Liv had been listening to an audiobook ofThe Moon on the Waterthat morning, and paused it on a favourite passage. She took out her phone and played it out loud.
‘“I hate saying goodbye,” Georgia said defiantly. “It’s so final, like reading ‘The End’ when a book is over. I want to think there’s going to be another chapter, another story and a chance to say hello again. I prefer to say, until next time, friends…”’
With those last words, Liv felt she might split in two. She furiously brushed away the tears streaming down her face. ‘Let’s have a toast,’ she said.
‘To Essie Starling,’ Ted, Hank, Meg, Anthony, Chloe and Matilda chorused.
‘To Essie bloody Starling,’ Marlon boomed. ‘Long may she reign.’
When everyone sat back down, the mood lightened and they ate the cakes and sandwiches. Anthony explained about Essie’s generous donation to the museum in her will. ‘If you or your clients can contribute items for display, it will certainly be appreciated,’ he said.
Chatter rose up, laughter started, and they all talked about Essie and her books until the sky grew black outside.
As the last of the champagne was being sipped, Anthony ushered Liv to the corner of the room. ‘There’s something I need to tell you,’ he said. ‘I suppose you could call it the last part of Essie’s wish.’
She exaggerated a sigh. ‘Haven’t we had enough of these things?’
‘You might want to hear me out,’ he said. ‘I found something written in Essie’s yellow notebook, a small note. She’d like you to receive a co-credit for her book. It means you’d receive part of her advance and royalties when enough copies are sold.Olivia Greencould sit next toEssie Starlingon the cover.’
Liv held her breath and clamped her eyes shut. She pictured her name in shiny raised letters. It was what she’d always dreamed of. But something, deep down, told her this wasn’t the right way.
‘The advance and royalties would help my family out no end. But let’s keep my name off the cover and not confuse things for Essie’s fans,’ she said. ‘It’s Essie’s book. I helped Georgia to find a new path, and I’m happy knowing that. I’ve actually always been fascinated by the acknowledgements in books…’
‘Are you sure? Please take your time to think about it.’
She shook her head at him. ‘We really need to find a new relationship,’she said. ‘This solicitor-cleaner thing isn’t working for me.’
‘Hmm.’ Anthony rubbed his chin. ‘It might be a tricky habit to break.’
‘Give it a try. I thinkthatwould be part of Essie’s wish.’
‘Ah, I think so, too.’
‘Are we really agreeing on something?’ Liv said. ‘It feels kind of weird.’
Anthony gave her a hug. ‘Yes, but also very nice at the same time.’
Chapter 37
Fresh Snow
A few weeks later, in early December, snow fell heavily as Liv headed towards Essie’s flat for the last time ever. She wore her jeans, boots and a bobble hat, and her breath clouded the air.
She took her favourite shortcuts along the back streets where last night’s pizza crusts and coffee cups were covered with a layer of white. The snowy coating made the city look like it was snoozing under a duvet, not yet ready to wake up. She loved the sensation of her feet squeaking and crunching, and she looked back over her shoulder to admire her fresh footprints.
Wooden Christmas market stalls had appeared across the city, and Liv found one that sold cups of hot chocolate in many flavours. She bought a cherry-and-cinnamon one and wrapped her hands around the cup to warm them up.
When she reached Essie’s block, the building blended against the grey-white sky so it didn’t look quite solid. It wasn’t going to be easy saying goodbye to the penthouse. It had provided her with an escape, inspiration and fantasy for three and a half years.
In the foyer area, a Christmas tree was topped with a huge angel who had feathered wings and a golden halo. Clusters of baubles were dotted around,and Liv peered at her distorted reflection in one that hung near the mailboxes. She looked pretty much the same as she did seven months ago, wearing a Rolling Stones T-shirt beneath her sweater. But she felt like a completely different person inside.
She took a few moments to think about everything she’d done since Essie passed away. She’d stepped out of her comfort zone to travel overseas on her own, met agents and publishers, completed writing Essie’s book, and made new friends. She’d found out things about her family she’d never have imagined, and felt even closer to them. Paperpress now had a better outlook and, most importantly, she and Jake had pressed the reset button on their relationship and were stronger for it. Liv looked forward to her own future.
She opened Essie’s mailbox and found nothing inside it. Leaving it open, she pocketed the key, ready to leave it in the flat for its next owner. She sighed as she thought about other people moving into Essie’s home, not wanting to believe it was really happening. She was aware that each step she took across the foyer felt like a countdown.
Liv took the lift up to the thirty-second floor and enjoyed the floating feeling of rising up through the snowflakes as they flurried down.
She took off her boots in Essie’s hallway and stood with her hands on her hips. All the rooms had been stripped bare, so little soul or personality remained. Anthony had sourced agencies to handle the sale of Essie’s clothes and belongings. Any unbroken literary awards had been boxed and transported to the museum. The furniture was gone and had left imprints in the carpets, as if the author wasn’t quite ready to move on. Liv rubbed a socked foot along them,trying to smooth them out. She plugged in the vacuum cleaner and gave the rooms one last sweep.
