‘I was going to because, honestly, I was really angry with you. To start with. But… I’ve sort of run out of things to clean at home and I… missed you a bit. A lot. We haven’t really gone more than a day without talking since we met.’ She shrugged as if trying to pass that observation off as casual, when in fact it meant everything to me. She was right, we were almost constantly in contact. Emma flicked a loose strand of hair over her shoulder. ‘I got your message… thanks. It meant a lot that you didn’t want me to spend my time off obsessing over what would happen when I came back.’
‘I’m really sorry,’ I said, unsure if it was okay to move in for a one-armed hug or not. ‘I wanted to bring you in breakfast on Monday and apologise properly but… I am really, really sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you when you were trying to be there for me and I shouldn’t have said what I said. I didn’t mean it.’
‘You sort of did,’ Emma shrugged a little. ‘I know all the woo-woo stuff isn’t your thing and that I’ve been bringing it to work and that probably made you uncomfortable…’
I felt awful all over again. ‘No! No, it really, really didn’t. I love your “woo” – and okay, so, even if I don’t believe in it – it’s still appreciated. That you’re putting so much effort into the shop when you don’t have to.’
‘Just because it’s not my shop doesn’t mean I don’t want it to succeed,’ Emma said. ‘But thank you for apologising and, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry for prying. It’s not my business if you decide to get back together with Richard. You’re a grown-up and you don’t need to explain yourself to me.’
‘You definitely practised that,’ I said, before I could think better of it. Fortunately, this made Emma laugh.
‘Just a few times on the drive over,’ she admitted, then her expression turned serious again. ‘Tabitha… look, I don’t want to create more problems, so this is the last time I’ll ask but… getting back together with Richard… Are you absolutely, one thousand per cent sure that’s what you want? You were just so hurt before and I hate that he did that to you.’
I felt my shoulders slump. A few days ago, when the decision was freshly made, and I was so convinced it was the right one, I’d been more than ready to fight for it. What a difference a few days could make!
‘I don’t know that I’m one thousand per cent sure but… I’m at a reasonable eighty-five per cent and… I think I just need a bit of time to work on things. We both do. After three years, I think I owe that to us, you know?’ I sounded pleading, even to my own ears.
Emma looked at me for a long moment and my stomach seemed to chew on itself in anxiety. Then she nodded.
‘All right, if you’re committed to forgiving him, then I am here to support you.’ She moved in for a quick hug. ‘But I am equally here for whatever you decide to do next, okay? You don’t have to explain it or justify it. I’m in.’
‘Really?’ I asked, hardly daring to hope that at least one person in my life would support me no matter how many times I changed my mind about the future.
‘Absolutely. Look, you might not believe in my woo-woo but you respect that it’s a part of my life. And I can give that same respect to Richard if he’s going to be part of yours.’
To be honest, I wasn’t sure I fully believed her. There was a tiny part of my mind that was whispering that having a few crystals around was less taxing on me than tolerating Richard was on her. I knew she didn’t like him, even before the cheating. But at least she was offering to try. That was something.
‘And,’ Emma continued, ‘I know that if tomorrow I were to become a Buddhist or a reiki healer or a… vicar, you’d only need to know that it was what I wanted to do to be supportive of me.’
That was true. I would. A few years ago, Emma had got really into ghost hunting around Leaford’s historic buildings – from the old forge to the crumbling church ruins. I’d kept her company on several drizzly nights while she set up her Ouija board and EMF detectors, sitting in a darkened room with a flask of hot chocolate, crocheting.
‘Well… I appreciate it. Thank you. I really missed my best friend the past few days.’
‘Missed you too.’ Emma gave my arm a squeeze, then nodded at the shop. ‘Shall we?’
‘We shall.’ I unlocked the door and let her in, glad that we were somewhat back to normal after the biggest argument we’d ever had since she lost her car keys on a visit to Tintagel and we had to climb the whole bloody cliff again to find them. And that one had been settled with a pub lunch and a knickerbocker glory.
‘Wow, it’s looking pristine in here,’ Emma said, looking over the militantly arranged shelves. ‘I should take days off more often.’
‘Please, no,’ I pleaded jokingly. But also meaning it. ‘It was very dull without you. And besides, you’re my favourite employee.’
She set the drinks down on the counter and raised an eyebrow. ‘I’m your only employee.’
‘That too.’
She clocked the remaining brown bags lined up on the shelf under the counter. I’d finally got rid of enough of them that we had the break room back.
‘Those are doing well! Great idea by the way,’ Emma said. ‘I didn’t really know if you were still game for it but I haven’t called off the Stitch and Witch… is that okay?’
‘More than okay,’ I said firmly. ‘I’ve got some Fleetwood Mac LPs on standby. It would be my pleasure to host.’
Emma beamed. ‘Great! I’ll tell Patricia and Artemis that you’re still keen. And don’t worry about laying out nibbles or anything. We’ll bring cakes and things – everyone’s already baking up a storm for Halloween. What are you going to have us make?’
‘I actually did some googling and I think we can do a nice tarot pouch as a beginner project. But we can work up to a conical hat if they’re keen to come back.’
Emma looked ecstatic at this news. I’d done some very quick maths and between the ten pounds per person to cover hot drinks and my tutelage, plus materials costs, this could make a big difference to the shop’s bottom line for the month.
We went through the usual opening routine and took our seats behind the counter. I had high hopes of a good sales day seeing as it was the weekend, I’d been posting a LOT about the shop and the Leaford market was on. This close to harvest festival, it had been relocated to the school playground and side streets instead of the square. Leaford overflowed with the usual bevy of food stands – jams, chutneys and wine, artisanal cheese from the new owners of Hollyhock Farm, Cressida’s Cakes and a charcuterie stall. Then there were crafts – macramé plant holders, felted animals, hand-thrown earthenware mugs and leather goods. The air smelled like hot sugar near the crepe stall and incense near the tarot reader. It was always a busy day in town. The sounds of people meeting up and haggling, competing with buskers, the school brass band and the shrieks from the bouncy castle. People invited their friends and families to stay and the whole of Leaford turned out for it.
