Sunday, 8 September 2024

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (043) The Anniversary

 

Unbeknown to Danny, when they hosted the New Years Day lunch at Cliff Haven, Molly conspired with the guests to arrange a surprise meal, to mark the one-year anniversary of their first meeting in Sir Avery Arnold’s room at the High Pines Hospital in Colorado Springs.

As far as he was concerned, they were just having a quiet celebratory meal on January 10th, at the Orangery restaurant in the Beaumont Manor Hotel but when they walked into the lounge they were greeted by Louise Stratford, Katie, and Nikki Harrison, George Wood, Josh Beaumont, Olivia Shaw and the Vicar Arielle Nicholas, which took him completely by surprise.

While they were waiting to be seated, the Vicar asked

“So where did you meet?”

“In a hospital in Colorado” Danny replied

“Ok, more details” Louise said

Molly then explained about her grandfather’s illness and Danny’s car crash.

“It was clearly cupid at work” Katie said

“Cupid almost killed me” Danny said dramatically

“Drama queen” Molly retorted “He had a broken wrist and a few scrapes and bruises”

“Then what happened?” Olivia asked

“I became the victim of a crazed fan” he said “And she took advantage of a wounded man”

“You can tell he’s a writer” Molly said “Pure fantasy, the staff hadn’t even twigged who he was, I was the only one who recognized him”

“So, it was his pride that was wounded, and his ego that was bruised” George said, and everyone laughed, including Danny.

Everyone was still laughing as, Sophie Blourde, their server led them to their table, but once they were seated and starters and drinks were ordered, Danny began to regale them, in true raconteur style, with regular interjections from Molly, of the actual details of their meeting, how she helped him with the book, his stay at Lakeside, his chess games with Sir Avery, his subsequent death, and their journey to Beaumont island and how they fell in love along the way, and all the while Molly was holding his hand under the table.

They were on their main courses by the time he had finished the tale and then invited others to recount their own stories, so Josh took on the mantle of storyteller, and told his and Olivia’s story.

“Right your turn George” Molly said over coffee

“Nothing to tell, as soon as Katie saw me, she wrestled me to the ground” he said, and they all laughed.




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