Chapter 24
As they drove down the street towards Grace’s house, she realised that the outside lights were on. Vinnie, Archie and Becks were all standing on the doorstep waiting for her. Archie seemed to be jumping up and down with excitement about something. She gave him a great big hug, ruffled the fur on Becks’ head and then gave Vinnie a kiss full on the lips and told him what a wonderful day they’d had. She whispered in his ear that she’d show him later how much she had appreciated his wonderful gesture.
‘Mum, Mum! You have to put this blindfold on because me and Vinnie have something to show you!’ Ruth smiled at her, nudging her to do what he said. Grace bent down to let Archie put the blindfold on. She recognised it from an old beauty kit of hers – it had a dog’s face on it. Knowing just how ridiculous she must have looked, she went with it anyway; Archie’s enthusiasm was infectious.
Vinnie took one hand and Archie the other, and they led her through the wrought-iron side gate and down the path along the house.
‘OK, Mummy, you can take it off now!’ Archie squeaked with excitement.
What Grace saw when she took the blindfold off took her breath away. A huge lump formed in her throat and she couldn’t speak. Her whole garden had been transformed into her dream. In one corner stood an angel statue which had been stored in the garage. It was something that she’d spotted in a salvage yard just before they’d moved into the house, and the reason she’d bought it was because she wanted to think of an angel watching over her and Archie and protecting them in their home. In another area, her rattan furniture had been assembled and arranged with loads of cushions on the chairs, and on the table in an ice bucket was a bottle of Bollinger and lots of glasses. In the far corner was what used to be her old ramshackle creosoted shed. Now it took pride of place, painted in a beautiful rich cream and duck-egg blue, with bunting and fairy lights round the doorway and Moroccan glass lanterns hanging outside each window. She still couldn’t find any words. She wandered over to it and inside it there was bunting and more decorative lanterns. In one corner was a desk and an office chair and in the other, a sofa covered in technicoloured throws. Bookshelves lined the other walls.
She turned around and flung herself at Vinnie, clinging on for dear life. ‘You did all this? For me?’
‘Not just me, I had a great deal of help from my wing man.’ He swept his arm round to Archie who had the biggest, proudest smile on his face that Grace had ever seen. ‘And Mike and the kids, too. I’m not Superman, you know!’
‘You guys are amazing! I just don’t know what to say! And you!’ She turned to Ruth, who was chuckling naughtily. ‘You knew, didn’t you? That’s why we’ve been out all day, isn’t it?’
Ruth smiled at her. ‘Grace, if my little brother wanted to give you your dream garden, how could I refuse? Especially when he offered me a spa day as a bribe to get you away. As mum to three kids, I’m very easily bought, you know.’
Archie insisted that they all have a group hug, and how could they refuse? Apart from the day that Archie was born, Grace had never felt so blessed in her life.
She felt totally overwhelmed. These people, who she’d only known for a short time, had turned her world around. They were kind, they were generous; they were beautiful souls. Just a few months ago, she had never felt more alone and sad, not knowing what the future held. And then one day, Vinnie had knocked on her door and it seemed that her luck had changed. And she’d never been happier.
* * *
Mike appeared from the conservatory with the karaoke machine in one hand and an extension lead in the other.
‘We decided that we’d have the party at your house instead of ours. Hope that’s OK?’ he added apologetically.
‘That’s a fantastic idea,’ Grace replied. ‘I’m never leaving this garden again, anyway. Hope the neighbours don’t mind the noise!’
As if by magic, they heard laughter coming from the side passage and Belinda appeared with a bottle of wine with Bill following behind, staggering under the weight of a huge pot filled with chilli con carne.
‘The first rule of being neighbourly is to always invite the neighbours to the party,’ Bill laughed. ‘Surely you know that, Grace. Although I’m not sure how we got conned into cooking most of the food too!’ He winked at her and once he’d plonked the pot down on the table, stooped and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
Monica then appeared from the kitchen carrying a huge bowl full of jacket potatoes, a tub of butter and a big dish of grated cheese. ‘Hello, darling, hope you liked your surprise.’ She grinned.
‘Dinner is ready!’ Vinnie announced. ‘But before we start the food and the evening’s entertainment, I want to make a toast to Grace. A few months ago, I’d never even met this amazing lady. And now, I feel like she’s always been in my life. She’s made me happier than I thought possible. I hope you love your new garden, Grace. I just wanted to do something nice for you for a change as you seem to spend your time making everyone else’s lives better. So, ladies and gents, please join me in raising your glasses to Grace.’
‘To Grace,’ they chorused, and the kids cheered. Then from the karaoke machine, Pink started singing ‘Get the Party Started.’
Grace was insistent that she wasn’t going to sing, saying that she had never done karaoke before in her life and did not intend to start at the ripe old age of thirty-seven.
Vinnie thrust a flute of Bollinger into her hand as the kids decided to kick off the singing and were dancing along to the music. Becks had plonked himself under the food table, just in case anything dropped onto the floor and he was required to hoover it up with his mouth.
Belinda came over and slung her arm around Grace’s shoulders. ‘Grace, I’ve never seen you look so happy. I had a feeling that day when Vinnie turned up that he was going to be someone significant in your life and I couldn’t be more delighted for you. I used to worry about you so much, in the house on your own; I always wished that someone special would come along and show you that there was more to life than sitting around and waiting for your son to come home. I’m so pleased for you, my love.’ Tears sprang to Grace’s eyes as she hugged this beautiful lady that she was so lucky to have living next door.
Grace looked around at her friends and took in the scene. She thought that she had never seen Archie look as happy as he did right now. She’d always wished she’d had more children. She and Archie adored her sister’s kids and missed them dreadfully now they were in the US. He was certainly in his element with his new friends, who felt like family already.
Ruth had had a couple of huge GTs by this point and decided that she would sing ‘Firework’ by Katy Perry. It was certainly a very different version from the original and she really didn’t care. Mike looked like he couldn’t have been prouder when she hit the high note at the end, even if she didn’t quite get there.
None of them tried in any way to get Grace to have a turn. They knew and appreciated how she felt and didn’t try to do that ‘oh go on’ annoying thing with her. Because of this and how much fun they were all having, and how easily those GTs were going down, Grace asked whether there were any songs by The Carpenters on the machine.
Nobody commented, they just looked for the track she wanted. When Ruth asked her who was going to sing it, Grace said, ‘You, Monica and me, Ruthie! That’s who!’
There was a big cheer and when ‘Top of the World’ started playing, the three ladies sang at each other rather than looked at the screen. They all knew the words off by heart and sang a fairly acceptable rendition. When they finished, Vinnie flung his arms around her, and gave her a great big hug. ‘I’m so bloody proud of you, Grace,’ he said. ‘I thought you didn’t do karaoke.’
‘I don’t and I never have and I never thought I would. But right here and now, I don’t think I’ve ever felt more comfortable. I don’t think I’ve ever felt more myself. And you’re the reason for that, Vinnie. You’re the one who makes me feel like I can do anything I want to. Like nothing is out of my reach. You’re amazing, Vinnie, do you know that? I… er… love… the way that you make me feel.’ She had come dangerously close to telling him that she loved him but she didn’t want to scare him off. She thought it was too early for that, but she knew deep down that it was only a matter of time before those words came out of her mouth.
They spent the rest of the evening pretending to be The Sugababes, Little Mix and One Direction and they had a complete whale of a time. She couldn’t remember when she had enjoyed herself so much. It was soon midnight and she realised that Archie was starting to get really tired. It was a good job it was school hols so he could have an easy week and some lie-ins to make up for it. A late night once in a while was OK; and tonight had been a special occasion.
* * *
Darling girl, I hid tonight behind that angel in your garden. I don’t know why because I know that you can’t see me. I am apparently allowed, once and only once, to be seen by you. I am saving that moment for a time when you really need me because it really will be the last time that you ever see me. Tonight though, my love, I was so proud of you. So proud that you have turned your life around. So proud that you have made such wonderful friends. People that you deserve in your life and who deserve you. And I’m so pleased that you have someone like Vinnie, who I really do think will treat you exactly how you are meant to be treated. Someone who will do everything in his power to make you happy, which is what love should be all about. I’m so happy for you, my darling.
Please think carefully about what Mark has suggested, about bringing together your family for Archie’s sake. And make the right decision. I’m right here beside you all the way, whatever you decide. I love you, Mumxxx