Chapter 23
Chapter Twenty-Three
Maddie nodded. She hadn’t noticed Grace sit down next to her.
‘You could say that. It’s the memories that overwhelm you.’
‘I get it. I really do. Music has a way of reaching right into your soul and twisting it over and over again.’
Maddie passed Grace a beer.
‘Cheers.’
‘Cheers to you too and thank you for a wonderful set. It’s the story of my youth. I was always a soul girl.’
‘Me too.’ Grace indicated towards the dance floor where their friends were still jumping up and down frenziedly. ‘Not as keen on this Indie stuff.’
‘Me neither.’
Maddie turned to face Grace.
‘You obviously heard from Sof about Tony. It’s what’s making me ultra-sensitive to everything tonight.’
‘Yes, I was very sorry to hear about your husband.’
Maddie put her hand over Grace’s for a moment.
‘And I was sorry to hear about your husband too. Phil, isn’t it?’
‘Yes, that’s right.’
‘I think it’s important to keep their memory alive, don’t you? I hate referring to Tony in the past.’
‘I agree. The girls and I often talk about Phil. There’s usually some laughter in there now as well as tears.’
The others would be back in their seats soon. This was her opportunity to speak to someone who really understood.
‘Be honest with me. Does it really get any better?’
Grace took a careful sip at her beer.
‘It does get better, gradually, but it never goes away fully. There are no easy fixes, but based on my experience, you do learn to live with it. Family is key. Friends are invaluable, of course, but you need those ties with your family to be unbreakable too.’
Maddie swallowed some beer a little too quickly and coughed.
‘You have children, don’t you?’
Maddie nodded, unable to speak for a couple of seconds.
‘Yes, a son and a daughter.’
‘Any grandchildren yet?’
Maddie forced a smile.
‘A little girl called Elsie.’
‘So, you know how lovely it is. My new little grandson, Dexter, my eldest daughter’s child, has brought so much to my life.
’ Grace’s mouth turned down. ‘And although they live on the other side of the world, we’re making it work.
And there’s going to be another baby soon if everything goes well for my other daughter back in England.
I can honestly say that four years on, I’m in a totally different place from where I was when Phil died. ’
The talk of grandchildren brought tears to Maddie’s eyes, but luckily Grace was staring into the distance. She wasn’t about to admit to this lovely woman that she’d mucked it up royally with her own granddaughter, but she needed to find a way of telling her friends and soon.
‘I took a chance coming to this island a year ago… I urgently needed something to change in my life.’ Grace’s focus was on her again. ‘I was stuck in the same cycle of grief and anger over Phil leaving me, and nowhere near the acceptance that all the books drone on about.’
Grace could be describing her story. She may have only signed up for a three-week holiday island hopping, but it had made her examine her own life under a microscope.
Maddie nodded her understanding at Grace’s impassioned words.
‘Forcing myself out of my comfort zone has been so good for me in more ways than I could ever imagine. So, if you get the chance to do that, then please take it.’
Grace’s eyes were shining.
‘I never thought I’d find love again, and I certainly wasn’t looking. I was sick and tired of people trying to set me up and telling me it was time to move on.’
‘Yeah, I get that. It’s bloody annoying.’
‘I didn’t even like Will much when we met, but he grew on me.’ Grace couldn’t stop the smile from taking over her whole face. ‘It’s probably too early for you, but don’t discount the possibility of love finding you. He has made me so happy.’
Grace touched her arm.
‘Sorry, how selfish. I shouldn’t be going on about how happy I am in front of you.’
‘No, it’s fine, honestly. I’m genuinely pleased for you. I can’t get my head round it for myself quite yet, but it’s nice to know it’s out there.’
‘It doesn’t need to be a big deal. We’re not talking marriage or even living together. Just some male companionship occasionally can be nice. And don’t rule out a holiday romance either. Sof tells me you spent some time with a hunky fisherman on the last island?’
‘Oh my God. I’m going to blush. She’s awful, isn’t she?’
‘But we love her.’
‘We do.’
‘I understand. The first time you do anything, even go on a date, it’s hard, so hard.’
‘Hopefully…’
Maddie gasped.
‘Did I actually say that out loud? I thought it was just in my head.’
Grace nodded, unable to speak for laughing, which set Maddie off too.
Sofia arrived at the table and flopped down between them.
‘What’s so funny?’
Maddie couldn’t meet Grace’s eye.
‘Nothing.’
Sofia looked from one to the other.
‘It can’t be nothing. You’ve both got tears in your eyes, you’ve been laughing so hard.’
Maddie passed her friend a beer.
‘I know you hate being left out. But let’s just say it’s nothing for you to worry about.’
Sofia took an angry swig at the beer, and Charlotte’s appearance at the table stopped any further conversation, as all three of them stared at her.
Her long blonde hair was plastered to her head, and the sweat was running in rivers down both sides of her face while her silver dress was stuck to her body in big damp lumps.
‘That was fantastic! I used to adore The Jam. Paul Weller went to my friend’s school and they used to practise in the school hall.’
Sofia passed over another beer.
‘Eeeew. Don’t get too close to me, please. I’m meeting up with Adonis later, once he gets rid of all the annoying hotel guests hanging around the bar. Why can’t they all just have an early night?’
Maddie and Grace exchanged glances. Usually, it was the men waiting around for Sofia, not the other way round.
Charlotte leant over and rubbed her cheek slowly against Sofia’s.
‘Yuk! Get off.’
Maddie waved down a waiter. Charlotte was already pretty trollied, so they might as well catch up.
‘More beers, children?’
Grace looked down at her phone.
‘I could squeeze in one more. Thanks.’
Another energetic bout on the dance floor had the four of them high kicking in unison to ‘New York, New York’, with Charlotte and Grace as the glamorous blonde bookends, hair shining brightly under the lights, and she and Sofia the flashes of red and brunette in between.
Back in their seats and halfway down their new beers, Charlotte giggled and leant over to Grace.
‘I know. You can be our fourth musketeer! You’d have to be called D’Artagnan though, because he was the one who joined last.’
Maddie marvelled at Charlotte’s grasp of facts even when three sheets to the wind.
‘That’s a great idea.’ Sofia smiled at Grace. ‘Remind me of the other names, Char.’
‘Um, Athos, Porthos and Aramis.’
‘Oooh, bagsy Aramis. I had an old boyfriend who wore that aftershave. Just a whiff of it could get me going.’
Maddie laughed into her beer.
‘I’m sure Alexandre Dumas would be proud.’
‘Who’s he?’
‘The author of the original book.’ Charlotte smiled. ‘Aramis originally wanted to be a priest.’
Maddie nudged her friend.
‘Perfect for you, Sof.’
‘Shut it!’
‘Aramis was very charming though, so that suits you.’ Charlotte paused a moment. ‘Hang on, let me think. Athos was brooding and noble, so you can have him, Mads, and I’ll be Porthos who was known for his strength, but also his vanity. I can get very touchy about my hair.’
‘Impressive.’ Grace nodded in Charlotte’s direction.
‘Oh, she knows loads of stuff.’
Maddie raised her beer towards the others.
‘So, all for one…’
The shout when it came even attracted attention from the committed dancers.
‘And one for all!’
Sofia put her arm around Grace.
‘That’s it now, you’re bonded with us for life.’
Grace drank the dregs of her beer.
‘Thanks for a lovely evening, you lot. It’s been like going out with a gang of mates back home. I’ve not danced and laughed so much in ages.’
‘One for the road?’ Maddie raised her hand to attract the waiter’s attention.
‘Not for me, thanks. Will’s arriving any minute and we’ve got an early start tomorrow. He’s taking me on some special boat trip to celebrate one year of us meeting.’
Sofia looked over at the entrance.
‘Ah, that’s so sweet. And … here he is.’
A tall, dark, handsome man strolled over to their table and Maddie’s stomach contracted at the way Grace’s eyes lit up when she saw him.
He had the same sort of physique as Thanassis, broad shoulders and muscles honed by hard work, definitely not an office boy.
His slightly apprehensive look as he approached them was at odds with his imposing presence.
‘Hello … girls, I think you prefer to be called, so Grace tells me. “Ladies” is out these days. I’m Will.’
Charlotte stood and held out her arms.
‘Hey, Will. Come closer. Don’t worry, we won’t eat you.’
Charlotte’s hug must have been extremely sweaty, thought Maddie, as Will smiled manfully and moved swiftly on to her.
His relief when she stuck to a handshake was palpable.
His grip was firm, and close up, he was even better-looking.
She managed to give Grace a thumbs up when Will’s back was turned.
He got to Sofia last, picked her up and twirled her round like she weighed nothing.
‘Sof, we’ll catch up soon, yeah.’
‘You bet.’
Before he put her down, Maddie noticed he’d whispered something in her ear. She wondered what that was all about.
The couple waved goodbye but were barely out of the door before Sofia spoke.
‘This is top secret, but I can’t keep it to myself anymore.’
Maddie guessed what was to come.
‘Well, you have waited a whole five seconds.’
‘Funny. Will is going to propose to Grace tomorrow at the little beach where they went on their first date together.’
Charlotte was about to get stuck into her next beer but stopped mid-air.
‘Ah, how romantic.’
Maddie reached for another bottle too.
‘Does Grace actually want to get married again?’
Sofia did a double take.