54. Epilogue
Epilogue
S now formed a white blanket over the village with the laden clouds threatening more. Watching from the kitchen window, Willow saw Nate tug his coat tighter around himself as he waited for the gangly puppy to finish investigating the newly formed landscape. His small paw prints created an abstract piece of art on the blank canvas. She smiled and cradled her mug of tea in awe at her happiness. If only she could bottle the emotion to sprinkle in the Wishing Spell products or happiness tea, her bank balance would be healthier. Speedwell Cottage demanded more money than her current budget dictated to bring it into the twenty-first century, but together she and Nate would make it a home, starting with a new bathroom suite and boiler. It was one of life’s joys to sink into a hot deep bath to read without her knees getting cold and her breath forming a plume of mist in a freezing room. The sprig of blossom she’d plucked from the tree on her arrival still bloomed in a jug on the dresser. A contrast to the mistletoe hanging above the doorways and holly decorating the rooms.
Vincent chirruped beside her, demanding his breakfast. Concerns he’d feel pushed out by Merlin’s arrival went unfounded; he accepted him as part of the family, and they often curled up together in front of the fire. Time would tell what his reaction would be when the puppy grew bigger than him. Apart from an occasional gentle swipe, the feline and canine companionship worked well. Merlin accepted his place at the bottom of the hierarchy, and Nate was getting used to the questioning looks he received when he walked Merlin because Vincent insisted on sauntering a couple of metres behind or along the walls.
The kitchen door flung open. The sub-zero gust of air made her wince as she was bulldozed by a flurry of black before it shook itself.
‘Bloody dog took ages. It’s freezing,’ Nate grumbled, grateful for the mug of coffee she offered.
‘He’s excited. Besides, you decided you needed a dog.’ The smell of turkey wafted from the new range. A far cry from the small oven they’d roasted dinner in last Christmas. Who knew one year could change so much? Speedwell Cottage was also undergoing a transformation, with the kitchen the first place they renovated, determined to keep its beating heart. On Jax’s Welsh dresser stood a small collection of Willow’s teapots, cups, and saucers. Others lined the bespoke display shelves along another wall with many hidden in unpacked boxes in the workroom where Grandma Jax prepared her remedies and dried her herbs. She’d confess to their presence one day.
‘Any news from them?’ Nate wrapped his arms around Willow, drew her close, and kissed her.
‘Roads are clear enough, so their arrival is expected as planned.’
‘Still enough time to show you how much I love you and how cold my hands are then.’
She shrieked as he placed his icy hands on her stomach. ‘Sorry, Casanova, we have Christmas dinner to prepare for, starting with your specialty—extra mince pies.’
Willow placed the last present under the tree they’d decorated days before, with the gherkin hidden in its depths for someone to find. The roaring fire in the stone hearth, started with the Yule log made from a fallen tree on her land, added heat and ambience to the picture-perfect room. Muted lighting and decorations hid the faded wallpaper, cracks in the ceiling, and the cobweb she struggled to remove. Vincent relished the heat, after squeezing himself onto Grandma Jax’s chair while Merlin barked at the sound of vehicles arriving and the slam of their doors. It was time to bring the house to life with people Willow loved.
Everyone sat at the farmhouse table with little room between them. Glenn and Lorna chatted to Jez and Milly about the garden and their common business interests while Harry kept Mrs Ramsey entertained with tales of Mexenby and the local witches. Amber brought Willow up to speed with her adventures at university with her new friends. Speedwell soaked up their cheer into the fabric of its walls to feed its warmth and sense of home.
‘It’s a beautiful house, dear,’ Mrs Ramsey said while Nate poured her a glass of wine.
‘It will be when it’s finished, and the other rooms are habitable. Harry’s family and Jax’s magic did a grand job of caring for it, but time took its toll on the roof and upstairs.’
‘Stop moaning,’ Willow butted in. ‘The holes in the roof are fixed, we have heating and electricity now. It’ll happen.’ Willow’s determination to celebrate Yule and Christmas in her family home had paid off even though Nate and she spent the nights on an inflatable mattress in the sitting room. They were making memories to enjoy in the future. ‘Have you decided what you’re doing with it?’ Amber asked.
Willow had known the answer as she placed the sprig of apple blossom in her hair on the first day in the orchard; accepting it was harder. Every time she saw it on the windowsill, it urged her to make a commitment. This was the home she had longed for all her life, but the Enchanted Emporium was her baby. It had provided a sanctuary and a place to grow when she needed it most, but as she saw Amber flourish and the Cobble call to her, Willow realised she was just the custodian until its true witch was ready.
‘This is my home, so once finished, Nate and I’ll move in permanently.’
The house sighed with relief.
‘The ghosts will miss you,’ said Amber into her drink, ‘and so will I.’ Others murmured their agreement. Nate squeezed Willow’s hand to encourage her on.
‘You’re at uni most of the time and I’ll still be at the Enchanted Emporium, though I’ll have to devote some time here to get the growing side of things going. Why buy from suppliers when I can grow my own? Besides, the Marleys were happy before I arrived. She’ll miss the romcom movies she insists I play, though. I was thinking of renting out the flat.’
Amber and Glenn choked on their drinks, and Mrs Ramsey looked unconvinced. ‘You can’t do that. People won’t want to share with its extra guests,’ Amber argued.
‘They’re harmless,’ Willow said.
‘They’re still ghosts,’ reiterated Amber.
‘It just needs the right tenants. Like Rosa and Alejo. They’ve been looking for an affordable home for ages and I’m sure we can come to an agreeable arrangement for monitoring the place. It’ll enjoy having a child around.’
‘Rosa would do I guess,’ Amber conceded, ‘but there’s one problem. It’s only one bedroom.’
Nate coughed, and Willow looked down at her plate and mumbled, ‘There’re two.’
‘No, there aren’t, which is why I sleep on your sofa after late-night spell sessions,’ said Amber.
‘Actually, there are two. The second’s just full of … things.’
Nate had discovered her secret the day he moved in. In a small room hidden in the Emporium’s eaves were stacks of boxes and packing cases. Treasures she collected while travelling but mainly cups with their matching saucers, tea caddies, and teapots she rescued from car boots and online auctions. A hoard of old and new items she couldn’t resist, hidden away like a dirty secret. She didn’t want anyone to know the extent of her tea obsession. Willow blushed. ‘You can never have enough cups.’
‘Obviously,’ said Nate.
‘Just like Jax. Our Jez discovered more boxes of hers in the loft. Full of the things they were. You’ll bring them over, won’t you, Jez?’
‘We’ll be drowning in the bloody things.’ Nate shook his head when Jez agreed.
Chatter continued to fill the room with a backdrop of Merlin’s and Vincent’s loud snores, their rounded bellies full of turkey treats. Amber passed round the crackers with a smile. ‘I made them again this year.’ With a countdown from three, they pulled them apart. Giggles ensued as they read their gifts. Lorna shared hers with Glenn. With a snap, a bag of herbs tumbled to the table. Willow picked it up and sniffed. A carefully blended mix containing everything for fertility. She chuckled and handed it to the woman who had stolen Glenn’s heart.
Glenn unrolled the tiny scroll to read the message. ‘To new beginnings. That sounds fair enough for me.’ Ignoring his daughter’s pale face and the magic brewing in the air.
The End