30
Rhett
Pacing the driveway outside Heath’s house, Rhett eagerly awaited the arrival of her daughter. It had felt like forever since she’d seen Willow in the flesh. Having a child at university had made it easier for Rhett to get used to her daughter being away from home for long periods of time, and as much as she loved Willow out there living her best life, she loved it when she came home.
A cab pulled up outside the main house, and Rhett ran towards the sound of doors shutting, with Heath hot on her tail.
‘Willow,’ she called, throwing her arms around the young woman’s shoulders, almost toppling her backwards.
‘Hello, Mum.’ Willow laughed, struggling to free herself from the grip. She hugged her dad as he stepped forward, then glanced down at her luggage.
‘I’m sure you left with less than that,’ said Heath, collecting the bags.
‘Just a few bits I bought along the way.’ Willow glanced over her shoulder. ‘Where is everyone? I was expecting a big party.’
‘We’ll get to that,’ said Rhett, giving Heath a nod. ‘Let’s get you settled first while everyone’s working, then your dad’s going to do a barbeque tonight for the family.’
Willow dramatically rubbed her stomach. ‘Ooh, my kind of dinner.’
‘Come on, love. I’ll make you a cuppa.’ Rhett took Willow’s hand in hers. ‘We’re at your dad’s. He can do your laundry.’
‘Thanks!’ Heath laughed, leading the way.
There was so much to say, Rhett didn’t know where to start. She wanted to talk about Willow’s travels as well as what had been happening at home. Even though they’d kept in touch along the route, pictures were due and tales were waiting to be told.
Rhett watched Willow sprint upstairs, heading straight for the bathroom whilst Heath placed her bags over by the washing machine.
‘What should we do first?’ he asked, glancing her way.
‘You can leave that. I was joking about you doing the laundry. She’s a big girl now and used to looking after herself. Don’t pull her back steps. Not now.’
Heath clambered onto a kitchen chair, dipping his head low. ‘I’m nervous,’ he whispered.
‘Me too. What if she hates the idea of us together?’
‘We’ve been over this a hundred times. I don’t care what anyone thinks of us, and that includes Willow. This is our time now, and we’re not splitting up ever again. No matter what.’
Rhett beamed his way and went to walk over to kiss him, but Willow trotted down the stairs, all smiles and suntan.
She lifted the end of a shiny strip of maroon ribbon entwined in her hair and slipped it into her mouth to chew. ‘So, what have I missed?’
‘I’ll put the kettle on,’ said Heath, swiftly getting on with that chore.
Coward.
Rhett moved the ribbon from her daughter’s mouth and clasped her hand in her own, guiding her to the table. ‘How are you feeling? Okay? Not got tummy ache from travelling home?’
Willow grinned. ‘Mum, I’ve been travelling since April. I think tummy ache has learned to cope. Anyway, since I got sick in Beijing, I’ve only been eating plain food. I’m not sure my stomach will ever be the same again.’
Heath turned sharply. ‘What do you mean, since you got sick? You never told us you were ill.’
‘I didn’t want to worry you.’
Rhett gave her a quick hug. ‘Are you all right now?’
‘Yes, I’m fine. That was ages ago,’
‘So what was it? Stomach flu or something?’ Rhett asked, telling Heath with her eyes to settle down.
Willow shrugged, reaching over for the cookie jar in the middle of the table. ‘Food poisoning, I think. Sully bought us some… Actually, I still don’t know what it was, but when in Rome, as they say. We liked it, but it didn’t like us. We spent the next two days groaning around the loo. Wasn’t pretty. Rather not talk about it, if it’s all the same.’
Now wasn’t the time for Rhett to go over the what-ifs of her daughter being ill in another country, far from where she could offer assistance and ginger tea.
‘Stop worrying, Mother. I can see your cogs turning from here.’ Willow laughed and said her thanks when Heath handed over a cup of tea. She quickly dunked a cookie, placed it in her mouth, and groaned with delight.
‘Miss tea and bickies, did you?’ Heath shook his head as he gave Rhett her cup.
‘Hmm,’ said Willow. ‘Nothing tastes as nice as a brew made at home.’
‘Well, you’ll be home for a while now,’ he reminded her. ‘Graduation next week, then you’ve got a couple of weeks to get your head in the game before you start work at the garden centre.’
‘Please, Dad. I’ve been working at the garden centre since I could walk. Sully said he’ll help with the office side of things anyway. I much prefer to get my hands dirty.’
Rhett lowered the cup from her lips before taking a sip. ‘Sully?’
‘Didn’t Gran say?’
Heath shook his head as Rhett said, ‘Say what?’
Willow snaffled another cookie and spoke with her mouth full. ‘He’s going to stay at Gran’s for a bit.’
Rhett swapped a look with Heath.
‘News to me,’ he told her.
Willow wiped her mouth. ‘Sully’s brother is coming back to Pepper Bay to reboot the Boat Hut, but his job in London doesn’t end till November, but Sully doesn’t want to live there anymore. He can’t wait to get here, so I asked Gran if he could stay with us until Zach comes home, and she said yes. Plus, it’s a job for him while he finds one, so win-win, I say.’
As far as Rhett was concerned, Heath was avoiding their planned subject by not changing the topic. She sat back, twiddling her thumbs whilst he asked questions about the Sullivan brothers coming home to roost.
‘Oh, it’ll be great to see the Boat Hut up and running again. I used to love going out on the rowboats on Pepper River when I was a kid.’ Heath grinned at Rhett, and she made an eye gesture towards Willow, hoping he would get the hint.
Read my mind, Heath. We need to spit this out before I explode.
Heath cleared his throat and put on his serious expression, which almost made Rhett laugh.
Willow narrowed her eyes at her parents. ‘Hmm, I’m sensing something. Out with it. What aren’t you telling me? And before you try to fob me off, I know this isn’t about Sully coming to stay.’
Rhett shook her head and smiled warmly. ‘No, of course. We’re happy for Cody Sullivan to stay.’
‘As long as you don’t share a room,’ Heath said quickly.
‘Seriously, Dad? Firstly, he’s my best friend not boyfriend, and secondly, please try to remember I’m twenty-one.’ She started twisting her cup side to side. ‘I might as well tell you now though, when Sully does come to stay at Gran’s, I’ve already said I’ll stay there too. Only because I think it’ll make him feel more comfortable if I’m there. In another bedroom. Plus, I want to live at Gran’s. I know you two haven’t mentioned it yet, but Aunt Viv already told me about the BB, so I’m definitely not staying there.’
‘Oh, she did, did she?’ Rhett was half annoyed and half relieved. At least that was one part she didn’t have to cover. ‘Well, your dad thought it a good idea to join forces and make a business. So perhaps your Cody can get his teeth into helping out over there as well when he gets here.’
Willow rolled her eyes. ‘He’s not my Cody. Anyway, Sully won’t be around long. Just until Zach gets back, remember? So don’t start piling the work onto him.’
‘Wouldn’t dream of it,’ said Heath, laughing.
Rhett joined in, then stopped when Willow frowned at them both.
‘So, Mother, Father. What else?’
It’s now or never, I guess, and Heath’s got his lips firmly closed, I see. Hmm, how to start?
‘Well, you see, the thing is…’
Willow’s eyes glazed over and she stopped fiddling with her cup. ‘Should I be worried? Is it Gran? Is she okay?’
Rhett quickly leaned forward, scooping her daughter’s hand up into her own. ‘Yes, love, she’s fine. It’s nothing like that.’ After the shock of losing Benton so suddenly, Willow was jumpy around news. Rhett had to show her cards on the table immediately to stop Willow’s pounding heart. Might even calm her own. ‘It’s us.’ She waggled one finger back and forth between Heath and herself.
‘What’s wrong with you two?’ asked Willow, eyes wide and hand on heart.
Heath’s brow crinkled along with his eyes. ‘You’re not doing a good job of this, Rhett.’
‘Feel free to take over, Heath,’ Rhett snapped.
Willow huffed, slamming her fists on the table. ‘Will somebody tell me?’
Rhett took one big breath and faced her daughter. ‘We’re getting married.’
There. And breathe.
Chestnut eyes flittered left and right as confusion washed across Willow’s face. ‘To who?’
‘Each other.’ Rhett thought that was obvious. Obviously not.
Bewilderment took over Willow’s expression. Her mouth gaped for a moment before snapping shut as though refusing to respond. Rhett figured she was processing.
‘Erm,’ said Heath. ‘I know it’s a bit of a surprise. We’ve been working things out between us, so we didn’t want to tell anyone, including you, until we were sure about us as a couple. It definitely wasn’t something we were going to discuss with you while you were away.’
Rhett shuffled closer. ‘Tell us what you’re thinking, love. We don’t want our actions to hurt you in any way. Your dad and I have always loved one another, and we don’t want to waste any more time. We want to be together. We are together.’
‘And we’re going to make it official,’ added Heath.
It took a moment, but Willow finally spoke. ‘Marriage?’
Rhett nodded, clenching her fingers.
She hates the idea. I don’t know what to…
‘Okay,’ said Willow.
‘Okay what?’ asked Heath.
Willow shrugged one shoulder. ‘I always wanted my parents to be together, even tried to make it happen whenever I could when I was little. You know, like faking illness so you’d both be at my side. Together. Erm, sorry about that. The point is, well, as shocked as I am, I’m happy for you both. Honestly. I want you to be happy.’
Rhett swallowed the lump in her throat that the tea failed to shift. ‘Really, Willow? Because we need you to be truthful. Don’t feel the need to be polite.’
‘I’m not, Mum. I love you both, and I’m happy. I’m just gobsmacked, that’s all.’
Heath got up to kiss Willow’s head before placing his arm around her and Rhett, bringing them in for a group hug. ‘I love you both.’
‘Oh, wow!’ Willow shook her head and smiled. ‘It’s really happening? You’re getting married?’
Rhett nodded. ‘Yep.’
‘When?’
Heath sat next to Rhett, taking her hand. ‘I’ve managed to book us in at the register office at the end of the month. Not sure if it was luck they had a cancellation the day I called or your grandad sprinkling down some angel magic.’
Willow’s whole face lit up. ‘Oh my gosh, we don’t have long to arrange a wedding.’ She jumped up, flapping an arm. ‘There’s so much to do, we have to—’
‘Whoa!’ said Rhett, joining her. ‘We’ve already made our plans. We’re going to the register office alone. Just like we planned all those years ago. It’s what we want.’
Heath stood to link their hands. ‘But then, we’re coming back here and having a small private service with just our family. That way, you will all get to see us unite. We’ll make it look like a wedding. Get a flower arch, that sort of thing. And a barbeque in the garden and the wildlife around us will do just fine.’
Willow smiled widely. ‘Sounds perfect. But who will officiate the home-wedding part? You’ll need someone to stand up front to say a few words, even if the legal part is done. It’ll be nice to do our own thing.’
‘Actually,’ said Rhett, smiling at Heath, who gave her a slight nod. ‘We were hoping you might like the job.’
Willow squealed, bouncing on the spot whilst lightly clapping her hands in front of her chest. ‘Really?’
They both nodded, and Willow squealed some more. Rhett went to speak, but Florence came bursting in through the opened front door like a whirlwind, flapping her arms and catching her breath.
‘They’ve only gone and found the medal,’ she yelled.
Willow frowned. ‘What medal?’