Chapter 27
Nicola knocked at her mum’s door. She had a key, but she never liked to use it when she knew her mum was home, just as her mum did the same for her. She’d pop round and let herself in during the day to check on Trixie, but when she knew Nicola was home, it was always the doorbell she tried first.
The cheerful yellow door opened, and her mum smiled at her. ‘Hello, Nicola! I wasn’t expecting you today.’
‘I’ve brought some of Jackson’s scones.’ She grinned and held up the bag of scones Jackson had given her, along with a bag with a tub of cream and a pot of jam in.
‘In that case, you’d better come in.’ Her mum laughed as she ushered her through to the living room. ‘I’ve only just popped the kettle on this instant. I won’t be a moment.’
Whilst her mum made the tea, Nicola sat down and set the scones, jam and cream out on the coffee table.
‘Here we go, love.’ Her mum lowered a tray with her flowery teapot and two cups and saucers on, plus a couple of little plates for the scones. ‘Now, what do I owe this pleasure?’
Nicola placed a scone on her mum’s plate before cutting her own in half. ‘Nothing. I just wanted a chat, really.’
‘Ah, I see. To do with this lovely farmer of yours?’
Nicola shifted her position on the sofa. Why had she thought she could keep anything from her mum? She always knew when something was worrying her. She smiled. ‘How do you do it?’
‘Do what, love?’ Vivienne passed across the jam.
‘Thanks.’ Taking the pot, Nicola began spreading the strawberry filled jam onto her scone. ‘Know when something’s the matter?’
Vivienne shrugged. ‘Call it mother’s intuition.’
She nodded and began spooning on the cream. ‘In that case, I guess there’s no point in me trying to deny it?’
‘Nope, absolutely not. Come on then, out with it.’ Vivienne leaned back on the sofa opposite Nicola, her eyes on her.
‘Yes, it’s to do with Charlie.’
‘You’ve not broken up already, have you?’
‘What? No!’ Nicola blinked. That was the last thing she wanted: to break things off with him, or even worse for him to finish with her. ‘He, umm, the farm is on the market now.’
‘Okay – you knew that was his plan, though, didn’t you?’
‘Yes.’ She nodded. ‘I knew he wanted to sell. I just… I guess I thought we’d have more time together, with him here in Meadowfield, so we could see where things were going.’
‘I’m sure it will take its time to sell.
It’s not as though there are a huge number of buyers looking to get into farming.
Or to come to Meadowfield, for that matter.
’ Her mum took a bite of her scone, immediately brushing the crumbs from her lips with a napkin.
‘I’m sure you’ll still have plenty of time together before he goes back to London. ’
‘That’s the thing. I don’t think I will. The estate agents have told him they have someone on their books who’s been waiting for a farm to come up for sale in this area. It might not take long at all.’
‘Ah.’ Leaning forward, Vivienne placed her plate back on the table. ‘And he’s spoken to you about his plans when he moves, has he?’
Nicola nodded. ‘Yes, he has. He says he wants to still see me when he moves back.’
‘Okay, that’s positive then? That’s what you were hoping would happen, wasn’t it? He must have feelings for you if he wants to continue your relationship long-distance.’
‘I guess, bu…’ She shrugged. She didn’t know how to explain it, but it still felt final. Despite Charlie’s assurance that he wanted to continue their fledging romance, she couldn’t help but think about the pitfalls, about the what ifs.
‘Spit it out, love. What’s on your mind?’
Nicola sighed. Part of her didn’t want to voice her concerns in case it somehow gave them a footing in reality, but she also knew that if anyone could turn her fears on their head, it would be her mum.
‘He mentioned a while back that he and his ex finished because they were both busy working all the time. If that affected their relationship to the point of it breaking and they were both living in the same city, then what chance do we have living miles apart?’
‘You’ll still be able to travel to see him, and he to you.’
‘Yes, but that will just be at the weekend, and some weekends I work at Pennycress and I’m sure some weekends he’d be doing overtime, or whatever, so that probably leaves, what?
One or two weekends a month. It’s not like we can just hop on a train and visit for the evening.
It’s too far for that.’ There, she’d said it and just as she’d thought, now she’d spoken about her fears, she could feel them closing in on her.
‘No, I understand that, love.’ Vivienne leaned forward and placed her hand over Nicola’s. ‘But the distance could also bring you closer. If you only have a limited amount of time to spend together, then you’ll both make sure it’s quality time, won’t you?’
Nicola nodded slowly. Her mum might be right, but, still, after seeing Charlie every day since they’d begun dating, she couldn’t imagine not seeing him for weeks at a time, not having him there just down the road from her. ‘I guess so. I don’t know.’
‘What’s the alternative? You cut your losses and finish with him now?’
‘No!’ Nicola blurted the word out before she’d even had the time to think.
‘There you go then, love. You have no choice but to go with the flow and hope for the best. Listen to me, I’m going to be seventy in a couple of months, I’ve learned a thing or two over the years.’ Her mum picked up her teacup. ‘You’ve got everything to gain, but what have you got to lose?’
‘Umm, just my heart.’
‘Yes, but you’ve had that broken before, not too long ago, and see what happened? You found Charlie.’
‘Yes, but I don’t want Charlie to break it this time.
’ Nicola stirred her tea, watching bubbles form in the liquid before they burst and dispersed.
‘And I feel differently about Charlie. I knew the relationship with Nathan was limping along way before he cheated on me, but with Charlie, I don’t know, I’ve not felt this way before. ’
‘If it’s meant to be, it’ll be.’
Nicola nodded. ‘I hope so.’
‘It will. And talking of the toerag, have you heard from him again since your encounter with him outside the bakery?’
‘Nope. Nothing, thankfully.’ She supposed she had that to be grateful for.
‘Hmm, we need to sort you out a car in that case. Can’t have you cycling around on your old bike much longer. The weather will be turning soon enough.’
‘I’m okay for now. Thanks, Mum.’ Nicola knew her mum would try her very best to try to get her car replaced if she so much as hinted she was missing it, but that was the last thing she wanted. Nope, she’d get one herself in good time.
‘Tell me, how are the carnival preparations coming along?’
Nicola began telling her mum about Claudette and the disaster in the barn, and little by little, the fear she felt about Charlie leaving began to disperse.
Her mum was right. If their relationship was meant to be, then they’d come through the other side and a long-distance relationship would be fine.
They’d cope. As long as they could keep spending time together, even if it wasn’t as much as either of them wanted, then they could make it work.