Epilogue
‘ She’s beautiful, Marnie,’ Lena said as she gazed down at the sleeping baby in her arms.
‘I know.’ Marnie nodded from where she was stretched out on the blanket with her head on a cushion, glowing with happiness.
They were sitting on the beach underneath a large parasol. Lena had been holding baby Winona while Marnie had been napping on the blanket. Having a newborn and twins was exhausting for Marnie and Bligh, so Lena and Thomas tried to help out whenever they could.
Marnie had eventually gone into labour at thirty-five weeks. Bed rest and antibiotics had helped her continue the pregnancy for a few more weeks but then she had gone into labour naturally and nature had taken its course. Winona had stayed in hospital for two weeks and then been strong enough to come home. She was absolutely perfect, and Lena was besotted.
It was a gorgeous late August day, warm and bright but not too hot. Lena was enjoying baby cuddles while Thomas and Bligh were playing football with Wendy, Winnie, Fifi and Harvey. It had been a comical game because the girls were taking it very seriously — they were both now on the school football team that Thomas was coaching — but Fifi and Harvey were oblivious to the rules, and so they had run off with the ball several times during the course of the game.
Winona stirred in Lena’s arms and gave a small cry and Marnie sat up instantly.
‘Time for lunch!’ she said, holding out her arms.
Lena handed the baby over and helped Marnie wrap a sarong around her shoulders to give her some privacy to feed the baby. She made sure Marnie was comfortably propped up on cushions, that she had water nearby and then she got up and strolled across the sand to Thomas.
‘Hello, beautiful lady,’ he said with a smile.
‘Hello, yourself.’ She slid her arm around his waist and leant her head on his shoulder. ‘Have you got enough sunblock on?’
He looked down at his bare legs. ‘I think so. You plastered my tattoo in it an hour ago so I should be OK for now.’
Bligh had created an incredible tattoo for Thomas’ leg that had Fifi and Harvey on it, as well as a stack of books, a football and a quill. The books were because they shared a love of reading, the football was for Thomas’ past and because he was coaching the school football team, and the quill was for Lena and all the books Thomas believed she would write.
‘If you go in the sea, you’ll need more sunblock on though,’ she said. The tattoo hid the worst of the scarring, but Lena still worried about him burning. Thomas had admitted that he loved how she looked out for him and that was good because he was stuck with her now.
‘I won’t forget, I promise.’ He kissed her forehead then hugged her tight.
‘Are you hungry?’ Lena asked.
‘I am, actually. I bet the girls will be too. Shall we head up to the café and get lunch for us all?’
‘That’s a good plan. I’ll grab my bag and shoes.’
After Thomas had asked what everyone wanted, they put the dogs’ leads on and walked them up to the café, enjoying the feel of the sunshine on their skin and the breeze in their hair.
‘Have you heard back from your editor yet?’ Thomas asked as he held open the gate for her.
‘Not yet,’ Lena replied. ‘But she said it could take a few weeks.’
Lena had finished her book and looked into freelance editors and found one that she liked. They’d had several videocalls and now the editor was doing a structural edit on her manuscript. It was exciting and terrifying in equal measure, but Lena knew this was just the start of the process. After it had been edited, she would need to get it proofread then decide whether to submit it to agents, publishers or to self-publish it. After so many years as a journalist, not really enjoying her work and feeling a lot of the time that she had little control over the outcome of her writing, this was liberating. She had choices going forwards because she was in the driving seat.
As for Thomas, he was now employed at the sanctuary following a trial period as a volunteer. Leanne had been so impressed with him, she’d asked him to apply for a full-time role at the kennels and he’d been delighted. He loved spending his days with the dogs and Lena knew the dogs loved him. After what he’d been through, he was naturally empathetic with them and knew from his own experiences that healing took time.
They paused in the gardens to admire the colourful flowers, luscious plants and trees and to soak up the peace they both felt there. Thomas wrapped his arms around Lena and kissed her softly and she melted against him. When she’d come to the small Cornish village four months ago, she’d never imagined what lay ahead, but she couldn’t be happier. She’d travelled up to London a few weeks ago with Thomas to collect her belongings, donated what she no longer wanted to a charity shop, and then they’d come home, together. They hadn’t moved in together yet, but Lena spent most nights with Harvey and Fifi at Thomas’ cottage, and it was on the cards for when her lease on the cottage ran out.
‘Thank you, Lena,’ he said, gazing into her eyes.
‘Thank you for what?’
‘For everything. For showing me how amazing life can be. For giving me a fresh start.’
She kissed him long and deep then held his gaze.
‘We’ve both got a fresh start, Thomas. You make me happier than I have ever been.’
And he did. Free of stress and the hectic pace of her former life, Lena was able to take the time to smell the flowers, taste the coffee and to enjoy every day as it came.
Thomas took her hand and led her towards the café, and a memory washed over her of the first time she’d come here.
Every moment is a fresh beginning…
Lena had been able to embrace her fresh beginning, and she had been lucky enough to find love along the way. It had all started, she realised, when she’d come to spend the summer in Cornwall and first paid a visit to The Cornish Garden Café…
The End