after the baby had died but when I found out I was so angry at him. Everybody was. But then what happened after, the lies he told about you, I have never been so ashamed of him before.’
Penny swallowed down the pain of that, returning her attention to the hot chocolate.
‘People will believe what they want to believe and most of the town saw the lies for what they were, but as you know, there were some that believed them,’ Kathleen said. ‘I couldn’t look at him for months, barely said a word to him. I was so embarrassed by him. God, he was hated by so many people for what he had done, but that hatred spread to me too. The looks I’d get, the comments. Even some of my friends turned against me as if it was my fault he had slept with Jade, abandoned you and told all those lies. He left the town shortly after, as you know, but I was left with all those looks and comments for months afterwards. I saw you quite a few times around the town but I was never brave enough to come and say anything. I was too ashamed to come and see you personally and eight years have passed and you’ve never been back in the pub since.’
‘Do you blame me?’
‘No, of course not. I just hoped that you didn’t hate me for what happened but, as time went on, I guessed that you did.’
‘I don’t hate you. I hated Chris for a long while, but I never hated you. Because I never saw you again, I just presumed that you believed the lies he told you and that you wouldn’t want a crazy, psychotic person in the pub.’
‘Oh love, I wish I had come to see you, maybe we could have put this to bed years ago.’
Penny nodded, sadly and took another sip of the comforting hot chocolate. They had both been victims of Chris’s actions.
‘You know he’s married now, and has a baby boy. Eric, he’s five months old and Chris absolutely adores him. I guess that must be really hard for you, after seeing how badly he reacted to your baby.’
‘Actually it isn’t. It was hard at the time when I saw the baby clothes and toys you had bought for him, but I hope Chris is a better person now. It was a long time ago and he was young, we both were. If he loves his little boy, as you say he does, I’m genuinely happy for him.’
‘He’s grown up to be a marvellous young man, and a fantastic dad. He’s actually someone I can be proud of. I hope you can forgive him one day.’
‘I don’t hate him any more and I wish him well, though forgiveness might take a little longer.’
Kathleen nodded with understanding. ‘And what about you? I hear you’re seeing Henry Travis.’
Penny sighed. Nothing was secret in this town.
‘He seems like a decent man.’
‘He really is.’
‘And I know it’s early days but do you think you might have your own family one day?’
‘Family comes in different guises. He has a daughter who I adore. Maybe it would be enough to just be part of their family.’
Kathleen nodded. ‘Sometimes the family you pick for yourself is miles better than the one you were given.’
Penny smiled as she looked into the flames. She just had to hope that Henry and Daisy would pick her too.
* * *
It was a while later when Penny pulled back up outside her house. She had chatted to Kathleen for a few hours and, although she wouldn’t be popping into the pub every week, she knew she would be always be very welcome in there from now on.
She let herself into her kitchen and smiled when she saw Jill and Daisy chatting over lunch.
‘Hey.’ Penny dropped a fond kiss on Jill’s head.
‘Hello, lovely,’ Jill said. ‘I made you some lunch and then I found this little waif next door, practically starving to death, so I had to feed her up too, I hope you don’t mind.’
‘Of course not. Can’t have her wasting away.’
Daisy grinned at her as she polished off the last of her sandwich. Penny sat down next to her and gave her a friendly nudge. Daisy nudged her back.
‘I saw you going into The Pilchard earlier, everything OK?’ Jill asked, casually, trying not to let anything slip to nosy ears.
‘It is now,’ Penny said, lifting the cover off her plate and tucking into her