Forest Grove residents’ obsession with recycling to brand it as a ‘high-end vintage store for the eco-friendly’.
You’d think Daphne was eco-minded herself, but she was the complete opposite. She didn’t even recycle her rubbish! But then that was Daphne’s way, always going against the grain, something other residents – especially the likes of Andrea Cooper – struggled with. Even though Melissa didn’t agree with Daphne’s laissez faire attitude to the environment, she found Daphne’s company refreshing. Sometimes it made a nice change to spend time with someone who wasn’t obsessed with the state of the village’s ecologically engineered sewage plant or the latest school-run gossip. Daphne kept herself apart from all that, except for the occasional sardonic quip in the village’s Facebook group, her comments a source of entertainment for Melissa and Patrick whenever they logged in.
‘How was work for you today?’ Daphne asked, wiping the sweat from her brow.
‘Good, actually. Though I’ll miss Jacob Simms; it was his last session today. He’s been with me a year.’
Daphne’s green eyes flared with anger. ‘That poor kid. Honestly, it gets me in a rage when I think of the way the community treated him.’
‘He did set fire to some of the forest.’
‘He was drunk! We’ve all done stupid things after a few too many Babychams.’ Daphne crossed her slim arms across her chest and glared at Andrea Cooper, who was still in her garden. ‘People here always talk about dealing with problems themselves and yet they’re quite happy to go running to the police over something trivial when it suits them.’
Melissa sighed. Maybe Daphne was right. One stupid mistake and fourteen-year-old Jacob’s life had been completely changed the year before. If it weren’t for the outrage of the village, maybe he would have been let off with some community service for setting a campfire in the forest that hot summer day. In the end, he had to spend several weeks in a children’s home in Ashbridge, called St Fiacre’s . . . not to mention now having a criminal record for life. Worst of all, he had been subjected to a severe beating on his last day at the home. ‘A little goodbye present’ was how the culprit had described it as he pummelled Jacob’s legs, meaning his dreams of being a professional football player were completely shattered. At least Melissa’s intense physiotherapy over the past few months might mean he’d have a chance of returning to play football one day, even if it wasn’t quite of the same quality as before.
‘Well, I have high hopes for him now,’ Melissa said. ‘He’s come on in leaps and bounds.’
‘Same can’t be said about the community, though,’ Daphne said. ‘Him and his dad were completely blanked in the Neck of the Woods earlier,’ she added, referring to the pub next to her shop. ‘That’s the thing with Forest Grove. One wrong move and it’s like you’re dead to the residents here.’
‘Oh, Daphne, that’s not true,’ Melissa said softly. ‘Look what happened with my mum.’
Daphne put her hand on her hip. ‘She didn’t make a wrong move, though, did she?’
‘She was considered an outsider. People here could have turned a blind eye.’
Daphne went to open her mouth to say something but then sighed, shaking her head. ‘God, I’m really on one today, aren’t I? I blame that daughter of mine, like walking on eggshells being around her today.’
‘That’s teenagers for you.’
Melissa had always liked Daphne’s daughter, Maddy. She’d been dating Lewis for a year until they surprised everyone by splitting up a few weeks back. Maddy had been good for Lewis, especially at this important point in his school life. He tended to flit from one ambition to the next in his typical erratic fashion, whereas Maddy had known from an early age that she wanted to be a journalist, even setting up a student newspaper for Forest Grove High when she was thirteen. Sure, Lewis was only just fifteen, but they’d be gearing up for their exams in the next school year. Lilly had already decided she wanted to go to a specialist drama college in the next town, and their younger sister, Grace (though it sometimes felt to Melissa like Grace was the oldest of her three children, the way she talked), had also decided she wanted to be a journalist, thanks to Maddy’s influence.
‘Right, better head inside and get the barbie started,’ Melissa said. ‘Catch you later.’
Daphne checked her Fitbit then gave Melissa a wave before jogging off, her dogs trotting