‘Oh? What kind of map?’
‘A map with all the places my dad will be visiting and when he will be there. An itinerary, if you will.’
She couldn’t help the tears that found their way to her cheeks, it was overwhelming. ‘You do?’
‘I do.’ Iris leaned over and kissed her warmly on the cheek.
‘Cake!’ Holly yelled as she shoved a large plate with a gargantuan wedge of lemon drizzle on it under Iris’s nose.
‘Oh God, Holly, do you know what, I’m not being rude, but for some reason I am completely off lemon. I mean, Ilovelemon! I love the smell, the taste, I love everything about lemons, but just recently, even the smell, I mean, just the sight of that cake, it makes me want to throw up!’ Iris pulled a disgusted face and placed her hand on her stomach.
Holly pulled the plate away and stared at Enya. ‘Is that right?’ she asked with a sly smile around her mouth. ‘You’ll have some, won’t you, Enya.’
She took the plate. ‘I will, my darling, you are the most sublime baker. I do love you. I do love you both.’ Her words coasted on a sweet river of emotion, recognising how very lucky she was.
The girls smiled at each other, one of them more knowingly than the other, as Iris sipped at her glass of water, trying to get rid of whatever was ailing her. Enya beamed at Amelia, knowing that to have a sister or brother so close in age would be the most marvellous thing.
Iris went to stand next to Aiden, who was chatting to Columbus, while Phil tucked into his cake. Enya looked around the room, taking in these people who made up her small circle. Her friends, her family. And as Holly placed a plate in front of Maeve, and Iris palmed circles on Aiden’s back, and Jenny rushed over with a napkin to wipe Amelia’s face, and Angela filled her cheeks with cake, and Frank laughed at her antics, she realised that Iris was right: whether she was here or not, they would all be fine.
Absolutely fine.
Epilogue
It was early evening, and to walk in the warmer climate, having left the spring frost of Blighty behind, felt like such a treat, as if to be in sunshine was doubly welcome when everyone else was reaching for bed socks and hot-water bottles. She could see why her parents loved this country. It had been nice to see them, although how Angela managed a full month in their company was beyond her. An angel indeed.
‘Don’t lie in the sun! You’ll only go pink and peel! And don’t leave any sandwiches in your backpack, take it from one who knows.’ Angela’s kindly parting advice. It made her laugh even now.
It had been a wrench to leave Amelia, knowing that any time away and she would miss the changes that seemed to occur daily. Holly had promised to keep her up to date with pictures galore and FaceTime calls whenever she fancied.
Iris too had promised to let her know when her morning sickness subsided. It was beyond thrilling, another baby on the way! Trish was beside herself, on the phone several times a day with ideas on everything from nursery décor to a birth plan. Not that Enya begrudged her a moment of it, understanding the incredible, life-changing thing it was when your baby had a baby. A thing that meant the world to her and Jenny, a special bond they shared.
Aiden had driven her to the airport, arriving early to pick her up. He had beeped the horn. ‘Get a wiggle on! We need to go!’ he yelled through the car window, and, ‘What’ll happen if you miss your flight?’
‘I’ll just get the next one.’
She’d beamed at him, this boy of theirs who made her proud every day, a wonderful man, a great dad and so, so in love with Iris, it warmed her heart to see.
Her stomach now rolled with anticipation, proud of herself, having successfully booked her trip, jumped on a plane. She had even managed to shut the overhead locker and grab a cab, all without Jonathan by her side; she felt invigorated, strong!
With her blue silk espadrilles in one hand and her knapsack in the other, she walked barefoot along the edge of the Marina de Vilamoura on Portugal’s Algarve coast, breathing in the heady scent of this place where inland its history could be seen in every gnarled brick, every inch of cobbled floor and on every fresco of a saint that adorned the walls. Here, restaurants aplenty, all with outside seating, were starting to fill up for those looking for a late lunch, and the hum of conversation and the smell of food was strangely welcoming.
It took her back to that one night when she was seventeen, and rather than sit indoors and watch her sister’s face turn grey, she had gone out on her own. Her sister might not have been smart when it came to ancient ham sandwiches, but the words she’d spoken to Holly played in Enya’s thoughts.
‘You get burned but you emerge from the ashes stronger than you ever thought possible... and when you do, you will not only have found strength, but power too. A woman who has gone through this is metamorphosed and the version of her who comes after takes no shit. She knows herself and she will never be beholden to anyone, she willnever again put responsibility for her own happiness in the pocket of another. She is self-reliant and knowing.’
How she loved this thought, a woman who was metamorphosed, as without her training wheels she ventured forth.
The sound of a guitar being played beautifully filled the air. She was alert, energised and alive, in the way it felt when you were about to test yourself but come out the other side with a feeling of having achieved something. Like standing on a ledge with the sparkling water below, knowing the swim will be worth finding the courage to jump.
You would have loved this...She spoke to Jonathan in her mind.
Looking up, she took in the big, big sky, feeling free, free, and happy. Her pace was measured as she strolled along the marina, taking in the tall masts of the ships, the varied ensigns fluttering in the breeze and the sound of the water lapping at the dock.
It was as if she sensed his presence before she saw him, standing at the back of his beautiful wooden boat, concentrating on coiling a rope and laying it flat on the aft deck. She looked at the bigger, more modern yachts between which he was moored.
‘Excuse me,’ she called, ‘but I was just wondering, are you going to be able to manoeuvre out of this spot? It’s just that I seem to remember you’re not too good at judging distances, especially when trying to move into or out of a parking space, a one-second lapse in concentration and bam! Who knows what might happen?’
Enya felt the breath catch in her throat as he whipped his head around and stared at her.
