The Cottage at Whisper Lake by Clark Phillipa Nefri

Author:Clark, Phillipa Nefri
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781805080862
Publisher: Storm
Published: 2023-09-25T00:00:00+00:00

The main street of the town was a delight to wander along. Other people were out and about enjoying the warm evening air and while most of the shops were closed, there was plenty of window shopping to be done. Sadie and Pam stopped at shop after shop, making up verbal lists of what they’d buy. Clothes, shoes, books – these were all discussed at length and with humour. Whenever they came across a place to eat they’d read the menu, ask each other if they wanted to eat there, then unanimously decide to keep looking and maybe come back.

Sadie’s heart rate had settled down after the surge of ridiculous emotion. Even though the crying had helped, it was showing weakness and she hadn’t wanted anyone – particularly her own mother – to witness such a loss of control. They’d not spoken of the reason but once Sadie had sorted a few things in her head then she’d explain herself.

‘Oh, this is the place I mentioned. The beauty salon.’

They stopped outside the large window. It was dark inside although at the far end of the shop, big glass doors led to a courtyard where there was a raised spa. And two people were in the spa – too far to identify, apart from being a man and woman.

‘Well, I have heard that the service and quality is exemplary. Not that I’ve ever done such a thing.’

‘Mum, never? But didn’t you used to have your hair done here when it was a hairdresser’s?’

‘For a while. But your father thought it an unnecessary expense so I learned to cut my own hair.’ Pam flicked the end of her bob. ‘It does the job.’

They settled on the bistro in the pub for dinner, the one at the far end of the town. The music was to Pam’s liking and not too loud and the menu had plenty of options. Seated at a table beside the window, they clinked their glasses of wine together.

‘I haven’t been in here for years. Decades. There used to be big booths everywhere but these tables are nicer.’ Pam’s eyes roamed the bistro. ‘For a pub it looks family friendly.’ She smiled at Sadie. ‘This was a good choice.’

A big difference from the woman who only recently was distraught at the concept of eating out. How far her mother had come so quickly.

‘Mum? With that… moment, back there, I’d had an epiphany.’

‘Sounds painful.’ The smile widened as if encouraging Sadie to continue.

‘Kind of. I remembered how I was as a teenager whenever you asked a question I was a bit uncomfortable with. Or would have meant I’d have had to share my feelings.’ She looked down. ‘Never been good with showing them.’

Pam reached for her hand. ‘Go on.’

‘I realised I must have done it so often, closing up, shutting you out, that you gave up asking.’

Feeling a tightening of her mother’s fingers around hers, Sadie raised her eyes. ‘I don’t know why but I stopped sharing how I feel so long ago.

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