Chapter 39
?? From Auntie Kay
Happy moving in day! My favourite niece and my favourite customer… couldn’t be happier for you both xxx
‘Could you use an extra pair of hands?’ Elise said when I opened the door at Seashell Cottage.
‘I thought you’d been summoned to the mother-in-law’s for Sunday lunch.’
‘I was but I put my foot down. Considering what we found last time I helped you move, I had to help again to see if we could top that.’
I ushered her inside. ‘Don’t remind me. If anything else from my past re-appears, I’ll swear I’m being haunted. Are you feeling brave?’ I led her to the dining room.
‘Why? Have you got your pet dragon chained up in there?’
‘Worse. You know how we both like things to be really organised and have paperwork filed neatly away? Imagine the exact opposite.’ Cringing, I opened the door wide.
Elise gasped. ‘Sarah Peterson! I think you’ve been burgled.’ There wasn’t an inch of wood showing on the dining table through a sea of paperwork, post, and folders. More piles sprouted on the chairs and the floor. We looked at each other and started laughing.
‘I warned you,’ I said. ‘I know it’s really unlike me. I hate it. If I kept the door shut, I could just about ignore it.’
‘Just think how satisfied you’ll feel when it’s all done, though. How do you want to do this?’
We worked for about half an hour, singing along to Abba.
I picked up what I thought was an empty cardboard folder and was about to add it into a crate of stationery when I felt something stiff still inside it. ‘How the hell did that get in there?’ I gasped.
‘What’s up?’ asked Elise.
‘The clairvoyant CD’s in here.’
‘Where was it meant to be?’
‘In the CD player in the lounge. I swear I’ve never taken it out of there since I moved in.’
Elise did a little shiver. ‘Ooh, goose bump moment. That’s just like you suddenly finding it in your Treasures Box last time.’
I removed the CD and stared at it thoughtfully. ‘Do you think we should listen to it again?’
Elise put down the papers she’d been sorting through. ‘Is that a good idea? Won’t it stir up the whole searching for Steven thing again?’
I shook my head. ‘I don’t think so. Nick’s The One and I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life. I was just wondering if we’ve missed something on the CD.’
‘Like what? A hidden track?’
‘I don’t know but there’s only one way to find out.’
Giggling like schoolgirls, we raced to the lounge. Elise hurled herself onto the sofa while I put the CD in the player then curled up on the armchair next to it.
‘It started with the CD. It seems fitting to end my little journey with it too.’ I pressed play.
We listened in silence until we arrived at the key question:
‘Will I ever get married? All I’ve ever wanted to do is get married.’
Next came the prediction about Steven and the crossroads choice leading to the true Steven.
‘Surely there’s something else you can tell me about Steven,’ [I said on the CD.] ‘How will I know it’s him? Steven’s a common name.’
‘The name isn’t that important. Your grandma says you’ll just know he’s The One. I’m going to…’
I sat upright and paused the CD. ‘Did you hear that?’ Before Elise had a chance to answer, I backtracked it and listened again.
‘… know it’s him? Steven’s a common name.’
‘The name isn’t that important. Your grandma says you’ll just know he’s The One. I’m…’
I stopped it again. ‘The name isn’t that important. The name isn’t that important,’ I repeated. ‘I’ve never noticed that bit before. Have you?’
‘I can’t remember. Possibly. I think I was more excited about the Steven thing and wasn’t concentrating.’
‘What do you think it means? Do you think Madame Louisa was trying to tell me that the man of my dreams might not be called Steven after all? Surely not. I can’t have gone through with the search for Steven for nothing.
’ Thoughts of my various encounters raced through my mind. I could have avoided all that.
‘You could certainly take it that way,’ Elise said.
‘But your search wasn’t a waste. It helped you realise that Nick was The One.
It helped you finally get Andy out of your system.
Plus, you wouldn’t have met Stevie. Now that I’ve finally been introduced to him, I can see why you two became such good friends. He’s a lovely guy.’
‘True.’ I smiled. ‘Stevie does cancel out the other rubbish stuff. I wonder if we’ve missed anything else.’ I pressed play again.
‘… I’m going to give you this CD and I suggest you put it somewhere safe and listen to it on your own in a week or so when you can really think about what I’ve said. Or perhaps when you hit your crossroads and it finds its way back into your life.’
Madame Louisa talked about the bracelet then the message from Uncle Alan. There were the familiar sounds of movement as I headed towards the door, the point at which I usually pressed stop. ‘I’ll let it play a bit longer.’
We both cocked our ears towards the speakers, listening out for anything other than static, and both jumped when Madame Louisa spoke again.
‘Oh, Sarah, I can tell you something else about Steven.’
My heart thumped faster. New information!
‘You’ve already met him.’
‘I have? When?’
‘A long time ago. Bye Sarah.’
More static. I cocked my head to listen harder, just in case, but the CD then stopped automatically.
‘That’s definitely it,’ I said. ‘What do you make of that, then?’
‘You’ve met him already? Not that we needed any confirmation but that just proves that Andy wasn’t the real Steven. You hadn’t met him when the CD was made.’
‘True.’
‘Didn’t you say Nick’s grandma lived next door? Could you have met him when you were little?’
I shrugged. ‘It’s possible. Nick says he spent loads of time there as a kid, but neither of us remember meeting each other. I’ll have to ask Auntie Kay about it when she gets home on Thursday.’ I glanced at my watch. ‘Are you okay for time?’
‘I’m yours as long as you need me. How about I continue in the dining room and you tackle your bedroom?’
‘Thanks for this.’ I gave her a hug. ‘This is twice in less than a year that you’ve helped me pack and move. If you and Gary ever move house, I promise to return the favour big time. In the meantime, can I shout you to pizza tonight?’
‘Don’t you and Nick want to enjoy your first evening as official roomies on your own?’
‘We’ll have plenty of other evenings for that. Tonight, I want to say thanks to you. Pizza?’ Elise’s stomach grumbled loudly. ‘I’ll take that as a yes.’
Elise smiled. ‘I’ll text Gary and let him know I’ll be late.’
‘You’re back! I’ve missed you.’ Nick gave me a gentle kiss. ‘Hi Elise. Looks like you could have a little side-line in removals if you ever pack in teaching.’
‘I’m not sure I have the biceps for it,’ she said. ‘But it’s always good to have a back-up plan. Sarah’s promised to return the favour if I ever move. And she’s invited me for pizza but I can leave if you’d rather be alone.’
‘Don’t be daft,’ Nick said. ‘You’re welcome here any time. Pizza is the least we can do to say thanks.’ He looked towards the two packed cars. ‘Is that everything?’
‘Yep. All my worldly goods are cluttering up your car ready to clutter up your house.’
‘It’s not my car or my house anymore,’ Nick said. ‘They’re ours.’
Elise turned round to mouth at me, ‘He’s so sweet.’
‘I know,’ I mouthed back, grinning.
Half an hour later, the three of us had unloaded the cars and sat down with hard-earned mugs of tea when the doorbell rang followed by the sound of the door opening. ‘Hello? Nick?’
‘Mum! We’re in here.’
Nick’s mum, Sue, poked her head round the door. ‘Great. You’re both here.’ She hugged Nick then me. ‘Congratulations,’ she said. ‘We bought some bubbly to celebrate.’ She handed Nick a bottle.
‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘You didn’t have to do that.’
‘Congratulations!’ Callie burst into the room and dished out hugs too. ‘Oh, hello,’ she said to Elise. ‘Who are you?’
Elise laughed. ‘I’m Elise.’
‘Sorry,’ I said. ‘Quick intros. Elise and I have been best friends since our first day at primary school. Elise, this is Nick’s sister, Callie, and his mum, Sue.’
‘Champagne?’ Nick asked.
‘Why do you think we brought it?’ Callie said.
Nick disappeared into the kitchen and came back with five wine glasses. ‘Sorry, not posh enough to have champagne flutes.’ He popped the cork like a professional and poured a small glass each.
‘To Nick and Sarah,’ Sue said.
‘Nick and Sarah.’
‘Did you bring the present in, Callie?’ Sue asked.
Callie jumped up off the sofa. ‘It’s in the hall. Just a sec.’
Moments later she reappeared with what looked like a picture wrapped up in brown paper and tied with a turquoise organza bow.
‘Happy housewarming.’ She handed me the package.
‘You shouldn’t have, but thank you.’ I pulled on the ribbon and opened the wrapping to reveal a large black and white framed photo.
A young dark-haired boy stood side-on to the camera.
He had his arms around a younger girl with dark curly hair and was kissing her on the cheek while she smiled shyly towards the camera.
‘Aw, that’s so cute,’ I said. ‘Look, Nick.’
Nick moved across to the sofa arm to look at the photo. ‘Very cute. Thanks, Mum.’
Callie giggled. ‘Look closer.’
I looked at the photo again. ‘Hang on.’ My jaw dropped. ‘That’s me. Oh my God! Is it? Is that me?’ I put my hand across my mouth. ‘Is that Nick?’
‘She finally gets it!’ Callie exclaimed. ‘We thought it looked better in black and white.’
My stomach did a flip. ‘You’ve already met him… a long time ago.’ Elise and I exchanged looks.