Look Back at Me (Fleckney Fields Series, Book 1)

Holy Oak!

"Vivi, I found my shop!" Yola shouted, and Viola moved her mobile away from her ear. "It's amazing! Wait, let me see– Lilac and Elm!" Yola's voice rang in excitement. "I'm on Lilac and Elm, and it's right in front of me!"

Viola paused for a second and asked, "The Old Fire Station?"

"An old fire station!" Yola hollered. "It's just like in my dream! I've already looked into the ownership. Are the Oakbies the posh relatives of your Holyoakes?"

"In a way," Viola said with a laugh. "There's a saucy medieval legend. And it's not hard to see when you compare the members of the two families, the bone structure and the colouring is very similar."

"Oh, do tell! Where are you? Let's meet up!"

Yola seemed to be walking briskly, and Viola shook her head with a chuckle. Only Yolanda Roel could start walking before she knew where she was walking.

"Are you in your surgery? I want to see your Doctor Totty!" Yola said. "I had breakfast in a pub, the Oak and something, and the landlady informed me of all the fittest men in the county. I obviously didn't inform her of my Curse with men, but still... wow! What's with this place and matchmaking?!"

"I'm at the Market in the Greville Square," Viola answered. "If you're near the Old Station it's just about seven minute walk from here. I can wait for you."

"Wicked! Don't go anywhere!" Yola crossed a street, judging by the noise and a frantic honk of a car in the background. "I want to hear the saucy legend!"

She hung up. Viola laughed and put her phone into her handbag. Traditionally, the Friday Market was dedicated to local artists and artisans, and Viola saw a stall with watercolours and some sort of colourful toys. She wouldn't normally be interested in this sort of a thing - but she saw Fiona Holyoake stand on a small ladder, trying to lift and hang some sort of a mobile. Viola stopped a few steps away, not wanting to startle the woman, and waited for Fiona to get down on the ground.

"Oh Viola! Hello!" Fiona's face lit up with a wide smile. "You're here!"

"Hi," Viola answered. "It seems I'm not supposed to work during the Festival. So I'm meeting my friend Yolanda here."

"Ah yes, I was introduced to her yesterday," Fiona said. "At the family dinner in the pub."

Viola nodded and looked over Fiona's display.

"These are amazing!" she exclaimed and pointed at the mobile Fiona had just attached to the roof. It had a small flock of bright coloured birds hanging on fishing lines from two crossed wooden sticks. "What are they made of?"

"Paper mâché," Fiona answered. "These are my favourite."

"They are chaffinches," Viola said quietly. "My Father was a bird watcher."

"I have them in my garden," Fiona said with a nod. "I remember when Will and I bought the cottage from Clem, that was the first thing I thought - that I would now have a yard and could watch birds."

"Are they for hanging above a cot?" Viola asked, unable to tear her eyes off the birds.

"No, they are just... for nothing." Fiona gave out a lilting laugh. "Birds don't actually have a purpose, right? They just live and sing and eat worms. They are– for joy."

Viola gave out a disbelieving laugh and met Fiona's eyes.

"You know, I don't think I have a single thing in my flat that is 'for nothing,'" Viola said.

"Oh I suppose you're the opposite of me then." Fiona giggled. "I love trinkets and curiosities. We have these shelves of– things. I reckon, I just never know what might inspire me at any point of time, so there are cups and saucers, and toys, and figurines, and antique utensils, and tools, and– But I suppose, as long as it doesn't bother Will - and he only keeps his desk in that military order of his - it's all good." She picked up a small figurine of a fox from her counter and twirled it in her fingers. "Thank goodness, he's as messy as I am."