‘I’ve got a plane. Look Drew, it’s a plane!’
‘I know, isn’t that lucky?’
‘Here you go, Benji.’ He beamed with delight as Eden handed him his prize.
‘Thank you, Eden. It’s the best plane ever.’
‘I think it might be.’ She caught Drew’s eye then and he was looking at her in a way she didn’t think he ever had before, a surge of hope and excitement rising up inside her as he did.
‘Thank you.’ He mouthed the word silently and she nodded in response. She wanted to thank him for so many things too, most of all for how differently he’d helped her see things these past few weeks, and in the last few moments too. She had no idea what twist of fate had made her cross paths with Drew, all she knew was that she wanted to thank fate too.
* * *
By three o’clock the fair was starting to wind down. Eden had seen her parents arrive with Teddie about an hour before, but they hadn’t brought him over to see her. They knew it could cause problems, because if he saw his mum he might well want to be with her.
‘Right, you’ve done your bit now, you can let me and Eve finish up here.’ Meg’s tone was insistent. ‘Go and spend time with your family.’
‘I can come back and help you pack up.’
‘No way.’ Eve shook her head, the two of them all but pushing Eden away from the stall. ‘You did all the setting up, and if you go over there now, you can watch the tail end of the dance display.’
‘I must admit I’d like to see Gwen dance. She makes me tired just watching her, but she’s such an inspiration.’ Eden meant what she said. Gwen must have been at least forty years older than she was, but her energy was boundless, and no one could possibly have described her as old. Her enthusiasm for life kept her young on the inside, and it showed on the outside. The advice she’d given Eve earlier about making time in her life to have some fun had hit home for Eden too, and it was something she was determined to do. She couldn’t see herself joining a dance troupe, but she wanted to find something beyond work and motherhood. Something just for her.
‘She’s a force of nature, but I’m happy to hang back here. I don’t want her dragging me up to dance.’ Eve shuddered at the thought. ‘I have to have a few drinks before I can dance in public, otherwise I’m about as relaxed as the Tin Man, with about the same amount of rhythm. I’ve got to go back to the hospital this evening anyway.’
‘Are you working?’ Meg’s question took the words out of Eden’s mouth.
‘Mmm, sort of. I’ve just got a patient I want to check up on.’ Eve shrugged, quickly changing the subject. ‘You two could have a drink, though. They’re selling cocktails half price in the beer tent.’
‘Did you see the names someone came up with?’ Eden grinned. ‘There’s a Piran’s Star Martini, a Hospital Wallbanger, and a St Agnes Island Iced Tea. Although that seems pretty tame; if it had been Gwen who’d made up the names I dread to think what they’d have been called. What do you reckon, Meg, do you fancy a Cornish Cosmopolitan later?’
‘I don’t drink. Well not alcohol anyway.’
‘What, never?’ Eden hadn’t meant to sound so surprised, but she had to admit that was fairly unusual amongst the hospital staff. As someone with an alcoholic in the family, she wished she hadn’t made it sound so weird for someone to choose not to drink, but if it bothered Meg she wasn’t showing it.
‘I gave up three years ago, I just didn’t want to get too reliant on it at the end of a long shift. They’re doing a nojito mocktail, so I might grab one later, but you should go and get yourself a well-earned drink and enjoy the rest of the fair. You haven’t stopped all day and I bet Teddie can’t wait to see you.’ Meg smiled, making it feel a bit less like she was just desperate for Eden to move off in the direction of her parents and Teddie. It had been good working side by side with Eve and Meg, and Eden was determined not to read too much into them encouraging her to leave them to it. She felt as if she’d got to know them both a little bit better over the course of the day and she liked their company. It was something she hoped she could build on in the future, but she could see Drew standing over near her parents and Teddie, which meant all the people she most wanted to spend time with were now on the other side of the fair. So she didn’t need any more persuasion to leave.
‘I’ll see you both later then. Just let me know if you decide you need a hand with packing up.’
‘Thank you, but we won’t. Just go and have some fun! Otherwise I’ll get Gwen to come and drag you over there.’
‘I’m going, I’m going.’ Eden gave a wave of her hand and headed towards where her parents were standing with Teddie. At that very moment Drew turned to look at her, and something fluttered in her chest. So much for constantly reminding herself that they were only friends; her body still didn’t seem to have got the message.
14
‘Teddie looks like he’s having fun.’ Eden smiled at the sight of her son walking along the bales of straw that created a border for the ‘dance floor’. He was holding his grandfather’s hand, and jumping off the corner bale, and then dragging Dave back further down the row of bales, climbing up again and repeating the process.
‘He’s keeping your dad busy!’ Karen laughed. ‘He’s been such a sweetheart, no trouble at all.’
‘Thank you.’ Eden squeezed her mother’s arm. ‘Do you fancy a drink? I thought I could grab us all one before Gwen’s dance display. They do a mocktail apparently, a nojito. It sounds a bit fancier than a Diet Coke and I feel like I’ve earned it. I’m sure you and Dad have too, running after Teddie.’
‘Ooh, that sounds good. Gwen’s amazing, isn’t she? I’m thinking of starting the belly dancing class she runs. She said it’s good for your pelvic floor and for your…’ Karen broke off then. ‘You probably don’t want to hear the rest.’
‘If it’s about you and Dad I definitely don’t.’ Eden pulled a face. She really didn’t want to hear about her parents’ sex life, even if she was secretly glad that them having one meant their relationship was probably healthier than it had been in years. There’d been a time when she was almost certain their marriage wouldn’t last. Things had become more strained between them when her mother had eventually accepted she had a problem and her father had finally faced up to it too, but it all seemed to be behind them now. ‘I’ll be right back.’
‘Okay sweetheart, no hurry. Teddie’s having the time of his life.’ Her mother smiled and it was lovely to see her just enjoying the day and not staring at her phone, engrossed in researching whatever her latest obsession might be.
‘Thanks, but I won’t be long, I don’t want to miss the dancing.’ Eden walked in the direction of the bar, until she got to where Drew was standing. He wasn’t with Benji any more, and she couldn’t resist the urge to stop and talk to him.
