Chapter Thirteen
'Come in.'
Opening the door, Merri stepped inside. The heating was on and the caravan was warm. 'Hi, you rang earlier and asked me to pop by.'
'Yes. Thanks for coming by before your class, Merri.' Standing up from behind the large desk stacked with papers and folders, Nick indicated the chair opposite him. 'Sit down. Can I get you a coffee? tea?'
'No, I'm good thanks.' She smiled. She would need to get to class stargth after this meeting and she didn’t trust her bladder not to make a fuss during the hour long teaching session she had coffee right before. 'Have you had a complaint about the class or anything?'
Nick shook his head. 'Not at all. in fact, we've had numerous really positive reviews about your classes left on our social media pages as well as our website and I can't remember the number of people I've spoken to who have asked me if you'll be teaching more willow weaving classes in the new year. '
'Oh really? That's a relief.' She knew when Nick had rung her earlier in the day to ask her to pop by the office, he’d told her this meeting was nothing to worry about, but she couldn’t help but worry.
'Which brings me onto why I asked you to pop in.' nick shifted in his chair. 'I know you're only volunteering with Elsie for another few weeks, but I wanted to throw this offer out to you anyway.'
'Offer?'
'Yes, over the last couple of years we've been trying to think of ways to keep the farm open for longer throughout the year. We now put on special events for summer and Halloween and next year will eb our first year in trying to keep it open full time, throughout the year.'
'Ah, okay. What type of things are you going to do to keep it open all year? Pulling the strap of her handbag from her shoulder, she placed her bag on her lap.
'Well, we'll be keeping our shop open and stocking it with gifts rather than decorations.
We'll also keep our cafe open, but we also have a number of lessons taking place.
We have teacher lined up for craft classes, such as sewing, felting, painting and we did have Fiona lined up to teach willow weaving but after breaking her wrist she's decided to step back from teaching for a while so I wanted to offer you the position. '
'Me?' Merri managed as thoughts raced through her mind swinging from what an opportunity this was to reminding herself that she lived hundreds of miles away and it wasn’t as easy as all that to relocate.
'Yes.' Nick leaned forward in his chair.
'Like I said earlier, I’m aware you don't live this way and you'd only be able to take on this role if you relocated. And in all honesty, although it's been wonderful having you teach here and I’ve never had so many compliments about one teacher, I wasn’t going to ask you because I was worried about putting you in an impossible situation but Gabby reminded me that she, too, hadn’t lived around here and it had only been when she'd volunteered at the bakery and fell in love with the area that she began to think about relocating.
So, I wanted to lay this offer on the table, and I'll understand if you can't take it, but I'd be thrilled if you could. '
'Right. Thanks.' Merri nodded slowly. This is what Elsie had been speaking about, wasn’t it? That she could make the changes to her life if she wanted to. This was an offer too good to dismiss. She reached for her pendant, rolling it between her finger and thumb. She could take the leap, take the chance and accept. She could try to move down here. Or she could tell Nick she didn’t want it and go back to her room at the flat and her job, which she might not have for too much longer anyway.
She took a deep breath. 'I'd like to accept your offer, please. '
'You would?' Nick grinned. 'That's fantastic news. Thank you.'
'No, thank you. In all honesty Penworth Bay has been on my mind since I volunteered at Elsie's in the summer, but moving here has always felt like a dream, like a risk too big to take but with your job offer, I think I might just be able to make it happen.' Yes, she could work here whilst travelling around the craft fairs and selling her creations too. And if it didn’t work out, at least she’d tried.
At least she'd taken that leap and grabbed the chance of a lifetime with both hands.
'Great! I'm so pleased. And I know Gabby will be too. And Elsie too of course.' Standing up, Nick held out his hand.
Pushing herself to standing, Merri took Nick's hand and shook it. Had that really just happened? Had he really just offered her a job? Had she really just gone and accepted it? taking her hand back, she noticed she was shaking. She couldn’t wait to see Felix's reaction to her news.
'I'll see you at the lantern parade tomorrow.' Settling back into his chair, Nick smiled. 'And I'll get a contract drawn up as soon as possible too.'
'Great. Thank you. See you tomorrow.' Merri walked out and closed the door behind her before leaning her back against it. She wasn’t sure whether she wanted to cheer or cry happy tears. She was changing her life. Finally, something good was happening to her.
She rubbed her hands together, suddenly feeling the chill in the air.
Plunging her hands in her pockets to keep them warm, she hurried across the courtyard tpwards the barns and her classroom.
Elsie had insisted she leave earlier today so she could pop by and see Nick but at this rate, she’d still be running late if she didn’t hurry.
Pausing, she pulled her mobile from her bag.
Scrolling through to Felix's name, she pressed the Call button.
She knew she'd be seeing him in an hour or so after her class, but she didnt think she could wait to tell him the exciting news.
her staying in the bay and tryign to build a life here, would be the perfect thing for their relationship.
they woudlnt need to do the whole long distance thing which everyone knew tested even the strongest o couples.
And most importantly, they could get on with their lives, together.
She felf a wave of disappointment as she was trabfered to voicemail.
'Felix! guess what? I have the most exciting news, and I know I'll be seeing you later but I just don't think I can wait!
nick just offered me a job! I'm goign to be teaching here int he new year.
At the farm! eek, I can;t believe it. I'm actually goign to be able to move down to Penworth Bay.
can you imagine it? Anyway, I'll meet you by the fire pit after my class. I'll tell you all the details then!'
after ending the call, she took a deep breath. She coudlnt wait to see his reaction. she scrunched her nose up, she probably shouldnt have left the voicemail. She probably should have told him face to face, that way she'd have been able to see his face as she told him.
Shaking her head, she rolled her eyes at herself. It didnt matter when or how she told him, the news was just as exciting left in a voicemail or told face to face. She was moving to Penworth Bay!
'THAT WAS AMAZING. THANK you! I've never been able to finish anything creative in my life and yet I'm walking away tonight with this.' Trudy, one of Merri's students held up her willow angel. 'It'll take pride of place on top of my tree.'
'You're very welcome. And you were great at making her.' Merri grinned. She still couldn’t believe her conversation with Nick earlier and the fact she was going to be coming abck to
Merri smiled as Trudy left the classroom, carrying her angel proudly.
'Hey, how's it going?' Gabby walked in and leaned against the teacher's table as Merri packed the flask she'd brought with her into her bag.
'You're booked up for every session until Christmas now and Nick has had to add four extra spaces to the day after tomorrow's session as it's so popular! I bet you’ll be glad of the break tomorrow being as it’s the lantern parade! '
'Really? That's brilliant.' Merri shrugged into her coat. 'I love teaching these sessions. I'm so grateful you all thought to ask me to cover and I still can’t believe I’ll be coming back after Christmas.’
‘It still hasn’t sunk in. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to make the move down here and now I can!
' Slipping her handbag onto her shoulder, Merri grinned. She was so excited for her new start. Yes, she had a lot to do, a lot to think about. She’d have to give in her notice at work and on the flat too and find a room to rent down here but in this moment in time it actually felt possible.
'Right, I'd better get going. I'm absolutely shattered, and I have to be at the florists by five for a delivery tomorrow morning.' Gabby yawned.
'Yikes. That's early.' She didn’t know how Gabby did it.
Ever since Merri had begun teaching here at the farm Elsie had been really insistent that she no longer wanted her to get up early to help with the mornings baking and after assuring her that Ian would help before he went off to the daisy and Ollie's restaurant, Merri had been grateful for the later mornings.
'Night.' Gabby held her hand up as she opened the door to leave.
'Night.' Holding the door open, Merri paused and looked around the classroom. It was all tidy and she'd already prepared and set up for the next session.
As she was about to reach across and turn the light off, her mobile pinged.
Pullign it out of her pocket, she slumped her shoudlers.
It was from felix. He had to work late. There went their dinner and hot cholocoate which had become a little routine for them since she’d started teaching here and which had also become her faviurite time of the day.
The celebrations would have to wait until tomorrow now. Heopfully he’d ring when he was finshed with work and then at elast they could talk about her news. Sighing, she switched the light off and closed the door before heading outside.
She slipped her mobile back into her bag as she walked past the entrance to the shop and paused. She could hear Felix and Janet talking. He must be helping replenish the stock in the shop. She’d pop in and say bye quickly before she left.
'... I go back the week after Christmas. It's not long and we've still got a ...' Felix's voice wafted out into the courtyard.
Stopping in her tracks, Merri frowned. What was he talking about? Where was he going a week after Christmas? Inching a little closer to the open doorway, she tilted ehr head to listen.
'I'm surprised you're not staying on now Nick is keeping the farm open throughout the year.' Janets spoke.
'...wasn;t the right time...' Felix's voice was more muffled than Janet's. he must have been standing further away from the door and Merri struggled to hear all he was saying. '... no reason to stay... I'll head back home...'
No reason to stay? Felix had no reason to stay in the bay?
Merri stumbled backwards. Sticking ehr hand out, she gripped onto the sleigh, steadying herself.
Closing ehr eyes, Felix's words echoed in her mind.
she shook her head. Why had he said that?
Why didnt he think he had a reason to stay now?
She'd left him the voicemail to say she'd been offered a job here at the farm and what?
he suddenly wanted to leave? it made no sense. No sense at all.
He'd messaged her to tell her he could no longer meet tonight, that he had to work late, so she knew without a shadow of a doubt that he'd have heard her news. He ahdnt lost his phone, or had the battery die on him or anything. Felix knew she was staying and yet now he was leaving? Why?
She needed to get away from here. Her gloves could wait. Rummaging in her bag for the van key, she wrapped her fingers around it and went to pull it out only to find it was caught on something. 'drat.'
merri tugged on the key and finally felt it come free only to watch her bag fall to the ground, her belonging scatterings across the flagstones. that's all she needed. Dropping to her knees, she began scooping up her hairbrush, purse and other bits and pieces she kept in her bag.
'Merri?' Felix's voice loomed above her as he knelt down to help her.
Snapping her head up, she narrowed her eyes and reached forward, grabbing her handheld mirror from his grasp. 'I dont need your help.'
Rocking back on his feet, Felix frowned. 'is everything okay?'
merri stood up, shoving the handheld mirror into her bag before glaring at him.
Who did he think she was? Soemone he could mess around with?
someone he could promise a future too one moment only to make it evidently clear that he didnt care about her at all the next?
because that's what he'd done. he'd snatched away any hope she'd had of a future between them as well as the memories they'd already made together. they hadnt been real.
Standing up, Felix went to step towards her before she held up her hand to stop him. 'merri?'
'Don't you Merri me.' She swallowed. she would not give him he satisfaction of seeing her cry. 'I heard you. I overheard you telling Janet that you didnt have nay reason to stay here in Penowrth Bay, that you're goign home.'
Felix frowned. 'I...'
'please. I dont want to hear it.' turning, Merri ran across the courtyard towards the van, the tears flowign freely before she'd even reached the path leading to the car park. Why had she let him in? Why had she trusted him? let herself believe that they could have something good together?