Libby found a young, newly married couple to buy her flat. After thirty-odd unsuccessful viewings she had begun to give up hope until they suddenly appeared on her doorstep. They had clearly loved the space and she had managed to negotiate the full asking price out of them. The sale was able to move fairly swiftly, thanks to Lizzy’s flexibility with the purchase of L’Albero di Limoni and the couple being chain-free. She was glad that she liked the look of the buyers. There was something strangely personal about selling your home. She hoped that they would be happy there, that they would enjoy living in her home as much as she had. Angus had terminated the contract on his flat and they had started researching moving companies that would come in and pack up their possessions to send them ahead to Italy. The paperwork for the B & B was coming along nicely, and soon they found themselves signing on the dotted line. It was all happening very quickly. Libby had never felt so excited about anything before. She felt energised and full of life, her imagination spilling over with ideas. She had to keep turning her bedside light on in the middle of the night to scribble them down on her notepad lest she forget them. It was wonderful to feel so inspired. She had never experienced it before, so used to being either in a dead-end job with no prospects, or lately bogged down in a world of terminology and paperwork that made her see stars in front of her eyes. She and Angus were never far apart; they plotted and schemed together with Izzy by their side.
Spending quality time with Izzy was the biggest perk. It was a true joy for Libby to see her daughter every day. She didn’t know how she had managed for so long without it. She was growing so quickly, and finally Libby didn’t have to miss a thing. Luca had come over to visit a couple of times, taking Izzy for the weekend. No one was more excited than him at the thought of Izzy and Libby’s imminent translocation, and he had offered to do anything they needed to help things run smoothly on the Italian side. It was definitely proving useful to have a local around when they needed him.
Angus’s lease terminated at the end of April. As planned, all of his possessions were being shipped ahead of them to Italy, along with the majority of Libby and Izzy’s belongings. Angus was staying at Libby’s for the last couple of weeks until she exchanged with the buyers and handed over the keys. As a final farewell they had decided to throw a dinner party, inviting Angus’s parents as well as Helen, Henry, Miriam and John. The Lockharts and the Saunders had known each other for years, with their children having grown up together, but it was nice for the Lockharts to get to know John a bit better and to meet Henry for the first time. Eight people was a rather tight squeeze around Libby’s dining table, but it seemed a fitting send-off for Angus and Libby as they set off on their new venture.
Before she knew it, the last day that she would ever spend in her little flat came hurtling around the corner. It felt like the end of an era. She could hardly believe that the next day they would be driving out to Italy, no looking back.
To celebrate their last night in London they ordered a takeaway and drank a bottle of red wine, toasting new beginnings. They curled up on the sofa and watched a movie. At the end of the evening they got ready for bed, both of them feeling a little nervous and full of anticipation about what was to come. Suddenly feeling emotional, Libby asked Angus if he would sleep next to her in her bed. ‘Would that be weird? I just don’t want to be by myself tonight. Besides, you shouldn’t have to sleep on the sofa on your last night… and you’ve got a big day of driving ahead of you. There’s plenty of space for two…’
‘Of course I will,’ he said, ruffling her hair in the same way that he had done since they were young teenagers. They brushed their teeth before climbing into bed. It had probably been a good twenty years since they had last slept in the same bed.
‘Night, night,’ Libby said as she turned out her bedside light. She rested the side of her head against the pillow, her head spinning with dreams of their new life in Italy.
‘Night Libs,’ said Angus. She felt him move a bit closer to her. He pulled himself up and reached over to plant a kiss on her cheek. He was about to roll back over to his side of the bed when she took his hand and pulled him closer, so that the length of his body curled against her back like a big spoon. She placed his arm around her and rested her hand against his forearm. It felt so good to have him next to her; she could feel the weight of his muscular torso pressing into her back against the fabric of her pyjamas. She felt a swell of love for her oldest friend, his presence calmed and reassured her as she felt the rise and fall of his chest behind her. His steady, rhythmic breathing soothed her and, for the first time in weeks, she fell asleep with a deep sense of peace.