Chapter 20
Angelia awoke after the best night’s sleep she’d had in a long while, feeling somewhat refreshed and wide awake.
It was a step in the right direction, she figured.
Scrappy was nuzzled into her side, snoring away, but must have sensed her awake state as he suddenly sprang to his feet and, with a frantically wagging tail, he stood on her chest and stared down at her, eyes bright and tongue lolling out.
After several attempts to excitedly stick his tongue up her nose she managed to push herself up to a seated position.
‘Get on with you, you wee dafty,’ she told him as he flopped onto his back, exposing his belly for her to rub. ‘What’s got you so excited today, eh?’ Perhaps, she mused, he can sense my upturn in mood. There was a tap on her door and she called out, ‘Come in if you’ve brought coffee!’
The door opened and her dad poked his head around. ‘Ah, sorry, there’s a pot of coffee downstairs though, along with another surprise.’
Angelia was filled with intrigue. ‘Oh? What surprise is that?’
Her dad chuckled. ‘If I tell you, it’s not a surprise, is it? Although I would get dressed if I were you,’ he said, nodding at her fluffy pyjamas. And with that he left and closed the door.
A little puzzled, Angelia pulled back her duvet.
‘Cryptic, eh, Scrappy? Come on, we’d better get dressed then.
’ She climbed out of bed and quickly ran to the bathroom to shower then, once dried off, pulled on some jeans and a sweater.
With hurried steps she skipped down the stairs and into the kitchen, Scrappy running ahead.
He started barking excitedly and as she rounded the corner she realised very quickly what the surprise was.
Standing there, leaning against the countertop, with Scrappy in his arms was Ed, a wide, beaming smile on his face.
He placed the little dog on the floor and opened his arms ready to envelop her.
‘Ed!’ she squealed and ran into his embrace. ‘What are you doing here? You weren’t coming for a week or so!’
He kissed the top of her head. ‘We broke early and I got the first flight I could. I was desperate to see you. It’s been too long.’
She pulled away and gazed up into his friendly green eyes. ‘It really has. How long are you able to stay?’
He shrugged. ‘A few weeks maybe.’
She hugged him again. ‘That’s brilliant. But how did you get here from the airport?’
‘Hired a campervan.’
She laughed. ‘A campervan?’
He smiled. ‘Always fancied trying one and I figured you wouldn’t have the space with Meghan being here too.
It’s parked at the end of your driveway, because…
’ He cleared his throat and in his best Michael Caine impression, à la The Italian Job, continued, ‘Someone has parked a yellow Mini where I was going to park. Thankfully nobody has blown the bloody doors off it.’ Angelia burst out laughing.
She had missed him and his daft sense of humour so much.
‘Anyway, nothing was going to stop me from visiting you. I had to come and make sure you’re okay.
’ He held her at arm’s length; his eyes filled with a combination of worry and concern. ‘Are you okay?’
She smiled. ‘I’m getting there. Admittedly, it’s been tough.
I’ve been feeling a bit lost and wasn’t really sure what I was going to do with myself but Ferris, my new friend, has been amazing.
I can’t explain why it took a relative stranger to talk sense into me, but talking to him has really helped. ’
Ed’s brow creased and he shook his head. ‘Ferris? Who’s that?’
Angelia gave a light laugh. ‘He’s the sort of trainee minister I mentioned.’
Ed’s eyebrows rose. ‘Angelia MacAuley, have you been going to church since we spoke?’
‘Not exactly. I mean… I’ve been in the church, like I told you, it’s where I met him, but I haven’t “attended church”,’ she said while making inverted commas in the air.
Ed shook his head, frowning again. ‘But, again, you don’t do churches. So how did you end up hiding in one? Wasn’t there a pub or a shop?’
‘Come on, I’ll pour us some coffee and tell you all about it, and the record shop, too.’
‘Oh yeah, the record shop. I can’t wait to hear all about that. Dead exciting. And so bloody perfect for you. I feel like I’ve missed loads of stuff.’
She poured two steaming mugs of aromatic, fresh coffee and placed them on the kitchen table then proceeded to tell him all about Ferris and their first meeting, then the record shop and finally the choir. Ed listened intently, smiling and laughing when appropriate.
‘I’ve got my first meeting with the choir tonight, why don’t you come along?
It should be fun. They’re mostly women but there are a couple of men too.
I only know this from the night I took refuge in the church to escape the group of teenage fans.
Ferris has some great ideas, and I think this is one of them.
I feel like my life has a direction again. ’
Ed nodded. ‘Well, I need to meet this incredible trainee minister that’s had an amazing influence on you in such a short amount of time. You friends with a vicar though, Angel.’ He shook his head. ‘I think it’s quite funny.’
‘I thought you might. And don’t worry, he’s not all preachy and “I want to convert you” or anything like that.’
Ed laughed. ‘Why did you say that like the vampire off Sesame Street?’
Angelia laughed too. ‘No idea.’
* * *
After a lazy day of lounging around at home and filling Ed in on all the details of the band and their apparent split, and each member’s future plans, it was time to head to Glentorrin again to attend the choir rehearsal.
Angelia was nervous but excited too. She wasn’t really sure what to expect from the group of people seeing as she hadn’t really heard much of their singing, instead she had witnessed rather more of their arguing and disagreements.
Meghan stayed home to give the friends some time to catch up, and Ed drove them to Glentorrin in the campervan. As directed by Angelia he parked beside the hall.
‘This is a cute place,’ Ed said as he climbed out of the van and took in his surroundings. ‘It’s like a painting.’
‘Yes, it’s lovely and it has everything you need too. Pub, bakery, museum, shop. All the essentials,’ Angelia said as she too glanced around the place that was becoming very familiar.
Ed grinned. ‘I like your priorities. Pub at the top of the list.’
‘Come on, let’s go in and I’ll introduce you to Ferris.’ Angelia led the way, followed by Ed, as she pushed through the large oak door. She had been in church more times in the last few weeks than she probably had in a lifetime, she thought.
‘Ah, here she is, everyone, right on time!’ Ferris said, gesturing towards her. A group of people were gathered in the chancel area where the keyboard still stood.
Ed stopped briefly and when Angelia turned, she saw something undecipherable in his expression. He didn’t look exactly happy, that one thing was certain. He looked a little surprised and confused.
‘Are you okay?’ she whispered.
As if coming out of a trance, he shook his head and plastered on a smile. ‘Sorry, yeah, all good.’
When she reached Ferris, he gestured to the gathered group.
‘Everyone, this is Angelia MacAuley. Some of you have already met her and I know some may recognise her, it’s only to be expected, but let’s not get bogged down with her notoriety, shall we?
And let’s not go bragging to all and sundry that she’s here in Glentorrin.
She’s here for a break of sorts and doesn’t need to be hounded by fans.
So, let’s respect Angelia and be grateful that she has been willing to step into the breach at such short notice.
Angelia, this is Glentorrin Village Choir, it’s been going for around six months now and they’re supposed to be singing at the annual village show in a few weeks.
Allow me to make some more detailed introductions.
’ He pointed to a familiar blonde woman.
‘You already know Bella Donaldson, and I believe you’re a regular at Caitlin’s bakery these days.
’ He grinned at her. ‘I think you met Jules who runs the Lifeboat House Museum, next to her is Reid, her husband who’s an incredible artist?—’
‘And who can’t really sing, so is here purely to make up numbers,’ Reid added and everyone laughed.
Ferris continued, ‘Then there’s Kenneth who owns the village shop, and his wife Morag?—’
‘Who organises Kenneth,’ Morag added.
More giggles and an eyeroll from Kenneth who said, ‘I wish I could say she’s joking but she’s not.’
Ferris chuckled and carried on, ‘The very trendy young woman at the front there with the fabulous purple hair is Isla Douglas, who, if you can believe it, is Bella’s granny.’
Isla patted her hair and feigned embarrassment. ‘Young woman indeed, Reverend Blaikie, you do flatten me.’
Bella leaned towards her and, with a smile, whispered, ‘Flatter, Granny, you do flatter me.’
Isla rolled her eyes and through clenched teeth hissed, ‘Aye, that’s what a said, hen.’
Trying not to laugh, Angelia realised that Ferris had continued introducing people to her, but she had missed a fair few names thanks to Granny Isla’s comedic moment.
She cringed. ‘I’m so sorry but it may take me a while to remember all of your names.’
A young man, whom she thought she recognised as one of the teenagers who she had seen walking their dogs in the village, said, ‘Don’t worry, Miss MacAuley, we’ll keep reminding you if you need us to.
Oh, and thank you so much for helping us.
’ He clamped his mouth shut and glanced around before adding, ‘And can I just say I love Angel and the Fallen, I have your posters on my wall at home, but I can assure you, you won’t get any trouble from me.
And I won’t go telling people you’re here.
We’re sort of used to famous people in Glentorrin.
Oh, and I’m Evin MacKinnon, by the way.’