Chapter Eighteen
Baking under the early afternoon sun, I swipe beads of sweat from my forehead, no doubt smearing dirt across my face in the process.
Grunting with the effort, I yank a handful of pesky weeds from the flower border, sending tiny motes of mud flying.
Lucy has just finished trimming the hedge, and we take a quick break from gardening to lounge on her little cream bistro chairs with cooling glasses of lemonade.
‘You know, I thought I wanted a garden of my own, but this is seriously back-breaking stuff,’ I complain, flipping a damp strand of hair out of my face.
‘It is, isn’t it?’ Wistfully, Lucy looks around the little yard. ‘Still, I shall miss doing it. Alex’s family home has a smaller garden than this, and a lot of it is paved so there’s less work to do. I guess that’s a bonus.’
‘When will you look into selling?’
‘Soon, probably.’ She taps the side of her glass tunelessly, not quite meeting my gaze.
‘I think it would be better to get it on the market before the wedding, so that I can move straight into Alex’s place.
But don’t worry, I’m not going to toss you out, you can come and stay with us for a bit if you like, Alex won’t mind -’
‘That’s kind, but no thanks,’ I interrupt. ‘I’m definitely going to have a plan in place before the wedding comes around.’
Though what that plan will be, God only knows.
I’ve spent almost two months in Lily Vale now, burning through what little savings remain in my account and living off the generosity of my best friend.
My mum has called me twice since I came here, and each time I’ve managed to divert the conversation away from me and work, telling her I had some time off to take so I came down to help Lucy with her upcoming nuptials.
Luckily, mum isn’t a pryer, so she bought my story without any follow-up questions.
‘Well, even so, I know he would be happy to have you if you do need a place to stay.’
Hm, he wasn’t so happy the last time we spoke, thanks to my meddling.
‘Luce, do you really think now is the right time to sell? I mean, they say it’s on the list of the most stressful experiences in life, and you’re already planning a wedding, which has got to make the top three.’
‘Look, I know I’ll have a lot on my plate, but I have to do this. I’ve got to show Alex I’m committed to our life together, before it’s too late.’
Too late. Those ominous words circle my head like preying vultures, picking and pecking at me until I almost break down and confess right then and there in the middle of Lucy’s garden.
After toiling for another hour, Lucy hops in the shower and slumps down the stairs to find me in the living room, her hair still damp.
‘I think I might go and work at the tearoom for the day.’ She grabs her laptop from its usual spot on the coffee table. ‘I’m going a bit stir crazy in here, you don’t mind if I go, do you?’
‘Of course not, do what you’ve got to do.’
She braves a weak, silent smile before traipsing out the front door and leaving me to my spiralling thoughts. Gosh, she didn’t look good at all, pale and drawn with fresh dark circles, certainly not basking in bridal bliss, despite the fact that her wedding is just weeks away at this point.
I try to watch telly for a bit, but the jabbering voices of daytime TV begin to irritate me so I hastily turn it off.
I tidy the living room, even taking the time to dust between the books on the bookshelf.
I even have a flick through Lucy’s endless to-read pile of romance novels, but none of them hold my attention.
Head all muddled, I decide to go out and get some fresh air myself. Before I know it, I’m walking through the doors of The Pheasant’s Nest, hoping to see a certain someone. As luck would have it, Finn is behind the bar as usual, and his still face brightens when he sees me.
‘Hey, how are you doing?’
‘Not so good.’ I hop onto a creaking bar stool, my head buried in my hands. ‘I think I’ve broken Lucy and Alex’s relationship.’
‘Oh no, you didn’t hire a stripper for his stag too, did you?’
‘Shut up, this is serious!’ I lift my head and fold my arms huffily across my chest. ‘Things have got a bit out of hand, Lucy is thinking about selling her home.’
‘Oh wow, that escalated fast!’ Finn hastily pulls me a large, heady pint. ‘You better catch me up.’
And that’s just what I do, glugging my crisp golden beer while I recite the whole story - how the happy couple have been avoiding the massive elephant in the bridal suite, how I nudged Alex into sorting the issue out, to now, where he’s been flighty and unavailable and Lucy is rightfully freaking out.
‘Well,’ Finn takes a measured sip from his own pint. ‘It sounds like Lucy’s made up her mind to me.’
‘But that cottage means so much to her.’ I gaze into my glass, running a finger around the rim.
‘And Alex’s home means a lot to him too, there has to be a compromise somewhere. Looks as though Lucy is willing to make the sacrifice for her marriage.’
‘Compromise!’ I sneer. ‘This is the problem with relationships, no matter how compatible you are, there are always disagreements, and there’s always someone who ends up holding the shitty end of the stick.’
‘Isn’t it like that in all kinds of relationships - in families, friendships?’
I pause, considering. ‘I suppose so. Still, it’s not the same , you’re not building a life with your best mate or your mum, are you?’
‘True, but that’s why compromise is arguably even more important in romantic relationships.’
‘Yeah, that’s why I want nothing to do with romance.’
‘Except when it comes to Lucy and Alex, seems like.’
‘Well, we’ve got to do something. Those guys are meant to be together.’
Finn raises an eyebrow. ‘This coming from the woman who doesn’t believe in love?’
‘Well, maybe I do believe in it, for Lucy and Alex, at least. Just not for me.’
‘How can you think like that?’ Incredulous, Finn shakes his head. ‘Have you been hurt before, too?’
I snort. ‘Don’t be daft, as if I’d let anyone even close enough to hurt me! No, I’ve just seen how the story plays out from friends, acquaintances,’ I falter, ‘my mum.’
‘Ah,’ Finn nods infuriatingly, smug like he’s worked it all out.
‘Oh, don’t you psycho analyse me!’ I scold, poking him in his rock-hard chest. ‘There isn’t time, we’ve got a groom-to-be to find.’
‘That won’t be hard. He’s at Uncle Barry’s gaff, fixing the radiator. It’s leaked all over the living room carpet, apparently -’
‘What's his address? I need to get over there now.’
‘Wait, I’ll come with you.’ He swigs the last of his beer and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. ‘Our barmaid Dot is in the back, she can hold down the fort while I’m gone.’
Barry lives on the other side of the village green, so it’s a fair trek to get there, especially when you’re power walking like you’re trying to drop a dress size in a week.
‘Will you slow down a bit?’ Finn catches up with me, a little out of breath. ‘Uncle Baz’s radiator has busted, Alex will be there for most of the day. We’re not going to miss him.’
I know that, and yet, my feet stride forward at the same speed. I have to sort this, I just have to.
When we finally arrive, I press the doorbell so hard, it blares out a continuous ring. Within seconds, Barry opens the door, blinking with bafflement. ‘What are you two doing here?’
‘I need to see your handyman, please, Barry,’ I tell him starkly, not waiting for his response before I duck under his arm and march through the hallway.
‘Sorry Uncle Baz, but she’s a woman on a mission,’ I hear Finn’s brief explanation behind me as I stride toward the living room, but I barely pay attention. There’s one thing on my mind right now, and that’s my best mate’s future.
I find Alex on his hands and knees on the sodden carpet, tinkering away at the radiator. He turns around and gives me a puzzled hello, but he doesn’t seem that interested in why I’m here, he simply gets on with the task at hand.
‘I have to speak to you,’ I announce.
‘Can it wait, Leesh? I’m kind of up to my elbows over here.’
‘No, it cannot!’ I snap, tapping my foot on the soggy floor. ‘This is a matter of extreme urgency.’
‘Well, at least hand me that flat head screwdriver, will you?’
I do as I’m told, stooping down to pass it to him. ‘Your fiancée is on the brink of selling Appleseed Cottage.’
‘Wait, what?’
‘That’s right. She’s so worried that you won’t want to be with her until this stupid living situation stuff is solved that she’s taking matters into her own hands and giving up her home for you.’
‘Wait, I’d never ask Lucy to sell her cottage!’ He drops the screwdriver with a damp thud. ‘And as for not wanting to be with her, well, I’d move in tomorrow if I could.’
‘Well, why can’t you?’
‘Because the house I live in doesn’t belong to me, it’s my mum’s.
And yeah, I could live with Luce in Appleseed Cottage, but I can’t afford to pay the mortgage for my mum as well as paying toward Lucy’s.
And Mum isn’t ready to let go of that place permanently, she knows she’ll never live there again, but it’s her last connection to my dad, our family memories. It means everything to her.’
Like someone pulled the plug on me, my anger drains and I stop berating him.
Instead, I think of Phyllis, lovely Phyllis with her happy-go-lucky attitude and her impossibly dirty laugh that could make anyone crack up and laugh along with her.
It must have been so hard to make the decision to leave her home for an apartment in Lavender Fields, though it’s worked out well for her, she must miss her family home.
No wonder the idea of selling it is out of the question for her.
‘I’ve been thinking about all this myself, and when you brought it up to me, I realised it was something we need to tackle head-on,’ Alex sighs. ‘I thought maybe I could find a tenant for mum’s house, but I’ve had no luck so far.’
‘Well whatever happens, you need to speak to Lucy,’ I ascertain, pushing all these new, conflicting emotions aside for the sake of my friend. ‘Because if you don’t, Appleseed Cottage will be on the market before the week is out.’
‘I’ll come over tonight,’ Alex promises. ‘I’ll sort this out.’
I take him at his word and after a second apology to Barry, Finn and I take our leave, walking side by side down the narrow garden path.
‘Thanks for coming with me.’ I shoot him a coy, sideways glance. ‘I think I might have lost my nerve if I were alone.’
‘No problem.’
‘Do you … do you think things will turn out alright?’
I’m aware I sound like a silly child, asking a grown-up to promise me a future they can’t possibly predict.
But I feel like a child - unsure, confused and kind of scared.
Eerily, this is just how I felt when my parents got divorced.
Back then, I’d have given anything for a comforting answer.
But in the end, it didn’t matter what the adults around me said; Dad left anyway.
Finn looks at me, then at the floor as he shrugs. ‘We’ve done all we can do, we’ve got to leave it up to them now.’
‘Yeah.’
I fiddle with the hem of my cardigan, jumping slightly when Finn’s fingers brush mine, moving my hand away to stop me unravelling the stitches.
‘Hey, they’ll be fine, I bet. Alex clearly wants to sort things out with Luce and the houses, he’ll figure out what to do, he’s good at fixing things!’
It’s a lame dad joke, but desperately I need a little giggle right now, and I squeeze Finn’s arm in gratitude.
‘I hope you’re right.’
‘I need to get back to the pub, poor Dot will be wondering where I’ve got to.
’ He takes my hand in his and pulls a blue biro out of his pocket.
In a swift scribble, he inks a number onto my skin.
‘Give me a call if you need anything, okay? Even if it’s just to talk, I’ll be there with a sympathetic ear and a pint of beer! ’
Touched, my throat tightens and restricts so it’s hard to get a word out. ‘T-thanks. Maybe I will.’
He leaves me at the corner of Granary Street, where he turns right onto the pub and I’m supposed to go left, but I just stand there, staring after his shrinking figure until it disappears from sight.