She turned her head to Laughlin and it was obvious to me that the smile they exchanged held more than empathy. I’d noticed them getting steadily closer since the incident at Veronica’s birthday, although I wasn’t going to embarrass them by voicing that. If something had happened and they wanted to share it with us, they’d do so when they were ready.
‘So I need some time away from the business too,’ Laughlin said. ‘We appreciate the extra pressure that places on you all and that’s not what you signed up to, so we’re both happy to fund a part-time member of staff if that would work for you.’
‘There’s no need to do that,’ I said. ‘I don’t mind working full-time while you’re away.’
‘I can work extra hours,’ Christian said, and Paulette added that she could too.
‘I can cover quieter days like Mondays,’ Milly offered, ‘provided nobody objects to me bringing in my laptop and doing some work when there are no customers in.’
Veronica held her hand to her chest, tears brimming in her eyes once more. ‘What would I do without you all? Thank you so much. I promise I’ll make it up to you when things are settled.’
‘There’s no need,’ I said. ‘If it was any of us who needed the time away, you’d step up. You take however long you need to get things back on track with your girls.’
Our starters arrived at that point and the conversation changed direction. Milly told us how much she was enjoying having Coral home for the extended Easter holidays and how she couldn’t quite believe she was taking her back to university on Saturday for her final term when it felt like only yesterday that she’d dropped her off for her first. That led into a conversation about how far through the education system we’d each progressed, which then moved into some hilarious anecdotes from Milly’s and Christian’s years as teachers. They were both brilliant raconteurs and, by the time we’d finished our desserts, my sides were hurting from laughing so much and Veronica did give way to her tears, but they were tears of laughter this time.
‘I needed that,’ Veronica said over coffee. ‘Laughlin and I do have one more piece of news.’
They exchanged glances and smiles and I held my breath. Were they going to admit that there was something going on between them? I hoped so. When I’d first met them, I’d never in a million years have put them together as a couple as they seemed like chalk and cheese but having seen how supportive Laughlin had been to Veronica and how his confidence had grown since spending more time in her company, I thought they were perfect together.
‘We’ve been spending a lot of time together since my birthday and the connection between us has deepened and, well… it’s… we’re…’
I’d never seen Veronica struggle for words before and it was adorable the way she looked at Laughlin for help. He placed his hand over hers and kept it there this time.
‘We want to take things slowly,’ he said, ‘but we do have feelings for each other – something neither of us ever expected. We’re taking it a day at a time, ever so steady.’
‘I’m thrilled for you,’ Paulette said, and we all added our support and congratulations.
Looking at the pair of them side by side, the warm glow of love so obvious between them, my heart filled with joy. The drama at Veronica’s birthday and the fallout from it had been awful but it had paved the way for Veronica to start mending her broken family and it had taken her down an unexpected but glittering path towards love. Laughlin and Veronica had both been through so much. They both deserved a second chance at love and I was delighted for them that they might have found it with each other. Although, as I drove home after the meal, I couldn’t help hoping that I’d find my second chance at love too – with the first and only man I’d ever fallen for. I wished Will had called but patience was a virtue and I’d spent my whole life being patient. A few more days or weeks wasn’t going to kill me, especially when I’d already waited for twenty years.
Back at the flat a little later, I wanted to spend some time with Trevor before going to bed so I put the television on and lay on the sofa with him strutting up and down my arm, half-heartedly watching a quiz show. My phone buzzed with a text notification from an unknown number and my pulse raced as I read it.
From Unknown
Hi Yvonne, it’s Will. I really do want to talk but I’m still dealing with a lot of issues right now and I know they’ll cloud what I think might be one of the most important conversations of my life. I appreciate that’s really cryptic but it’s the best I can do for now. Apologies again. Please bear with me
It was a relief to hear from Will and to know he hadn’t ghosted me, but his text also brought frustration for a further wait as well as worries for him.A lot of issues, he’d put. When I’d seen him, he’d looked stressed and distracted and I hoped whatever he was going through could resolve itself without causing him much more distress. I re-read the bit about a conversation with me beingone of the most important conversations of [his] life.That had to be positive. That had to signal thoughts of exploring a future together. Or did it simply mean closure for him after wondering what had happened for two decades?
There was nothing I could do until he was ready so I tapped in a reply.
To Will
Great to hear from you but really sorry about whatever you’re going through. I can offer you a listening ear if you need it so do let me know if that would help, but I otherwise respect your need for time
He responded with a thumbs up and I stared at my phone for several minutes, looking for the telltale dots that he was typing. Nothing came. Sighing, I switched my phone to silent, turned it over so I couldn’t see any notifications and focused back on Trevor.
‘Let’s see if we can answer this question, eh, Trevor? I don’t think that contestant’s going to manage it.’
‘Stupid!’ he said, making me laugh.
‘I agree. Not the sharpest tool in the box but a brave man for applying for the show and trying something different and exciting.’
Trevor turned his head to me. ‘Stupid!’
He meant nothing by it. To him, it was just one of the many words he’d learned, but my heart sank at that moment. Was I being stupid about this whole thing with Will? Had a lifetime without romantic love made me cling on to the memories of one day and night – albeit incredible ones – and turn them into an epic love story when it wasn’t that at all? But then I pictured Will’s expression as he handed me the framed sheet music and shared what I’d told him about my mum. He’d never have retained that information if he hadn’t still cared about me. If I was clinging on, so was he.
42
A fortnight later, it was the first Sunday in May – monthly Sunday lunch for Milly and me. She’d suggested that, now that I’d moved, we should alternate between The Fox and Rabbit in Pippinthwaite and The Hardy Herdwick in Willowdale which apparently also did a fabulous Sunday roast.
