Epilogue
JESSY
One month later
T onight is bitter sweet because Luke heads off to Spain tomorrow to begin training. We are spending the evening at the manor house and we are not alone.
Morgana and Steven are here for the weekend. They are also affected by the move and Steven has been busy arranging it. Morgana is here in a different capacity, though, because she wants Luke’s approval for the show they filmed at the manor.
We gathered in the sitting room to watch it and as the fire crackles in the grate I love that Luke’s arm is slung around my shoulders as I nestle against him, loving how close we are already.
It’s been a very busy month.
We’ve had endless meetings with Geoffrey Knight and the bank manager, planning the restoration of Granthaven based on Luke’s income, along with that of the estate. Luke also appointed a solicitor to investigate setting up a trust that will protect Granthaven in the future, should anything happen to him. Luke wants to future proof the village so that one man alone doesn’t own it outright.
He is setting up a trust. The Granthaven trust and hopefully all the income from the business will be ploughed back into it, to bring it into the modern age without compromising its heart.
We are at the early stages but have a plan at least and tomorrow Luke heads to Spain to begin the new chapter of his football career.
“It’s on.”
Morgana grips Steven’s leg, and he groans. “I’m not blind.”
Morgana grins. “I can’t wait to see it.”
Luke squeezes my shoulder and rolls his eyes. “I’m dreading it.”
“Oh, Luke, you’ll be fine. Don’t be so silly.” She says with a cheeky grin and as the music starts, we turn our attention to the screen.
I watch in awe as the story of Granthaven plays out on the screen. The familiar roads, landscape and people wrapping like a cosy blanket around me. It looks magical, beautiful even, and the power of the digital age has transformed it from being uncared for, into a spectacular piece of living history.
It’s as if we are stepping back in time. Jasper has worked a miracle because he brought it back to life in the most creative of ways.
Morgana and Luke are the perfect stars of the show and as I watch them together on the screen, I understand why they are so popular, or should I say were .
It was the story of Christmas, when Morgana announced they were separating, but would always remain the best of friends. They issued a joint statement where they revealed they had become more like friends than anything else, and with Luke’s transfer to Spain, Morgana had decided to pursue her interests closer to home. It signified a natural break for them and they would continue as the best of friends in the future.
It seemed to work too because after the outpouring of grief from their fans, it’s now business as usual as they carry on with their lives.
Morgana and Steven spent Christmas together in Cheshire and Luke spent it with us. We pulled together and made it a Christmas to remember, with Angie and her family joining mine at the manor house, where we all made Christmas special for Luke’s first one in Granthaven.
It was a special time where we cooked, drank far too much and played games, before watching the Christmas television in front of the roaring fire.
Luke’s gift to me was a meaningful one because when I opened the small box on Christmas day, the necklace I had admired in Dorchester was nestled between the tissue paper in the box.
“How did you know?”
I gasped, and he smiled and told me that Morgana went back and bought it.
I was so surprised because back then I thought they were together and Luke told me he had confessed how much he liked me soon after he first met me. I felt like a fool because I had so nearly passed up on love because I never really thought I was good enough for him. However, he has cast all those doubts aside, and I truly believe I can cope with anything life throws at us.
I snuggle in closer and when the part where the pantomime comes on, I stare riveted at the screen as the familiar scenes are played out before me.
“Wow, it almost looks professional.” I say wryly and Morgana says proudly, “Jasper edited in lots of details and also took out anything that wasn’t so good.”
“Like the carol singing.”
It was hilarious when that part came on because Jasper had dubbed a choir over our voices, cutting out the dreadful singing and replacing it with perfection. Even Wilf’s gun was airbrushed out and yet I much prefer the reality than the dream.
It’s what I love about life here. The fact nothing is perfect, which in its own way makes it even more perfect in my eyes. Perfection isn’t something that has no rough edges or flaws because they are what tells the story. They are what builds meaning and makes for an interesting tale.
Where is the interest in something that hasn’t had a few knocks to celebrate the triumphs as well as commiserate on the failures? That is life, with all its good points and bad ones. That is what makes life interesting, not one where nothing goes wrong and everything appears perfect. It’s more relatable to witness the flaws in others because that is what makes us human after all.
As the credits roll and the story is left with a happy ending, the camera pans to a shot of a bunch of mistletoe hanging in the tree. Yes, love was restored to Granthaven Manor, and the fortunes changed of everyone who lived in the village because of one kiss under the mistletoe on a very special Christmas Eve.
If you liked this story, you may want to check out my other Christmas books.
Thank you for reading The Night The Mistletoe Died.
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