Lydia’s reply – full of plans and possibilities – was the soundtrack as I looked around the farm in quiet awe.
Ours.
It was ours.
I thought of all those visits with Mum.The birthdays in the cafe.The memories Bert and Mabel had built here with their family.It felt like a gift now, a duty, to build more memories, as many as I could.
With Lydia.Kat and Liam.Abigail.Everly Heath and all its mad occupants.Weddings, parties, celebrations – but also the quiet magic of daily life.Waking up next to Lydia.Walking Peggy.Greeting hotel guests.
Liam’s hand clapped my shoulder.‘You ready for this?’
I turned to him, grinning.‘Yeah, I’m ready.’
Chapter Twenty-Six
Lydia’s Diary, 29 Years Old
To my younger self,
I found this old diary shoved in the back of the wardrobe today.Mum asked me to clear my stuff out now that Ren and I are moving into his flat.Yes, you heard that right.We’re about to live with Ren Hunter.
And we’ve bought a huge farm.We’re going to fix it up together, bit by bit.
Mad, right?
I’m just writing to tell you – it’s all going to be okay.Your disability, those bloody numbers, don’t define you.You’ll love who you love, girls and boys.It’ll be fine.You’ll find a career you love (so much).And you’ll fall for your best friend.
No, it’s not all plain sailing to get there.
But all that matters is that when you get there, you take in the view.
Love,
Lydia
Lydia
‘Right,’ I said, as we climbed into Ren’s car in the farm courtyard, ‘Do you want the good news or the bad news?’
We’d spent the last few hours with Liam and Kat on the farm, fleshing out the plans Ren had drafted in his red folder.Kat was full of big ideas, and I threw in my two cents on gym design and what to avoid.Like questionable strip lighting that really ruined my gym selfies and how nobody ever put in enough plug sockets.Kat promised some sketches and Liam was already muttering about structural plans, promising that Jack would be over soon to start knocking down plaster.
We were hitting the ground running and I couldn’t wait to see it come to life.
Ren groaned, ‘I’m not sure I can take any more surprises today.’
‘Well, too bad,’ I winced, ‘Mum and Dad are throwing us a party.’
‘A party?’
‘Yup.At theirs.It started as a “yay you climbed Snowdon” thing, but then Mandy let the cat out of the bag.About us.’
Ren shook his head, a rueful smile on his face, ‘Meddling.’
‘I know.’
He scratched the back of his neck, eyes darting away.‘Suppose I should tell you something in case your mum mentions it…’
My stomach dropped.‘What?’
