Forever and Ever. Amber Aitken

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СКАЧАТЬ patch of sand directly in front of Coral Hut while Romeo gave a small, woeful whine. He was a small chocolate and white terrier with a very big heart.

      “Come on, let’s go inside,” sniffed Coral, who was not usually the sensible one of the two, but today felt that she had to look after her best friend.

      Nicks nodded and allowed herself to be led up the deck steps. Coral kept her jaw firm as she unlocked the beach hut’s narrow double doors. A few determined tears tipped down her face but she swiped them away. Quickly she pulled out a couple of deckchairs and, grabbing one of the soft woollen candy-striped throws, dragged the whole lot out on to the deck.

      “Sit,” she said.

      And they did, facing the gleaming silver ocean. Coral draped the throw over their knees and took her best friend’s hand in her own. They sat that way for a few moments, not saying anything. Coral was trying desperately hard to be grown-up and brave for her friend’s sake, but it was proving difficult. All she could think about was a Sunday Harbour without Nicks. And what about the Cupid Company they had set up together at Coral Hut? They were Cupid’s co-workers–the best matchmaking team ever. Their motto was All for love and love for all. But a team needed at least two people. Coral shook her head to scatter the sad thoughts that were collecting like puddles. Squeezing Nicks’s hand, she stared out at the horizon.

      “Your mum hasn’t quite made her mind up yet, has she?” she asked.

      “Well, no, not fully,” replied Nicks.

      “So we still have a chance of persuading her to stay then?”

      Nicks shrugged half-heartedly. “I guess so.”

      “Then that’s what we’ll do–we’ll just have to find a way to get her to stay in Sunday Harbour!” Coral had an excellent imagination; she was never one to be outdone. Romeo yapped his agreement, like he understood everything, and Coral rubbed the fur between his ears thoughtfully. But how…?

      “But how?” cried Nicks.

      Coral coughed in a serious sort of way. “Well, we will…mmm. We could…um. How about we hide her car keys!”

      Nicks frowned.

      “No, that’s just silly,” added Coral before her friend could answer. “Well, how about sending your mum a pretend letter saying that the job has gone to someone else?”

      Nicks shrugged and then shook her head.

      “Yes you’re right–too deceitful,” agreed Coral. “Erm, you could beg and plead for her to stay?” she added hopefully.

      “I’ve tried that one already,” grumbled Nicks.

      The morning air had been very still, but just at that moment a gust of wind sprang up out of nowhere. It tugged at the girls’ hair and swirled around the deck, yanking at the Cupid Company poster taped to door. The poster fluttered to the floor like an autumn leaf. The wind disappeared and Romeo barked.

      Coral stared at the poster. “I’VE GOT IT!” she cried out, grinning at the heavens. If they were Cupid’s co-workers, then Aphrodite–the goddess of love–had just sent them a very clear instruction. Coral turned to face her friend with enormous moon eyes and a big smile. “How about the Cupid Company makes it their mission to find your mum the perfect partner. If she falls in love she’ll never ever ever want to leave Sunday Harbour!” Coral punched the air determinedly. There really was nothing more powerful than love. It had been known to change lives.

      Nicks straightened up immediately. Her head tilted from side to side as she considered this suggestion. And then she turned to face Coral. Her frown had turned itself upside down.

      So Coral smiled too.

      Nicks grinned.

      Coral grinned.

      “MAG-NIF-ICENT!” they both shouted out at once. And then they hugged (only this time it was out of happiness). It was time for the Cupid Company to work its magic.

       2 shipmates

      Nicks jumped to her feet and the throw slipped to the floor. She didn’t give it a second glance. An organiser by nature, she now had the biggest Cupid Company assignment of their matchmaking careers to plot and plan. And as it was her mum they would be matchmaking, everything had to be very carefully considered.

      She rushed inside the beach hut for her clipboard and the file of completed Cupid Company questionnaires. All she had to do was search through them to find Mr Perfect. Except the file was not where she’d left it, neatly stored inside the white wicker basket. Now where could Coral have put it?

      Nicks stood up and stuck her head out through the open door. Coral was leaning over the deck’s railing and talking to a middle-aged man and woman who were standing on the deck of the glossy red beach hut next door–the hut that belonged to the famous crime thriller writer, JD ‘Doctor Death’ Hatchett. He’d left Sunday Harbour with a ‘To Let’ sign on the red hut’s door, so there was a good chance that the couple were the red beach hut’s new occupants. Nicks joined Coral out on the deck and waved politely.

      “This is my very best friend Nicks,” announced Coral in a loud voice. And then she turned to Nicks. “This is Meredith and Malcolm. The name Meredith means ‘protector of the sea’.”

      “Oh, OK!” smiled Nicks. “Hello!”

      The protector of the sea grinned broadly and waved. She was slim with black-grey wispy hair that wafted on the sea breeze like tumbleweed. Malcolm was a small man with wide shoulders, thick legs and a very kind face.

      “We’re marine scientists,” he revealed proudly.

      “This beach hut is our research base for the rest of the summer,” joined in Meredith. “Our mission is to convince the world–scientific and otherwise–to change the name of the starfish to the ‘sea star’, because, well, it’s not a fish! It doesn’t even look like a fish.”

      Both girls stared silently at their new neighbours. Could you do that? Just tell the world to just change the name of something? If so, Coral had a few suggestions of her own – like seahorse, dragonfly and catfish. None of them made sense either. She imagined creating public campaigns to lobby for—

      Suddenly an elbow lodged in her side. Nicks and their new neighbours were all staring at her expectantly.

      “That’s a really good idea!” she replied enthusiastically. But she didn’t mention the seahorses, dragonflies or catfish just yet.

      “It is?” squawked Nicks.

      “Great news!” replied Meredith. “Collecting washed-up marine matter from the shoreline can be very exciting. And we could really do with the help.”

      Coral stared and shrugged. She’d missed something; she just wasn’t quite sure what it was yet.

      Nicks huffed. Not that she really minded helping their new neighbours clear up, but they had to get her mum to fall in love. Everything depended on it! There really was no time for anything else.

      “Well, СКАЧАТЬ