The
traditional seaside resort of Sharpington-by-Sea has all the usual things to
have a great time by the seaside, a Victorian Pier, seafront hotels, crazy
golf, The Palladium ballroom, well maintained gardens, promenade, theatre, and
illumination, as well as amusement arcades and of course the Sharpington Fun
Park.
It also had
the grand neighbourhood of Granite Hill, which in a nod to San Francisco, the
locals had nicknamed Nob Hill, but it was at the other end of the town where
Chloe Hibbitt was staying, at the Potters Lane Caravan Park, while she was
recuperating after a long illness which had left her frail in mind and body.
She would
have rather stayed at a hotel or in a spacious Chalet, but her funds wouldn’t
run to that, she only had what she had managed to hide away from her gambling
addicted partner.
Everything
else had gone, all their savings, her jewelry, the house, both cars, every
possession of any value and her sanity.
Chloe was
left with nowhere to live, and no will to live, so at the age of 40 she decided
to take her own life.
She failed,
but it was not for the want of trying, it was not a cry for help, she really
wanted to die.
It was in
Nettlefield when she was discovered, quite by chance, in the bath at the White
Rose Inn, and was rushed to Hospital.
Her wounds
healed but the desire to die remained, so she was sectioned, and months of
therapy followed, until it was determined she was no longer a threat to
herself.
However,
she was far from well, so her best friend Brenda Caddick suggested she use her
static caravan in Sharpington until she was fully recovered, and her daughter
Sammi gave her a dog so she would have something else to be responsible for.
So that was
why the small, delicate and pale skinned Chloe was sitting on the breakwater on
Sharpington beach with the sea breeze playing with her short black curly hair,
when a tall willowy woman in her early 40s with a mane of untamed red hair
approached her.
“Hello, I’m
Selina” the woman said with the hint of an accent
“And this
fellow is Trojan”
Trojan was
a chocolate-coloured Labrador
“I’m Chloe”
she said and shook her hand “and that mad creature is Amber”
“That’s a
lovely name” she said
“It’s short
for “Golden Amber Moonlight”” Chloe said, and Selina roared with laughter
“No, I
meant Chloe is a lovely name”
“Oh, I see”
she said and laughed “I always thought it was rather a dull name”
“Nonsense
it means “Blooming”” Selina explained
“Really? I
didn’t know that” Chloe responded
“I have
seen you before from a distance I think” Selina said
“That’s
right” Chloe said “but I haven’t been this far up the beach before, I’m
convalescing”
“There is a
lot of healing in the sea air” Selina suggested sagely “Perhaps we will meet
again sometime on one of your restorative strolls”
“I do hope
so” Chloe said
“Goodbye”
they echoed and then they went their separate ways
Selina
Michaels was not, like Chloe, a visitor to Sharpington she had lived in town
all her life, which was 43 years.
She was an
elegant looking woman with striking looks and mesmeric grey eyes full of
sadness.
Like Chloe,
Selina also found herself alone, although in her case it was as a result of a
bereavement and still grieved for the loss, of Robin.
Part of her
problem was her life was empty, she lived alone, except for Trojan, and had no
close friends, because friendships didn’t come easy to her, and she was not a
natural mixer
Quite
naturally, given her short comings, Selina had surprised herself by initiating
a conversation with a complete stranger.
Having done
so, and broken the ice, her first impression, was a favourable one and she
found herself hoping she might bump into her again, and a casual companionship
might result.
They had
already established common ground as they were both mad about their dogs, so
that was a great start as far as she was concerned.
On the days
that followed they regularly met on the beach, weather permitting, and every
time they met Chloe was a little further along, regaining her strength slowly
but surely.
On the day
that she reached the Sharpington Pier was a milestone for her in many ways.
On the
journey back to Potters Lane, Selina kept her company all the way, and when
they left the beach Chloe said
“God I’m
shattered, I could murder a drink”
“Coffee or
something stronger?” Selina asked
“Definitely
something stronger” Chloe replied
“Me too, my
bungalow is closest, why don’t you come to mine” Selina said
“I’d love
to” she said, and Selina put an arm through hers and was pleased that she had
found a kindred spirit, while Chloe was just happy, she had someone to lean on.
Once they
arrived at the bungalow Chloe was on her last legs and a medicinal Brandy fell
short as a restorative, so Selina found that she had a house guest for
Christmas and had someone to care for.
By Boxing
Day Chloe was restored and by New Year’s Eve they had healed each other and by
12th night they were lovers.
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