Epilogue
The late autumn sun was shining brightly on the pastel pink glittery coffin as it was lowered into the ground.
Cain’s face was gaunt as he watched Angela take her final journey.
There was a sea of mourners all wearing pink, which had made Morgan smile.
Angela would have loved it and she hoped that somehow she was watching this and enjoying how pink everything was from the pretty flowers on the coffin to Cain’s pink suit, even Morgan had found a pink shirt to wear with her black ripped jeans, and Ben had come home with a pair of the pinkest Doc Martens she’d ever seen.
Oh, how he’d made her laugh when he’d produced those, but she was wearing them proudly.
Amy was standing on one side of Cain, holding his hand, Morgan on the other.
He gently squeezed her fingers, and she squeezed back.
The sunlight was glinting off the coffin, making it sparkle, and the warmth of it felt good against Morgan’s skin.
She closed her eyes and when she opened them she saw a woman standing under a tree in the distance with pink hair, watching her; the woman lifted her hand to wave and then she was gone.
Morgan smiled, not sure if she had just imagined Angela standing there or if it had really been her.
All she knew was that Angela had been loved so deeply and had spent her final years with Cain happier than she had probably ever been in her entire life.
As Theo spoke the closing words over her grave, Cain threw in some beautiful, long-stemmed pastel pink roses.
Her heart aching with sadness, she felt Ben squeeze her shoulder gently from behind.
They would go back to Amy’s and raise a glass of pink champagne in Angela’s honour.
Amy had baked cupcakes with a pastel pink frosting and dressed Ava Rose in a beautiful sleepsuit adorned with tiny pink roses that Angela had bought for her when she’d been born.
They would never forget her, and Morgan hoped that in death she had found the peace that had been missing since the day she’d been forced to give up her baby.
As they raised their glasses, Morgan smiled at Amy, Cain, Ben and Wendy – what a team.
Inspector John Wilde had retired on a high and told them before he walked out of the office for the last time that they were a credit to the police force, and he was glad that he’d only joined them for the last month because he didn’t think his heart could stand up to the stress working with their team had brought him.
He’d been nothing but nice to them after the incident at Stan’s, for which they’d all been thankful.
Morgan had spoken at length to Angela’s friend Janet, who had known her for years, about the circumstances around Stan being taken off her by Jonathan, and she’d confirmed that Angela had never got over losing her baby and how she was looking for him to make things right.
It was so sad, it hadn’t been her fault.
Janet told Morgan that Angela had no control over what happened, but that she’d never given up and dedicated her entire career to helping new mums who had felt the way she had.
Her phone vibrated and she read the message from Scotty.
Still can’t believe you were going to arrest me, as if I’d kill someone. Madds thinks it’s hilarious, you owe me coffee and cakes for the next month, Brookes, and after I was so nice to you too! How’s Cain doing?
She turned to Cain, he looked lost and she wanted to hug him so much, but she was scared of making him cry even more.
Cain’s devastated. Scotty, you idiot. Why didn’t you just tell Wendy you touched the blade of the knife, but yes for the fifth time I’m really sorry, and I will buy you as many cakes as you want. How’s Barney doing?
He’s great, my dog has fallen in love with him and there’s this bromance going on that I could never have forecast.
Thank you for taking him in, you’re a good person and I am very sorry for ever doubting you.
He sent a winking emoji, and she thought that just maybe she might be almost forgiven.
Declan and Theo walked in and they all squeezed onto the sofas and chairs, taking turns to cuddle Ava and talk about the happy times they’d had together as a team, and they were a team.
As far as Morgan was concerned, the best team, made up of not just the most amazing police officers, CSI and Forensic Pathologist, but the best people, and all of them would be there for Cain to help him get through this.
They would help him to live his life to the full, that’s what Angela would have wanted.
Life was precious and they all knew from experience how it could be taken away in the blink of an eye, but love.
Love was forever, it was everlasting and that was a beautiful thing.
Morgan had no doubt in her mind now that she would marry Ben the moment he asked; in fact, when the time was right, she decided she was going to ask him as long as he didn’t expect her to wear a white wedding dress because that was out of the question.
It would be black, and that would be non-negotiable.