Chapter 32 Edith
EDITH
The wedding day had finally arrived. Edith stood at the highest point of the café gardens and smiled.
It was beautiful. The early morning light cast a gentle glow over the sea and the cliffs beyond.
Gulls wheeled overhead, boats bobbed in the harbour, and the air was rich with the tang of salt and the scent of freshly cut grass.
All around her, flowers bloomed in a riot of colour and fragrance, creating a breathtaking tapestry of beauty.
Wooden benches had been arranged in two neat rows, with the old garden bench as the focal point. It had been adorned with white roses and greenery, and in front of it stood a flower-covered arch where the exchange of vows would take place.
Further down in the gardens, in front of the café, the tables had been decorated with jars of wildflowers and white and peach bunting. The café had been closed to the general public, and Pearl and Ellie, along with some staff hired for the occasion, were preparing the food.
Edith had spoken to Finn and Titus first thing. They were getting ready now, along with Thora and the twins. Wyatt was the only person from the wedding party she hadn’t been in touch with that morning, but she hoped he’d be organised enough to have the rings safely in his possession.
Gazing out at the sea, Edith breathed in and out slowly.
Her hard work had transformed the always stunning gardens into a wedding venue.
But it was, she knew, also because Wyatt had helped.
With his contacts and efforts, she’d been able to pull this off at short notice, and she couldn’t, wouldn’t, deny how important his help had been.
She turned and wandered along the aisle and allowed her fingertips to brush the soft petals of the roses and cornflowers that were tied to the benches, trying to ignore the tiredness that sat in her bones. This would be a joyous day, and she was excited for it to begin.
The sound of laughter from the café drifted to her, and she paused to listen. It was too early for the guests to arrive yet, so it must be Pearl, Ellie, and the people working with them.
Unless…
She tilted her head, and her stomach jolted. She’d recognise that voice anywhere.
Turning back to the aisle, she hurried along it towards the old bench, but then she paused.
What was she doing? There was nowhere to hide, and why would she hide, anyway?
Today was about Finn and Titus and not about her running from Wyatt.
He was the best man, for goodness' sake, so she’d have to see him, and it might as well be now.
Steeling herself, she marched down to the café and found him sitting at one of the tables with a mug of tea and a notepad in front of him.
‘Morning,’ she said, noting his damp hair and clean-shaven face while wishing these details didn’t make themselves so obvious to her. He was wearing a navy t-shirt and shorts with trainers and looked like he’d fallen out of bed, into the shower and then pulled on some clothes before coming there.
He raised his head and smiled briefly. ‘Hey.’
‘What are… uhm… you doing?’ She peered at the notebook in front of him.
He put his pen down and folded his hands in his lap. ‘I lost my speech.’
‘What?’ Panic gripped her immediately. Nothing could go wrong today, and losing his speech was a prime example of something going wrong.
‘It’s OK. I can remember most of it.’
‘How could you lose it?’ Her voice rose as she wrung her hands together.
He rubbed the back of his neck. ‘I saved it on my laptop but somehow saved something over it.’
‘Didn’t you have a copy?’ she asked.
‘Of my notes, yes, but of the speech itself, no. I never do things like this. I’m pretty IT savvy.’
‘Evidently not!’ Her tone was sharp, and she dug her manicured fingernails into her palms. Getting worked up wouldn’t help.
‘I think it was because my head has been a bit… messed up recently and I just wasn’t thinking.’ He half-stood and held out a hand. ‘Are you all right, Edith?’
She wobbled over to the table and placed her palms on it. ‘I… I think… I…’
He was at her side in a shot, and he helped her to sit down. ‘Have you eaten this morning?’
She shook her head.
‘And I bet you haven’t drunk enough either.’ He gently squeezed her shoulders. ‘Stay here and I’ll be right back.’
Within minutes he returned, carrying a glass of water and a mug.
‘What is it?’ She looked at the mug.
‘Hot chocolate to raise your blood sugar. Pearl is making you some toast.’
‘Thanks.’ She sipped the drink and watched as Wyatt scribbled some notes on the pad. He looked up and met her eyes.
‘I’ll get there so don’t worry. I’ll make sure the speech is a good one.’
‘I know you will.’ She finished the hot chocolate and sighed with relief.
She had been feeling weak; the panic must have caused her adrenaline to spike, and then she’d crashed.
After a restless night, she’d been rushing around since she’d got up.
‘And thanks again. You always seemed to know when I needed something to eat.’
He smiled, but the sadness in his eyes undid her more than words ever could. ‘You always worried me with that. You’re not great at taking care of yourself, especially when you’re busy. Edith, you must look after yourself. It’s important.’
‘I know. I just—’
‘Forget.’ He finished her sentence.
‘Yes.’
They gazed into each other’s eyes for a few moments, and something warm unfurled inside Edith as though the hot chocolate had seeped through every cell, wrapping her in comfort.
It was sad that things hadn’t worked out between them, yet there was still a connection, even if it was only friendship.
His kindness, the way he’d taken care of her, made her question herself again.
He was a good man, even if he couldn’t love her the way she wanted him to.
It hurt, but that was life. Not everyone got their happy ever after, did they?
‘Do you need any help with that?’ she asked.
‘I think I’ve got it, but if you recall any funny stories about Titus, then let me know and I’ll slot them in.’ He winked conspiratorially, and she felt her cheeks flush.
Pearl brought out a plate of buttered toast along with another mug of hot chocolate.
‘Now you get these into you, Edith.’ Pearl wagged a finger.
‘Wyatt said you almost fainted on him, and we can’t have that, can we?
Young women like you are often so busy you forget the important things like eating and drinking. ’
‘Thanks, Pearl.’
‘It’s no problem, my lovely.’
After Pearl had gone, Edith ate the toast and drank the second hot chocolate, and soon she felt much better. Wyatt had continued to work on his speech, and so she’d sat there silently, enjoying the food and drink and the sweet morning air.
Soon, she realised she needed to get moving because people started arriving with more flowers, and the champagne delivery arrived along with supplies from the nearby dairy farm.
Before standing up, Edith pressed her hands to the surface of the table in front of her, grounding herself for a moment.
Over the years, lots of people would have sat here and eaten their meals, spoken to friends or even worked while the sun shone above them and the sea breeze washed over them.
The grooves and bumps of the wood suggested that memories, emotions, thoughts, and feelings could have caused the uneven surface as if they were embedded in the wood.
Would this moment in time also become part of the grain? This moment of calm in the storm of their relationship? A moment when they’d been able to just be without the pressure of anything else creating tension between them.
Today was about consolidating love and friendship and starting something new. After today, Wyatt would move on, and Edith would remain here in Cornwall. They would always have yesterday to bind them together, but as for tomorrow… Their lives would follow different paths.
Wyatt looked up and caught her eye. ‘Done.’
‘That’s brilliant.’
‘Thanks.’
‘What for?’ She frowned.
‘The moral support. Just having you sitting opposite helped me to focus. It’s like you were my muse.’ He bit his lower lip and his eyes widened a fraction.
‘Your muse?’ she asked.
‘You always were,’ he whispered.
Edith looked away, keen to avoid becoming swept up in sentimentality. ‘I’d better get moving.’
‘Of course.’ He folded up the speech and slid it into his pocket. ‘And you’re OK to carry on now?’
His concern was touching, but she had to block it out or she’d weaken again, and she had a job to do. ‘I’m fine. Thanks again. Right then… See you later.’
She picked up her plate and the two mugs along with the glass of water and carried them inside the café, hoping that Wyatt wouldn’t follow her.
There was nothing left to say.
When she returned to the gardens, Wyatt was gone. She swallowed her sadness and prepared to embrace the day that stretched ahead like a golden promise. Edith was looking forward to seeing her hard work pay off and to witnessing two people who truly loved each other exchanging vows.
Sometimes love faded, sometimes it couldn’t overcome the obstacles in its way and sometimes, like today, it bound two people together for life. Thankfully, today was about the latter, and the garden café had never looked more beautiful.