Christie Barlow - Love Heart Lane Series

‘So, what’s changed in this old village since I was last here?’ asked Martha, now rocking a droopy-eyed Angus in his pram.

‘Apart from being cut off from civilisation for a while when the bridge collapsed, everything else is just the same old, same old,’ chipped in Rona, who was polishing the glass cabinets for the umpteenth time so far this morning.

‘Ooo, I saw your video on Facebook,’ trilled Martha.

‘You’re on Facebook?’ Rona exclaimed, who struggled with any type of technology.

‘Of course! You have to move with the times. It’s all about social media these days, but I’m still getting to grips with Tinder … I keep swiping the wrong way and having numerous undesirables match with me … I mean, they must know they are punching above their weight.’

‘Gran … you are never on Tinder?’ Isla couldn’t hide her disbelief.

Both Felicity and Polly stifled their laughter, not knowing whether Martha was being serious.

‘Tinder … what’s Tinder?’ asked Rona, trying to keep up with the conversation.

‘A dating app,’ chorused the girls.

‘You’re on a dating app?’ Rona’s expression was now one of dismay.

‘How else am I going to meet someone at my age? You should give it a go, Rona.’

‘Me?’ Rona’s eyes widened and she brought her hand up to her chest in horror. ‘I can’t think of anything worse,’ she said, looking appalled.

‘Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.’ Martha raised her eyebrows and gave Rona a knowing look.

‘I’m perfectly happy on my own and that’s the way it’s staying.’

‘Not for you then, Mum?’ teased Felicity.

Rona made a series of huffing and tutting sounds, ‘It most certainly is not.’

‘What about you? Have you ever tried dating on line?’ Felicity turned towards Polly, who shook her head.

‘But it would be nice to be rescued by someone … in fact anyone,’ she answered, all dreamy-eyed. She was still single after eighteen months.

‘And what about your love life?’ asked Martha, looking at Felicity. ‘Who’s the lucky man?’

‘Fergus.’

Martha let out a low whistle, ‘That’s a turn-up for the books after everything that happened, and you running off like that all those years ago.’

Isla gave her Gran an impromptu shake of her head, knowing a random switch of conversation was very much needed.

‘We’ve sorted everything out,’ said Felicity, with a slight feeling of agitation rising inside.

‘Didn’t his wife die?’ Martha wasn’t for letting go of the conversation.

‘They weren’t married. Lorna passed away, leaving Fergus to bring up their daughter Esme.’

‘Right … come on now …’ said Rona, fidgeting from one foot to the other while looking out of the window, ‘those ramblers will be on their way from the B&B, ready for their packed lunches, and you lot are under my feet.’

‘Are you kicking us out?’ asked Martha in disbelief.

‘I am, unless you want to order anything else?’

‘Well, I’ve been kicked out of some places in my time, but never a teashop!’

‘First time for everything, Gran.’

‘And are we still on for tomorrow night?’ asked Felicity, looking between Isla and Polly. ‘Girly night?’

‘Absolutely,’ they both chorused in unison.

Rona moved towards Martha and kissed her on her cheek, ‘It is good to have you back.’

‘And I’ll see you tomorrow night too,’ Martha snagged Felicity’s eye as she walked towards the door. ‘Girly night.’

Knowing Felicity would just want it to be the girls, Rona thankfully came to the rescue: ‘How about you join me at the pub tomorrow night? I’ll ask Aggie and Meredith will be behind the bar. We can catch up properly.’

‘Good plan, and I’ll show you how to use that app.’ Martha winked at Rona who let out a chuckle.

‘Behave,’ she said, waving Martha and Isla on their way. ‘I’ve no intention of joining the minefield that is social media. I’m quite happy with the way things are …’

‘We’ll see,’ Martha shouted over her shoulder with a wicked twinkle in her eye as the door closed behind them.

‘She’s a character and a half,’ added Polly, with a grin.

‘There is no doubt that one has lived life to the full and is still doing so, by the sounds of it,’ answered Rona. ‘Isla has definitely got her hands full there.’

‘Maybe you should have a think about that dating app. I can always sit here and set you up a profile over a couple of mugs of tea,’ teased Polly, as Rona playfully rolled her eyes.

Felicity was still chuckling. ‘Martha is right though, Mum, maybe you should put yourself out there, you have so much to offer and deserve to be happy.’

Shaking her head in despair, Rona coaxed her daughter towards the sink. ‘Don’t be daft, my life is perfect just the way it is, unlike Isla’s, by the state she was in when she arrived today.’ Rona gave Felicity an inquisitive stare, but Felicity brushed it off, not wanting to break her friend’s trust.

‘New babies, change of routine, tiredness, I’m crying just thinking about it.’

‘It’s an exhausting time for any woman, and you feel like you don’t know if you are coming or going, you’re someone’s mother, wife, daughter, sister, grandmother … you lose all perspective of who you are. Everyone wants a piece of you. I can remember screaming and crying What about me? Thank God for your grandmother’s support, that’s all I can say. Just be there for Isla. She’ll be in need of a good friend. It’s really not that easy.’

Her mum’s words rang in Flick’s ears. Maybe Isla was feeling the pressure a little? She didn’t have any hands-on support; with Drew running the farm, looking after the children was left solely down to her. Felicity didn’t elaborate on the conversation with Isla, but she was worried about her friend. Isla wasn’t a moaner, she worked hard and saw the good in everyone and every situation and didn’t like any sort of confrontation. Felicity knew she would have felt disloyal talking to her about the argument with Drew, which meant it must have really bothered her.

Hopefully a night with the girls tomorrow would pep her up a bit, but Felicity knew she was going to keep a closer eye on her.

Through the kitchen window, Isla could see Drew and Fergus loitering in the yard in front of the stable block. Fergus was tapping on his phone with a goofy grin on his face. Isla felt an aww moment, followed by a tiny pang of jealously. Still in the first flourish of love, Felicity and Fergus texted each other at every opportunity. Isla missed that closeness with Drew. Those butterflies-dancing-in-the-pit-of-your-stomach-type moments seemed to have disappeared recently for them. Maybe once you had kids that’s what happened, life just became life that didn’t knock your socks off you anymore.

Isla scrutinised Drew’s stony face. He didn’t look like his mood had improved as he shovelled the muck into the wheelbarrow. Any second now he’d be taking a tea break and she was surprised he hadn’t already popped his head around the door to ask who the Mini belonged to.

Martha had taken a stroll to the corner shop to catch up with Hamish, while Isla did her very best to make up the spare room as best she could. It felt like Martha had brought everything except the kitchen sink, and after the umpteenth trip to the car the Mini was finally empty, much to Isla’s relief.

She switched on the kettle and placed two mugs on the table. Already she was feeling apprehensive about telling Drew that Martha was here to stay … indefinitely.

The door swung open. ‘No Fergus with you?’ Isla asked, noticing him walking off towards the driveway.