Chapter 27
The morning of the concert arrived, and Angelia awoke to Ed’s arms wrapped around her.
She smiled and snuggled deeper into his embrace.
They had missed out on so much time but would spend the rest of their lives making up for that.
She had messaged Fiona the night before and sent a photo of her and Ed together. Fiona’s response?
Fiona
So I was right! I bloody knew it! It’s about blooming time! You two have been skirting around each other for years and now I finally get what I’ve wanted for all this time! I’m so bloody happy right now!
They had both laughed and had both been equally as surprised at her response. She’d never said anything to either of them until the night of Angelia’s birthday but then again, she’d been in a tricky situation, they both agreed on that point.
Her phone pinged and she shuffled over to pick it up. There was a message from Josh with a video attachment sent to the group chat. She frowned and pushed herself to a sitting position before hitting play.
On the screen were her, Ed and Ferris playing a song together and singing in the church as the choir looked on.
They were running through ‘Friends Will Be Friends’ to show the arrangement they had come up with.
It had been filmed from the back of the church near the doors. The message that accompanied it said,
Josh
This is what I woke up to on TikTok. So, you lied.
You can clearly still sing. Here you are with your own little fan club audience.
You just wanted to quit the band. You should have had the guts to just say that, Angelia.
You’re a coward. Thanks for nothing. In fact, no, thanks for something, and that’s you ruining my career because you got tired.
Anger bubbled up from deep within and her eyes stung with angry tears. She forwarded the message to Heath and Den.
Ed sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. ‘What’s wrong? What’s happened?’
She jammed the phone towards him and he took it. His eyes widened. ‘What the hell? Who filmed that?’
‘No idea. But that’s not really the point, Ed. How dare he?’ she hissed. She hit record to make a reply by voice note.
‘Josh, it’s Angelia. How the hell dare you question me and accuse me of lying?
You have no bloody clue what I’ve been through.
How scared I’ve been. How much courage it’s taken to even attempt to sing since my diagnosis.
You haven’t done one single iota of research into my condition like any normal friend would, like all my other friends have, even ones I’ve only just met.
You’re presuming so much and not even asking me for my side.
Well, that’s it. I’ve had it with you. You can sod right off.
’ As if a fire had been extinguished, the love she thought she’d once had for Josh Baron was doused in one fell swoop.
He was a selfish, self-centred arse, only bothered about himself.
Thank goodness she hadn’t wasted any more time pining over him.
A few moments later a message came through from Heath.
Heath
Oh no, he didn’t just send that. (face palm emoji) he’s such an idiot. Leave it with me. You sound incredible in that video by the way. Very proud of you. H.
* * *
The village hall was decorated with flowers and bunting in readiness for the concert, and every seat had been booked. Angelia had arranged for Sarah and her parents to come to the hall early and meet her in the kitchen area so she could see them in private.
‘I want to thank you all for your help the other day at the café. It must have been terrifying for you all and I’m so sorry you had to experience that,’ Angelia told them.
‘Hey, no thanks needed,’ Sarah’s dad said. ‘We wouldn’t stand by and watch that lunatic intimidate you like that. I’m just glad the café had a back door for you to escape through. I hate to think what might have happened to you if it hadn’t.’ He shivered.
‘So, Sarah, have you had a lovely holiday? Apart from that incident, of course.’
Sarah nodded. ‘The absolute best holiday of my entire life,’ she replied.
Angelia beamed. ‘I’m so glad to hear that. Now, I’ve got a wee gift for you.’
Sarah’s eyes widened and her face flushed pink. ‘Oh, gosh.’
Angelia reached into a tall broom cupboard and took out a guitar case.
‘In this case is the first guitar I ever owned. It’s the one I learned to play on,’ she told Sarah as she opened the case.
‘I want you to keep going with your lessons, and then the next time you come to Skye, you and I are going to play a song together in my record shop, okay?’
Sarah’s eyes welled with tears, and she let out a sob as Angelia handed her the guitar. The front was covered in flower motifs, interspersed with old band stickers and when Sarah turned it over there was an inscription written in silver Sharpie.
To Sarah, my hero, happy playing, all my love, Angelia
‘I can’t even speak,’ Sarah said through her tears. Angelia, Sarah’s mum and dad and Ed all laughed, none of them had dry eyes at this point.
Sarah’s mum hugged Angelia. ‘Thank you so much for this. I can’t tell you how grateful we are. You really are a wonderful person.’
Angelia shook her head. ‘It’s my absolute pleasure. Please keep in touch and let me know how the lessons are going and make sure to practise often, okay? And look after that guitar.’
Sarah nodded as she wiped her eyes with a tissue her dad had passed her. ‘I’ll treasure it forever. And then maybe one day, when I’m famous, I can give it to another girl like us.’
Angelia sniffed and wiped at her eyes. ‘I think that’s a wonderful idea. Now, why don’t you go on and enjoy the show, eh?’
Sarah and her parents left the kitchen, and Angelia took a moment to compose herself.
‘Are you okay?’ Ed asked as he put his arms around her. She nodded.
There was a knock on the door and when Ed opened it Ferris was on the other side. Angelia gasped. ‘Oh, sorry, I’m coming.’
‘Erm… could I have a word with you, Angelia, in private, please?’
Ed smiled and squeezed her arm. ‘See you out there.’
Once Ed had left the room, Ferris cleared his throat. ‘I just wanted to say… I wanted you to know that I’m taking the job in Lerwick.’
Angelia nodded but sadness washed over her. ‘I see.’
He took both of her hands. ‘I want you to know that your friendship means the world to me and so does your happiness. I think it’s possibly obvious that my feelings for you have grown since you’ve been here, and now that I know how you feel about Ed, I think maybe I need a fresh start of my own.
But please know that I’m not running away from you, or Ed.
Quite the opposite. I’m running towards whatever God has planned for me next.
Because, in a way, I’d like to think that God put me in your path for the very purpose of helping you to see how you really feel, and for you to find what will make you happy.
If that’s the case, then I’m so glad He did.
Now what have you decided to do about the record shop?
Please tell me you’re going to be the one running it. ’
She beamed. ‘I am. I’m so excited for this next chapter of my life, Ferris.
We talked about it for hours last night.
Ed’s going to run the shop with me and I’m going to write songs for other artists too.
I’m already working with Anouk from Angel and the Fallen and there are a number of others who Heath has put me in touch with. ’
Ferris shook his head. ‘Incredible. I’m so glad. Is Ed not going back to orchestra work?’
‘He’s in touch with the chamber orchestra again about doing some local shows but he’s also going to go into music tuition.
A couple of the locals have asked him, and he’s said he’ll help them.
Inspector Donaldson, I mean Harris, I can’t get used to calling him that,’ she giggled.
‘He’s asked Ed if he’d like to join the Glentorrin Four as their guitarist is moving away to the mainland for a promotion. ’
‘Wow, it’s all happening. And it’s all wonderful.’
‘Oh, Ferris, I can’t thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me. And your friendship too. I hope you’ll stay in touch with us.’
Ferris smiled. ‘You can’t get rid of me now. I want to preside over your wedding,’ he said. ‘Because mark my words, there’ll be a Halsall–MacAuley wedding. I just know it.’
Angelia’s eyes welled with tears for what felt like the hundredth time that day. ‘Deal,’ she said. ‘But that will depend on when he asks me because I’m an old-fashioned girl at heart, so I won’t be asking him, that’s for sure.’
Ferris narrowed his eyes. ‘Well, if you want my opinion, I don’t think you’ll be waiting very long and that’s all I’ll be saying at this point in time. Now could I maybe hug you?’
She giggled. ‘I think that’s allowed.’ He pulled her into his arms and embraced her. ‘You’re a very special person, Angelia MacAuley. Don’t ever underestimate your value.’
‘Thank you, Ferris.’
‘Ahem, I think you maybe mean Reverend Blaikie of Lerwick Parish,’ he said, grinning and brushing invisible dust from his shoulders.
She wagged her finger at him. ‘Oh yes, of course, pardon me, that’s what I meant,’ she said with a warm smile.
‘Now, come on, let’s get this party started.’
* * *
The main lights were dimmed and the stage lights illuminated.
The choir stood there before Angelia in their rainbow-coloured T-shirts and jeans; Granny Isla’s was, of course, purple to match her hair.
Angelia had played many shows in huge stadiums, but she couldn’t remember ever being this nervous.
This night meant so much more to her than any of the others had.