Chapter 33
33
MIDNIGHT
As the crowd bellowed out that first number…
Ailish rose from her seat and glanced around the room, searching for the person she wanted to speak to. It was time to tell the man she had loved what she wanted to do.
Outside, while Carlo had been speaking, Yvie had just finished explaining that Emmy had been so wrong about everything today. That the reason she couldn’t find Cormac all day was because he had been finalising the surprise that Yvie had been helping him plan for months. And now, Cormac was stepping forward towards Emmy with the strangest expression on his beautiful face.
In the corner of the restaurant, Dario watched Ailish stand up, and knew the time to make his move was now. He began walking towards her.
At her table, Minnie handed over the gift that her beloved Henry had asked her to bring.
‘NINE…’
Ailish walked towards him, her eyes finding him, every step taking her closer.
Cormac dropped to one knee, and pulled a small blue velvet box from his pocket.
Dario’s heart began to race as he saw that she’d fixed her eyes on him now.
Minnie watched as her oldest friend pulled open the bow and flicked open the wrapping paper underneath, before lifting the lid of the box.
‘EIGHT…’
Ailish tried to steady her heart as she asked herself one last time if she was sure about the decision she was about to make.
Emmy gasped as Cormac opened the box and she saw a beautiful diamond solitaire glistening there.
Dario reached Ailish and he held out his hand to her.
Minnie watched Gino’s surprised reaction when he saw the flask, then his lips move as he read the inscription aloud… Friendships last long after midnight.
‘SEVEN…’
Ailish saw Dario’s hand and reached out to him.
Emmy’s hand went to her mouth as Cormac raised the box towards her.
Dario and Ailish’s fingers slowly touched – she was the friend he had known since she was twenty-one years old, when she’d kissed the man who would become her husband right in front of him at midnight.
Minnie looked into Gino’s tear-filled eyes, and whispered, ‘Henry knew that we would both be alone…’
‘SIX…’
Ailish met Dario’s gaze and smiled as she had a sudden hunch as to what he was about to do.
Over the sounds of the countdown inside, Cormac said, ‘Emmy Ryan, you always have been everything…’
Dario let his fingers trail away from Ailish, who nodded to him as he kept on walking.
Minnie put her hand over Gino’s and went on, ‘And he wanted the two people he loved to take care of each other…’
‘FIVE…’
Ailish reached her ex-husband and put her hand up to touch his cheek.
Emmy listened to her love saying, ‘I don’t ever want to live a day of my life without you.’
Dario took several more steps towards the woman that he’d thought about for years.
Minnie prayed Henry was right as she said, ‘Gino, you’re lonely, and I am too…’
‘FOUR…’
Ailish swallowed, found the words and the courage to say them. ‘I’m sorry, Eric. It’s over for us.’
Emmy thought of how she’d dreamed of this moment since she’d met Cormac.
Dario reached the woman he had feelings for, whispered into her ear, ‘A million years ago, you kissed me…’
Minnie leaned across the table, to make sure he could hear her. ‘So what do you say, Gino…’
‘THREE…’
Ailish saw Eric’s crestfallen expression as he said, ‘You’re rejecting me?’
Voice oozing emotion, Cormac asked, ‘Emmy, will you marry me?’
Dario went on, ‘And I know it was only because you felt sorry for me, because Ailish had done a runner with Eric.’
Minnie finally, finally , got to the point, ‘I have a spare room waiting for you. Shall we team up and do what’s left of this life together?’
‘TWO…’
Ailish thought about Eric’s question, then watched his puzzled frown when she replied…
Emmy’s heart told her this was so right. But a voice in her head told her it was all so wrong.
Dario said, ‘So I thought I’d like to kiss you again. If that’s okay with you?’ And then he watched as she lifted her lips to his.
Gino’s fingers wrapped around Minnie’s as he nodded slowly, saying, ‘Yes. But, Minnie, what if it’s too late?’
‘ONE…’
Ailish watched Eric’s puzzled frown as she replied, ‘It’s not that I’m rejecting you, Eric. I’m just choosing myself instead.’
Emmy opened her mouth, and whispered her answer. Just one word. ‘No.’
Dario kissed the woman he thought may be his future. And Gwen kissed him right back.
Minnie heard Henry responding to Gino’s fear, and she spoke his words aloud. ‘It’s never too late, Gino. It’s only midnight.’
And as the bells rang out in Gino’s Trattoria, and in the streets outside, and on the televisions of people across the country, four people knew that the year ahead was going to be very different from the one they’d just left behind.