Chapter 17
17
Rex rolled into the kitchen where Ronnie and Pia were sitting at the kitchen table looking at floral table decorations on the laptop. Pia had decided on a frosty blue and white scheme for the flowers featuring roses, anemones and silver brunia, with a nod to the Christmas season with some pinecones, berries and mistletoe. With Ronnie at her side, she could exchange ideas and gain a different perspective, but most of all she appreciated the moral support when her enthusiasm wobbled or if she got stuck on a decision. It was bittersweet, of course, because it should have been her mum at her side, holding her hand and imparting advice. She would have been excited for her and would have relished every moment of the preparations, helping to choose the outfits, picking out the flowers and selecting the menus, but she would have been a steadying influence too. Pia missed the reassurance that her mum could have provided. Did she like Jackson? Pia could never marry someone that her parents didn’t approve of. Was it too soon to be thinking about marrying when she’d only been with Jackson for little over a year? Did she think Jackson really loved her for who she was and didn’t just consider it to be a good business decision to make Pia his wife?
These were hardly questions she could ask Ronnie, but Pia shook her head, chastising herself. She was being ridiculous even entertaining such thoughts.
It made her sad that her parents weren’t here to see how much she’d achieved since she’d moved out of Meadow Cottages in both her personal and professional life. Like her, they would never have quite believed that she was living in a manor house only a few miles away from home, with her teenage love, Jackson Moody. It was a shame they never got to meet him, even as a teenager, but Pia had kept her relationship with Jackson a secret because his bad-boy reputation was well known throughout the village. If her parents had discovered the truth, then they would definitely have tried to put a stop to the relationship.
Now, she allowed herself a smile. How things had changed. If her parents had met Jackson today, of course they would have approved. He was a successful businessman, a renowned public speaker, and a philanthropist, and they couldn’t fail to be charmed by his good looks and everything that he’d achieved. They would be impressed by his wealth, obviously, but most of all, her mum would have been delighted simply by the fact that Jackson had fallen in love with their daughter and cared for her just as much as her parents had done.
They would have been thrilled too to be grandparents to little Freddie. They would have spoilt him rotten and been on hand for all the babysitting duties, but sadly it was never meant to be. Pia often recognised that pang of regret in her stomach that they had been taken far too soon, missing out on so much of their children’s and grandchildren’s lives. She always allowed herself that moment of reflection when the memories of her parents came flooding into her mind along with the what-ifs, but neither her mum nor her dad would want her to be unhappy. They would be urging her to live her very best life. She felt a pressure to make the most of every moment, especially after everything that had happened this year with Jackson’s accident and Rex’s health scare, a timely reminder that life was short and you couldn’t take anything for granted.
Mind you, seeing Rex now, looking smart in a pair of brown and white pinstriped trousers, with a white collarless shirt and black waistcoat, that familiar wide grin on his face, you would never believe that he had been seriously ill just a few months ago.
‘Well, you’re looking very dapper, Rex,’ Ronnie said, her gaze sweeping up and down. ‘Where are you off to?’
‘I’m going into town. There are some jobs I need to see to. I might stay for some lunch too, so I’ll probably be back about mid-afternoon.’
‘Well, that sounds like fun. Why don’t I come with you? I think we’re pretty much done here, aren’t we, Pia? We can make a day of it.’
‘No!’ Rex held up a hand to refute that idea, before softening his response. ‘It’s all right, Ronnie. You stay here with Pia. The stuff I have to do will be pretty boring. I don’t want you to have to traipse around the shops after me.’
‘Oh, I see,’ said Ronnie. The disappointment in her voice was tangible even if Rex hadn’t already noticed the truculent curl to her lip. ‘Are you meeting someone then?’
‘No. Who would I be meeting? I’m going to have a mooch about on my own.’
‘Hmmm, well, I’m not sure why I can’t come with you, but if you don’t want me to then there isn’t much I can do about that.’
Rex chuckled, shaking his head at Pia.
‘Don’t be like that, Ronnie. You don’t know what I might be up to. I could be buying your birthday present for all you know.’
‘Rex!’ The dismay on Ronnie’s face was clear to see. ‘My birthday was two months ago!’
‘Ah, yes,’ he said, laughing. ‘Well, perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself and buying for next year. Or’ – he tapped the side of his nose with his forefinger – ‘have you thought that I might be doing some Christmas shopping?’
‘Oh, Christmas!’ Ronnie sounded marginally appeased. ‘I keep forgetting about that. I’m so focused on the wedding, I can’t really think of anything else, although I did buy most of my presents weeks ago and have wrapped them too.’ She looked at Rex through narrowed eyes. ‘I’m not sure I actually believe you, Rex. You forget that I know you of old and I always have a sixth sense when you’re up to something.’
‘Honestly, Ronnie, what do you take me for?’ Rex said expansively, doing nothing to allay her fears. ‘One of these days you’re going to have to start trusting me.’
Pia didn’t like to take sides so she stayed quiet, but she couldn’t help wondering if Ronnie was right and maybe Rex was up to something. He was being evasive, as though he was hugging a secret to himself, and tight-lipped too, but perhaps it was just a special Christmas present he had in store for Ronnie after all.
‘Right, well, I shall leave you two good ladies to it. Come here, Ronnie,’ he said, holding out a hand to her and lifting her to her feet. ‘Do you want me to get you anything while I’m in town?’
He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into his chest, and Pia noticed how Ronnie instantly relaxed in his embrace, a smile spreading across her face, her previous concerns forgotten in an instant. She dropped her head against his chest, revelling in the moment.
Pia recognised the effect it had upon Ronnie because it was the exact same way Jackson made her feel when he held her. Warm, safe and protected, as though nothing could touch her all the time she was wrapped in his embrace.
‘You don’t think he’s got a doctor’s or hospital appointment that he’s not telling me about?’ asked Ronnie once Rex had gone on his way.
‘No, he would have said.’ Pia got up and flicked the kettle on. ‘Besides, you always go with him to those and I thought he didn’t have to go back for another three months? In any case, did you see him? He was positively beaming with good health.’
‘That’s true. There was a definite spring in his step. Maybe he’s got something else on the go then,’ said Ronnie.
Pia shot her a glance, knowing exactly where Ronnie’s mind was going.
‘Don’t be daft. Everyone can see how fond he is of you. Honestly, the pair of you are like a couple of teenagers when you get together.’
‘Hmm, I don’t doubt that he’s fond of me, but is that enough? What would happen if his head was turned by something or someone else? He’d be off without so much as a backwards glance.’ Ronnie shook her head, obviously perturbed by the idea. ‘I know,’ she said, putting a finger in the air, as though solving a crime. ‘He’s probably having a few beers with his pals. He knows I don’t like him drinking, it’s not good for his health, so that’s why he’ll be keeping it quiet.’
‘You worry too much.’ Pia brought over two mugs of tea and placed them on the table. She also opened the cake tin, which was filled with cherry and sultana scones, gathered some plates and knives from the cupboard and put out small ramekins of creamy butter and jam. ‘What you have to remember is that Rex is a lot like Jackson. They’re independent and free-spirited, and need time to themselves when they can pursue their own interests. To be honest with you, I adore Jackson with every bone in my body, but he can be very intense, as you know, so I’ve come to make the most of those times when he’s occupied with something else. It gives me the space to do the things I enjoy, like reading or baking or pottering about the house, without him getting under my feet.’ Pia laughed.
‘Yes, I suppose you’re right. It’s funny how Rex has always had the power to tie me up in knots. He did when I was a young woman and he’s still doing it these days. Mind you, he’s not going to change now and I’m not sure I’d even want him to.’
Pia flashed Ronnie a supportive smile, as they both tucked into the tempting-looking scones. The dogs padded about the kitchen, mooching around beneath the table in the hope of uncovering some stray crumbs. Pia felt privileged that Ronnie confided in her, that they could have a good-natured moan about the Moody men, knowing exactly that the other would understand, without making a comment or passing judgement.
‘Oh, did I mention, I told Harry at Rosewood Farm Cottages that I would have some photos taken in my wedding dress with the alpacas. His wife Vera, who he was devoted to, had been very close to her uncles, so when they got the alpacas she decided she wanted to name them after her closest relations. Her uncle Humphrey actually gave her away at her wedding so I thought it would be fitting for me and Jackson to have a photo, in all our wedding finery, with the alpacas. Like a link to the past really.’
‘What a lovely idea,’ agreed Ronnie. ‘I can’t wait to meet these new members of the family. I’ve heard so much about them and they sound like proper characters. Oh, and you’ll have to have some photos done with the rest of the animals too.’ She took another bite from her scone, which was topped with apricot jam. ‘We didn’t have any professional photos taken on our wedding day. We couldn’t afford it so Rex lined up one of his mates to take some snaps for us, but predictably the pair of them were pretty pie-eyed by the time they made it to the registry office. I think his friend remembered halfway through the day what he was supposed to be doing so there’s a couple of photos of us in the pub, but they’re all a bit blurry. I suppose like the rest of us were,’ she said, laughing.
‘Well, our wedding will be the ideal opportunity for you and Rex to have some decent photos taken together, when you’re all dressed up to the nines.’
‘It would be nice to have a framed photograph of us both, something we can put on the side, that’s if I can ever decide on what to wear.’
‘Oh, Ronnie,’ chided Pia, looking at her exasperatedly. ‘I thought that was all sorted? What about that floaty deep pink dress you showed me?’
‘Yes, well, that’s one of the contenders. But there’s also that embroidered pale green dress that I bought online which reminds me of a summer meadow. I really love it, but maybe it’s not suitable for a chilly December day. Then when we were in town the other day, Rex pointed out a vintage long gown that would be perfect for a winter wedding. I keep wondering if I should go back for it.’
‘No!’ Pia was quick to dissuade Ronnie. ‘The pink dress will be ideal. There’s no need to buy another one. Look, why don’t we have a try-on this afternoon, with shoes and accessories, then we can make a final decision, once and for all.’
‘We could do,’ said Ronnie, her face lighting up. ‘Although I suspect, even with a third dress, I might not be able to make up my mind until the day of the wedding. It will all depend on the weather and on my mood; and besides,’ she said with a devilish grin, ‘I like to keep people guessing.’