Epilogue
JACK
Christmas
Sennen Cove
If last year’s first Christmas party on Kennington Park Road, also Adele’s very first birthday, was a magical event, this year’s celebration promises to be even more special.
Not just because our families and all of our friends are about to join us here in Sennen Cove, but because, alongside Christmas and our daughter’s second birthday, my infuriating, beloved doctor and I are about to get married. Right here, in Cornwall, no less, at his parents’ home.
We agreed together to hold the wedding in his hometown so that Nick could be there without any complications.
His health has thankfully remained stable, and my bond with him has only grown stronger.
From the very first time we met, I felt an instant connection with Francis’s dad, a rare sense of understanding.
I think he’s genuinely fond of me, though I’m also fairly certain the fact I’m hopelessly in love with his son and determined to make him happy doesn’t hurt…
The relationship he’s developed with Adele is both sweet and deeply moving. Seeing this big man sit in his wheelchair and play with dolls alongside our little whirlwind often brings tears to my eyes.
All four grandparents are utterly smitten with our red-haired girl, but with Francis’s father, she seems to share something deeper, something that mirrors my own connection with him.
These Starkeys are truly something else. And very soon, I’ll officially be one of them.
Francis was open to anything. He was happy to take on a double-barreled surname, like the Elliott Arnettes, or even mine. But in the end, I made the decision: we’ll all be Starkey. Adele included.
Taking his surname isn’t just a tangible sign of how deeply I feel I belong with him, it’s also a natural reflection of the strong bond I have with Cornwall.
Even though I wasn’t born here, there’s something about this rugged, wild, beautiful land that pulls me in so fiercely it makes me feel like I truly belong.
When I was offered a position with some of the most prestigious dance companies in Europe I decided to turn them down, partly to enjoy this place more often and let our little girl enjoy it too, and partly because the whole Starkey clan is rooted here.
And, unexpectedly, so did Ludo.
Our pas de deux at the end-of-year showcase was a huge success, not only did it land us an overwhelming number of offers, but it also catapulted Etienne’s career to new heights, not just as a dancer, but as a choreographer too.
Claire Donovan wasn’t exactly thrilled, but I’m sure she’ll come to terms with it eventually, especially since Moreau’s just been appointed as the new course coordinator for next academic year, replacing her.
As for Ludo and me, we were more than happy to accept several short-term collaborations, as long as they didn’t take us too far from London. We both want to complete the three-year course and earn our professional diploma before even thinking about locking ourselves into anything long-term.
I’m glad Visconti decided to stick with me on this journey, even if I suspect our reasons for doing so couldn’t be more different.
I have a feeling Ludo still hasn’t given up on his plan to seduce Etienne, whereas I chose to stay at the academy both to earn my diploma and to remain close to my family during these crucial years, years that will be essential in giving little Adele a safe, steady foundation.
Francis has been incredibly supportive and always backs me up, whatever path I choose, but for me, being present at home right now feels non-negotiable. It’s important that our daughter has strong roots, and I want to be part of that every step of the way.
The adoption process has now been officially finalised. Francis, my soon-to-be husband, and I are Adele’s parents in every sense.
But now that Kelly is slowly re-entering her life, I need to be absolutely sure that Adele feels that sense of stability Francis and I can give her.
So far, the meetings have only been short, supervised sessions in neutral spaces, always under the watchful eye of both the psychologist and Sarah Simmons, the social worker who’s been following Adele’s case from the very beginning.
Francis and I are well aware of how delicate the situation is, but we both believe that, if handled with care, reintroducing her mother into her life could be a new source of love, and that’s not something we want to deny Adele.
And Kelly… I have to admit, she’s been doing her best to cooperate in a constructive and thoughtful way. She’s following all the psychologist’s recommendations, and she’s shown a great deal of respect for the social workers’ guidance too.
I know there’s still a long road ahead, but I’m hopeful everything will turn out for the best. And in the meantime, our little family still gets to rely on the constant support and overwhelming love of our messy, wonderful, colourful extended family.
Wanting them with us on our big day was the most natural thing in the world.
We always knew we could count on Seb and Remi to stand beside Francis, and on Ian and Ludo to stand beside me, but we never imagined that the entire Blackbird crew would actually say yes to our invitation and make the trip to Cornwall, right in the middle of the Christmas holidays, just to celebrate with us.
But somehow, they all made it work, and tomorrow, every single one of them will be here for our wedding.
The Elliott Arnettes, of course, have already been in Sennen Cove for a few days now, staying at Emma and Ben’s place with Leo and Maude.
The rest of the group is due to arrive this evening: Ian’s coming from Stratford with our parents and my friend Nate, while Ludo, Ollie, and Kit are on their way from London along with Anne, who’ll be accompanied by William.
Things between them are going really well, and luckily Miss Halliwell’s fiancé not only seems to have moved past his rather unfortunate first encounters with the Blackbirds but appears to have genuinely embraced the spirit of the group.
Back when Francis and I were still unsure whether Adele would be allowed to stay with us, and everything was up in the air, the Blackbirds, Anne included, gave us every ounce of support, both emotional and practical.
They even went so far as to write personal letters to social services.
In fact, they offered to attend court hearings if needed, ready to testify not only to what a caring, attentive and devoted father Francis was, but also to how deeply Adele was loved, by me, and by every single member of our extended family and chosen circle.
My beloved doctor and I will never forget what they did for us. Not ever.
The guest rooms here at Starkey House are all ready, and although I imagine it’ll be a bit chaotic with friends and family around, I can’t wait to be surrounded by the warmth of the people I love.
We’ve planned a very simple ceremony, which will take place tomorrow morning at St Sennen Church, the little historic chapel in the old part of the village.
Afterwards, we’ll move on to Nancarrow Farm for the reception, a beautiful old Cornish farm with a fairytale feel.
We’ve had the Oak Barn set up for the occasion, a high-beamed, lovingly restored barn that will be lit with a canopy of twinkling lights and decorated with red berries and scented candles, paired with simple white and green table linens.
Francis and I didn’t want anything too formal, just a warm, glowing winter setting. We’ll take a proper honeymoon later in the summer, but neither of us wanted to wait any longer to get married.
As soon as we got confirmation that Adele’s adoption had been finalised, I popped the big question without wasting a second.
And aside from some mild annoyance at having been beaten to it, Francis was so thrilled by the idea of getting married right away that we immediately started planning everything.
Even though we decided to keep the wedding intimate and simple, the logistics still took a few months to sort out, which led us straight into the heart of the Christmas season, something we took as the sweetest sign from the universe.
And now, with Francis out picking up Adele’s birthday cake, raspberry and chocolate, of course, I’m making the most of these last quiet moments to finally try on the outfit I’ll be wearing tomorrow.
Sebastian had it delivered this morning, courtesy of his trusted tailor, and it’s honestly something truly special.
Remi’s husband, besides being an exceptionally talented pianist, also has exquisite taste, remarkably similar to mine.
When I asked him to help me choose the perfect outfit for my wedding, he agreed with genuine enthusiasm and accompanied me several times to his tailor, just to make sure everything turned out exactly as I’d imagined.
Helen, on the other hand, went to visit Emma to go over the final details of the ceremony, something the two of them have kindly taken care of, since Francis and I live in London and my mum, who would’ve happily helped, lives even farther away.
She took Adele with her too, which was perfect, she’s always thrilled to spend time with Leo, who by now has become her best friend. Meanwhile, Kiara took Nick to Penzance for a check-up, and Luke and Daniel had to head to the family boatyard to deal with an urgent delivery of materials.
So, I’m fairly confident I have the house to myself for at least a few hours.
I lift the lid of the elegant cream-coloured box I placed on the bed and start taking everything out, one piece at a time.
My fingers glide over the soft silk of the ivory shirt I picked, perfectly paired with a deep midnight blue satin suit, unstructured in cut, tailored just right to flatter my slim frame.