Secrets to a Happy Ending

Chapter 17

Lydia approached the town square that was being cleared from the night before. There were stalls being set up for the village day celebrations occurring in two days' time. She smiled as she watched the people walking around the shops enjoying themselves, whilst some sat in the park and chatted. The sun was glorious and it was a cooler day than it had been since she had arrived.

Lydia was wearing a yellow vintage style summer dress, with a pair of white short heels, carrying her Louis Vitton handbag. As people passed her, everyone was greeting her with good morning, and she felt more at ease, that she could find her way around. She happened to spot Claire Barlow in the distance and hurried her pace to go and meet her.

"Hi, Claire, we briefly met yesterday."

Claire was sitting on a park bench reading.a book, when she looked up and smiled at Lydia.

"Lydia the blogger, yes that's right, nice to see you."

"I know it's a little early, but I thought I would see what the bar was like, I thought you might like to join me?"

"Sure, it's never too early for a small G&T, and if you have never been to the bar yet, you ought to check it out. I would be honoured to show you."

Lydia and Claire headed over to the bar, once inside Lydia smiled. It was entirely panelled with oak, as if they were at some exclusive club. There were pictures of present and past world leaders hanging on the walls, a TV played in the background with world news. There were men and women sitting drinking coffee and beer, or water, enjoying the air conditioning while they chatted.

"Oh it's nice in here.'' Lydia said.

"Sit down, I will get you a drink."

Just then Lydia's phone gave the sound that she had received a text message. She took her phone out of her bag and read it. The number came up unknown and the message read I KNOW YOU WORK FOR A NEWSPAPER, YOU'RE A JOURNALIST, STOP NOW OR YOUR COVER WILL BE BLOWN.

Lydia quickly put the phone back in her bag as Claire approached the table with the drinks.

"Cheers," She said.

Lydia took a drink, her throat felt very dry and she could not get the message out of her head. Trying to distract herself she thought about how to start the conversation.

"So how are you liking Happy Endings?" She asked.

"Well it's a far cry from some of the places I have visited, but it's home to me now."

"Really? You have visited many places then?"

"Yes, I used to be an air hostess."

"Oh wonderful, you know when I was little, I used to want to do that job."

"I will be honest with you, its not that glamorous, if you saw the state of the planes, the people left it in, oh and the toilets. Oh my god I am surprised I lasted as long as I did to be honest."

"But still you went to some nice places?"

"Oh yes, Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, New York, Dubai. Met some famous people along the way also."

"What made you leave?"

"Well terrorism is becoming more of a threat, there is nothing worse than when people begin to panic when you are thirty thousand feet in the air. Because you have to keep calm, to be able to calm them down. One day a lady boarded, who got incredibly drunk on a flight, she had been sipping her duty free, when I tried to remove it, somehow she had managed to conceal a knife past security. She went full steam trying to attack me, it was a frightening experience, and I decided there and then, it was time to give back my wings."

"Good god, how awful. I have never been in that sort of position before, I dread to think what that would be like?"

"It's not pleasant, I can tell you?"

"And, tell me how did you manage to find this place?"

"A friend told me about an ad that they had seen in the paper, so I made contact and came out to visit."

"Do you remember who you spoke to?"

"Yes it was Joanna Ross, we get on so well you know, she is my BFF."

Lydia smiled, while thinking to herself about what Claire had been saying to her. She still thought the resemblance to Chvonne Lumley was uncanny, but her story seemed concrete.

"Who did you fly with?"

"Air Britannica."

"Oh they are a huge company, I flew with them when I came here."

"Pity I did not know you before then, I could have probably got you a discount."

Lydia and Claire chatted for a while longer, when Joanna entered the bar, she walked over to Claire and muttered something under her breath. Claire listened intently, and then shook her head, looking.puzzled.

"Is everything ok?" Lydia asked.

"Oh hello Lydia, sorry did not see you there. Have you seen Ronnie Ogden, he was meant to be at the mill for a delivery this morning, but he never showed up it seems. I just had Mark on the phone. He is looking for him?"

"I can't say I have, but he did have a lot to drink from the look of him last night, perhaps he is still sleeping it off?"

Joanna shook her head in response.

"No I have just come from there, there was no answer and all the curtains are open, there is no sign of life?"

"Strange? Well if I see him I will let you know that you are looking for him?"

Joanna smiled in appreciation, Lydia grabbed her bag, said goodbye to them both and headed out of the bar back towards the square, immediately thinking about the message she had received on her phone.