Epilogue
Almost one year later
Walking hand in hand alongside the Cherwell, Clara and Tom stopped for a moment to admire the cobalt blue kingfisher that rested on a perch. The sun shined on his breast, making it look almost golden.
‘Maybe we should have a rest for a moment too,’ said Tom, gesturing to a memorial bench nearby. It was dedicated to a former don at the university whom Clara remembered.
She felt as though it was the hottest day they’d had all summer as they sat down and drank from their water bottles.
‘Ah, that’s better,’ said Clara. ‘Shall we carry on?’
Tom didn’t respond. He had more important things on his mind than the weather.
‘Josh has invited us to a party.’
‘Really? That’s wonderful.’
Despite his initial correspondence, it had taken a while before Josh was willing to meet up with his father, but thanks to intervention from Anya and Clara, the men finally reunited on neutral territory six months later.
Their first meeting at a café was strained.
Tom had cried when he set his eyes on his son.
He had changed so much in those few years they had been estranged.
He even looked taller and had definitely filled out.
At first, the conversation between them was stilted.
Tom hadn’t expected it any other way but, over time, bridges had been built.
‘Is he having a birthday party?’
‘Yes and no. It’s on his birthday but it’s not a birthday party.’
‘Okay. How does that work?’
‘It’s a gender reveal.’
Clara turned to look at Tom sharply. ‘Who’s pregnant?’
Tom had the biggest smile on his face as he spoke. ‘It’s Anya. I’m going to be a grandad!’
‘Oh, Tom. This is the best news ever.’
Clara hugged Tom tightly and they both melted into each other’s arms.
‘I know. Can you imagine if I’d missed out on this part of my life with him? I owe you everything.’
‘You don’t owe me at all. But, you know, I believe that the Lord had a plan in store for you and the best was yet to come.
Between you being on track to becoming a counsellor, giving you a whole new career, and now this.
You’re not going to have a minute to spare, what with choir practice too.
What a year you’ve had. I know it’s been tough between you and Josh, but we can’t force someone to stay beside us through thick and thin.
Sometimes we have to trust the universe. ’
As Clara and Tom rose from the bench, the kingfisher that had been there the whole time flew away to pastures new.
‘So true, Clara. The universe has been so wonderful to me and given me a chance to transform myself. A granddad, hey? Wow.’
A precious new life was being born. This forthcoming little bundle of joy would be an innocent child with no memory of Tom’s past. It beckoned a brand-new era and was a gift he had never expected to receive.
‘Indeed, Grandpa Tom,’ Clara said teasingly. ‘I must add that I’m not quite ready to be a step-gran . . . Although, I’m obviously not a stepmum even,’ Clara retracted quickly.
‘Grandma Clara does have a certain ring to it. And you know what else has a ring to it? There’s one thing that has always bothered me.’
‘What is it, Tom?’
‘As a reverend, if you were ever to get married, would you do the service yourself? Like, how does that work?’
‘Is that a proposal, Tom?’
‘Well, it could be if you wanted it to be.’
‘You’d need to go down on bended knee for that.’
‘What if I couldn’t get back up though?’
They both giggled. Then Clara watched as Tom crouched down beside the river, amongst clovers and meadowsweet, and he looked at her seriously as he pulled something out from his pocket. It was his phone.
She curiously observed him as he fumbled about with it and raised the volume. As the tune to Lou Reed’s ‘Perfect Day’ started to play, he took something out of his other pocket.
‘Clara Bennett, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?’
Tom flipped open a blue antique ring box containing a solitaire that sparkled like the brightest star as the sun reflected from it.
‘Oh, Tom Hartley. How could I possibly refuse?’
Clara rushed to Tom’s side as he got back up from his knees and they kissed and hugged so tightly that all his broken pieces felt as though they had been glued back together again.
‘Thank God for second chances,’ said Clara, as she slipped on the diamond ring that fitted her just perfectly.