it wasn’t happening to you, it was easy to hand out advice. It was okay for her brother with his perfect family, job and home, not that she would ever hold that against him. She couldn’t be happier that Rob had such a wonderful life and that she was such a massive part of it, but she didn’t think he had the slightest clue of what she was going through and she’d never wish it upon him.
For Maria, it was as if her whole world had been shredded into a tiny million pieces right before her eyes and there wasn’t a single thing she could do about it. She felt lost, out of place, as if she were floating higher and higher into the sky, like a balloon that had been released by the hand that had once held her so tightly. She needed to anchor herself again, she just didn’t know how and, at the end of it all, she knew one thing was for certain. She needed to move on.
When breakfast was delivered, Maria inhaled the smell of the food deeply and tried to remember the last time she’d felt as ravenous. She wasn’t sure what it was but, all of a sudden, the idea of tucking into the plate of food sat before her, completely inviting, was more than appealing. Perhaps it was the way Rob snatched up his cutlery and tucked in as if he hadn’t eaten for days? Or perhaps it was simply her surroundings and new circumstances, coupled with the fresh air her lungs had taken in that morning? Whatever it was, her stomach untangled itself from the tension it had been victim to and, after the first mouthful of egg and bacon, she was unable to stop herself from shovelling the rest into her mouth at an unbelievable speed. Using the last slice of buttery toast to mop up the puddle of baked bean juice, Maria sat back in her seat and gave her full stomach room to breathe.
‘Now that’s what I call breakfast.’
Rob grinned. ‘Blimey, you wolfed that down, didn’t you?’
Finished and ready to go, Maria and Rob back went back towards the counter. ‘How much do I owe you?’ he asked, rifling through his wallet.
Harriet glanced up from what she was doing. Maria tried to take a closer look, and realised she was writing out a sign for a job vacancy. She returned the lid to the black marker pen she’d been using with a little pop and smiled. She took payment and handed over a receipt.
‘Hey.’ Rob nudged Maria in the side with his elbow and nodded at the sign. ‘That’d be perfect for you, just while you’re here. Keep you busy when you’re not painting back at the cottage.’
Harriet’s eyes sparkled with promise as she looked at Maria hopefully. ‘It’s only a temporary position, mind you. I’ve got everything handled any other time, but when summer arrives, it’s much harder to stay on top of it all. The place gets so busy, you wouldn’t believe it.’
Maria tried to laugh it off and shook her head quickly. ‘No, I don’t think so.’ In her mind, she could clearly hear Mike roaring with laughter. He would think it hilarious if she, Maria, who’d been a ‘kept’ woman since they’d met, now took up the role of a waitress. The sound of his evil cackling rattled around her mind, making her nerves surge back to the surface once more. Swallowing, she tried to shove Mike into a box right at the very back of her mind and added a padlock for good measure. He was gone for good now. History.
‘Why not?’ Rob persisted cheerfully, seeing no problem with the idea. ‘You’d be great, and with you only staying here for the summer it’s perfect. I think you should go for it. Help Harriet here out!’
And I think you should shut up, Robert, Maria thought to herself, with a smile plastered onto her face so that they couldn’t see what she was really thinking. ‘I don’t know,’ she said slowly, as if mulling it over, when she already knew the answer. ‘Maybe.’
‘Oh, it’s all right. Don’t feel like you have to,’ Harriet laughed heartily. ‘But, if you do happen to change your mind, don’t hesitate to pop back.’
Maria smiled, grateful at Harriet for noticing her discomfort. ‘I will do, thank you. I’ll no doubt be back for breakfast anyway,’ she laughed.
‘Goodbye,’ Harriet waved, as Maria and Robert left the café.
*
‘That wasn’t so bad, was it?’ Rob said before downing the last of his coffee and placing the empty cup into the sink with a chink against the others.
They were back at the cottage and Maria was putting away the shopping she’d picked up on the way back to Daffodil Lane. Her stomach felt deliciously full after their breakfast. She was still surprised at how much she’d managed to eat that morning, wondering whether it was the very area itself working its magic on her. It was a completely ridiculous notion but something had certainly changed that morning.
‘It was lovely,’ she agreed with a smile, and she meant it. ‘Exactly what I needed. If you hadn’t turned up today, I’d probably still be wandering about in my dressing gown. It’s done me the world of good to get out and into town. I feel much better for it. Thank you.’
‘Right,’ he announced after a quick glance at his watch. ‘I best be off. It’s my turn to cook dinner tonight. Teriyaki chicken.’ He rubbed his hands together in anticipation. ‘The girls and Rosanna love it. And you’re welcome, by the way. It’s a stunning place. I’m glad you’re tucked away here for the summer. I reckon you’ll be back to yourself before you know it.’
Maria walked Rob to the door, feeling sad to see him go but looking forward to relaxing. She hadn’t even begun to gather the bits and pieces for the decorating yet. She had no idea where to begin with it. Still, it would be good to turn her mind to something else, and despite having not been expecting Rob to turn up on the doorstep that morning, she’d actually really enjoyed his company.
‘Come here.’ On the doorstep, Rob grabbed her head roughly and yanked her towards him. He planted a loud kiss on her forehead and laughed when she protested.
‘Ow, Rob!’ she screeched, trying desperately to wriggle free and push his hands away. ‘Get off! I’m older than you, don’t forget that, will you?’
He stepped backwards towards the car. ‘I know you are, but you’re still my sister. See you soon, all right? Take care of yourself. Oh, and Maria? Why don’t you have a think about that job in the café? You never know what might come of it.’ He hopped into the car then, and reversed off the driveway, before trundling up the road and disappearing round the corner.
Maria watched him go before turning to take in Daffodil Lane itself. It was, she had to admit, a gloriously pretty area. The cottages were almost identical. One had a bike propped up beneath the kitchen window and another had a garden absolutely overflowing with gorgeous wildflowers that wouldn’t have looked out of place in a watercolour painting above someone’s fireplace. Surrounded by thick woodland and with the cornflower-blue sky above, Maria began to feel that she was on holiday in some far-off land, which she knew had been the point of coming here in the first place. It was a relief to be away from the house she’d shared with Mike for so long. She wondered if he’d packed up his things and left yet. The very thought of going back there sent her stomach rolling. She disappeared into the coolness of the cottage to stop herself from feeling dizzy and light-headed.
Stepping inside, she walked down the narrow hall which led into the conservatory at the back of the cottage. It provided her with a perfect view of the never-ending, rolling green fields reaching out into the distance. The sight was relaxing and, with a sigh of relief that the morning had been successful – in that she hadn’t had a meltdown or burst into tears – she plopped down into one of the wicker chairs and allowed the sun to warm her face through the windows. She kicked off her shoes and stretched her legs out, propping her feet upon the oak table in
