Sea Glass (WAYHAUGHT)

Stupid Games

Pity was what Waverly felt for her sister. Alice meant the world to her, and here was Wynonna suggesting she could lose her daughter because of a momentary lapse in concentration. She was sure their mother wouldn't divulge to Doc what happened. That would be too cruel. Although, her lack of compassion, after what Wynonna went through, was cruel enough. She of all people should have understood the agony of a mother when something happens to their child.

Freedom was another reason to pity Wynonna. More precisely, the lack of it. She'd always assumed her sister was completely okay with living her entire life in Mevagissey, with little desire to move beyond its boundary. Perhaps she'd been wrong to assume. By the sounds of it, Wynonna would have relished the chance to do what she'd done, study at college, travel, live in another part of the country.

It all came back to Willa. Had she survived, had Willa been the one to inherit the Harbour Tavern, it would have freed Wynonna from that obligation. Their father had drummed it into them that Wynonna would take over the family business. In so doing, it freed her to leave, to go be something other than a village wife. It must have been her father's own desire to be something other than a fisherman, which inclined him to push her to go get that degree.

If only Willa hadn't died. If only Wynonna had been content with her life. If only their father hadn't insisted on the pub going to one sister and not the other. But then, that would have meant her having to make the best of it in Mevagissey.

A heavy tap signalled their father was outside. "I got a letter from the BBC," he said, as Waverly opened the bedroom door. "They'll be filming here next week."

She'd forgotten about the stupid pub quiz, and their visit as part of the preparations. "Great," she replied, feigning interest.

"Only, they want to see the pub. And you."

"Me!"

Her father held a large envelope. "I had to give them a contact. Couldn't be Nedley now could it."

"Guess not." She took the envelope from his outstretched hand. "When is the committee meeting again?" pulling out the envelope's bulky contents.

"Five o'clock at Drippy's."

With everything going she'd lost track of the time. Reluctant to leave her sister, she resumed her position on the bed. Sisters before committees.

"The thing is, the meeting starts in ten minutes."

"Ten!"

"I've had a thought about the teams, and who's in them. Wrote it on the back of the envelope."

Waverly turned it over. The only change she could see to the original list Nedley provided was Ward's name in her team, the Smarties. She huffed at the last-minute, lack of effort on the part of her father, guessing he also wanted her to break it to Nedley. Why he had to dance around the guy, leaving it to her to sort out? She huffed again.

"I can't leave Wyn on her own," she said, turning to her sister.

"I'll come with you. Might as well be killed for a sheep, as a lamb."

They left their mother fussing over Alice, the three parting company outside The Fountain Inn, Wynonna and Ward heading inside while Waverly raced to the restaurant. She spotted Nicole's car, finding her prepping in the kitchen.

She checked Nicole wasn't wielding a knife near any fingers before tapping her on the back. "Thank you."

Nicole turned, smiling. "Is Wynonna okay?"

"She's gone to the pub with dad. Probably best with the mood mum's in. She really appreciates what you did today."

"Long limbs come in handy sometimes," Nicole replied, using them to capture Waverly.