Chapter 23
The conversation ended as quickly as it had begun as they finished the bottle of wine and once they had both been to the shower block they laid out the two sleeping bags as Scrappy curled up in a ball in his makeshift bed on the floor.
They hadn’t spoken much since their heart to heart and Angelia felt bad that she couldn’t do, or say, more to help her friend.
In the night she found herself reaching for his hand when he was asleep and thinking about what could’ve been if things had, indeed, been different.
The following days of their trip seemed to go back to normal, and they chatted and laughed as they walked.
She remembered how much she loved spending time with him, how easy he was to be around, and realised how grateful she was to have him in her life, even if it wasn’t perhaps the relationship she had once hoped she’d have with him.
She could certainly pick them, she thought; the arty, handsome types whose hearts were always elsewhere.
The Fairy Pools were just as she remembered.
Beautiful, but busy, with what felt like a million other tourists.
The attraction was unsurprising. The waters were so clean and clear that light caused colours to reflect deep down on the submerged rocks, creating a blueish hue which appeared magical and otherworldly.
Some pools were skirted by waterfalls that would have been at home in the Brazilian rainforests.
On this occasion the weather was doing its best to prove just how Scottish it was as the heavens remained open and the sun barely came out for the whole time they were there.
This wasn’t such bad thing, however, because it meant her hood remained up and she, incognito.
And, of course, midges didn’t much care for the rain.
Scrappy was yet again having the best time.
They’d had to keep him away from the smaller pools as he had already tried to jump in and the smell of wet dog wasn’t something they wanted to leave in the hired campervan.
At one point Angelia almost came a cropper on a slippery rock and was en route to landing headfirst in one of the larger pools, she squealed as it all seemed to happen in slow motion but at the last moment Ed rescued her from a fate worse than soggy clothes and yanked her back into his chest. My hero, she thought with a smile as she gazed up into his verdant eyes.
He returned her smile and helped her back onto a steady footing.
They reminisced about university and about Angelia’s auditions for Scotland Rocks and shared stories from their more recent trips around the world until it was time to head back.
‘Thank you for not hating me,’ Ed said as they drove the winding roads towards Portree on Friday morning.
Angelia turned in her seat. ‘I could never hate you, Ed. Don’t ever think that I could. It’s been so good to really catch up and spend time together.’
He smiled but there was a tinge of sadness visible in his features again. ‘It has.’
* * *
‘Okay, we’re doing this a little differently to the versions you may have heard.
We’re starting with the chorus rather than the first verse.
It’s more impactful that way,’ Angelia informed the choir.
‘Isla and Morag, you sopranos come in on four, and sing solo for the first four lines and then everyone else comes in all together on the last line of the chorus. We hold the word “need” for four beats, and then my baritones, you take the first verse. Sound good?’ A rumble of agreement travelled the church.
Isla put up her hand like a nervous schoolgirl. ‘I… I’m sorry but I don’t know if I’m good enough to start this off, though, Angelia dearie,’ she said, a worried crease furrowing her brow. ‘I think Mick Jagger will be rolling in his grave when he hears it.’ She shook her head.
Bella gasped. ‘I sincerely hope not, Granny. And I think that would be pretty tricky too.’
Isla turned to her granddaughter. ‘Aye, well, there’s no much room in a coffin, I suspect.’
‘It’s not that, Granny.’ Bella was giggling now.
‘Was he cremated?’ Isla asked, scowling.
‘Erm, no!’
‘What is it then?’ Isla said, as serious as ever.
‘Because he’s not actually dead!’
Isla’s eyes widened. ‘Oh! Is he not?’
‘He’s very much alive and kicking, Isla,’ Ferris added, grinning.
‘Actually, Isla, from what I know of Mick, and it’s not much admittedly,’ Angelia said, ‘but I reckon he’d be impressed by your talent. In fact, I might get Ed to record it on his phone so I can give him a call and play it for him,’ she said with a wink. ‘Also, I think he’s around your age.’
Isla waved her hand as she laughed. ‘Och, don’t you dare! I’m a married woman, you know. I can’t have some rock god sweeping me off ma feet.’ The whole place erupted in laughter.
They ran through Ed’s rather apt suggestion, considering their recent conversation, of the Rolling Stones’ ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’ and it went surprisingly well. Angelia glanced over at him where he stood with his mic’d electro-acoustic guitar and they shared a heartfelt smile.
‘Are you going to sing at the concert, Angelia?’ Evin asked at the end of the session.
‘Angelia’s here to help us all, son, not to perform for free,’ his dad, Reid, informed him.
Evin sighed, disappointment evident in his downturned expression. ‘That’s a shame in my opinion. I think it’d be the highlight of the show,’ he said defiantly.
Ferris glanced worriedly at Angelia and then back to Evin. ‘Erm… I’m sorry, Evin, but it’s not quite as easy?—’
Angelia interrupted Ferris with, ‘It’s okay, I’m happy to explain.
’ Ferris nodded and gestured for her to go ahead so she continued, ‘What I’m about to tell you all will soon be public knowledge, but I’d really appreciate it if you could keep it to yourselves just for now.
’ The group shared concerned glances, but each agreed to do so.
‘The thing is, I’ve been diagnosed with a condition that affects my muscles, including my vocal muscles.
When I do repetitious things like singing, walking and even smiling, for extended periods the symptoms worsen.
That’s really why I’m here on Skye. That and, of course, the fact my folks live up by Portree. ’
‘And that you’ve bought an awesome shop,’ Ed added.
Angelia giggled. ‘Yes, that too. So please forgive me if I choose not to sing at the concert. It’s not because I don’t want to, believe me. Singing is my greatest passion. It’s just… not as easy as it once was.’ Her voice broke and she cleared her throat as her eyes misted over.
Evin stepped forward from his position and Angelia thought he was going to walk out. Had she embarrassed him? Made him feel bad? She really hoped not. But instead, he stopped right in front of her and, after the briefest of pauses, he enveloped her in his arms and hugged her.
‘I’m so sorry, Miss MacAuley. I’m so, so sorry.’
Her eyes welled with tears and she hugged him back.
Then, one by one the rest of the choir stepped forward and joined the embrace until it was one mass of people with her in the centre.
The compassion she felt at that moment almost brought her to her knees whilst simultaneously lifting her spirits higher than she had ever experienced.
‘Thank you,’ she whispered. ‘Thank you all so much.’
At the end of the rehearsal, once everyone had left the church and Ed had gone to bring her car across, Ferris stood with Angelia by the church door.
‘You were very brave tonight,’ he said as he reached out to touch her arm.
‘I didn’t feel brave. I felt like a gibbering wreck,’ she replied with a laugh.
He shook his head. ‘No, you were amazing. You’re always amazing, Angelia.’ He fixed his gaze on her and smiled. ‘Always.’
Ed opened the door and paused, glancing between them. ‘Sorry, am I interrupting?’
As if snapping out of a trance, Ferris said, ‘Oh, gosh, no. Sorry, just getting caught up in the events of the night. See you both tomorrow?’
Angelia nodded. ‘See you tomorrow, Ferris,’ she almost whispered before following Ed out to the car.
As they travelled back north once more, Angelia pondered the events of the evening. ‘I think I’d like to sing at the concert,’ she said.
Ed frowned. ‘But… I thought you didn’t want to? Don’t feel pressured. They all completely understand, you know. I’ve never felt so uplifted by a group of people, Angel. They really do get it. There’s no expectation on you. None at all.’
Angelia nodded. ‘I know. And that’s why I want to. Because they lifted me up tonight too.’
After a pause, Ed said, ‘He adores you, you know. Ferris, I mean. I think Evin does too, but who wouldn’t? You’re adorable,’ Ed said and Angelia giggled. ‘But joking aside, I think he’s falling for you. Again, Ferris I’m talking about.’
Angelia turned towards him. ‘Do you really think so? But I’ve only known him, what, a few weeks?’
Ed shook his head. ‘Means nothing. When you know, you know. And I definitely get the feeling he knows.’
* * *
Messages had been flooding in from her parents with photos of each stop on their Canadian adventure and Angelia looked forward to each instalment.
Calls were limited due to time differences, but the regular updates were wonderful.
They both looked so happy and had clearly met some interesting people on their travels.
Meghan had been in touch, too, to say her mum’s surgery had gone well and she was on the mend.
These messages were so welcome but on Sunday Angelia got the message she had been both dreading and anticipating after her message to Josh about her trip.
A demand for her to join the inevitable Zoom call she had hoped to avoid.