The Happiness List: A wonderfully feel-good story to make you smile this summer!

Pamela closed the door and walked back to the kitchen, pausing to gaze at her children’s photos. Her gaze rested on Matthew’s university picture. She’d been so proud as she watched him collect his degree from the Dean. But even then, Barry had been disparaging.

‘What’s he going to do with an English degree?’ he’d scoffed. Pamela had shushed him but she saw from the dark look on Matthew’s face that he’d heard. Poor Matthew. Pamela felt for him. He’d had articles published, of course, and managed to get by, but she sensed that he compared himself unfavourably to his siblings. Pamela had therefore taken on the role of chief protector. Laura and Simon seemed sorted but Matthew – her Matty – needed a bit more support. Barry might disagree but wasn’t it important to feel that your mum had your back, regardless of how old you were? Pamela’s maternal instinct told her that it was and Barry would just have to deal with it.

Pamela moved around the kitchen fetching the ingredients for toad in the hole. She liked to make her batter early and leave it to sit – it seemed to make for a fluffier Yorkshire. She went to the fridge and realized that she still didn’t have any milk, having insisted that Fran take home the remainder of the pint she’d brought with her.

Pamela picked up her bag and made for the door. She considered telling Barry where she was going but realized that he wouldn’t notice anyway. She felt as if she was punishing him somehow by just leaving the house. She knew it was childish but she was still cross with his comment about Matty earlier that morning. Didn’t he understand that he would push their son away if he carried on like that?

Pamela breathed in the fresh spring air as she made her way to the end of the road to Doly and Dev’s shop. She loved this time of year – the trees bursting with new life, everything beginning again.

The bell tinkled above the door as she entered the shop. Doly’s head popped out from behind the shelf she was stacking. ‘Pamela! How are you?’ she said with a smile. Pamela felt a surge of warmth from that smile. Doly always seemed so happy and calm. She wondered what her secret was.

‘I’m fine, thanks, dear. How about you? How are your lovely girls?’

‘Noisy but beautiful.’ Doly beamed. ‘How is your son? Has he found a job yet?’ Pamela shook her head. ‘Well, it’s not much but I may have some runs to the cash and carry if he’s free. Dev and Hasan have had to go back to Bangladesh for a while as their grandmother is ill.’

‘Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, Doly. Thank you for the offer, I’ll talk to Matthew.’

Doly nodded. ‘Tell him to come and see me if he’s interested. Now what can I get you?’

‘Just milk, thanks, Doly. Oh, and I’ll take this too,’ she said, picking up a large bar of Fruit and Nut.

‘Happiness is a big bar of chocolate, right?’ said a voice. Pamela turned to see Heather smiling at her.

‘Oh hello, lovey. I didn’t see you there. How are things?’

Heather nodded. ‘Pretty good, thanks. I’ve just finished my shift at the bakery and popped in for this.’ She held up a bottle of white wine. ‘Luke and I are finally going to talk weddings tonight.’

Pamela clapped her hands together with delight. ‘How exciting! Don’t forget to let me know if you need a wedding cake baker.’

‘Thanks.’

‘I look forward to hearing about your plans next week.’ Heather looked puzzled. ‘At the next course?’ prompted Pamela.

‘Yeah, I’m not sure if it’s for me. I mean, I’m pretty happy,’ said Heather, screwing up her face.

Pamela tried and failed to hide her disappointment. ‘Oh. But I thought you, Fran and I were a team.’

Heather bit her lip. ‘It’s only been a week, Pamela – I’m sure you’ll be fine without me.’

‘Of course.’ Pamela nodded, embarrassed. ‘I’m just being silly.’

A silly old woman getting ahead of herself. Why would this lovely young girl want to spend her Wednesday evenings with an old frump like me?

Heather looked guilty. ‘No, you’re not silly. It’s me. I’m just not sure I need the course.’

Pamela nodded. ‘I understand. Although I did think we’d make a good trio and was looking forward to getting some tips from you bright young things. I’m sure Fran and I will manage. She’s been through so much losing her Andy – I want to support her if I can. But then you understand that what with losing your parents too.’

Heather eyed Pamela for a second before shaking her head and smiling. ‘All right, you win. I did enjoy it more than I thought I would. I’ll come along to the next one and see how it goes, okay?’

Pamela brightened. ‘Oh that’s wonderful, Heather! What’s your favourite cake?’

‘Pardon?’

‘Your favourite cake – I’ll make it for next week.’

‘You don’t need to…’

‘I’d like to.’

‘Okay…lemon drizzle?’

‘Perfect.’ Pamela handed over her money to Doly. ‘Cheerio for now and thanks again, Doly, for offering to help my Matthew,’ she said before heading back on to Hope Street. Pamela felt a wave of hope as her concerns about her son and irritation with Barry were pushed to one side for a moment. She’d found Matty a job, had two new friends and was embarking on something fresh and exciting. It was as if a different door had been opened in her life. All she had to do was take a step through and see what was on the other side.

Chapter Seven (#ulink_84b613e2-6670-5cd3-89bd-fcfb91a62fd1)

Heather

Happiness List

1. Marry Luke!

Freddy stared at Heather, a look of sheer puzzlement on his funny little old man face. It was as if he was trying to figure out a particularly difficult calculus problem. Without warning, his face reddened with exertion as he emptied his bowels to the sound of a loud wet fart.

‘O-oh, somebody needs a change,’ remarked Gemma. ‘Heather? Do you want to take this one?’

‘I’ll give it a go if you want me to?’ winced Heather.

Gemma laughed. ‘Your face! I’m kidding. I couldn’t do it to you. It’s like dealing with nuclear waste. One day you’ll understand that you never agree to change a baby’s nappy unless that baby belongs to you. Right, come on, my boy,’ she cooed, plucking Freddy from his rocker chair. ‘Back in a sec.’

Heather watched Gemma go, pondering her ‘one day’ remark. The thought of having a baby of her own thrilled and terrified Heather in equal measure. Seeing Gemma with Freddy had been strange at first but now, she couldn’t picture a world without him and it had sparked her own maternal curiosity. Heather was used to being second in the running when it came to the milestones of life but then Gemma was two years older. She didn’t mind. Gemma was her trailblazer and she loved her for it – where she went, Heather followed.

She looked around Gemma’s living room now at the baby paraphernalia – you clearly needed a lot of stuff for these tiny human beings. There was a pram the size of a smart car in the hall, a fleece-lined rocker chair, which Heather decided that she wanted if they ever made scaled-up versions for adults, as well as all manner of black and white, mirrored, textured, squashy toys, which Freddy seemed to mostly ignore.

Heather tried to picture all these items in her living room. She and Luke kept a pretty tidy house. They weren’t compulsive about it – no bean tins facing outwards in the cupboard or magazines kept at right angles – but it was neat and ordered. Still, maybe babies stopped you worrying about stuff like that, maybe you had to just go with it.

She tried to picture Luke with a baby. She couldn’t ever remember seeing him with a child. He’d been working the last couple of times she’d met up with Gemma. They’d talked about babies in passing and she remembered him being positive – not effusively so but enough for her to feel satisfied that he would want kids one day. Maybe it was time for Luke to get to know Freddy a little better – one flash of that gummy smile and he’d be signing up for fatherhood quicker than you could say ‘baby-led weaning’.

‘Here we go – all clean,’ said Gemma as she carried Freddy back into the living room and held him out to Heather. ‘Would you like a cuddle?’

‘With you or the baby?’ Gemma laughed. ‘Come on then, Freddy Fruitcake, let’s see if I can make you cry like last time,’ said Heather, reaching out her arms to take him.

‘He was much smaller then, don’t worry, he’s a bit sturdier now. In fact, Ed reckons he could have a promising rugby career.’

‘Okay, but be ready for the first sign of trouble,’ warned Heather. ‘I haven’t had much practice.’ Heather shifted Freddy so that he was sitting, cradled on her arm. They were eyeball to eyeball. Heather held her breath – this could go one of two ways. All of a sudden, Freddy’s eyes brightened with recognition as if he’d spotted an old acquaintance who he hadn’t seen for years. His mouth lifted into an ‘o’ as he bowed forwards and planted a wet, gummy greeting onto Heather’s face.

‘He kissed you!’ cried Gemma with delight. ‘He only does that to Mum and me. You should feel very honoured.’

Heather felt her throat thicken as Freddy drew back and eyed her with a look that said, I like you. She had a sudden glimpse into Gemma’s world and it was lovely. ‘Thank you, Freddy,’ she laughed, kissing him on the top of his head. Freddy’s smile widened even further and he kissed her again and again, relishing Heather and Gemma’s delighted reactions.