Chapter 32
32
Libby woke up late in the morning to find the daylight streaming through a gap in the curtains.
It took her a moment to work out exactly what had happened the previous night to make her feel so groggy and croaky and then she remembered it all. She wondered how bad the smoke damage was in the rest of Ethan’s home and immediately felt a wave of guilt of how she had almost destroyed his kitchen.
She was contemplating getting up, but, despite having slept for twelve hours straight, she still felt absolutely exhausted.
So it was no small relief when she heard footsteps and saw her dad come into the bedroom holding a small tray with his good hand.
‘Good morning,’ he said, with a smile. ‘You’re awake at last.’
‘Morning,’ she replied, sitting up in bed despite it feeling like a real effort. ‘I can’t believe I slept for so long.’
Her dad carefully placed the tray on the bed next to her. Libby looked down to see it was holding a mug of coffee and a couple of delicious-looking muffins, along with various envelopes.
‘I’m glad you slept well,’ he told her. ‘You must have needed it. So I thought it was about time I brought you breakfast in bed.’
‘Thank you,’ she replied.
‘I can’t take credit for the muffins as apparently they’re Helen’s special recipe,’ he said, sitting down on the other side of the bed.
‘Grams made this?’ asked Libby, her stomach growing in anticipation.
Flora’s grandmother’s baking was excellent and so she took a bite almost immediately. The sweet muffin exploded the flavours in her mouth, along with the tangy sharpness of blueberries.
‘Mmm,’ she murmured in pleasure.
‘Helen dropped off a basket this morning crammed full of various pastries and pies to keep us both going,’ her dad told her.
‘How nice of her,’ said Libby, before taking another bite.
‘And the cards are all from our neighbours wishing you well,’ he carried on.
‘Seriously?’ Libby was amazed. ‘How kind.’
‘Indeed.’ Her father studied her carefully. ‘Now, how are you feeling? Any soreness in your chest or throat? Has it got worse?’
His concern touched her. ‘It’s no worse,’ she told him. ‘I still feel a bit parched but just weary after all the excitement, I guess.’
‘Then another day of rest should do you the world of good,’ he said.
Libby immediately began to shake her head before she saw the look in his eyes and shot him a sheepish grin. ‘Old habits die hard,’ she muttered.
‘Yes, they do,’ he said. ‘Anyway, your friends are all due to come and visit you any minute now, so you can’t go anywhere, even if I were to let you.’
‘They’re coming here?’ asked Libby, somewhat alarmed. Her dad had always expressed his dismay at any visitors coming to the cottage so they had stopped arriving many years ago.
‘I invited them.’ Now it was her dad’s turn to look sheepish. ‘You’re not up to going out and they were all expressing their concern for you, according to Helen. So I thought it would cheer you up to see them.’
‘Thank you.’
‘I also got a telling-off,’ he said with a grimace.
Libby giggled. ‘From Grams?’
‘Yes, well, perhaps she felt it was overdue,’ said her dad. ‘Anyway, she told me that as I’m young enough to be her son, she felt that a “good nagging” was necessary to get me to pull my weight around the home.’
‘Gosh.’ Libby cleared her throat. ‘Look, Dad, don’t worry about that. As soon as I’m up and about again, then you can leave all that to me.’
‘But she’s right.’
Libby stared at him. ‘She is?’ she asked tentatively.
‘I’ve been stuck in neutral, I think she said, for so very long. Almost revelling in the misery of the stroke that I’ve let it become more than it should have been.’
‘Yes, but you’re not the same as you were before,’ Libby told him quickly.
He nodded thoughtfully. ‘True, but I’m not sure I should let it define me either. And it was a huge burden on you when I really could do a bit more. I mean, look. I made you a cup of coffee.’ He smiled proudly to himself. ‘When was the last time I did that?’
‘It’s been a while,’ she murmured, with a soft smile which she was pleased to see him return.
Just then, they both heard a knock on the front door.
‘Your adoring masses appear to have arrived,’ he told her. ‘I’ll go and let them in.’
‘Thanks for the coffee,’ she called out as he went.
By the time she had eaten her muffin and drunk half of the coffee, Katy, Harriet and Flora had all climbed the stairs and rushed into the small bedroom, immediately filling it up.
‘Oh, you’ve got more colour today!’ said Katy, rushing over to give her a kiss on the cheek. ‘That’s good.’
‘Yes, only the croaky voice to get rid of,’ replied Libby.
‘I dunno,’ said Flora, next up to give her a kiss. ‘I think husky and quiet suits you.’
‘A quietish Libby? Never,’ said Harriet, giving an exaggerated shudder.
They all sat down on the bed on either side of her and then there was a short silence.
‘You silly sausage,’ said Harriet, eventually breaking the silence and looking tearful.
‘I’ve aged about ten years,’ said Flora, with a heavy sigh.
‘Me too,’ said Katy, checking her dark hair in the camera of her mobile. ‘Do I have any grey hairs? It feels like I should have.’
‘Thank goodness you’re okay,’ said Harriet, reaching out to take her hand.
‘I’m fine,’ Libby told them. ‘Which is more than can be said for Ethan’s kitchen.’ She grimaced at the thought. ‘How bad is it?’ she tentatively asked.
‘Nothing that a bit of scrubbing of walls and a new splash of paint won’t sort out,’ said Katy quickly.
‘The men are all going over there to help clear up the smoke damage,’ said Flora. ‘They’ve all dropped everything to help out.’
Libby blew out a long sigh. ‘Is Ethan very mad?’ she asked.
Katy looked non-plussed. ‘Ethan? No, of course not. Only with the thought of you hurting yourself. You know what he’s like. He doesn’t care about material possessions like that.’
Libby nodded thoughtfully. ‘Yes, but I don’t mean to pile more stress on him when he’s already got so much on his plate with Eddie and the Christmas train.’
‘Oh, that’s all going to be sorted out tomorrow,’ said Katy briskly. ‘Plenty of time yet if we all lend a hand.’
‘Anyway, he’ll be okay,’ said Flora. ‘It’s Ethan. If he were to be any more laid-back, he’d be horizontal most of the time.’
‘From his long list of girlfriends over the years, perhaps he has been!’ added Harriet, laughing.
But Libby didn’t join in. Ethan had had a string of dates over the years. And so had she, she reminded herself. They were equal partners in being footloose and fancy free. But the thought of him being with another woman didn’t sit well with her that morning.
It must just be because you’re so tired , she told herself, before taking a sip of her coffee.
As she relaxed back against the pillows, a dreadful thought occurred to her and she sat bolt upright.
‘The deadline!’ she said, before a bout of coughing took over once more.
Harriet and Flora leaned forward in united concern.
Katy, meanwhile, waited until Libby could catch her breath before she spoke. ‘It’s fine,’ she said.
‘It’s not,’ croaked Libby. ‘I’m running out of days.’
‘We know,’ said Harriet.
‘But you have us,’ added Flora.
Libby blinked at them, trying to comprehend what she was being told.
‘What we’re saying is that we’re all going to help make the truffles, along with Grams and Maggie,’ said Katy. ‘We’re heading over to the old school now to clean everything up ready for your instructions this afternoon. But, for this morning, you’re going to rest. And that’s an order.’
‘We’ll have everything done on time, okay?’ added Flora. ‘So don’t fret. Just rest for now.’
Libby leant back against the pillows once more and smiled at her friends, the tears pricking her eyes. ‘Thank you,’ she whispered.
They all smiled back at her.
‘What are friends for?’ said Harriet, reaching out to squeeze her hand.