. And there were still so many goodbyes to be said, she reminded herself. One in particular that she was trying not to think about.

  As she drew near to Cranbridge Stores, she looked over the bridge to where Mike and Angie had set up a couple of tables outside the pub to serve drinks. Even they appeared to be laughing and getting into the festive spirit with no sign of any arguments yet.

  Amber headed up the stairs and into the shop. It too was packed with customers, not only with villagers but people from the surrounding area as well.

  Everyone who came in expressed their delight at the pretty layout and home-made goods. There were a few surprised looks at the tractor as well, but everyone was positive.

  With the music playing softly in the background, conversations and laughter flowed all around. Life had returned to Cranbridge Stores. Hopefully it wasn’t temporary, thought Amber.

  Later in the afternoon, Josh appeared by her side. ‘I’ve got to head over to see Mike,’ he told her. ‘There’s a problem with one of the beer pumps, apparently.’

  ‘OK. See you in a while,’ she said.

  She watched him leave. It seemed as if they were destined to spend their last full day apart. But perhaps that would make it easier for her when she eventually had to say goodbye to Josh.

  ‘This is wonderful,’ said a customer, coming up to the counter with a full basket of goods to purchase. ‘I hate the shops at this time of year. But this is bliss. I feel I’ve got Christmas spirit again, as opposed to being ready to kill and with hatred filling my heart.’

  ‘I know how you feel,’ said the woman next to her, picking up a large slab of gingerbread cake and placing it in her basket. ‘This is such a nicer way to shop.’

  Somewhere in the throng, Grandma Tilly was giving out baskets and helping people find what they needed. When there finally came a lull and the shop was empty for a moment, Amber encouraged her to head outside to see the stalls for herself.

  ‘I won’t be long,’ said Grandma Tilly. ‘And I’ll keep an eye out for Cathy as well. She landed over three hours ago.’

  ‘She’s probably stuck in the crowd out in the lane,’ said Amber. ‘Keep your mobile on you and I’ll call if she arrives here first.’

  Once alone, she quickly rushed around the shop tidying up the depleted stacks of produce. Then, when the bell rang once more, she straightened up. It was Brenda, one of the villagers whose home had been flooded.

  ‘Hi,’ said Amber. ‘How are you?’

  ‘This is wonderful,’ said Brenda, smiling. ‘Well done for organising it all.’

  ‘Thanks,’ Amber told her.

  But her good mood disappeared instantly as Kate stalked into the shop. ‘Is Josh here?’ she snapped, by way of greeting.

  Amber shook her head. ‘No.’ She found herself automatically blushing.

  She had seen Kate in the distance a few times around the village but had always managed to avoid speaking to her until now. That all too familiar sick feeling instantly returned to her stomach.

  ‘Pity,’ said Kate, picking up a jar of home-made pickles before putting it down again with disdain.

  Amber decided to just take a deep breath and try to ignore her. ‘How’s the clean-up going?’ she asked Brenda.

  Brenda rolled her eyes. ‘It’s just taking so long to sort out the insurance. Hopefully then we can order the new carpets.’

  ‘Oh! Were you one of the people that were flooded last month?’ asked Kate, getting out her phone and sticking it right in the woman’s face. ‘Do you mind if I ask you a few questions.’

  ‘Well…’ said Brenda, looking uneasy.

  ‘Great,’ carried on Kate. ‘So you were devastated I should think by the level of destruction in your home?’

  ‘Actually, we were one of the lucky ones,’ Brenda told her. ‘It was only ankle-deep in our home. Next door had it far worse.’

  ‘And who do you think should take the blame?’ asked Kate. ‘The council for not providing more flood defences? The farmers for ripping up their hedges?’


  ‘It was just one of those things,’ said Brenda, glancing around her as if looking for an escape. ‘I really must go.’

  ‘And what are the chances of your property flooding again?’ carried on Kate. ‘Will you ever be able to get insurance again? And what about if you ever want to sell it?’

  Brenda looked upset. ‘I hadn’t really thought about it.’

  ‘I read that property prices can plummet once you’ve been flooded,’ Kate told her. ‘Do you think you’re in negative equity now? And have the bank been kind or unhelpful, would you say?’

  Brenda cleared her throat. ‘Plummet?’ she repeated.

  ‘Oh yes, by at least half, they say,’ said Kate. ‘Had you plans to move? Would you say that your life will never be the same?’

  Amber watched as Brenda’s eyes filled with tears and was so angry that she finally found her voice.

  ‘That’s enough!’ said Amber. ‘Can’t you see you’re upsetting her?’

  ‘I’m a journalist,’ said Kate, giving her a sneering once-over. ‘I have to ask the difficult questions.’

  ‘Not in my shop, you don’t,’ Amber told her. ‘I think you should leave.’

  Kate looked surprised. ‘Your shop?’ she said.

  ‘I’m standing behind the till, aren’t I?’ Amber replied, filled with anger. ‘So I get to choose who stays and who gets thrown out of here. You do not get to upset anyone in here. And by the way, you can drop the sneering attitude about me working here. Because I’ve decided that I’m good at designing. That’s why I was headhunted for in New York. And, yes, I might only work in this shop, but I like it. In fact, I love it. I love Cranbridge. And I love Josh too!’

  There was a sudden silence filled only with Amber’s deep breaths as she struggled to keep control.

  She flinched as Kate suddenly laughed and opened her mouth to speak. Amber prepared herself for the mocking cruelty that she had been so used to.