Page 41 of Summer at Rachel’s Pudding Pantry

‘Right.’ Rachel could smell a commitment-phobe rat a mile off.

With that, came the phut-phut of the minibus up the winding lane, just as she and Jake reached the farm’s entrance gate where the school bus dropped off. Eve was already standing there waiting for Amelia and gave Rachel a wide-eyed stare as if to say, ‘What the hell is going on now?’

‘Jake decided to have a trip up and visit Maisy,’ Rachel explained, as calmly as she could.

‘O-kay. Hi, Jake.’ They knew each other from school days, Eve being in the year above the two of them. And Eve knew Jake from Rachel’s many tears, from the tales of first kisses, the excitement of Rachel falling in love, and then being let down over and over … and being left pregnant at only eighteen. Eve had been there for her friend through it all.

The bus pulled up, with Amelia down the steps first, followed by Maisy – cardigan and dress askew – who jumped off the bus with her usual bounce, then ground to a startled halt.

‘Daddy’s come up to see you, for a surprise visit.’ Rachel tried to bring her little girl up to speed.

Suddenly, Maisy was leaping forward and in her daddy’s arms. It was touching to see, but also – for Rachel – tinged with a bitterness that he wasn’t there more often for her. That he’d never really been there for either of them, in fact.

‘So, have you missed your old dad, then?’

‘Yes-s.’ Maisy’s voice was brimming with excitement.

‘Now then, what shall we do? Your choice. I’ve got this evening and all tomorrow with you.’

‘Hmm,’ Maisy was thinking, a little overwhelmed by this unexpected arrival.

Tomorrow was Saturday, so Maisy and her dad could in fact spend all day together. Rachel wanted to be pleased for her little girl, but her overriding feeling was of apprehension.

‘Well, you have a think on it, sweetheart, and then let me know.’ Jake was trying to be accommodating at least.

Eve glanced over Jake’s shoulder and mouthed ‘Good luck’ to Rachel, followed by a ‘call me’ hand gesture. Rachel, Jake and Maisy were soon walking back up the farm track. Maisy, stuck like glue to her father’s side, had the biggest beam on her face, with one hand in her daddy’s and the other in her mummy’s. For a minute or two, as they strolled, they looked like a happy family, but Rachel knew all too well that it was just a charade.

‘So, you’re up for the weekend then, Jake?’ asked Jill, making polite conversation in the farm’s kitchen, once she’d finished at the Pantry.

‘Yeah, got a few days off. Been a tad quieter with the building company that I’ve been doing a bit of work for lately, so I thought I’d get up and visit this little sweetheart.’

‘Where’s your friend Chelsea, Daddy?’

Jake gave a small cough, ‘Oh … well, Chelsea’s real busy just now, so she couldn’t make it up this time.’

‘Ah, I see,’ Jill responded.

She and Rachel remembered well his visit with his latest girlfriend, the petite, glamorous and white-trainered Chelsea, a few months back. The chickens had terrified her, the natural farmyard smells disgusted her, so the farm really hadn’t been her ideal place to visit.

Maisy looked up at her dad with affection. She had ensured he was seated next to her at the kitchen table, where she was playing with her Jessie and Woody Toy Story characters, and her wooden farm. It had been handmade for her by Grandad Robert, soon after she’d been born, for her ‘to grow into’, and she certainly had. It was one of her all-time favourite toys. Jake was trying his best to actively join in, taking Woody off hopping away across the table to go and feed the cattle at one point (as directed by Maisy), whilst Jessie helped a sheep in labour. Rachel couldn’t help but smile at that.

‘Can Chelsea come next time, Daddy, to the wedding? To see me in my bridesmaid’s dress? I like Chelsea,’ Maisy piped up.

‘Ah, well maybe. We’ll have to see,’ he replied, keeping his answer purposely vague.

Rachel was pleased at least that he wasn’t making more promises he might not be able to keep.

‘You can all come if you like. I’d like to see Kelvin too,’ Maisy was persistent.

Rachel groaned inwardly. Not more unwanted guests.

Jake went quiet for a few seconds, rubbing a hand through his sandy-blond hair.

‘You are coming, Daddy, aren’t you? You did say so.’ Maisy had folded her arms, a sure sign she was getting tense.

‘Yes, yes … I’ll be there, of course. When is it again?’ He turned to Rachel.

‘Three weeks tomorrow. The fourth,’ she responded coolly, thinking the leopard hadn’t changed his spots at all, had he.