It was Angus’s birthday in November, a month before Libby’s. She couldn’t believe that they were turning thirty-five. Six months had gone by since Luca and Jules had left them. Libby wondered whether the rose-tinted glasses through which their exes saw each other were beginning to fade. She had heard reports of arguments from a mutual friend, and had been secretly pleased at the news. Apparently Jules was keen to move back to London now that Angus was out of her house, but Luca was reluctant. On Sunday they met up for a birthday lunch in Angus’s local pub. After their meal they settled down to read the papers by a roaring log fire. Izzy was playing happily with her toys on the sofa next to Libby.
‘So, I had my final review on Friday…’ Libby said. She hadn’t told him that it was happening earlier than expected. ‘I didn’t get offered a place.’
‘Oh Libby, why didn’t you tell me?’ Angus said.
‘I knew I was seeing you today… It’s hardly come as a surprise.’
‘So you aren’t too disappointed?’ Angus asked.
‘No, not really. There are many more deserving people than me. Do you know I am actually quite relieved? Law isn’t the career for me, but at least this time I can truly say I stuck at it for once. I didn’t give up when the going got tough.’
‘I know you didn’t and I’m so proud of you for that,’ Angus said. This praise from her oldest friend and occasional toughest critic meant an awful lot to Libby.
‘Thanks Angus.’
‘So what next?’
‘I’ve decided to go ahead with the bed and breakfast business. I’ve got a meeting scheduled for December with the bank and I’m going to get the ball rolling.’
‘It does sound like a fantastic idea. Imagine if you found somewhere like Acorn Cottage – wouldn’t that be amazing?’
‘Exactly. Living in the countryside, in the peace and quiet… maybe on the coast somewhere.’
‘You could keep Izzy at home with you.’
‘Until she starts at school, and even then I could make sure I was there to pick her up every day. I would see so much more of her than I’ve been able to at Digby and Edwards.’ She took a deep breath, nervous to ask the question that had been at the forefront of her mind. ‘Are you still interested in being involved?’
Angus paused for a moment. ‘I’ve been thinking about it myself recently, wondering if you were still scheming away. I think I’d love to be involved. Are you sure you want me?’
‘Definitely sure. You’d bring so much to the table on top of your investment. You’d be completely invaluable to me.’
They spent the rest of the afternoon back at Libby’s flat. She showed him all her research and her proposed business plan. Her legal background gave her an impressive starting point; she had drawn up a contract that would protect their separate investments and assets should their circumstances change in the future. They went through the portfolio of potential properties that Libby had compiled, and they brainstormed and hatched plans for the kind of business they would like it to be.
Libby felt energised and excited about the future. She was thrilled that Angus was interested in coming on board. He said he could relocate to the bed and breakfast if there was space for him to have a studio, at least while the business was getting started. He was only renting his flat by the river, so there was no long-term commitment there. He was extremely flexible, and Libby had nothing stopping her from relocating apart from the sale of her flat. He accompanied her to the meeting with her bank manager and they began to discuss the necessary paperwork. Suddenly it all felt very real.
Angus and Libby went their separate ways for the festive season, ready to start their business plans in earnest in the new year. They both headed to their respective homes: Angus back to Middlesex to the Lockhart family home, Libby and Izzy to Kent. Libby parked the car outside the front of the house. The front door was decorated with a festive wreath. The door opened and John and Miriam came out to greet her.
‘Hello, darling, how was the journey?’ Miriam asked. ‘And how is my darling granddaughter?’ She waved at Izzy who was sitting in her car seat, tears streaming down her face. ‘Oh dear! Not looking too happy! Happy Christmas, little one!’
‘Izzy’s upset that we’ve stopped moving. She loves motion and has taken to crying each time we stop at the traffic lights – which makes travelling anywhere very peaceful, as you can imagine!’ Libby laughed as she picked her daughter up, kissing her on the cheek.
‘Let me help you with all these bags,’ John said. ‘Miriam, you go inside and rest; we will sort this out.’
‘I won’t touch anything, I promise, I’ll be good!’ laughed Miriam. John had clearly taken his role as her nurse very seriously.
Later on they were all seated at the kitchen table with steaming cups of tea and huge chunks of coffee cake when a loud commotion at the door signalled the arrival of Helen and Henry. They had been on yet another mini-break, this time to the Christmas markets in Berlin, and were laden with even more bags and presents. After kissing everyone hello and settling themselves down at the table, Helen announced that she had some news. Libby and Miriam waited on tenterhooks for her to tell them, though the beaming grin from ear to ear had given them some idea as to what might be about to come.
‘I’m pregnant!’ said Helen. ‘And Henry and I are getting married!’
‘What?’ shrieked Libby. ‘Oh my god! Congratulations!’
‘You’re pregnant?’ said Miriam. ‘And engaged? How absolutely wonderful, darling! I can’t believe it!’
‘Congratulations,’ said John, smiling with delight. ‘My goodness me! I’d better see if I can find a bottle of champagne.’
‘Miriam, can I please ask your permission to have your daughter’s hand in marriage?’ Henry asked. ‘I realise it is a little late—’
‘Of course you can, you silly boy! Not that you need it,’ laughed Miriam. Tradition had gone out of the window and she couldn’t have cared less. She was so delighted that her eldest daughter had finally got engaged, and pregnant to boot! They all knew how desperately Helen wanted to have a child.
‘How far along are you?’ asked Libby.
‘Twelve and a half weeks,’ beamed Helen. She got her phone out of her pocket and passed around the photograph from the twelve-week scan.
‘Gorgeous,’ Miriam cooed.
‘Look Izzy,’ Libby said. ‘This is your little cousin!’
‘We didn’t want to say anything until we knew that I had passed the danger zone, what with my being slightly older,’ explained Helen.
‘And then we knew we were seeing you for Christmas, so we thought we might as well tell you in person,’ added Henry.
‘And then Henry proposed outside this beautiful church in the snow last night in Berlin!’ Helen took the ring box out of her pocket. ‘I took it off so I didn’t give it away the second I walked in the door, but look, here it is! Isn’t it beautiful?’
‘Wow, darling,’ Miriam said.
‘It is absolutely stunning!’ Libby gasped. A huge blue sapphire sat elegantly between two sparkling diamonds, catching the light from the string of fairy lights that hung above the Aga.
They listened avidly as Henry and Helen told the story of the proposal, toasting the happy couple with the champagne that John had whisked out of the fridge. Libby was so thrilled for her sister; she barely recognised this glowing, radiant person sitting opposite her from the sister who had left for Hong Kong all that time ago. She was so grateful to Henry for making her this happy. She knew he was going to be an excellent brother-in-law.
Not wanting to steal any of Helen and Henry’s limelight, Libby waited until Boxing Day before telling them about her new business venture.
‘I’ve actually got some news of my own,’ she announced. ‘I’ve decided what to do next now that my contract is ending with Digby and Edwards.’
‘Oh really darling, that’s fantastic,’ said Miriam.
‘Are you going to continue with law?’ asked Helen.
‘Well, you know I’ve been thinking about setting up my own bed and breakfast or guesthouse?’ Libby said. ‘Well, it’s official. I am going to start my own business. The plan is already in motion. And, what is even better, Angus is going to be my business partner!’
‘Angus? Wow, that is excellent news. I had no idea he’d be interested in something like that,’ said Helen.
They asked her lots of questions and were intrigued to hear about the research she had done so far. She was pleased with their reaction to the news. They all seemed thrilled for her, and the idea of Angus being involved certainly did a lot to alleviate any worries they might have had about Libby taking a project like this on all by herself. They could see it made sense for Libby in terms of looking after Izzy, and they knew how hard she had found life in the law firm.
That evening Libby phoned Angus. ‘How did they take it?’ he asked.
‘They actually think it’s a wonderful idea, especially knowing that you’re going to be involved. Of course, Mum wants me to buy somewhere in Kent so she can be close by! What about your family? Did you mention it to them?’
‘They’re very supportive. So it’s official: we’re business partners. Everyone knows except for Jules and Luca…’
‘I couldn’t care less about them. They can find out when they find out, though I must say I’d quite like to see the look on their faces when they do.’
‘Me too!’ laughed Angus. ‘How’s Helen feeling?’ She had told him about the pregnancy a couple of days before.
‘She didn’t really have much morning sickness, lucky thing,’ Libby said. ‘She just seems glowing. Being pregnant really suits her. And she and Henry are so loved up, it’s adorable.’
‘I’m so happy for them! Have they set the date yet?’
‘Not yet. I think they’re going to have a registry office ceremony in London somewhere in the next couple of months. They don’t want a big white wedding, and Helen doesn’t want to wear a traditional wedding dress anyway with her baby bump. I think it’ll happen fairly quickly and be a very relaxed affair.’
‘Sounds perfect. I can’t believe there’s going to be another baby in your family.’
‘I know! It’s going to be so sweet watching Izzy with her little cousin.’
That weekend Libby and Angus spent New Year’s Eve together. Neither of them had made any plans. They had dinner and watched television, slowly getting drunk on champagne. A year ago neither of them would have ever been able to predict quite how much their lives would change over the following twelve months. As the countdown to midnight began and the fireworks exploded on the screen, they toasted the new year. ‘To new adventures!’ Angus said as their glasses touched.
‘To the best year yet!’ said Libby, sipping the bubbles. She had a feeling it might be just that.