EPILOGUE
Xander had just pulled up outside in his car to collect me. It was my last chance to persuade Dad to come with us, but he was adamant he wasn’t going.
‘I can’t, love,’ he said, seeing the question on my face. ‘People will hate me for what I did. I was involved in a robbery , for heaven’s sake.’ He shook his head wearily.
I sighed. ‘You made a stupid mistake, Dad. No question about that. But the police have decided you won’t be charged with anything, so that must make you feel better?
More importantly, you risked your own life to save someone else, and people won’t forget that.
Yes, there’ll be some people who might judge you harshly, but –’
‘And I’d deserve that.’
‘Well, maybe. Maybe not. But you can’t hide away from the community forever, Dad.
An awful lot of people are going to think as I do, that you’re a man with a good heart who’s now back volunteering at the charity shop and who’s having counselling sessions in order to help with his anxiety and bereavement issues. ’
He smiled. ‘You paint me in a good light and I suppose all those things are true. But you need to just give me some time, love, okay? Let me hide away for a little while longer and have a few more counselling sessions – and then we’ll see if I’m up to attending things like engagement parties?’
‘Okay, Dad. I’ll let you off this time. But Clara and Rory will be sorry not to see you there.
They know all about what happened and Clara especially is of the firm opinion that you need to gather your friends and family around you for support and get out there.
.. get back to a ‘normal’ life as soon as you can. ’
‘She’s probably right, but you know that’s easier said than done.’
‘I do know that, Dad. It can’t be easy. But... Minnie will be sorry not to see you. She’s your biggest fan and I know for a fact that she’s been singing your praises to all her friends.’
He smiled. ‘Minnie wants to be my first client when I get the business back up and running.’
‘Really?’
He nodded. ‘She phoned me yesterday to check how I am and she asked me if I’d landscape her back garden.’
‘Oh, that’s brilliant. I hope you’re going to do it.’
The doorbell rang.
‘Of course I will. She says she’s going to take pictures afterwards and show all her friends at the W.I. and get me some more work.’
Walking to the door, I called back, ‘Minnie’s so lovely.’ Then I smiled at Xander who was standing there looking utterly gorgeous in dark jeans and a white linen shirt. I felt a little leap of happiness inside. ‘We’re just talking about your gran and how amazing she is.’
Xander nodded at Dad over my shoulder. ‘She’s one in a million and she’ll be forever grateful to you.’ He grinned. ‘And so will I.’
Dad looked down rather bashfully, and when he glanced up again, his eyes looked watery.
‘I’m very grateful for her support. And yours, of course.
He looked from Xander to me, then he reached for my hand and squeezed it.
‘Now, what about this engagement party? You’ll be late if you’re not careful.
’ He gave me a rueful smile. ‘You deserve some fun after everything that’s happened recently. ’
In the car, I asked Xander if the police had caught up with Freddie.
He nodded. ‘He called me last night, actually. Right out of the blue. He said he was about to hand himself in to the police and he knew he was going down for what he did. He wanted to know if I’d visit him in prison.’
‘Really? What did you say?’
Xander have a heavy sigh. ‘I said I would, as long as he changed his ways. And he said he’d already decided he was fed up with the life he’d chosen. He said he envied me because I had a reason to get up every day and would I support him in becoming a better person.’
‘Oh, wow.’
He shrugged. ‘Who knows if these feelings of his will last, but he sounded genuine. He’d lost that scathing way of talking to me as if I was the idiot for following the rules and not trying to buck the system. I think Freddie might be growing up at last.’
‘Let’s hope so.’ I reached over and squeezed his hand. ‘He’s lucky to have you in his corner. He’d better not waste this opportunity.’
Xander smiled at me wistfully. ‘He won’t. Not if I have anything to do with it.’
He started the engine, and as we were leaving, a car I recognised drew into the close.
‘Oh, it’s Janet!’ I waved and we both slowed at the entrance so the cars were parallel and I called hello through Rory’s open window. ‘Are you here to see Dad?’
She smiled a little anxiously. ‘Do you think he’s up for a visitor? He told me you and Xander are off to an engagement party, so I thought maybe he’d like a bit of company?’
I nodded. ‘He would. I’m sure of it. He’d love to see you, Janet.’
She smiled and stuck up a thumb. ‘Have a lovely evening,’ she called, as she drove on.
‘Can you wait a minute?’ I asked Xander, turning in my seat to look back.
He grinned. ‘I wish I’d brought my binoculars. You’d get a better view.’
I gave him a sheepish smile. ‘I just worry about Dad. I want to make sure he’s okay with Janet visiting.’
She was parking outside the house now and hurrying up the path. And a few seconds later, the door opened and they smiled at each other. Janet said a few words. And then they hugged tightly, right there on the doorstep.
‘Your neighbour Mavis is going to be having a field day, twitching those curtains of hers,’ remarked Xander.
I chuckled, watching Janet step over the threshold. The door closed and I breathed a happy sigh. ‘It’s people like you and Clara, and Janet and Minnie who’ll eventually give Dad the confidence to start living his life to the full again.’
Xander nodded. ‘It looks as if he’s on his way already with Janet in his corner.’
*****
The party was in full swing when we arrived.
It was a Saturday night and Magic of Dance had closed an hour earlier than usual for the special celebration, and when we walked in, Frank Sinatra was crooning his gorgeously smooth version of ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’. It was one of Dad’s favourite songs.
Mood lighting had made the large, open-plan reception area look so inviting, and someone – Clara, probably – had been busy arranging strings of fairy lights all around, some adorning the stunning central chandelier.
The big reception desk had been turned into a temporary bar and guests were standing in little groups with their drinks, chatting and laughing and mingling.
Clara came over to greet us and point us in the direction of the free bar.
‘Rory insisted we get the caterers in and I’m so glad I agreed,’ she told us breathlessly. ‘They’ve laid out a gorgeous buffet through in the café area if you want to help yourselves, okay? And there’s even someone serving the drinks.’
She was all rosy-cheeked and smiling, in a figure-hugging midnight blue dress. The bodice was encrusted with little gems that sparkled like her eyes, and her long, dark hair was already falling out of the knot she’d forced it into on top of her head but I doubted she’d even noticed.
She looked so happy – and when Rory came over to join us, he slipped his arm around her and she snuggled in and gazed up at him adoringly, looking the picture of relaxed contentment.
I wandered over to the bar area with Xander, loving the feel of his arm around me. And I thought how lovely it was that after our confessional chat in the café that time, both Clara and I had managed to face our challenges and make it through to the other side with smiles on our faces.
Xander ordered us glasses of wine. Then he turned and took me in his arms and kissed me deeply, and I felt myself float away on a cloud of bliss. These days, I was the happiest I’d been in a very long time.
We chatted for a while to Maddy and her lovely husband, Jack, and then she waved more people over and introduced us to some of her colleagues at the Little Duck Pond Café.
Xander was being so charming and funny, chatting to everyone, and I felt proud to be there with him.
So much had happened. With Dad. And with me.
I smiled to myself, watching Xander chat to Jack about football. Life certainly had a way of keeping you on your toes.
I took a sip of my wine and looked around at the happy crowd, all here for Clara and Rory, wanting to share in their happiness and wish them well for the future.
The atmosphere was wonderful. It was just a shame Dad couldn’t be here...
My eye lighted on the far wall. People were milling around there looking at some kind of wall art – and it suddenly clicked. It must be Clara’s photographic project. I’d given her my three favourite photos of Mum and Dad and I was keen to see if she’d used any of them.
I murmured to Rory that I’d be back in a minute and I wandered over to see for myself.
The display covered an entire wall... colourful photos of dancers in full flight on a ballroom floor or smiling at the camera and holding up their trophies. It was simply a magical celebration of dance.
My heart lurched in my chest as I spotted my favourite of all the photos of Mum and Dad – right there in the very centre of the display.
I moved closer, tears misting my eyes. But they were happy tears.
I was so, so proud of them. I’d been so very lucky to have such great parents. Such a wonderful mum...
‘Anika?’
I spun round at the familiar voice. ‘Dad?’
‘I can’t believe I’m here,’ he confessed. ‘But a certain someone can be quite persuasive.’ He looked round for Janet. She was standing half a step behind him, looking quite emotional, and I smiled at her as Dad put his arm around her, drawing her forward.
‘What do you think?’ I whispered, my heart in my mouth as Dad looked at the photo I was pointing at – the one of him and Mum, eyes shining as they embraced each other after their win. The caption read: Frankie and Trevor Martin, Brighton, 1991.
He looked at it for a long moment and I found I was holding my breath.
‘Happy days,’ he murmured at last. ‘Your mum was so beautiful, wasn’t she?’
‘You made a gorgeous couple,’ agreed Janet.
He smiled at her. ‘So did you and Ronnie.’
‘We had some good times, the four of us,’ Janet murmured.
‘We did.’ Blinking fast, Dad gave me a smile that was full of love. My heart full, I moved towards him and he pulled me into a hug.
‘I’m glad you decided to come,’ I whispered, my throat aching with emotion.
‘Me, too. I think.’
I chuckled. ‘I’m making a mess of your lovely shirt.’
‘I don’t care.’ He hugged me tighter.
At last, we drew apart and I saw that Xander had come over to join us. He and Dad greeted each other warmly, shaking hands, and I introduced Xander to Janet.
‘Great photos.’ Taking my hand firmly in his, Xander leaned closer to study them. ‘You look a lot like your mum,’ he said softly, smiling back at me.
‘Do I?’
‘She does, doesn’t she? I’ve always said that,’ agreed Dad.
‘She’s beautiful,’ murmured Xander, leaning closer and kissing me softly on the lips.
Janet smiled. ‘What do you say we leave these young folks to mingle, Trevor, and you and I take to the floor?’
I glanced at Dad, suddenly nervous.
But to my relief, he smiled and said, ‘I’m game if you are.’
‘Good. I’ve always loved this song. Frank Sinatra at his best.’ She took Dad’s hand, gave me a wink and led him over to join the other dancers.
I watched them, mesmerised. They were chatting and laughing as they danced a slow number.
‘I never thought I’d see the day,’ I breathed in amazement.
‘Your dad up dancing?’
I nodded. ‘Respect to Janet!’
‘They do seem like a great couple.’
‘It’s early days. But I’m hopeful.’
He smiled. ‘And what about us? Are you hopeful about us as well?’
I screwed up my nose, pretending to think about this. ‘Ooh, I don’t know. It depends if you’ve managed to keep Luther alive. I couldn’t possibly fall for a plant-killer.’
‘Alive and well and thriving, actually,’ he confirmed. ‘The main spike has turned an amazing reddish-orange colour.’
‘Really? Well, in that case, I’m very, very hopeful about us. I couldn’t actually be any more hopeful, in fact.’
Xander gave me one of his crinkle-eyed, lazy smiles... the sort that made my knees feel as trembly as candyfloss.
Slipping his hands around my waist, he pulled me against him and kissed me deeply so that for a long moment, everyone else at the party faded away and there was just Xander and me, locked in a passionate embrace.
At last, we pulled apart, smiling at each other and with Xander’s arm still firmly around me, we stood there together and watched the dancers.
Seeing Dad laughing with Janet was making me feel warm and happy inside.
And now that Xander and I were finally together, I had a feeling that the dark clouds had finally moved over, and the days ahead for Dad and me would be sprinkled with sunlight from now on...