Chapter 35
It was almost an hour’s drive to the wholesaler.
I wasn’t used to so much driving and being this far away out in the countryside after living in the city where I could walk or take a short taxi ride everywhere I needed to go.
I didn’t mind, though when I had pretty scenery to enjoy.
And Mary was good company too. She had so many stories about her life, and the town and her flower shop, but also, she wasn’t scared to talk about my mum.
‘She was the one who came up with the idea of the pink bike,’ Mary told me as we drove past wildflower fields on either side of the car.
It was still drizzling outside so the grey clouds subdued the colours a little bit but Mary had cracked open the car windows and I could smell the flowers as we passed by.
‘I wanted something outside that would catch people’s eyes and she spotted the bike at a shop that used to be on the High Street which sold all kinds of old things.
It was a shame we lost that shop; I love second-hand hunting.
Anyway, your mum spotted it in there and spent two weeks fixing it up.
She suggested adding flowers to it. Now, I can’t imagine the bike not being outside. ’
I smiled. ‘She loved second-hand shopping too and upcycling old things,’ I remembered aloud.
‘Our house was full of odd bits of furniture. Nothing really matched.’ I thought about how Henry’s house was styled to perfection; they’d used an interior designer and it was all cream and beige and white and so polished, I’d been nervous to drink or eat anything that might stain.
‘There’s a great shop you should visit nearby, actually. ’
I told Mary about Bill’s antiques shop. I wanted to go back and look at everything he had one day. But I didn’t know if it would be too strange without Blake. Mary immediately said she’d have a look in there as soon as she could.
We reached the wholesaler and I was amazed at just how many things they stocked in there.
Mary bought some of their fresh flowers, straight from the market, for her shop and some more faux ones as I had cleared out a lot of her stock.
I found some wicker punnets that visitors to the farm could use and I also picked up some faux sunflowers and greenery to drape over the swing Willow was going to build.
Dylan had looked into engraving a small piece of wood to tie around the punnets with the farm name on so I brought some string to attach them when they arrived.
We carried everything back to the car and then returned to the flower shop where I would help out for the busy Saturday-morning rush. Mary opened the door and put the fresh flowers into buckets of water, moving the bike out the front. I smiled to see my mum’s idea still in action.
I was moving in her footsteps helping out in the shop. It felt good to be close to her again. She had loved flowers and that love had been passed down to me, even if I had tried to ignore it for a long time.
I also enjoyed working with people. That had been my favourite part of my office job.
I liked greeting Mary’s customers and finding out what they were looking for, and helping them pick the perfect flowers for their occasion.
Or helping people who came in to treat themselves to a bunch to bring them joy.
It was such a simple thing in life but it did brighten up people’s days.
When we neared lunch, things quietened down a bit and I showed Mary a picture of the flower arch back at the farm now it was all finished.
‘It’s beautiful, Daisy. You have a real eye for flower displays. Honestly,’ she said, matter-of-fact as always. I beamed at her praise because I knew she was always honest.
‘I really enjoyed making it. Creating it, and working with you, is making me wonder if I can work with flowers in the future. And being on the farm this summer is making me unsure about going back to living in the city. I know I can’t stay with Willow forever, though.’
‘You’ll figure out what you want to do. This is what you’re meant to be doing,’ Mary said before she left me to greet a customer.
Her words stayed with me for a long time.
* * *
After I left Mary, I walked back to the farm to check on things there.
Willow was making a start on the swing and the place was bustling as everyone tried to fix what the ponies had messed up.
Uncle Adam was being scolded for doing too much, but I could see how determined he was to help out.
Willow was back from town, having brought Dave from the DIY shop with her, and Paul from the café was also there helping make the swing.
Despite his grumpy attitude, he did seem willing to pitch in when needed, I had to give him that.
Dylan and Sabrina were clearing the ruined strawberries and sunflowers while Sabrina’s husband, along with their toddler, put the ponies back in their enclosure, adding an extra lock to make sure they wouldn’t get out again.
Willow’s teen weekend helpers were clearing away the trampled sunflowers into wheelbarrows.
And female Pat from the café had also turned up with drinks and snacks for everyone, which went down a storm.
I watched them all for a moment. The community spirit in Birchbrook was unlike anything I had seen, at least for a very long time. It was heart-warming to watch. I felt bad for not pitching in but Willow needed help with the ponies and that required me to head out of town.
Driving there, nerves settled in. I could have called but I knew this would be better in person, plus I wanted to go back to make sure my first trip there hadn’t been a dream. It had happened.
Blake had happened.
When I arrived back in his hometown, I couldn’t push him out of my mind any more. I thought about how we had come here together. His first trip back for a year. And he had chosen to return with me by his side.
Now, here without him, I pictured how nervous but happy he had been to see his family.
How he had said he wanted to kiss me again but I wasn’t available.
I looked down at my wedding finger. There was no longer a diamond ring on it.
I was free. But that hadn’t been enough for Blake to stay.
In the end, it was him who hadn’t been free.
I wouldn’t regret breaking away from my old life, though.
Because I hadn’t done it for him. I’d done it for myself.
For the woman who had looked in that mirror on her wedding day and hadn’t recognised herself in the reflection.
Now when I glanced in the rear-view mirror, I liked who I saw looking back at me.
But there would always be a small part of me that wished Blake had broken away from his life with Sarah in the city.
I drove into his family’s riding school and home.
Here, there was no rain but a grey, cool day.
I got out of the car I’d borrowed from Willow and walked towards the front door, but when I saw a figure out in the field heading into the riding school, I changed direction.
I passed by the horses in the field. Blake’s horse was munching on grass and I wondered if he would come back to see her again.
He had looked so happy to be reunited with Midnight.
It was a shame that he had stopped riding.
Heading for the barn, I spotted Bronte carrying a saddle back inside, hanging it up on a rack in there. She wore a riding outfit, her hair in a plait down her back, and she was humming softly to herself.
‘Hi, there,’ I said, as I hovered in the doorway.
She turned in surprise and when she saw me, her eyes widened further. ‘Daisy! Back so soon? Is Blake with you?’ she asked as she came over, looking over my shoulder for her brother.
‘No, actually, he’s gone back. Home. To the city,’ I said, as she surprised me with a welcome hug.
‘Back to the city?’ She pulled back and searched my eyes. ‘Without you?’
I nodded, shifting my feet at her piercing gaze. It was like she understood everything I was thinking and feeling. Maybe she did. ‘He’s gone for a meeting with Sarah about their app. A company wants to buy it, I think, or help them make it… It goes over my head a little bit, to be honest.’
‘I can’t believe Blake even knows what it’s all about,’ she replied. ‘I thought we might see him again before he went back.’
‘He left earlier than planned for the meeting,’ I said.
I could see the hurt in her eyes that he hadn’t said goodbye.
‘It was pretty sudden,’ I added to try to soften the blow.
‘I came to ask for your help with something at the farm, though, if you don’t mind?
’ I suddenly wondered if this had been a bad idea.
I stepped back. ‘Oh, is that too weird? I know we don’t know each other; maybe I should—’
‘Daisy,’ Bronte interrupted my babbling. ‘Of course it’s fine. Come on, let’s have a drink and you can tell me why you’re here.’ She beckoned me to follow so I did and we strolled over to the house where she made us both a coffee and brought out a strawberry cheesecake too.
Once again, I felt at home as we sat at the kitchen table, the weather not nice enough to sit in the garden this time.
I told Bronte what had happened at the farm with the ponies.
‘So, we’re trying to fix the mess they made but now we’re all worried about how to handle them.
Obviously, Blake has gone, so…’ I cleared my throat.
‘We don’t have anyone who knows anything about ponies.
Willow is upset because she had her heart set on offering pony rides to kids.
I thought of you immediately, as you’re so experienced and have your riding school; I wondered if there’s something we could arrange together.
That would benefit both businesses, maybe? ’