I also enjoyed working with people. That had been my favourite part of my office job. I liked greeting Mary’s customers and finding out what they were looking for, and helping them pick the perfect flowers for their occasion. Or helping people who came in to treat themselves to a bunch to bring them joy. It was such a simple thing in life but it did brighten up people’s days.
When we neared lunch, things quietened down a bit and I showed Mary a picture of the flower arch back at the farm now it was all finished.
‘It’s beautiful, Daisy. You have a real eye for flower displays. Honestly,’ she said, matter-of-fact as always. I beamed at her praise because I knew she was always honest.
‘I really enjoyed making it. Creating it, and working with you, is making me wonder if I can work with flowers in the future. And being on the farm this summer is making me unsure about going back to living in the city. I know I can’t stay with Willow forever, though.’
‘You’ll figure out what you want to do. This is what you’re meant to be doing,’ Mary said before she left me to greet a customer.
Her words stayed with me for a long time.
* * *
After I left Mary, I walked back to the farm to check on things there. Willow was making a start on the swing and the place was bustling as everyone tried to fix what the ponies had messed up. Uncle Adam was being scolded for doing too much, but I could see how determined he was to help out. Willow was back from town, having brought Dave from the DIY shop with her, and Paul from the café was also there helping make the swing. Despite his grumpy attitude, he did seem willing to pitch in when needed, I had to give him that.
Dylan and Sabrina were clearing the ruined strawberries and sunflowers while Sabrina’s husband, along with their toddler, put the ponies back in their enclosure, adding an extra lock to make sure they wouldn’t get out again. Willow’s teen weekend helpers were clearing away the trampled sunflowers into wheelbarrows. And female Pat from the café had also turned up with drinks and snacks for everyone, which went down a storm.
I watched them all for a moment. The community spirit in Birchbrook was unlike anything I had seen, at least for a very long time. It was heart-warming to watch. I felt bad for not pitching in but Willow needed help with the ponies and that required me to head out of town.
Driving there, nerves settled in. I could have called but I knew this would be better in person, plus I wanted to go back to make sure my first trip there hadn’t been a dream. It had happened.
Blake had happened.
When I arrived back in his hometown, I couldn’t push him out of my mind any more. I thought about how we had come here together. His first trip back for a year. And he had chosen to return with me by his side.
Now, here without him, I pictured how nervous but happy he had been to see his family. How he had said he wanted to kiss me again but I wasn’t available. I looked down at my wedding finger. There was no longer a diamond ring on it. I was free. But that hadn’t been enough for Blake to stay. In the end, it was him who hadn’t been free. I wouldn’t regret breaking away from my old life, though. Because I hadn’t done it for him. I’d done it for myself. For the woman who had looked in that mirror on her wedding day and hadn’t recognised herself in the reflection.
Now when I glanced in the rear-view mirror, I liked who I saw looking back at me.
But there would always be a small part of me that wished Blake had broken away from his life with Sarah in the city.
I drove into his family’s riding school and home. Here, there was no rain but a grey, cool day. I got out of the car I’d borrowed from Willow and walked towards the front door, but when I saw a figure out in the field heading into the riding school, I changed direction. I passed by the horses in the field. Blake’s horse was munching on grass and I wondered if he would come back to see her again. He had looked so happy to be reunited with Midnight. It was a shame that he had stopped riding.
Heading for the barn, I spotted Bronte carrying a saddle back inside, hanging it up on a rack in there. She wore a riding outfit, her hair in a plait down her back, and she was humming softly to herself.
‘Hi, there,’ I said, as I hovered in the doorway.
She turned in surprise and when she saw me, her eyes widened further. ‘Daisy! Back so soon? Is Blake with you?’ she asked as she came over, looking over my shoulder for her brother.
‘No, actually, he’s gone back. Home. To the city,’ I said, as she surprised me with a welcome hug.
‘Back to the city?’ She pulled back and searched my eyes. ‘Without you?’
I nodded, shifting my feet at her piercing gaze. It was like she understood everything I was thinking and feeling. Maybe she did. ‘He’s gone for a meeting with Sarah about their app. A company wants to buy it, I think, or help them make it… It goes over my head a little bit, to be honest.’
‘I can’t believe Blake even knows what it’s all about,’ she replied. ‘I thought we might see him again before he went back.’
‘He left earlier than planned for the meeting,’ I said. I could see the hurt in her eyes that he hadn’t said goodbye. ‘It was pretty sudden,’ I added to try to soften the blow. ‘I came to ask for your help with something at the farm, though, if you don’t mind?’ I suddenly wondered if this had been a bad idea. I stepped back. ‘Oh, is that too weird? I know we don’t know each other; maybe I should?—’
‘Daisy,’ Bronte interrupted my babbling. ‘Of course it’s fine. Come on, let’s have a drink and you can tell me why you’re here.’ She beckoned me to follow so I did and we strolled over to the house where she made us both a coffee and brought out a strawberry cheesecake too.
Once again, I felt at home as we sat at the kitchen table, the weather not nice enough to sit in the garden this time. I told Bronte what had happened at the farm with the ponies. ‘So, we’re trying to fix the mess they made but now we’re all worried about how to handle them. Obviously, Blake has gone, so…’ I cleared my throat. ‘We don’t have anyone who knows anything about ponies. Willow is upset because she had her heart set on offering pony rides to kids. I thought of you immediately, as you’re so experienced and have your riding school; I wondered if there’s something we could arrange together. That would benefit both businesses, maybe?’
Bronte smiled. ‘We can definitely do that. I think my dad told you that the shop hasn’t been doing great lately and our riding school has also been tough so I really appreciate you thinking of us,’ she said. ‘We really could have done with Blake around to help out. It’s a lot for the three of us managing two businesses and having two kids plus animals to look after. I really thought Blake might come back; isn’t that crazy?’ She looked sheepish.
‘It’s not crazy,’ I assured her. ‘I thought coming here had made him realise he wasn’t happy in the city, and he seemed to enjoy being on the farm…’ I trailed off, not wanting to addwith me. But I thought it. I thought he had been happy with me. That night we slept outside together, and in his cottage, we had felt so close. Now, I had no idea where he was or what he was doing. Was he thinking about me at all? Did he think about his family and his home? I looked around, amazed if he didn’t miss it. I missed my childhood home so much sometimes.Icould never go back to mine. It didn’t belong to me any more. But all this was still here for him. At that thought, I felt a bit pissed off all over again. ‘You know what? If he wants to live a life he doesn’t enjoy and shut himself off then it’s up to him. I can’t see him enjoying that AI app or working with Sarah or marrying her and living in the city for the rest of his life but I don’t know him well. Maybe I was mistaken all along. Maybe I just wanted to see what I wanted to see, I don’t know.’
‘No,’ Bronte said firmly. ‘He lit up here with you. You’re only the second woman he’s ever brought home. And the difference to that visit with Sarah was so marked. I saw the way he looked at you…’
