Chapter 28
After marching into her manager’s office and confirming that she was resigning with immediate effect, which didn’t go down well, Milly wanted nothing more than to pack a few things and head straight to Copenhagen. But there was something to be done first. One last, difficult thing.
Robert had watched her go in awe, cheering her on and talking more about the donkey sanctuary, eager to follow his own dream.
The rest of the staff were speculating over what had happened and whispering about her before she’d even left the room.
She wondered if they were jealous of the chance she was taking or thought she was stupid.
To be honest, she still wasn’t quite sure she was brave enough to change her life, but all she could do was take it one step at a time, one decision at a time, and eventually, she’d end up where she was supposed to be.
Milly knocked on the door of her mum’s house and stood back, waiting for her to answer.
It was another drizzly day, the temperature dropping with every passing hour.
She checked her phone for flights to Copenhagen, calculating which she could get without risking missing it.
She had no idea how long it was going to take to talk to her mum and calm her down.
She was more nervous now than she had been the last time they’d spoken, when she’d broached the subject of therapy.
Her mum would try and talk her out of it, of course, but Milly would stay strong.
Nothing was going to sway her from this decision because she knew for certain this was absolutely the right thing to do.
Her mum opened the door, her eyes widening. ‘Milly, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at work?’
‘That’s what I’ve come to talk to you about.’
‘Oh. Right.’ Jane stood aside to let her in. Milly motioned for her mum to shuffle forwards into the kitchen. ‘Let’s get the kettle on and we can talk.’
There was no doubt about it, her mum was in for a shock, and a strong cup of tea – possibly even a biscuit – was definitely called for.
Jane put the kettle on, watching Milly from the corner of her eye as she did so.
Erring on the side of caution, Milly took some biscuits from the small, bee-shaped biscuit barrel and put them on a plate.
Eventually, after the kettle had boiled, filling the kitchen with steam, her mum brought two cups of tea to the table and sat down while Milly brought the biscuits.
‘So, what’s going on then?’ Jane asked, taking a biscuit and dunking it in her tea.
Milly took a deep breath. ‘I’ve just resigned from my job.’
For a second, her mum didn’t speak, the soggy biscuit hanging in the air as she watched Milly’s face. A piece fell off and slopped onto the table, but Jane didn’t even blink. It was as if she expected Milly to shout, ‘Only joking!’ at any moment. Which of course, she didn’t.
‘Mum?’ Milly asked gently.
Suddenly, her mum’s eyes flashed back to life. ‘You’ve what? Milly, what were you thinking? And why? Why today? I – I don’t feel like you’ve thought this through. But maybe you can apologise and they’ll take you back. They won’t have replaced you already so—’
‘Mum, please, there’s more I need to say.’
‘More! Oh my goodness.’ She tossed down the rest of the biscuit and fiddled with her hands. Biscuit crumbs coated her fingers and clung to her blouse, but she hadn’t seemed to notice. ‘What could possibly be worse than you quitting your job out of nowhere?’
Oh boy.
‘Mum—’ Milly began, taking the hand that was still wrapped around the cup.
‘There’s a couple of things. So—’ Her voice faltered for a second as her nerves spiked, then she pushed herself to continue.
‘For a while now, I’ve been making a bit of a community on Instagram.
I share financial tips and life hacks and help people to make changes to their lives. ’
‘What, like a life coach?’
‘Not exactly, but I suppose there is a bit of that. I have over half a million followers—’
‘Half a million! Goodness.’ Milly smiled at her mum’s wide eyes, but they soon clouded. ‘Is that why you’ve quit your job? But Milly, that’s a hobby. Something to do in your spare time. It’s not a living.’
Milly had known that despite her mum’s agreement to start working on herself, she wasn’t going to erase years of worry in an instant. She smiled and gripped her hands tightly.
‘No, but it is something I’d like to explore more, and I really enjoyed advising the café.’ She made no mention of Theo. ‘I’d like to do more of that. Maybe start a consultancy or something.’
‘When did all this start? And isn’t it a bit … dangerous?’
‘No! But this is exactly what I’ve been talking about, Mum.
Changing careers isn’t dangerous. Not unless I suddenly decide to become a bomb disposal expert.
I just want to do something different. I’m old enough to make my own decisions about my future and I’ll always appreciate your advice, but I want to start living my own life.
Doing things that really make me happy. If I don’t try now, when will I? ’
‘But …’ After a moment, Jane looked into her daughter’s eyes in a way she never had before and instead of arguing or listing all the things that could go wrong, she said, ‘You’re determined about this, aren’t you?’
Milly watched as her mum fought with her instincts yet tried to be supportive.
‘I am. But I promise you I will do it sensibly.’
The rain outside had grown heavier and continued to batter the windows. The wind was rising too, the trees in the background bending with the force. Leaves began to fly off and litter the well-kept lawn.
‘All right then,’ Jane said with a firm nod.
‘There’s something else,’ Milly added, holding her mum’s hands as worry marred her soft expression. ‘This will come as a shock—’
‘I can’t take many more, Milly. Not all in one day.’
Milly grinned at her comment, though this would be the most painful thing of all. ‘I’ve decided I want to move to Copenhagen.’
‘You’re – to – what?’
Milly almost laughed at her mum’s comical, scrunched-up face, but there was a hint of panic underneath that made Milly tighten her grip to give some reassurance.
‘I know it sounds crazy, but please, hear me out. When I was there I felt happy in a way I haven’t ever felt before.
I love you, but everything about the life there just suited me.
The city felt really homely and helping the café like I did made me feel fulfilled in a way I never have in my career here. ’
Over the last week she’d forced herself to get back online, posting on her own socials.
She’d missed her community and there were lots of success stories she wanted to share, but on a more practical note, she didn’t want to lose the momentum she’d gained through hitting half a million followers, because the algorithm would punish her if she didn’t start posting again soon.
She hadn’t addressed her social media break and hoped that people wouldn’t even notice.
She was under no illusion that she wasn’t actually that important to their lives even if some people had dropped into her DMs asking where and how she was.
‘But …’ her mum said, confusion drawing lines over her forehead. ‘Copenhagen? I know you had a nice summer there, but that was a holiday! You can’t move somewhere just because you enjoyed a holiday there once. And it’s such a long way away!’
‘It’s about an hour and a half flight, Mum. And I promise that we’ll talk often. More than we do now. I’d really like that.’
She actually meant it. Things had already been better since their previous chat and Milly had meant what she’d said about supporting her mum through getting some therapy of her own.
She felt guilty she was adding to her stress at the moment, but ultimately, Jane letting go of her daughter a little bit more would only benefit her and encourage her to embrace her own life.
Perhaps Milly could teach her some of the hygge principles she’d learned herself.
Her notebook still sat by her bedside, even though she hadn’t been brave enough to look through it since she’d been back.
‘Is this to do with that man who ran the café?’ Her mum’s eyebrow lifted. ‘Because you know you can’t change your life for a man, don’t you?’
Her mum was right; she couldn’t change her life for a man. She was changing it for herself, and Theo was just an added bonus if he could be brave enough.
‘I promise I’m not, Mum, but … well, I love Theo, and I know that he loves me. The trouble is, I didn’t tell him before I left.’
‘Goodness. But it hasn’t been that long since Tom. Are you sure you’re not …’
‘Not what?’ Milly asked with a smile.
‘On the rebound?’
She laughed and squeezed her mum’s hand even tighter.
‘No, Mum. I’m definitely not. Tom’s a great guy in so many ways but what we had is done and I’m ready to move on with someone else.
’ She didn’t add that Theo had rejected her and might still reject her even once she’d made it to the café, but she was willing to take that chance.
‘Does any of this make sense?’ Milly asked.
‘I need to see where this thing goes and given that I’ve loved Copenhagen, I want to follow my heart there too.
It really is a wonderful place and just so relaxed and happy. ’
Jane silently studied her daughter before speaking again. ‘You’re sure about this? Really, really sure?’
‘I am. Surer than I’ve ever been about anything.’
Her mum fell back into silence and Milly waited for more concern, more worry, even a lecture to begin, but to her utter shock her mum smiled wildly. ‘Then you better go pack a case. Do you need a lift to the airport?’
Unable to speak, Milly laughed and threw her arms around her mum, holding her tight. ‘I love you, Mum.’
‘I love you too, sweetheart. And all I want is for you to be happy. I have realised that I need to let you live your own life and I promise I’m trying.’
‘You’re amazing.’
‘Just—’ They parted, and Jane wiped a tear from her eye. ‘Promise you’ll call?’
‘We’ll video-call every single week, and I’ll message you every day.’
‘Okay then. Have you got time for another cup of tea before you go?’
‘Of course. No one makes it like you do, Mum.’
This hadn’t been the response Milly had been expecting at all, and she thanked her mum for understanding everything.
To leave with her blessing meant more to Milly than she could put into words and added to her excitement at getting back to the city she’d fallen in love with.
Not to mention the man she’d left there.