Before long they were serving the last few stragglers and Daisy at last started to relax. People hugged their mugs as the judges delivered news of the winning lanterns and prizes were handed out. Empty mugs started to come back thick and fast accompanied by heartfelt thanks and praise for the drinks with the general view being it was a million times better than last year. In exchange for each returned mug Old Man Burgess handed out a Locos leaflet, which had taken Daisy ages to design but looked worth it now they’d been professionally printed. Tamsyn and Daisy carefully stacked the dirty mugs into boxes, the glasswasher would be busy this evening.
‘I think we can call tonight a resounding success,’ said Max, giving Daisy an impromptu hug that made her go all awkward and a bit giddy. She was starting to wish their kiss hadn’t been interrupted the other night.
‘Er, yeah. Well done team. Top effort.’ She tucked her hair behind her ear and tried to ignore the knowing look Tamsyn was giving her.
It was still early when she opened up, a couple of days later; now Max was on the paid staff he wasn’t there every morning. She liked being there on her own. She loved being able to hear the key turn in the lock with a thunk and step inside her own little empire. Perhaps empire was stretching it a bit but it was the most she had ever owned and it was somewhere she felt at home, which struck her as odd because that was a phrase she never used.
She set about giving the counters and table tops a proper clean and when they were done she decided to bring in some more tonics from the old railway carriage, which was acting as their storeroom. Up until now Max had been bringing in any stock from the carriage but Daisy was no wimp, she was sure she could manage.
She checked her keys and tried what she thought was the right one in the lock. It didn’t feel right. She tried another but it didn’t fit like the first one. She tried the first key again and then realised the problem was there was no resistance, no lock to turn. It was already open. Somehow they must have forgotten to lock it up last night. Cautiously she turned the old door handle and peered into the gloom. With all the blinds down there was no light at all. Then she heard something. She listened carefully. Was it an animal? Or a motor of some sort? It was someone snoring!
Daisy crept back into the main building, picked up a bottle of gin from the display, taking care it wasn’t her most expensive, and headed back to the carriage. She pulled the door fully open and jumped inside making her presence known with her bottle of gin held aloft.
‘Bloody hell!’ came a voice from the previously snoring tartan bundle.
‘Pasco?’
‘Oh, Daisy, good morning. How are you?’ Pasco blinked and tried to sit up.
‘What the hell are you doing in my railway carriage?’ As she spoke she noticed the tartan picnic blanket he was wrapped in. ‘You’re the thief.’ She pointed at the blanket. ‘Where’s my locket?’ She stepped forward with the gin bottle still in her hand.
Pasco shuffled backwards. ‘Now hang on. Don’t jump to conclusions like Max did. I found this blanket.’
‘I don’t believe you. I’m calling the police.’
‘Now we all know you mean young Jason Fenton and he’s a lovely lad who won’t take kindly to you wielding a bottle near my head, now will he?’
Daisy was still thinking through what to do when someone came up behind her making her scream and she swung the gin bottle in their general direction.
‘Daisy!’
‘Max, I nearly hit you!’ Daisy slowly lowered the bottle. She was shocked how close she’d come to bashing him with it. He seemed momentarily cross but his attention was quickly diverted elsewhere.
‘Dad!’ Max looked exasperated and ran his fingers through his hair. ‘What’s going on?’
Pasco got to his feet and started to bundle up his makeshift bed. ‘I’m sorry, son, I know you said to be out early but look.’ Pasco lifted up an alarm clock. ‘I still have five minutes before this goes off.’
Daisy stared at Max and gripped the gin bottle. ‘You knew?’
‘What?’ said Max, looking wrongfooted. He ran his teeth uneasily along his bottom lip.
‘You bloody well knew your dad was sleeping in here. That’s why you’ve been all “I’ll fetch the stuff from the carriage” and “I’ll get there early”. You complete and utter shit,’ she said, giving him a forceful shove with the gin bottle, which he deftly caught as she let go and stormed out of the carriage.
Max watched her disappear into the bar and then turned back to Pasco.
‘Thanks for dropping me in it, Dad.’
‘Sorry, but she’ll come round when she sees there’s no damage done.’
‘No damage?’ Max shook his head, his expression incredulous.
‘I don’t suppose there’s a cuppa going, is there?’ Max went to reply but instead emitted a growling noise. ‘No. Okay. I’ll be off then,’ said Pasco.
Max rubbed his hand across his stubble and went after Daisy who was now pacing up and down the platform.
‘Were you in on the thefts too? Have you got my locket?’
‘Bloody hell, Daisy, calm down. This is all my dad’s doing, it’s got nothing to do with me.’
‘But it has,’ she said, more calmly. ‘You knew he was sleeping in there. You’ve been using me all along.’ She threw up her hands. ‘I am such an idiot.’
‘No, look it’s not like—’
‘Piss off, Max. I don’t want to hear it.’ Daisy strode back into the bar and slammed the door behind her.
Pasco gave a small cough behind Max. ‘I don’t suppose you’ve got a couple of quid for a coffee have you, son?’
‘No, and what’s more I will never give you another penny. You have done it again. You always mess things up. You are the most selfish person on the planet. Mum was right about you.’
‘Steady on there, Max. I know you’re upset but …’ said Pasco looking hurt.
Max stepped closer to his father and lowered his voice. ‘Will you do one thing for me?’
Pasco gave him an endearing lopsided look. ‘I’d do anything for you. You know that.’
The attempt at endearing didn’t seem to work on Max. ‘Leave Ottercombe Bay. Never come back and never get in touch with me again.’
Pasco gave a small laugh. ‘Well, there’s three things on your list, son …’
‘I mean it, Dad. I’ve had enough.’ Max turned and walked away.
Chapter Six
Tamsyn and Jason were at an uneasy point trying hard to be relaxed in each other’s company. What was meant to be another pizza and Doctor Who evening with friends had ended up as just Jason and Tamsyn because Max had cried off for some reason. They were sitting on Jason’s firm and durable sofa watching the television and she couldn’t think of a time she’d been happier with the possible exception of when her parents had bought her bunk beds so her imaginary friend had somewhere to sleep.
Tamsyn drank the last of the supermarket cola and hoped the aftertaste would soon disappear. She leaned back to study Jason and he viewed her a few times before eventually giving her his full attention. ‘What?’ he asked gently.
‘There was another thing stopping us being … you know.’ Jason didn’t look like he did know. ‘In a relationship,’ she added.
‘What exactly?’ He paused the DVD.
‘You want to go out with Daisy, don’t you?’ said Tamsyn. Jason looked as if he’d been hit in the face with a chair. ‘It’s all right, don’t worry. I don’t mind. I mean, I’d choose Daisy instead of me. She’s prettier, funnier, braver, more adventurous—’ She was counting the attributes off on her fingers when Jason interrupted her.
‘Wow, let me stop you there,’ he said, flicking off the television and turning to face her properly.
‘Don’t deny it, please.’ Tamsyn looked a little sad as she flattened down a tuft of his hair that was having a rebellious moment. ‘I can see how you look at her and I don’t just mean since she got back. I remember how you watched her all the time when we were childre
n. Have you always loved her?’
Jason’s eyes were wide. He let out a long slow breath. ‘No,’ he said emphatically. ‘I haven’t always … there was a time when I had a huge crush on her, that’s true. I was about six and to be honest there was nothing I wouldn’t have done for her. Do you think she knows?’
Tamsyn rolled her lips together. ‘Probably, but I think a girl like Daisy gets used to men feeling like that about her. She won’t hold it against you.’
‘I hope not, it’s all in the past. It’s not how I feel now.’
‘How do you feel now?’
Jason broke eye contact and sighed. ‘To be honest when she turned up in the bay again I did kind of revert to my schoolboy self and six-year-old me was mightily pleased she was even talking to me. But I quickly realised we’ve all grown up.’
‘But you must have wanted to go out with her, she’s lovely.’
Jason looked serious. ‘I agree, Daisy is lovely but we both know she’s not right for me.’
Tamsyn tilted her head to one side. ‘And do you think I could be?’
‘I’d like to find out.’ Jason angled himself slowly forward as if moving in for a tentative kiss.
‘Great. I’ll think about it,’ said Tamsyn, shuffling to the other end of the sofa away from Jason and she turned her face back to the television’s blank screen. Jason slowly filled his lungs with air and turned the television back on.
When the credits rolled at the end of the episode, Tamsyn rearranged herself to sit crossed legged on the sofa. ‘Mum says it’s destiny.’
‘Uh-huh,’ said Jason ejecting the DVD.
‘She said it was meant to be, the cards told her.’
‘Just like they told her an unexploded bomb was going to be washed up in the bay?’ asked Jason.
‘Technically we still don’t know if she was correct about that one because the tide might have taken it out again.’
‘Okay.’ Jason returned the DVD case to its place in his ordered collection.
‘She sees more darkness before the sun for Daisy. I hope she can cope with more darkness.’ Tamsyn bit her lip.
‘I’m sure she’ll be fine,’ said Jason. ‘Do you want another cola?’
Tamsyn wasn’t sure on either front.
Daisy had bottled, corked and shelved her anger at Max letting Pasco use the carriage as a squat but being in close proximity to him now was making it bubble up again. They had been working the evening shift together and Max had a permanent frown etched on his face, which annoyed her immensely. It was his fault they were barely talking, he was the one who had gone and spoilt everything, so why was he frowning? She could barely look at him because every time she did it reminded her of how he’d taken her for a fool – all trust was gone.
As the last customer finally left and Daisy locked the door behind them the forced smile she’d been wearing slid from her face. Max was leaning back against the counter undoing the top buttons on his shirt. He’d stopped frowning.
‘I don’t know about you, but I’m knackered,’ he said, as the corners of his mouth tweaked.
‘Me?’ said Daisy, the bubbles of anger started to fizz inside her. ‘I’m still furious.’
The furrow returned to Max’s forehead. ‘Pasco sleeping in the carriage was meant to be for one night—’ he started and that was enough for Daisy’s cork to blow.
‘Even one night was too much. You had no right to let him sleep here. You went behind my back.’
‘Daisy, he’s my dad.’
‘I don’t care. You could have at least bothered to ask me.’
‘And what would you have said?’ Max’s tone was inching into the challenging territory.
‘That’s not the point. The point is you used me. You only helped out around here so your thief of a father had somewhere to squat!’
‘That’s not true. I helped out because I wanted to.’
‘Or were you just wheedling your way in to get a job?’
‘You’re crazy.’ He looked exasperated.
Daisy’s expression changed. ‘Were you in on the burglaries?’
Max was visibly rattled. ‘Shit, no. That had nothing to do with me and how dare you say—’
But Daisy wasn’t listening. ‘Has my necklace been sold?’ She was further annoyed by the tears springing to her eyes at the thought of her mother’s locket.
‘I don’t know!’ shouted Max. ‘I’m not a thief.’
‘Your father is.’
‘Just because he’s been in prison doesn’t mean he’s guilty of every crime that happens around here. You’re as bad as everyone else.’ His voice tailed off and he gave Daisy a look of disgust.
‘Maybe everyone else is right.’
‘Fine. Believe what you like,’ said Max struggling to unlock the door.
‘Fine,’ agreed Daisy, wanting to push him through it but instead she shoved him out of the way, wrestled with the key and opened the door. The few awkward moments seemed to stretch on interminably until Daisy stepped out of the way and Max stormed outside. Daisy slammed the door behind him but it didn’t give her the satisfaction she had hoped it would. She was mad at Max for having got mixed up with his father and ruining everything. But worse still, she was nowhere nearer to finding out where her locket was.
Christmas seemed to have crept up on Daisy. Only two weeks to go, but she didn’t need to do much. She’d topped up her stock at Locos in case they had a rush of people out for Christmas drinks. Tamsyn had strung up some fairy lights and Max had brought in some real holly – she hadn’t asked where he’d got it from. It was all the railway bar needed to make it feel traditionally festive but not over the top.
She wasn’t a big fan of the festive season. It had always seemed to be focused on bringing families together and since hers never could be it had felt a little pointless. Her father had frequently worked over Christmas so apart from the day itself she had often found herself home alone watching old movies. Since her dad had moved to Goa she had continued the tradition and let everyone else’s excitement wash over her. But it looked like this year was going to be different.
‘Tamsyn is coming round later to help decorate the tree and I’d like a hand with wrapping some presents if you don’t mind,’ said Aunt Coral. ‘Isn’t it exciting? They’re predicting a white Christmas for the Midlands but I bet we miss out. Such a shame the coast can’t hold the snow. I guess it’s the salty air.’
Daisy didn’t answer – she was staring open-mouthed at the giant Christmas tree that was filling a whole corner of the small living room and blocking out the television completely.
‘Daisy?’
‘Yes, sorry. Fine,’ she replied trying hard not to comment on the ridiculous size of the tree.
Aunt Coral put an arm around her. ‘It’s magnificent isn’t it?’
Daisy managed a twitch. There were no words. Thankfully Bug walked over to the tree and promptly cocked his leg against it, which summed up Daisy’s thinking on the matter perfectly. Before he had time to relieve himself Aunt Coral had scooped him up and transferred him to the back garden where he vehemently barked his protest.
That evening the small house was filled with the scent of mulled wine and the sound of a decidedly dodgy Christmas album. Despite Daisy’s misgivings, after a couple of glasses of Aunt Coral’s special mulled wine she was enjoying the evening even though she could see no point in covering the giant tree with the multitude of homemade decorations Tamsyn had brought only to have to take them all off again in a few weeks’ time – utterly pointless.
Daisy picked up a brown lump attached to sparkly ribbon and gave it a once over. It clearly was something Tamsyn must have made as a small child. It was either a Christmas pudding or a lump of poo. Tamsyn caught Daisy inspecting the bauble.
‘I made it myself,’ said Tamsyn proudly.
‘That’s what worries me,’ said Daisy, twirling it in front of her eyes.
‘I watched this programme all about crafting your perfect Christmas.
I’ve been making these for weeks. I’ve already filled our tree at home. Aren’t they fab?’
Daisy helped herself to another glass of mulled wine; she’d need it to get through the rest of the evening.
Tamsyn paused with a wonky-eyed robin halfway to a branch. ‘You never see Turkey eggs for sale. Always chickens and sometimes ducks but never turkey. Why is that?’
‘Is this a cracker joke?’
Tamsyn looked puzzled. ‘No, it’s a real question.’
Daisy pondered it for a moment. ‘I have no idea.’ Tamsyn was funny, she seemed to worry about things nobody else gave a passing thought to.
When the last string of homemade pom-pom tassels had been hung and the lights switched on they all stood back to admire their handiwork. Aunt Coral put an arm around both of them. ‘Well done, girls. It looks terrific,’ she said, giving them both an affectionate squeeze. Daisy felt something stir deep within her, which could have been festive cheer, or the feeling of accomplishment at filling the enormous green spruce, or more likely too much spice in Aunt Coral’s mulled wine.
Things were still strained between Daisy and Max but having to work together five nights out of seven meant they had had to call a truce. Daisy wasn’t happy with the situation but Max was still protesting his innocence and as business was steady she needed him – they were stuck with each other for the time being. They had to get along as boss and employee.
‘I hear your Christmas tree is pretty spectacular,’ said Max, rubbing the glasswasher smears off a glass at the start of another shift.
Daisy couldn’t help herself. ‘It looks like 1974 vomited on it.’
Max looked taken aback but he laughed all the same. ‘Now I definitely want to see it. I’m sensing you’re not a fan of Christmas. Am I right?’
‘I’ve never got what all the fuss was about to be honest. I understand if you’re religious but I’m not, it’s just another day.’
‘And I thought I was a Bah Humbug, but you’re the full Ebenezer.’
Ottercombe Bay – Part Three Page 6