#excerpt Its Time to Let Me Go by Cheryl Waters
It’s Time to Let Me Go
by Cheryl Waters
You’re doing what? You can’t go away on your own, Mum. Not at your age!’ It was ‘Not at your age’ that made Audrey decide that she was going away, even if it was the last-damned-thing-she-ever-did. She was a widow, not dead. Life must go on!
Olive has spent the last fifty years married to George, who has made it his life’s work to control every aspect of her day. What they ate. What she wore. Whom she spent time with. So, when her mother leaves her an inheritance, Olive seizes the chance to book her dream holiday. Will she be able to lay some memories to rest or does George have other ideas?
Lucinda, mother of teens, has lost her way since her ex cheated on her. It’s not so much Netflix and chill as Netflix and Sauvignon Blanc. Her loving, despairing widowed father persuades her to take a trip with him to Croatia, where he holidayed with her mother. With no better offers on the table, she reluctantly agrees to go.
As Audrey, Olive and Lucinda begin their holiday in beautiful Cavtat, one person’s misfortune begins to benefit them all. And as they become the most unlikely of friends, they realise that you are never too old to seize the day, to live life to the full and to make memories to last a lifetime.
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Exert
Lucinda is up early and taking a coffee on the hotel terrace:
The receptionist came out with her coffee. Lucinda could smell the rich aroma as Jelka put it in front of her on the table. What more could you want? Gorgeous scenery and a large cup of coffee. Although she had brought her book down with her, Lucinda decided to sit and savour this lovely moment. The sky was a soft blue and the sea a striking aqua. In the distance, the morning church bells pealed, adding an extra layer of ambience to this already enchanting morning.
Suddenly Lucinda was conscious of someone below the terrace peering up at her. She lifted her sunglasses off her head so she could see better. To her delight it was the face of that handsome doctor that greeted her. The one who had been here yesterday. He waved up to her, smiling.
‘Good morning. You’re an early bird!’
Lucinda laughed.
‘I am indeed. Isn’t it beautiful?’
The doctor began walking up the steps.
‘It certainly is.’
‘You’re an early bird too, doctor.’
‘I had an unexpected morning call out to a young child, so figured out I would come by here, grab a coffee, and stick around to see Mrs Hawthorn.’
Jack wandered over, standing to the side of Lucinda, his tall frame concealing her eyes from the intense sunshine.
‘Please, call me Jack.’
It felt a little awkward for a moment, she wasn’t sure what to say to him. He didn’t appear to want to move away.
‘Would you like to join me for a coffee, Jack?’
He looked delighted at the suggestion.
‘If I am not interrupting you, that would be lovely, thank you.’
Jack pulled up one of the patio chairs next to Lucinda. Lucinda laid her book down on the table. The receptionist, who had watched Jack arrive, appeared on the terrace.
‘Doctor Mathews, good morning. Can I get you anything?’
It didn’t go unnoticed by Lucinda that the receptionist quite obviously fancied Jack.
‘Thank you, Jelka, I’ll have a black coffee.’
‘Yes, Doctor Mathews, I will get that straight away for you,’ said the receptionist, as she scuttled off to the dining room.
As Jack turned his attention back to Lucinda, she was grinning. ‘What are you grinning at?’
‘It turns out you have an effect on the women around here.’ She chuckled.
Jack’s eyes twinkled at her. Lucinda found they drew her in. She was almost as bad as the young receptionist. She shuffled uncomfortably in her chair. Jack just continued to look at her as if he knew his presence affected her. She thought he was probably enjoying having that influence.
‘How long are you here for Lucinda?’
‘Two weeks and this is day two!’
The thought of two weeks here in this paradise filled her with warmth.
‘You’ve come to a lovely place.’
‘It certainly appears so. Audrey tells me you have Croatian parents?’
‘Half. My mother is Croatian by birth, but my father is English. I was born here in Cavtat, though.’
Lucinda realised that explained why he had a very English name.
‘Oh, how wonderful! So, you know the area very well then?’
‘I do indeed. In fact, ….’
They were abruptly cut short by a male voice calling out.
‘Morning, Lucinda.’
Lucinda turned to see her father coming across the terrace towards them. Jack got up from his seat, offering the chair to Lucinda’s dad. Samuel grinned, raising his eyebrows at Lucinda.
‘Not interrupting anything, am I?’ Samuel’s eyes twinkled as he spoke.
Lucinda blushed, Jack laughed. Lucinda would not give him the benefit of knowing that he probably had. She was positive Jack had been about to suggest he show her around. The moment had passed now.
‘I was just on my way to look for Mrs Hawthorn when I encountered your lovely daughter here, enjoying her morning coffee.’
‘Now there’s a very good idea. Think I need a coffee too.’
He glanced towards the dining room to see if he could see the waiter.
‘I am about to head in, so, if you excuse me, I will wish you a good day. I’ll ask Jelka to bring you a coffee out.’
Jack, catching Lucinda’s eye as he left, gave her a ‘to be continued’ look. Lucinda blushed again. She hoped her father hadn’t noticed. Samuel, however, wasn’t stupid. He had seen the way Jack had looked at her. He couldn’t help feeling a little pleased that his daughter was finally looking like she wanted a life outside of that damn work of hers, but he knew better than to say anything.
Author Bio –
Born in London, Cheryl grew up in Cheshire. Cheryl married Phil in 1991 and that same year they moved to Scotland where they both worked in Edinburgh & grew a family of two children. In 2011, with the young adults off at University, Cheryl’s dream of living in France became a reality.
Renovating an early 19th-century farmhouse, in 2014 Cheryl & Phil made the permanent move to the Creuse region of southwest France, opening their B&B.
Whilst Cheryl had talked of writing a novel for many years, between the demands of full-time work and all that comes with a young family, there never seemed to be the time.
Moving to France brought the opportunity of a (slightly) quieter lifestyle, and then Coronavirus arrived, pausing the world, halting the B&B and delivering long stretches of precious free time! So, one such time- led day, Cheryl typed an opening sentence into the computer. After eighteen months of writing, re-writing, and learning how to publish later the debut novel; “In My Mother’s Footsteps” was ready.
What was originally a dream to simply write a book “one day” had become a tangible result. Cheryl is now on her third, book due out this year, and plans to keep writing! If you would like to contact Cheryl, she would love to hear from you. www.facebook.com/cherylwaterswrites
