Wednesday, 11 September 2024

The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (124) The Postman Always Rings Twice

 


Frank Neary was a postman and was on the way back home at the end of his shift on Monday and he decided to call in at Martini’s General Store between Saxvirdan and St Pierre to see the lovely Maya.

She was a small skinny young woman, but not in an emaciated way, she just had a slight, narrow frame, and she was couple of years younger than him.

Her hair was the colour of ripened corn, and her eyes were big and brilliant blue, and she had a delicious toothy smile, which lit up the whole shop, if not the street.

Frank always flirted dreadfully with her, and she always flirted back, and when it came time to pay there was always a lingering exchange where their hands would almost touch but not quite, occasionally he would caress her hand with his fingertips, and she would blush and get very flustered.

The shop was owned and run by Francisco Martini, although it was his young Niece Violeta and her Aunt Louisa who did all the work.

He was a surly old goat, and bone idle, and he always sat on his arse in the back room watching cricket, or Golf.

Violeta and her Aunt were both lovely though, Violeta was a few years older than Frank, tall and slim with thick black hair.

They were on their way out to the cash and carry as he approached so they exchanged pleasantries briefly before he went in the shop, and he smiled because if they were gone that meant Francisco and Maya were running the shop, and one of them would be watching TV.

When he entered the corner shop, he knew she would be on her own

in the shop.

When she saw him walk in, she quickly fussed with her hair which he thought made her look even lovelier.

Her toothy smile lit up her face, so knowing there were no prying eyes Frank blatantly held her hand and he would have asked her out there and then if another customer hadn’t entered the shop, so he gave Maya’s hand a final stroke picked up his milk and left.

 

Frank didn’t get in the shop the next day as he had to work late which meant he didn’t get to see her toothy smile, and later in the day he heard the news that Francisco Martini had collapsed in the shop that morning.

 

Having heard the news he resolved to pop into Martini’s sooner rather than later, which happened to be 7am the next morning.

As he got close, he was delighted to see the lovely Maya opening up.

“Hello Maya” he called as he approached

“Oh Frank” she said flustered, not quite knowing what to do or where to look.

“Where is everyone?” he asked, he knew Francisco was in hospital though he didn’t know why 

“Louisa and Violeta are still at the hospital so I’m opening up on my own today”

“Let me help” he offered

“Thank you, Frank,” she said smiling coyly

Between the two of them they soon made light work of it and when the last stack of plastic goods came out through the door he stood in the doorway and said

“Well that’s everything”

“Thank you, Frank,” she said and beamed a beautiful smile

“If there’s nothing else to do I need to get to work” he said, and the smile left her face

“No, no, that’s everything” she said

“If you’re not too tired later perhaps I could take you for a drink” he suggested

“Oh yes” she agreed

 

Unfortunately, he didn’t get to have his drink with Maya as Louisa and Violeta were at the hospital all day and had to man the shop on her own right up till closing time, so he turned up at the shop at closing time to help her and walk her home.

They repeated opening and closing together on Thursday and Friday.

Frank finally got to take Maya out on Saturday night and the drink turned into dinner.

They also spent much of Sunday together on Centurion’s Beach.

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