Chapter 44
The afternoon of the barn dance had arrived. The girls helped me choose an outfit and despite me wondering whether I was going to end up looking like a middle-aged Taylor Swift when I looked in the mirror, I was pleased with what I saw.
When I arrived at the farm, I could feel that there was something special in the air. The whole village was buzzing with energy. The pub was closing for the night and the landlord and his wife were managing the bar in the barn.
The DJ and singers had arrived and were doing their last-minute sound checks before we opened the doors.
They were dressed in short denim skirts, cowboy boots, checked shirts, tied at the waist revealing flat stomachs that I would die for, and of course the obligatory Stetsons.
Our line dancing teacher Alex was nearly bursting with excitement.
She’d been teaching us for a few weeks and was incredibly patient when we messed up the routine.
Clapping in between the steps helped you count, apparently, but a number of The Lonely Hearts Club who had come along to lessons were struggling with the steps alone without adding some hand movements in there too.
She had set up a Facebook group for us all, sharing videos of her doing the dances, going through the movements slowly and breaking them down, and then setting them to music in the hope that we might all practise at home too.
The previous night, during the last practise class, she’d been overcome with emotion when there wasn’t a foot stepped wrong.
What was particularly nice was that all the while she’d been teaching us, she just kept saying, ‘It’s only line dancing, folks.
We’re here to have fun and if you go wrong, who cares?
What’s important is that you are having fun.
’ And fun it was indeed. After every practice we left feeling energised, our faces aching from smiling so much.
Who would have thought line dancing could be so enjoyable?
I hoped that she wouldn’t stop teaching this wonderful pastime once the barn dance had been and gone.
‘You OK there, Tessa?’ I asked. She looked a little forlorn, just inside the barn door looking around. She must have felt quite overwhelmed at times and wondered what the hell she’d done offering her barn for this colossal community event.
‘I just can’t believe what you’ve done,’ she whispered.
I clutched my hand to my chest. I didn’t think for one minute that because we’d tried to keep a lot of it as a surprise to her, it might not be to her liking.
‘Oh no, Tessa, do you hate it?’
She spun round.
‘Hate it? Of course I don’t hate it, you daft mare. I absolutely love it. Look at everything you’ve done to make it so fabulous. I can’t believe it. This tatty old barn has been transformed into a fairy-tale venue. It’s amazing.’
‘Oh, thank goodness.’ Her face had gone from stunned surprise to sheer joy and it was a delight to see. ‘I do hope you’re going to be joining in with the dancing tonight.’
‘Try and stop me. I might be in my eighties but there’s life in this old dog yet.’
The mother who had brought her up, had been staying in Sandpiper Shore for the week, and came up to Tessa and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
Jo came over and placed her arm around both of her mum’s shoulders.
‘Hello, darling. Isn’t this fabulous?’ Her mum was beaming with pride.
‘It’s beyond my wildest dreams. It really is.
This barn has sat empty for years. I’m just so happy that everyone gets to enjoy it with me.
I was starting to think I might move into the retirement village, you know, where I know I’d be safe and sound, but this one’ – she nodded her head in Jo’s direction – ‘has persuaded me that it’s right to stay in the home I love.
Your daughter is a wonderful woman, you know.
’ Jo stood between them, shining with pride.
‘No, Tessa, our daughter is a wonderful woman. But then, how could she not be with you and I as her mothers? We’re pretty fabulous too.
’ Tessa reached across and grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.
This family was not a conventional one, but it was remarkable.
Jo was lucky enough to have not one but two mothers who adored her and while I was so very happy for her, there was still a very tiny little bit of me that was just a tad envious.
Seth came over and slung his arm around me.
‘All right, kiddo?’ I asked, blinking away the tears that were threatening to form.
‘Sure am. Do you need me to do anything? Or shall I go and fetch Daisy and the kids?’
‘Yeah, you go and do that. Don’t be long though. Everything will be starting in about half an hour.’
‘Have you ever tried to get two teenagers ready to go out?’ He laughed. ‘They’re nearly as bad as their mother.’
‘Don’t let Daisy hear you say that.’ I laughed back at him.
I felt lighter than I had in weeks. It seemed like after such a crappy time everything was finally starting to come together.
Despite people telling me I should, due to the substantial amount of cash that had gone missing, I had decided not to get the police involved in the scamming issue.
I already felt totally foolish and what with that hanging over me along with the whole situation with Demetri, I just wanted to forget about it all and start again.
If I did think about it, I got upset all over again and it wasn’t doing me any good.
Yes, I was pushing it away and not dealing with it, but I just wanted to put it all behind me.
On the plus side, my family had grown exponentially, my work was flourishing, happy customers making recommendations for my services left, right and centre, and the barn dance was going to be a huge success.
Maybe this was finally my happy ever after.
I was starting to feel whole again. Nothing in the world could break the contentment I was finally feeling.
Until it did.