‘Now, let's see what we're working with,’ Molly chatted away as she began to take measurements. ‘Oh my. Well, this won’t take us long. You’re tiny.’
Cally laughed. ‘I've been told that once or twice.’
Molly clucked her tongue. ‘We'll make sure it fits you perfectly. These coats are meant to last a lifetime, as you know.’
‘No room for me to pile on the pounds then,’ Cally joked.
‘There is that.’
As Molly worked, Cally again peered around the shop, taking in more details. It felt as if Lovely history was speaking directly to her from the beautiful old timber shelves lining the walls. ‘So, how long have you been doing this?’
‘Ahh, my whole life, and when I say whole, I mean since I was this high.’ Molly held her hand out in front of her.
‘Right, ages then.’
‘Yep.’
‘It seems like a badge of honour to have a Lovely coat. A sign that you're really part of the community.’
Molly nodded. ‘That’s about the long and the short of it. My family's been making these coats for generations. Each one is a little piece of Lovely Bay history.’
‘I love that. I’m grateful to be part of it.’
‘The coats all started with my great-grandfather’s father, so what would that make him to me? Anyway, he was a fisherman, like most men in Lovely back then. He got tired of coming home soaked to the bone after every trip, so he started experimenting with waxing his own jackets and the lining and all that.’ Molly continued her story, moving around Cally to measure her shoulders and back. ‘Word spread, and soon, other fishermen asked him to wax their coats, too. Before long, he'd set up shop right here in this very building, though the pictures show that it was a bit different in those days, but not a lot.’
‘That's amazing. So the shop has been here all this time?’
Molly nodded. ‘Yep, generations of my family have worked within these walls. Sometimes, I think I could have done something a bit more exciting, but there are a lot worse ways to make a living, I reckon. Even though I have qualifications up to my eyeballs, I make coats for a living.’
Cally thought about how she’d had the same feelings regarding Birdie’s offer. ‘Yup. I hear you.’
Molly stepped back, consulted her laptop and squinted. ‘Right then, I think I have all the measurements I need. I’ll get you to try on a sample so I can have a look at the fit. Hang on a second. I’ll go and get one.’
Molly disappeared out the back and Cally ran her hand along the smooth wood of the cutting table, wondering how many coats had been crafted on its surface over the years. A few moments later, Molly reappeared, a coat draped over her arm. ‘Here we are. This is one of our smaller sizes; it’s a short, but we'll still need to cut yours a bit differently. That’s why it’s made to measure, obviously. Though many places say that these days, it's actually not true, but it is here. Your coat will fit you like a glove and last you forever.’
Cally slid her arms into the sleeves of the sample coat and was enveloped in the scent of waxed cotton – earthy and slightly sweet. It felt solid, dependable, and oh-so Lovely as she shrugged it onto her shoulders. She couldn’t wait to get her own.
Molly chuckled. ‘Don't you look like a proper local? You want the coat before you go away?’
‘Honestly, it doesn’t matter if it’s not ready. I’ve managed up to now.’
‘It’s cutting it a bit close, but I think we can manage it. You’re off to the estate?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Gosh, we’ve made some coats for the Henry-Hicks lot over the years.’
‘I know. I’ve seen them stashed all over the place.’
‘There are probably a load of old heritage ones up in Scotland, too. You’ll have to keep an eye open for them.’
‘Oh, right, yes, of course. I might have to bring one home with me.’
‘Well, if you do, I'll be able to tell you who it was made for and when.’ Molly pointed to the ledger on the table. ‘We keep arecord of everything that goes out of this shop, even back to the old days.’
Cally sighed as she looked around. The coat was another component of her story with Lovely Bay. She was so very pleased to be part of it. It had ultimately changed the trajectory of her life. What she didn’t quite know was that there was much more to come. Some of it not what she was expecting at all.
7
