Read Online Bodies and Sole by Hilary MacLeod - Free Book Online Page B

the better.
    She gathered them up and stuffed them into the recycling.
    But the village women did show up, even though they didn’t know about the meeting. Marlene had scheduled it right after the monthly Institute get-together, where Moira had just announced a change of venue for her second stab at a wedding. It wouldn’t be at the hall after all.
    She’d read an article in Cosmo about a wedding on a pier in California, with a beautiful glassed-in gazebo at the end of it. It stirred her romantic imagination. She thought Big Bay would be an ideal setting for their vows.
    She’d decided on the wharf. It wasn’t quite like having a Mexican beach ceremony as she’d tried the first time.
    â€œThis will be more traditional,” she explained to the Institute. Most of the women thought it was foolishness. Some were wondering if they’d be required to produce a second wedding present. Moira had not sent the first ones back.
    Gladys Fraser looked at Olive MacLean. Olive looked at Rose Rose, the minister’s wife. She tried to look noncommittal. But they were all thinking: What was traditional about getting married on the wharf? To their knowledge, no one ever had. It was going to be a very new tradition.
    Moira misunderstood the skeptical glances around the table.
    â€œWell, with my family background on the sea.”
    The looks became more puzzled. The Toombs’s occupational history had been in garbage collection, as long as anyone living knew.
    â€œThe Annabella .” There was a great deal of skepticism about Moira’s claim to having an ancestor who had landed on the island when the Annabella sank in Big Bay. No one but Hy and Gus knew yet Moira’s legitimate claim to the Annabella . She was keeping the secret close so far. There was no rush to reveal it. Gus showed no signs of producing the heritage book.
    It was certainly not an auspicious arrival of the Toombs clan on Red Island, and perhaps didn’t bode well for Moira’s second attempt to marry Frank.
    Marlene barged in just as the Institute meeting was breaking up. She charged up on stage and sat the women down again.
    â€œSo glad you could all come.” Then she looked around the room, puzzled.
    â€œBut where are the men?”
    Even if the men had known about the meeting, they wouldn’t have come. A meeting called by a woman must be women’s business, nothing to do with them.
    So the women stared, puzzled, at Marlene.
    â€œThe men are…well the men are where they’re s’posed to be.” Gladys Fraser jerked her head in the direction of the outdoors. It focused attention on a hum coming from behind the hall. The hum became a buzz. The buzz became a roar as Billy Pride circled the hall on his ancient ride-on, a lawn-mower-cum-car. Billy used it to transport himself around the village.
    The roar became a clang.
    The clang became a clunk.
    A pop.
    A hiss.
    A swear word that made Gladys, Rose and Olive cover their ears, and the pasty-skinned Moira turn bright red.
    Billy came dashing into the hall, slammed the bathroom door open, left with a bowl of water and the tap gushing behind him. He repeated the performance several times. Hy had gone to the window to see what he was up to.
    â€œOverheating,” she said, finally.
    â€œWe’ll have none of that for the 200th.” Marlene looked smug.
    â€œNone of what?” Hy challenged.
    â€œThose ride-ons. Ladies, that’s what I’m here to talk about. We had such a wonderful collaboration on the commemorative flowerbed, but that’s just the beginning. There’s so much more to be done. I have a dream…”
    Hy groaned.
    Marlene outlined her idea to turn The Shores into another world. The women, who were always saying things had been better in days gone by, didn’t like the idea at all when actually presented with the possibility.
    â€œHide our vehicles? And just how are we supposed to do