‘You knew?’
‘I had an inkling, we both did … your dad and I,’ she clarified. ‘But when you were happy with your choices we weren’t going to dissuade you.’
‘I’ve loved being a midwife.’ It almost felt a betrayal to leave her career behind, but it was time.
‘I know, and that’s why Inever pushed it. Your dad didn’t either when you told us what your career plans were. But we did both wonder how long it would take you to come back to this place.’
‘How did you know I ever would?’
‘I didn’t, not for certain, and I didn’t want to ask you about it because you were so independent, I knew that for it to be the right thing for you, you had to come to the conclusion yourself. Andwhen Daisy said she’d stay on and be with me in the shop, that she wanted the family business, you didn’t protest. I thought that perhaps your dad and I were wrong about you all along. It wasn’t until you came back to Butterbury this time and I saw you in the shop or working on the quilt that I realised you hadn’t looked so happy since I’d seen you working late in your room on that pink sewing machineof yours.’
Ginny gave her mum a hug. ‘I think we all need our heads banging together, you know. We should’ve talked from the start.’ Everyone who needed to be was in the minibus ready for the off and Maggie closed the sliding door.
‘No,’ said Loretta, laughing, ‘we might have been looking at a war if we had. Sometimes it’s best to let these things emerge.’
‘A bit like Carrie.’
Loretta hesitated.‘Yes, a bit like Carrie has.’
And Loretta still had Ivor in her life, the three sisters had Loretta and their grandad. Carrie had nobody, and it made Ginny realise how lucky they all were. ‘For what it’s worth, I think Dad would’ve told you about her. He was probably trying to find the right time.’
Loretta squeezed her hand in agreement as Daisy came towards them with her camera in her hands,the strap around her neck.
‘I’ve taken loads of pictures already,’ she enthused. ‘More in the morning, but I’ve got some cracking shots with the Christmas lights and the tree in the background, the colours beneath street lamps. Sally will have a whole selection.’
‘Pub?’ Fern asked her sisters. ‘I’ve not got many more nights of freedom, what do you say? Mum?’
Loretta closed the minibus doorfor Maggie. She leaned in to her daughters. ‘Not for me, I’ve volunteered to head up to Butterbury Lodge with Maggie, make hot chocolates for this lot, deal with the euphoria so they eventually settle down a bit.’
In the Butterbury Arms Ginny leaned back against the wall as Daisy and Fern went to buy a round. She didn’t open her eyes until a Baileys Irish Cream had been set down in front of her– double measure, oodles of ice, the way she loved it.
They all raised their glasses and quietly Daisy whispered, ‘To the Butterbury yarn bombers,’ and she put a finger across her lips.
They went through the photographs Daisy had taken, careful not to let anyone see what they were up to. ‘It’s amazing.’ Ginny beamed. ‘Thanks for including us.’
‘You weren’t going to let me keep it a secret anylonger.’ Daisy smiled, but there was no anger behind her comment, no resentment that they’d wanted to be a part of what was going on in her life like there might once have been.
‘You’re a wonderful photographer, Daisy. You have a way of capturing your subjects, showing the emotions.’ Ginny swilled the ice in the bottom of her glass and took a deep breath. ‘I owe you an apology.’
‘Whatever for?’
Ginny looked at her younger sister. Fern was quiet, waiting to hear what came next. ‘For tearing up the photograph you took of me after Dad’s funeral.’
Daisy looked into the contents of her own glass.
‘I’m really sorry I did that.’
Daisy shrugged. ‘It was insensitive of me.’
‘I overreacted,’ said Ginny.
‘I took it because you looked like you always had, the one who was calm, the one who alwaysknew what to say. I took the picture because it made me realise I didn’t have to be alone, I had other people I could share a burden with.’
‘Except you never did,’ said Fern and covered her hand as each of them accepted the acknowledgement of what had gone before, what couldn’t be changed but could be learned from.
‘It was nice to spend more time with Carrie tonight,’ said Ginny, glad she’dfinally cleared the air with Daisy. She’d never forgotten the distress on her sister’s face, the emotions she’d caused by tearing up that picture. But now Daisy had to know how proud she was of her.
‘It certainly was.’ Fern nodded. ‘It must be terrifying being the outsider.’
