Sharpington-by-Sea is
a traditional seaside resort complete with a Victorian Pier, seafront hotels,
crazy golf, The Palladium ballroom, well maintained gardens, promenade, theatre
and illuminations, all the usual things to have a great time by the seaside, as
well as amusement arcades and of course the Sharpington Fun Park.
Which was the first purpose-built
amusement park to open in Britain, which had an assortment of rides, like the
Rotor and the Wild Mouse, The Cyclone and the Morehouse Galloper, all very tame
compared to a 21st century roller coaster but it was still fun.
It was also a popular
resort for retirees and boasted a number of static caravan parks.
It was on one of those sites overlooking the town, the Whitecliffe Hill Caravan
Park, that 30-year-old divorcee Penny Van Der Zelden lived.
It had belonged to her parents and was where the family spent many
summer holidays and weekend breaks, and they had spent a lot of time there,
especially in the school holidays.
So, it was a place
that held very special memories for her and
after her marriage ended acrimoniously she couldn’t envisaged living anywhere
else, it made her feel good to think of those happy
days, and she wasn’t sure why she stopped the happy jaunts to the seaside.
But living there soon
reawakened those happy memories and in the Twelve months she had been
living there she had made new memories, some very good friends and perhaps more
importantly she had met John Hart.
He was a tall muscular thirty-two-year-old
with sandy hair and a weathered complexion, who was project managing the
renovation of the small Bluebird theatre at the southern end or the promenade.
And he was the
complete opposite of her, he was tall she was short, he was lean, and she had a
fuller figure, he was tanned, and she was pale, but regardless of the
differences they were a perfect match.
The only problem was
that she lived in Sharpington and his home was the other side of the county and
with the theatre finished all bar the snagging he was likely to be leaving town
really soon.
And that was the thing
on her mind as she made her way to the Pier Pancake
Palace located by the entrance of the Pier opposite Bizzoni's Ice Cream
Parlour.
She was
meeting her three closest friends Sarah Whitmarsh, and sisters, Rachel and
Kay Wilkinson, and the reason they were going there was because it was
Pancake Day.
“Happy Pancake Day” Penny said as she pushed open the door
“Happy
Mardi Gras” Rachel retorted
“What’s that?” Penny asked
“It’s what the American’s call Pancake Day” Sarah replied
“I thought they called it Fat Tuesday” Kay added
“Fat Tuesday? Why did you say that? Why would you say that?” Penny asked
with panic in her voice “Do I look fat? I look fat, don’t I? I knew I shouldn’t
have worn these trousers, I knew I should have worn a dress”
“Calm
down” Kay said and hugged her “you look gorgeous, now sit down and eat some
pancakes”
So, they
sat and ate far too many pancakes than were good for them and talked about what
was going on in their love lives and the last one to speak was Penny who told
them how happy she was, and that prompted Kay to respond
“Aren’t you forgetting
about the elephant in the room Penny?”
“What elephant?” she
retorted and looked over her shoulder
“What Kay is referring
to is the fact that the Bluebird theatre opens next week” Sarah explained
“And ….”
“And?”
“And what about John?”
Sarah confirmed
“I don’t know” Penny
replied
“Haven’t you asked
him?” Rachel asked
“No” she winced
“Oh Penny, you need to
get a wriggle on” Kay said “or you’re going to let him slip through your
fingers”
“I know, but I just haven’t been able bring myself to ask him” she said
“I’ve just concentrated on enjoying being with him”
“Well here’s your chance” Rachel said and nodded towards the door and
Penny stiffened.
“Hello ladies” John said as he approached the table and then he leant
down and kissed Penny’s cheek, and she smiled but said nothing.
“So, no work this morning?” Sarah asked
“No, I’ve finished” he replied
“What half a day?” Rachel added
“No, I mean I’m all done at the theatre” he said “Everything has been
signed off, so my work there is done”
Kay was studying Penny, s face as he spoke and saw the look of horror
that swept over it.
“Well as you’re a man of leisure why don’t you join us” Kay said “The
pancakes are wonderful”
“I’m afraid I can’t” he said checking his watch “I have to get going”
“What?” Penny exclaimed “Your leaving now?”
“I’m
afraid so” he replied
“where are
you going?” she asked, unable to hide the panic in her voice “When will you
come back to Sharpington to see us?”
“Erm,
we’re having dinner tonight remember” he said and smiled
“Yes but…”
“and I’m
not leaving town, I’m only going to the Council Offices for a job interview”
He added
and kissed her
“I’ll see
you later”
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