Page 58 of Suddenly Beck

‘Me too.’ I stand slowly holding my hand out to her. ‘Ms Molly, would you like to take a walk with me down to the beach?’

She looks up at me blinking as her cheeks flush with pleasure. ‘Oh, that would be lovely, Nat,’ she replies as she rises from her seat gracefully. I take her hand and hook her arm over mine.

‘Come on, Ms Molly.’ I grin. ‘Let’s give the town gossips something to talk about.’

‘Call me Molly.’ She pats my arm affectionately. ‘I think this is going to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship, Nat.’

I chuckle as we walk out of the breakfast room and into the main foyer. Bea looks up from the reception desk, her eyes wide when she sees us walking by arm in arm, giggling like school kids.

‘Mother!’ she exclaims somewhat in stunned surprise. ‘Where are you going?’

‘To Vegas.’ Molly waves grandly. ‘We’ll send you a postcard from the Elvis chapel.’ She slaps her hand on the little bell as we pass, and we head out of the main entrance laughing loudly with Ode to Joy ringing in our ears.

We head down to the seafront, strolling along as we chat like long lost friends, and I realise, a little sadly, that everyone is missing out on the real Ms Molly. The woman is hilarious, and I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard or for so long. She tells me side-splitting and bawdy stories of her younger years, then moves on to all the memorable guests who’ve stayed at the B&B over the years, leaving me in no doubt that if she ever wrote her memoirs, they’d be an instant best seller.

We wander down to the surf school and say hi to Georgie, then stop by the beach shop to buy an ice cream while we peruse the various fridge magnets, buckets and spades, and inflatable beach balls. We sit on the low brick sea wall and eat candy floss while we watch the surfers and boats, and I feel happy, right down in my bones happy. Like I’ve just discovered the most perfect place on earth.

‘I know that look.’ Molly smiles behind her huge Audrey Hepburn sunglasses, holding her wide brimmed sun hat on as the breeze coming off the water picks up.

‘What look?’

‘You’re falling under the bay’s spell.’ She grins. ‘Don’t feel bad, it happens to the best of us. I came here for my eighteenth birthday with my parents back in 1961 and fell in love with the place. Of course, I also happened to fall head over heels for a local boy called Charles. I never do anything in half measures.’

‘What happened?’ I ask curiously.

‘The summer ended, and we were due to return back home.’ Her eyes soften in remembrance.

‘Where was home?

‘Doncaster,’ she laughs. ‘I know, doesn’t sound very exciting, does it?’

‘What happened?’ I ask, entranced by her story.

‘My parents made me go home with them, but I wouldn’t be told, I was far too head strong. I knew exactly what I wanted. As soon as I arrived home, I packed up everything I owned and caught the train straight back. I arrived on Charlie’s doorstep and told him he was going to marry me.’

‘And did he?’ I smile, absolutely charmed by her.

‘Of course, he did.’ She sniffs. ‘He knew a good thing when it arrived on his doorstep with a battered old suitcase.’ Her tone softens. ‘We married and Beatrice was born a year later, we had a son too, but he died of measles.’

‘I’m sorry,’ I mutter quietly.

‘I often wonder if he’d have grown up to be like my Charlie.’ She stares out at the glittering water thoughtfully. ‘Charlie died in ’74… bad lungs, and I opened the B&B, it was a good income, but I think I was just lonely. I wanted to be surrounded by people, and I’ll tell you a secret, Nat.’

‘Go on then.’ I smile warmly.

‘Despite my stellar reputation around here.’ She shakes her head with a small smile playing on her lips. ‘There was never anyone but Charlie.’

‘You must have really loved him,’ I murmur.

‘I did,’ she sighs. ‘I often wish we could’ve had longer, but I was grateful for every moment we were given, even if it ended too soon. Love is a gift no matter how long you have it for. The trick is to enjoy the hell out of it, no matter how long it lasts.’

‘I’ll drink to that.’ I smile.

‘I should be getting back.’ Molly laughs as she pushes herself carefully off the wall, ‘My feet are killing me.’

‘You should wear your crocs next time.’ I grin.

‘I may just do that,’ she snorts. ‘Maybe it’s time to let people see the real me again,’ she adds quietly.