EPILOGUE
It’s Christmas morning and we’re all gathered at the zip wire, muffled up in coats, scarves and gloves.
It’s a day of bright blue skies, bracing air and sun glinting on the blanket of snow that fell overnight. The fresh falls have added a welcome touch of festive sparkle to Brambleberry Manor and the surrounding parkland – as well as the high spirits of Summer and Maisie who are currently battling for the next go on the zip wire.
Maisie is too little to go down on her own. So Zak hoists her onto the seat just a few yards from the bottom, then holds onto her and runs down as she squeals in delight.
‘That’s one cute kid,’ says Harry, who’s standing nearby with his arm around Jaz.
Jaz prods him in the ribs and says jokingly, ‘I hope you’re not thinking what I think you’re thinking.’
He looks at her sheepishly. ‘I’ve never made any secret of the fact that I love kids and want at least three.’
Jaz grins happily. ‘Let’s wait until you’re fully grown-up first, eh? The last thing I want is to be changing nappies while you’re at the pub.’
‘As if.’ Harry pulls her close for a kiss and I smile to myself. Jaz’s job offer came at exactly the right time, giving Harry the wake-up call he needed to get his life in gear. And Ellie and I are over the moon she’s decided to stay in Sunnybrook.
Ellie is at the bottom of the zip wire, all ready to welcome Maisie. She bends and holds her arms wide and Maisie runs right into them. Then Zak puts her on his shoulders and the three of them start walking back up the hill to the starting point where we’re all gathered.
Rob, beside me, squeezes my hand and I snuggle happily against him, loving the solid feel of him next to me.
I catch Sylvia’s eye and she gives me a secret smile.
I’ll forever be grateful to her for making things happen for us. Being the wise, warm-hearted woman she is, she’d apparently suspected for a while that Rob was harbouring feelings for me. But like everyone else, she knew my head had been well and truly turned by Ethan. So she’d known it was a case of biding her time and waiting for the right moment to help smooth the way for the step-son she already had a huge fondness for.
Mum appears and announces that lunch will be ready shortly, so we all start walking companionably over to the house, chatting about the gloriously perfect weather and laughing at Maisie and Summer, who are now involved in a noisy snowball fight.
Mum falls into step with Rob and me. ‘Fen, I’ve been thinking, and I was wondering if you’d consider managing the new café for me once it opens. I know you’re still going to be working for Ellie and I’d understand if it was too much to take on. But I think you’d be brilliant at it.’ She grins. ‘And I’d far rather pay you than Rhoda Watson.’
Colour surges into my face. ‘Mum, I’d love to.’
She gazes anxiously at me. ‘Are you sure, love? Am I just being selfish wanting you to do it?’
‘No, of course not. Don’t give it another thought. I’m your new café manager.’
She looks relieved. ‘Excellent. Will you come and help me serve up?’ She smiles at Rob. ‘Sorry. I don’t want to take her away from you.’
‘You don’t have to.’ He shrugs. ‘I could help, too. If you need another pair of hands?’
My heart swells with pride and Mum rubs her hands together. ‘Excellent. Let’s go, then.’
She starts walking briskly across the lawn, Rob and I doing our best to keep up.
I smile happily at him. It’s the perfect day. Except for one thing.
Dad’s not here.
But we’re all going in to see him later with a bag of carefully selected goodies he’s allowed to eat on his new diet. He’s getting stronger every day and that’s more than I thought possible at one stage. So I’ve got a lot to be grateful for . . .
We all gather in the drawing room for pre-lunch drinks and Sylvia and Mick tell us all about the latest cruise they’re booked on early in January.
Then Mum leads us all through to the dining room.
She’s really done us proud. The table is beautiful, decked out in festive red and gold with tall candles glowing in pots filled with Christmas greenery, which Mum and I gathered this morning. Christmas carols are playing gently in the background and the rich aroma of butter-basted turkey and herbs fills the house.
Mum’s even made little place cards for everyone, writing the card in gold pen. We all wander round finding our places and commenting on the glorious table.
Mum comes in and clears her throat.
‘If you’re all settled, I’ll bring in the starter.’
‘Smoked salmon, I think,’ I say in response to Rich’s question from the other side of the table.
‘Not exactly,’ says a familiar voice.
I spin round and there’s Dad, walking in on Mum’s arm, looking quite weak still but smiling all over his face.
There’s a communal gasp of delight and everyone gets up from the table.
‘The doctor told me yesterday that Will could come home today,’ says Mum, her eyes brimming with happy tears. ‘We thought we’d surprise everyone. I collected him while you were all at the zip wire.’
Dad looks around and catches my eye. ‘Just as well we made sure the zip wire was working all right, eh Fen?’ He winks at me and I go over to kiss him, my heart leaping with joy that he’s actually here.
He wraps me in one of his big bear hugs that lasts just a little longer than usual. And then everyone starts talking and laughing at once.
I catch Rob’s eye over Dad’s shoulder and my heart melts all over again.
Then I murmur, so only Dad can hear: ‘I’m going to take part in the bake-off heats.’
He holds me away from him, grinning broadly. ‘Fen, that’s brilliant.’ Then he kisses me soundly on both cheeks. I smile at Rob’s quizzical look and go over to tell him the news.
This is going to be the best Christmas ever . . .