Chapter 61
Sixty-One
FOUR MONTHS LATER.
“ C ome on, come on, you stubborn little…” I breathed a sigh of relief as the final wire threaded through the flower adorned mesh holding the base of my sculpture together.
Last minute changes and an unexpected wind storm had left her unstable, which was why I’d been working on her under spotlights since one in the morning.
I sat back on my knees, running a critical eye over my work. It was as perfect as it could be but that didn’t stop me searching for flaws.
My hands twisted in my lap. It was here, the day had finally come. The opening day of the Chelsea Flower Show and I was terrified. This was make or break for my career. If I flopped, this event was way too public to hide it.
“She’s impressive.”
I jumped at the familiar voice behind me and turned to see my mentor running an approving eye over my creation.
“Imani! I wasn’t expecting you to be here so early!” I stood, brushing grass from my knees. Imani wasn’t one for hugs and instead pressed a gentle hand to my shoulder.
“I wanted to check on you before the opening,” she said, continuing to study my work. “You’ve outdone yourself. You should be incredibly proud.”
I took a step back, looking at my sculpture, the winged female with the flame hair.
She was almost twenty feet tall, her hair made of trailing gerbera daisies, a simple orange flower that took me right back to my roots.
The wings extended back and sloped down in a way that reminded me of the extravagant tails of the peacocks at the Never Tell Clubhouse.
They were an ebbing sea of orange hues made from marigolds and butterfly weed, falling into waves of deep red begonias and dianthus.
The tips made from blood grass mimicked the end of her wings.
“She’s you?”
“She’s me,” I answered.
“With the wings of a phoenix?”
“Yeah,” I shrugged, “maybe it's pretentious but I’ve started over so many times it felt apt.” I thought of every time my life had been upended.
My mum, gran, discovering I had a sister and a nephew, leaving my home for London and of course, Alfie.
Each time I felt like the change would break me but I only got stronger.
I followed Imani as she circled the piece. I watched her face carefully as she studied it, answering her questions on construction and the materials I’d chosen.
She reached the back of the structure and raised her brows when she discovered a hidden garden between my wings. I followed her through the gap where the wings almost touched and into the circular garden hidden from the view of anyone who might be looking from the front.
Early April sun beamed down on us from above, lighting up the secret garden.
I stood by the entrance, giving her room to study the space.
Red bleeding hearts trailed up along the inner side of the wings, fading from red to pink to white as they reached the bottom.
The ground was honeysuckle grass. An array of other flowers created a comforting haven, a contrast to the vibrant power of the sculpture from the outside.
Her exterior was supposed to make you feel awe but inside, you were supposed to feel safe.
“I feel your past in here.” Of course she did, Imani was a very perceptive person. I brushed my fingers over a hanging flower.
“Precious things that I want to keep safe.”
She nodded, understanding. “I’m very pleased. Whatever the outcome today, you should be proud.”
Whatever the outcome. Whether I won in my category or not.
“I am and thank you. For everything.” I wouldn’t be standing in this spot without her support. “So…does your approval mean that you still want to work with me again? You mentioned months ago that you had another project if I did well…”
“I remember but we’ll talk in a few days. I have a feeling you’re going to be flooded with job offers after today.”
The thought made my stomach flutter. “Can you tell me what the project is?”
“Later,”she smiled and checked her watch, “it’s almost time for the gates to open. Are you ready?.” She passed me, heading back out into the sun.
My feet stayed rooted to the earth. I was suddenly overwhelmed with the feeling that my mum was near me. Her eyes bright with pride as she asked, ‘Are you ready, little Lo?’
I closed my eyes, inhaling the bleeding hearts, the velvet softness of their petals light on my fingertips.
Yes, I was ready.
I was in heaven, walking with Natalie on one side and Riley on the other as we admired a collection of topiary elephants.
“Okay,” Keira half-whispered as she rushed over to me, Ryan following close behind, “we’ve scoped out the competition and those losers have got nothing on you. Have they, Ryan?”
“Nothing. They’re going down.” He punched his fist into his open palm, scowling. Keira and Riley both laughed but Natalie and I didn’t, we knew Ryan well enough to believe he might actually sabotage one of my competitors.
“Thanks for your expert opinion,” I told him, straightening out his shirt. Natalie had done her best to dress him appropriately for this prestigious event but his shorts still showed off grazed knees and nothing would ever make his hair behave itself.
“Riley, back me up,” Keira said.
“They aren’t far wrong. You have strong competition but your piece is incredible. You could really win it.”
I was trying not to get my hopes up. I’d looked at the other pieces in my category, each had me awestruck and each had been created by designers with far more experience than me.
I felt like a tiny fish in a very big pond but the point of today wasn’t winning, it was being here.
In my mind, I’d already won. Already achieved the biggest dream I had.
I walked with my family, exploring. Listening to Riley explain to Ryan what each plant was reminded me so much of my own mum, the kind of conversation we’d have had if she’d ever been able to bring me here.
We were looking at a water garden when I caught sight of a familiar blonde head of hair. “Bradley?” I called out and he turned, grinning wide. Leaving my family I ran to him, flinging my arms around his neck. “What are you doing here?”
“I told you I’d come, did you really think we’d miss it?”
“We?” Oh, his girlfriend. I cast my eyes around searching for her but instead I found another familiar face. “Rosie!”
“Oh, my dear, I’m so, so proud of you!” She enveloped me in a hug and I held on tight to her. “Your mum would be so happy too.”
“Thank you.” I pulled away, squeezing her hands tight. She looked the same and there was something so deeply comforting about that.
“Where's your girlfriend?” I asked Bradley.
“Fiancée,” he grinned and I squealed. “Anna couldn’t make it, she and her mum are going to a wedding fair.” He shuddered. “She said to wish you luck.”
“She doesn’t mind you being here instead?”
“No,” he shook his head, pushing the curls out of his eyes. “I think she’s glad I’m going to be out of the way and can’t have a meltdown about how much she’s spending.”
Rosie laughed and made a comment about it being better that he didn’t know, then wandered off to greet my family.
Bradley and I stood in silence for a moment, a world of unspoken history passing between us. “You look happy, Lo.”
“So do you.”
“I am, I’m really glad you…” he trailed off as the atmosphere around us suddenly shifted, the crowd filling with excited chatter. Bradley frowned. “I didn’t know he’d be here.”
I turned, following his gaze until I found Mark Tafferty heading for me.
“Neither did I,” I muttered. The last time I saw Mark, we hadn’t exactly parted on good terms.
Bradley’s stern eye was fixed on the man currently making his way through a series of fans. “Shall I stay with you?”
“No, I’ll be fine. Come find me when they’re announcing the winners, okay?”
“I will. Don’t take any shit.” He kissed my cheek before going to join Rosie. I took a deep breath and turned to face the man I’d once looked up to so much.
“Mark…hi. How are you?”
“I’m very well and very happy to see you, Lola.
” He pressed a stiff kiss to my cheek and I fought the urge to wipe it away, hating the fact that it covered Bradley’s.
“You’ve done amazing work.” He sounded genuine, an earnest tone in his voice that I’d never heard before.
Our working relationship had gone from indifferent to passive aggressive to cold very quickly, there hadn’t been much time for warmth.
I shifted on my feet, feeling the gaze of every eye fixed on us as passers by recognising Mark's familiar face.
“That means a lot coming from you.” Mark and I had our differences but that didn’t change the fact that he was a genius. His praise was high praise. “I didn’t know you were attending this year.”
“I’m on the judging panel for Best Show. I was originally asked to judge your category but I turned it down when I found out you were entering. Just between us, I’ve looked at the others and I’d put money on you winning.”
His words warmed me but there was a tinge of worry there too. “You haven’t…”
“Used my powers to sway the judges?” He laughed. “No, of course not. I don’t think I need to.”
An awkward silence settled between us and I twisted my hands, feeling the need to get something off my chest that I’d been holding onto for a long time. “Mark, thank you for the harsh words you gave me back then. I needed to hear them.”
He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I’m sorry I didn’t conduct myself better. I’m ashamed to say I was jealous.”
“It doesn’t matter now.”
“No, I suppose it doesn’t. I’m looking forward to seeing which job you’ll take next.”
I frowned. “What do you mean? I don’t have another job lined up.”
“Yet,” he laughed. “Everyone is talking about your piece, the work you’ve done with Imani over the last year…your life is about to change, Lola.”
For the first time, the reality of what was coming hit me.
Over the last few months, I had been so consumed with perfecting my project, I hadn’t allowed myself to think what it would mean if I actually pulled it off.
I was both exhilarated and terrified. I straightened my shoulders, adopting the smooth expression I’d learned from Alfie.
“Thank you, Mark. I’ll be considering any offers very carefully.”
Our moment was broken by a voice ringing out over the speaker system. They were announcing the winners. I took a deep breath and smiled up at my failed mentor.
“Here we go.”
The next hour was a whirlwind.
I fell under a clutter of hugs and kisses as the judges announced my name.
I was in shock.
Me?
They really meant me?
Keira shoved me forward up to the stage to collect my award. My legs felt weak, my palms sweating as I shook hands with Janet Green, the redheaded board member I’d first seen at the Serenity opening three years ago.
Holding myself as poised as I could, I turned to the cheering crowd and smiled as my photo was taken. The applause and whoops from my family were deafening and I couldn’t wipe the beaming smile from my face.
I stared in wonder at the award. I’d done it. I’d really done it. I wanted to scream with elation but all I could do was search out Keira’s eyes in the crowd. She was crying and cheering louder than anyone else. Ryan was up on Riley’s shoulders sounding out a battle cry.
I held onto my necklace tight as they attached the rosette for second place to my sculpture. Second place. It was a mind-boggling achievement. I rubbed my thumb over the smooth glass the way that I had done a thousand times and smiled up at my work.
I could feel my mum and gran with me, warm and happy. Alfie was there too and so proud of me. The people from my past that had made me the strong woman I had become.
It was after midnight by the time I crashed into my bed, buzzing with happiness and champagne. All the anxiety that had been building for months had evaporated, leaving me floating on clouds.
We’d gone to the pub to celebrate after my win. We ate, laughed and toasted my mum and gran’s memory. After dinner, Natalie and Riley said their goodbyes and I watched them swing Ryan between them as they walked to their car.
Keira and I had stumbled home, full and a little tipsy. Now I could hear her softly snoring through the thin wall that separated us.
My body hummed with adrenaline. I was exhausted yet I couldn’t sleep.
I wasn’t ready for this incredible day to end.
Every night for the last few months I’d gone to work on my project, it felt strange to leave her now.
It was probably a silly thing to do, but I found myself wanting to say goodbye to her.
Not bothering to change out of my dress or take off my heels, I climbed out of bed and made my way back to the show. When I arrived outside it was almost midnight, the gates were closed, the lights out save for a few security lights.
The portly security guard looked up from his crossword, offering me a smile. We’d gotten to know each other over the last few months due to my nightly visits and with no more than a nod, he buzzed me through. I thanked him and he grunted in return.
I wandered the gardens for a while, enjoying the ethereal feeling that the moonlight brought out in the exquisitely crafted designs. It was surreal knowing that my creation was amongst them.
I headed to the sculpture arena last, my heart skipping a beat at the sight of the bright yellow rosette on the gated archway that sectioned off my piece.
I’d done it. I’d really done it.
I opened the gate and stepped inside, then froze, my heart shuddering in my chest.
I stared in shock, my mouth falling open.
This wasn’t happening. It wasn’t. And yet the way my legs threatened to give out told me that it absolutely was.
His suit wasn’t grey, it was the deepest, darkest blue and I couldn’t see his face, but I would know the set of his shoulders anywhere.
Alfie.