Epilogue
Nina went shopping the following morning and brought back several bottles of champagne plus lots of luxury nibbly foods. It took her a long time and when Sean and Ilsa both protested that she’d bought too much, she merely flapped one hand at them. ‘Trust in me. I’m good at throwing parties.’
Which made the other three share anxious glances. What was she planning now?
By late Saturday afternoon, the feast was ready. Nina had directed operations and hired Ilsa’s friends as servers. The others had simply done as they were told.
‘It makes me feel happy to see this,’ Ned confided in Ilsa at one point.
‘Why?’
‘Because these are signs of a happy life, something I want to build for myself once I’m fully better.’
‘I’m sure you’ll succeed.’ 283
A short time later, Nina clapped her hands and gathered them round her. ‘Time to change into your party clothes.’
‘I don’t have any,’ Ilsa said.
‘A few things happened to fall into my shopping. Go and look on your beds and then change quickly. Come back here as soon as you’ve changed and everything will be ready for you then.’
The three of them looked at her in puzzlement.
‘You’ll see.’
Ilsa found a wonderful trouser suit on her bed, made from a material with glittery bits. She’d never owned or worn anything half as frivolous in her life but when she put it on, it fitted and was very flattering.
When she went downstairs, the others were waiting for her, also smartly dressed, and four glasses were filled with some pale gold liquid that was bubbling gently.
‘Three of us took a wonderful step yesterday, becoming a family, and we’re going to celebrate it for the rest of our lives, starting today. But first I’d like to invite you to join our family as well, Ned.’
He stared at her in shock, his mouth literally dropping open.
‘Want to take a chance?’ she asked him.
He didn’t hesitate. ‘Yes. Oh, yes, please.’ But then he gulped and had to fight to stay calm.
‘No hesitation?’ Sean asked gently.
‘None whatsoever.’
‘We’ll celebrate that, just the four of us, and then I’ve invited a few others to join us,’ she said. ‘Now, raise your glasses. To our new family.’ 284
Inevitably as they waited for the other guests to arrive, Ilsa found herself chatting to Ned while the other two whispered to one another.
‘I still haven’t got used to the feeling of being a real part of all this,’ Ilsa admitted, waving one hand around to indicate the whole scene.
‘But it must be making you feel good because you look happier than I’ve ever seen you before.’
‘Do I really?’
‘Very much so.’
‘You look pretty happy yourself.’
‘When you’ve been as close to death as I have and then come through it, you don’t hesitate to seize anything joyful that happens to you, both small and large – and today is very large.’
‘Isn’t it?’ She held out her glass to his and they clinked, and sipped again.
As she was finishing the glass, Nina turned to them. ‘Would you mind if I just rang the oldies? It’s time for them to join us. And also I need to admit I lost my bet.’
They looked a bit surprised at that. ‘Prue bet me we’d get on well and adopt each other as relatives really quickly, and the others agreed with her. I thought it’d take longer but it’s one bet I’m happy to lose.’
There was silence as they took this in, then Sean gave them a smile. ‘It was their idea, wasn’t it?’
‘Yes, of course it was. And I think they’ll be including Ned too, in some way.’
‘They’ll deserve to win the bet and to celebrate with us as well, then.’
As Nina passed to pick up her phone, she paused to give Ilsa another big hug. ‘I’m so glad, so very glad to have you in the family.’
‘I’m over the moon about it. In fact, I’ve never been so happy in my whole life.’
The whole room was soon full of happy people. It was almost as if the air sparkled with joy.