The Little Gift Shop on the Loch: A delightfully uplifting read for 2019!. Maggie Conway

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ dresser formed the focal point of another. There were a couple of freestanding display cabinets, and stacked rather precariously in one corner was a pile of cardboard boxes and a mound of various parcels and packages which, by the looks of things, remained unopened.

      A friendly looking old-fashioned till sat on the counter and Lily ran her hand over the cool metal wondering where her mother had unearthed it from or if it had always been there. She couldn’t help smiling when she saw a messy pile of papers and a couple of notebooks scattered about behind the counter – her mother was never one for orderly piles. But there were also sheets of coloured tissue paper, boxes and bags in different shapes and sizes and pretty swathes of ribbon, ready for gift wrapping.

      As she moved around, Lily was unexpectedly comforted by how much she could feel her mother’s presence. How easily she was able to picture her here, floating about in one of her quirky ensembles with clashing colours and patterns that she somehow always managed to make look stylish.

      Lily gave herself a small shake. A plan, that’s what she needed. Organisation was her first, last and middle name. Thinking about where to start first, she swallowed the last mouthful of her coffee just as she heard the sound of a key in the side door and then Iris’s voice drifting through from the hall.

      ‘Lily?’

      ‘Through here,’ she called, rushing to meet her. And then suddenly, Iris’s kind face was there in front of her.

      ‘Iris.’ It came as a half-sob.

      ‘Come here,’ Iris soothed, dropping a massive yellow canvas bag onto the floor and wrapping Lily in a warm hug.

      Until that moment Lily hadn’t realised how much she’d been holding herself back, how uptight she was. Iris eventually released her, holding her at arm’s length with an appraising look. ‘Goodness, there’s a lot of tension in you.’

      It was true, she had a knot of tension the size of a small boulder between her shoulder blades that seemed to have lodged itself there recently. ‘I’m fine,’ Lily assured with a watery smile.

      ‘Hmm, perhaps you’ve arrived just in time,’ Iris said, sounding rather enigmatic as she picked up her bag and followed Lily through to the shop.

      Lily looked at Iris affectionately, marvelling at how she never seemed to age. It occurred to her she didn’t know exactly old how Iris was, but it seemed somehow irrelevant because she never changed. Her blue eyes were as vibrant as ever and she still wore armfuls of bangles, her hennaed hair styled in a loose bun, her smile never far away.

      She still lived in the same cottage near the caravan park where they’d first met her all those years ago. She’d been a music teacher before retiring, travelling throughout the Highlands and Islands to different schools. She’d been married two – or was it three – times but had never had children of her own.

      She had been more of a permanent fixture in Lily’s life then her own grandparents whose strained relationship with their only child meant she’d seen more of Iris over the years than she had of them. Lily felt a rush of emotion for her. ‘I’m so sorry I haven’t been before. Leaving you to deal with all this.’

      Iris waved away her apology. ‘You have nothing to be sorry for. Patty was my friend, of course I wanted to help any way I could. Besides, I didn’t do much. Just a bit of dusting and tidying.’ She paused, taking Lily’s hand. ‘I have the ashes at home with me, I didn’t want to leave them here. So, whenever you think the time is right we can take them to the loch.’

      Lily nodded mutely, blinking away the sudden tears clouding her eyes. She knew it was something that had to be done but it wasn’t something she could easily contemplate at that very moment.

      Iris continued. ‘I left her bedroom for you, all her personal bits and pieces are there. I know it’s going to be difficult for you but its part of the healing process. A stage of mourning and letting go that you have to go through but once it’s done I think you’ll find it will help you.’

      Lily remained silent as Iris carried on, her voice brighter. ‘I knew you’d come when the time was right. Did you finally take some holidays?’

      ‘A bit more than a holiday. I was made redundant.’

      ‘Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.’

      ‘I certainly didn’t see it coming,’ Lily said sagely, trying to keep the bitterness from her voice. The last thing she wanted was to unload her woes onto Iris. She’d already done enough without having to provide a shoulder for Lily to cry on.

      ‘And last we spoke it was going so well,’ Iris remarked.

      ‘These things happen, I suppose.’ Lily shrugged.

      ‘Quite. But you know, perhaps some time away won’t do you any harm. And you’re certainly in the right place if you want to unwind for a while.’

      ‘I’m not going to be here long,’ Lily responded quickly, perhaps too quickly. ‘I’ll be selling.’

      Iris gave a kind but knowing look. ‘You must do what you think is right. But there’s no hurry is there?’

      Lily looked around, as if looking for a reason but failed to find one.

      ‘I don’t suppose so, no.’

      ‘Is there someone waiting for you? A young man, perhaps?’ Iris’s voice tinkled as she shrugged off her jacket revealing a long floaty skirt and white tunic top.

      It was so far from the truth Lily could have laughed. Nothing and no one was waiting for her, she thought dismally. An image of James’s handsome face drifted in and out of her mind, pretty much the way he’d done in her life. She shook the image away, helping Iris to lift her bag onto the counter. ‘No one waiting,’ she replied lightly.

      Her personal dreams might be lying in tatters but she always had her career to fall back on despite this current setback. She was good at her job and she missed it. Even here, far from her usual environment, she still had to fight a nagging feeling that she should be at her desk, starting a day’s work. The redundancy had indeed been generous so financially at least there was no urgency but even so, she decided there and then that finding another job would be her priority as soon as she sold the shop.

      She glanced at her iPhone on the counter, her only link to the outside world and her only chance of looking for another job. Frustratingly, she’d only been able to get a sporadic connection.

      ‘Do you know if there’s somewhere I can go for Wi-Fi?’

      Iris flapped her hand dismissively. ‘I don’t really know about these things but I’ve heard people mention café in the activity centre has a place you can go. Although you know a digital detox might do you good.’

      Lily couldn’t help but laugh, recognising it as something her mother would have said.

      ‘I’ve brought you a few things,’ Iris said, rummaging in her bag. ‘Some incense sticks – chamomile and jasmine, very good for calming the mind. And this,’ she declared holding up a small brown bottle, ‘is my herbal remedy. Ingredients are secret but I can guarantee it’ll make you feel better if you’re having an off-day.’ She laid the items on the counter before digging into her bag yet again, this time producing a ceramic dish wrapped in foil.

      ‘Shepherd’s СКАЧАТЬ