Chapter 10
Throwing myself into my work seemed to be a good way of getting through my heartache.
After a day or two I stopped looking at my phone every five minutes to see whether he’d sent a message.
He never sent anything anyway. While I was utterly disappointed, it was what we’d agreed.
We weren’t young, na?ve, star-crossed lovers who felt that love would conquer all no matter what.
We were two mature, realistic people, who knew that distance had come between us.
We lived very separate lives, in countries separated by thousands of miles.
Unless one of us was prepared to give up something or someone who was mega important to us, it was never going to work out.
He would always want to be there for his mother for as long as he was needed, family a hugely important part of his Greek heritage, despite the fact that he’d spent many years in the UK.
I had made a life for myself in Cornwall, with my flourishing business and my wonderful friends and a community which I loved being part of.
Yes, we might be miserable apart, but we were sensible enough to know that it was the right thing for us. So that Demetri could concentrate on the time he had left with his mother, and I could continue my newly built life down in Cornwall.
‘I was wondering how many more days you are planning to mope around for then?’ Emma flung herself next to me on the sofa grinning. I really must remember to lock my front door. ‘Just so I can put it in my diary.’
Despite my dismal mood, I smiled back at her.
‘I haven’t decided a firm timescale to be honest. Any thoughts?’ Jo came into my lounge with three mugs of precariously full hot drinks and placed them on the coffee table upon which I had my feet perched.
‘I was thinking maybe just a couple of days more, before you start getting on your own nerves, let alone ours,’ Jo answered. ‘And I need your help with this bloody barn dance that this one’ – she nodded towards Emma – ‘has roped us into.’
‘I don’t suppose it would hurt to start listing the jobs you want me to do. When I’m feeling up to it that is.’
‘Of course,’ Emma replied. ‘No pressure but there are some things only you can do.’
‘I’m sure that’s not the case, but thank you for making me feel important.’
‘You are important,’ Jo replied. ‘You’re the only one of us who knows how to use the TicketyTok properly and all the other social media sites too.’
‘You could always learn,’ I said. ‘It’s not hard.’
‘Yeah, but why would I want to do that when I’ve got you here to do it for me?’ Emma winked. ‘No point having a dog and barking yourself.’
I loved these two women with all of my heart and I knew that with their help, love and support, I would come through this difficult time of my life. It would just take patience and time.
We chatted through many of the jobs we knew needed doing.
First we had to arrange for the barn to be cleared out, and we needed some big strong hands to do that.
Tessa said she had a couple of lads from the village who sometimes helped her out at the smallholding and we just needed to give her some dates.
We planned to design some marketing material, organise a bar and catering for the event and someone to play some music.
There were many other minor jobs that would have to be added to our lists too.
Not ignoring the fact that someone would have to run the music and dancing side of things.
We divvied the jobs up into who was going to do what and it actually felt like, apart from work, I had something to focus on.
‘So, I’ll make a start at the weekend at the latest then. However, I do think you two still have to admit something to me though, which is that I was right all along.’ I raised my eyebrows and looked at them both in turn.
‘What about?’ Jo asked.
‘About the fact that it was only going to ever end in disaster.’
‘Ah, but just imagine if you’d never spent the last few months with the hot doctor,’ Emma said. ‘Just think all that you’d have missed out on. You must admit, you’ve had a fabulous few months and that it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.’
‘Yeah, that’s a shit saying by the way and so untrue. I suppose it wouldn’t be hurting so much right now if it hadn’t been wonderful having Demetri in my life. Even though I know I made the right decision for me.’
‘Are you still sure that it was the right decision, Chelle?’ Jo asked. ‘No regrets?’
I looked out of the window towards the sea, which was glistening in the sunlight. The waves were gently lapping at the shore. The glorious sight where the dunes met the beach always lifted my heart. I gave a huge smile and nodded.
‘Yes, I am.’
Emma rested her head on my shoulder.
‘You’ll be OK, you know.’
Jo patted my arm reassuringly.
‘Yeah, I know. Thanks for everything, you two. I really appreciate your patience with me.’
‘You’ve got till Saturday then. You won’t be working so we’ll be expecting our Chelle back. Ready to rock and roll. Yeah?’ Jo stood, expecting an answer.
In a fake Texan accent, Emma spoke next. ‘So, get your cowboy boots ready, get over that Achy Breaky Heart and you never know what rhinestone cowboy might be just around the corner ready to do some boot scootin’ boogeying with!’
‘Please don’t ever say the words boot scootin’ in my presence ever again!
’ I scolded through a wide grin. Emma and Jo had set out to do what they’d intended.
To let me know that they were here for me to lean on but also to give me a kick up the backside, making me realise that at some point I would probably need to get me out of this funk.
Life would go on.