Walking past the front of Birdie’s chemist, she passed a couple more shops, took the small alley towards the back of the row, turned left, and opened the gate to the back of the building. Going through the back door, she was greeted by the sound of the Shipping Forecast.On behalf of the Maritime and Coastguard agency, there are warnings of gales in Viking, Dogger, Fisher, Trafalgar, Hebrides, and Faeroes.
On hearing it, she knew that Birdie had already arrived. Just as she was walking through to the pharmacy preparation area at the back of the shop, the door she’d just come in through opened again behind her, and Cally, who helped out in the back, also stepped in.
‘Morning! Lovely mist out there this morning. How are you, Nina?’ Cally said with a huge smile. ‘All good in your neck of the woods?’
Nina turned around and beamed. ‘Hiya! Yes, I’m good thanks. You?’
‘Good as can be.’
‘What a way to start the day. I really should make sure I get up earlier more often. That mist is beautiful in a way.’
Cally agreed with a nod. ‘I thought the same as I rode along on my bike.’
‘It said it’s going to be nice weather later.’
‘Good.’ Cally rolled her eyes and her face showed a combination of amusement and friendly mockery at the Shipping Forecast. ‘Madam is in before us. Ask me how I know. Are you ready for a morning accompanied by the Shipping Forecast?’
Nina giggled. ‘Don’t worry, I’m used to it on loop at the deli.’
‘Oh, yes, of course you are. Sorry, I forgot that.’
Nina had briefly got to know Cally through Birdie, and their paths had crossed a few times in Lovely Bay. Cally also knew Nancy via a summer job she’d done in the kiosk at the railway station. Cally was always full of good stories and had a big smile but Birdie had told Nina that Cally was having a hard time in her home life and always had.
Whenever Nina had seen her, Cally had always been dressed in exactly the same clothes; a short skirt with tights and ballet flats, a pretty blouse, and a crew neck jumper or cardigan. The only other time she’d seen her change her 'uniform' as such was when she’d swapped the short skirt and tights for skinny black jeans. Nina and Cally had joked that Cally always channelled her inner Steve Jobs, had a uniform, and stuck to it. Nina had laughed in response and said that as a person who liked to be organised, it certainly made life easier.
As the other times Nina had chatted with Cally, Nina took in how attractive Cally was. Nina had always considered herself to be a medium in many aspects of life; medium in appearance, medium in dress sense, medium in achievements. Cally was not in the same boat whatsoever. There was no medium going on around Cally, at least, not as far as Nina could see.
Nina hadn’t been medium in reinventing her life and moving away from something terrible that had happened, though. But overall, Nina had always considered herself to just trundle along as average – medium looks, medium in many things. Although her new husband, it had to be said, was not average, so there was that. Cally, however, was far from medium in anything as far as Nina had worked out. Nina could justtellthat Cally was one of those people who was witty, friendly, intelligent, and bottom line simply beautiful – and what was even better, she didn't even know it. Petite, with wispy, pale blonde hair, the sort that could never be achieved at a hairdresser's. Clever and always something interesting to say. The kind of skin that you’d see in an advert for foundation which would supposedly make you glow and never, ever,everlived up to its promises. Cally just always seemed to look nice in her short skirt and thick tights uniform, her tiny feet clad in ballet flats, her hair scooped up into a messy bun on top of her head and her tinkly voice always making jokes. A smile nearly always on her face. Cally was just funny, nice, and an all-around good egg. Model pretty and just about model perfect, to be quite honest. Nina liked her well.
They chatted as they walked into the chemist, where Birdie stood totally and utterly surrounded by towering piles of white cardboard drug boxes.
‘Morning,’ Birdie said as she walked over to her phone on the side and turned down the Shipping Forecast, which was blaring from a speaker on the counter.
‘Morning, Birdie, how are you?’ Nina asked as she shrugged off her jacket and hung it on a hook behind the door.
Birdie smiled. ‘Yep, good. Right, do either of you need a coffee?’ Birdie blinked rapidly and gestured around at the enormous order of drugs and supplies that had arrived the afternoon before. ‘This will keep us busy. How are things?’ She addressed Cally. ‘How’s your grandma?’
Cally gathered herself. ‘Yes, she's still around, so there's that.’ Cally was a carer for her grandmother and lived not too far away in a neighbouring place. She’d been caring for her grandma for many years and had sacrificed a lot. Her grandmother was in the last stages of her life, and Cally had lots of complications going on with relatives, debt, property and all sorts. Birdie had told Nina the basics and it didn’t sound pleasant at all. Nina didn't let on that she knew too much.
‘And how areyou, Cally?’
‘I’m fine, thanks,’ Cally said succinctly. ‘Could be worse. I have to just get on with it.’
Birdie took the hint that Cally didn’t want to discuss her situation. ‘Good. Right, who wants coffee?’
‘Wouldn’t say no. In fact, I need a bucket load of the stuff,’ Nina said with a smile. ‘I’m never normally up at this hour of the day. I’m in need of caffeine.’
‘I need more than a bucket after the night I’ve had,’ Cally replied.
Birdie laughed. ‘I’ve got loads of coffee and lots of other things to keep you both smiling, including chocolate from the chocolate shop. I am prepared to get us through those boxes.’
‘Oh, it’s a bit early for chocolate, isn't it?’ Nina laughed.
‘Is itevertoo early for chocolate from the Lovely Bay Chocolate shop?’ Cally countered.
Nina contemplated for a second. ‘Actually, no, you’re right. There’s never really a time when I don't want chocolate from the chocolate shop. Bring it on.’
Birdie walked past them both and made her way to the kitchen. Just as she was at the door, she turned around. ‘Or could I interest you in a bacon and egg roll?’ she asked, flourishing her hand in a quick movement and raising her eyebrows in question.
