Chapter Forty-five
Sylvie sat in Tom’s car once the others went in.
Marion had already arrived and she and the boys had greeted Sam like he was some kind of miracle child.
The boys were patting him on the back and Sylvie had to resist the urge to screech, ‘Gentle!’ from the car window as they all went in the house together.
She had been instructed to stay in the car for five minutes so they could set up whatever had to be set up, although they all reassured her Sam would not be allowed to even look at a tree let alone go within three feet of one.
‘Some day you ’ad today, maid.’
‘Huh. Tell you, I’ve never been so scared in all my life, Tom.’
‘Aye.’
‘It hammered home the point that life is too short to not grasp it.’
‘You’ve always known that, bird.’
‘I know, but it’s been reinforced. That family, be it blood or chosen, is the most important thing in the world. And that life is too short for miscommunications, for secrets, for misunderstandings, and that sometimes you just have to stand up and own the truth that you see.’
‘Aye.’
‘Like you did Julie.’
‘Aye. I did.’
‘So, I’m going to with Alex.’
‘Aye. That you should.’
‘Really?’
‘Aye, of course. He’s a good man and he’s besotted with you, and I think that you need to hurry up and get on with it.
He’s been hanging round now for months and you treating him casually like he’s just your friend when even the cows can see you two are meant to be together.
So yep, stop this damn stupid shilly-shallying and gerron.
Or he’ll go elsewhere. There be women everywhere eager to get a man like him.
That blonde bit he teetered into the house with, for example. ’
‘Yeah, I don’t think Alex and Marion are going to sleep together, Tom. She’s happily married.’
‘That’s not what I ’eard.’
How the hell had Tom heard anything? He didn’t even leave the farm apart from emergencies like this.
She bet it was Julie. Honestly, the WI here, all very modern, beautifully entwining proper Cornish old dears who’d been milking since they could toddle with trendy yoga-loving kefir-drinking yummy-mummies getting together for a weekly stitch and bitch.
The stitching taking a very firm secondary position.
‘That WI your Julie is part of is something else. Honestly, there’s nothing they don’t gossip about.’
‘There is something.’
‘What’s that then? Are you getting married?’
‘Course I’m getting married. I can’t expect a woman like Julie to wait now you’ve gone. But that’s not what I meant.’
‘Are you going to tell me?’
‘I’m trying. You don’t make it easy. You haven’t had a smooth time of it these last few years.
You didn’t have an easy time of it as a child, truth be told.
When your father died, well that was awful for all of us but my heart went out to you.
You were the apple of his eye. Your mum was in bits you know, couldn’t go near that slurry pit for years after.
And then you were sent up to London, I know you wanted to go but it seemed harsh.
But then you did so well, and you know how proud your mum was of your dancing.
So proud. But there’s something else. I knew your mum inside out and I knew your dad pretty well and I want you to know that they would be so proud of you.
For how you are as a person. For how you deal with things when they’re not good, like today with your boy, for your determination to do the right thing.
You’re a fighter – you don’t give up and you put others first. Your mum and dad would be so proud of the woman you’ve grown into and I am too.
I think you’re a credit to your parents and I know that they would be swelled up with pride for the person you’ve become.
No, don’t say another word. Get out of my car, remember what I’ve said and bleedy go get that man! ’
Sylvie took a deep breath in as she processed the longest speech her uncle had ever made, gave him the sloppiest kiss on his cheek, ruffled his hair just as he had hers the other day, and tried not to get too choked up as she opened the Land Rover door and slid out.
She took another deep breath as she stood at the kerb and then wove her way to Alex’s front door where she could face the surprise they had planned and finally find the courage to speak out about the family she wanted, her heart gladdened by Tom’s words about the family she had been born into.