Chapter 36
THE LAST DAY
James stands against the guest house’s facade, his weathered leather boots crossed in front of him. I arrive with my rucksack slung over my shoulder and stride up to him.
‘Did you get your work sent in on time?’ he asks.
‘I did! Thank you. Sent it first thing this morning, bright and early.’ Friday is finally here, and the past few days have flown by as I worked on the finishing touches of my illustrations.
Despite any other opinion, I’m super-pleased with them; they’re the best effort I can offer. I’m proud of them. I’m proud of myself.
I hold my hands up in the air. ‘If Lenka likes it great, if she doesn’t, then I’ll figure something else out.’
He nudges me playfully with his elbow. ‘That’s the spirit. So, what time is your flight?’ His voice is gentle, like sunlight trickling through the trees.
I sigh. ‘Later this evening, so we’ve got some time to make the most of our last few hours in Innisfree,’ I say, trying to sound more casual than I really feel.
‘Pity you can’t stay on a few days longer. It would be nice for you to be at the auction in person,’ he says.
‘I wish I could, but I’ve already booked my ticket – everything’s ready to go.’
‘I understand,’ he replies. ‘Rest assured, most people will be tuning in online from all over the world, so you won’t be the only ones following remotely. And, as ever, I’ll be here on the other end of the phone during the whole thing, so any issues at all, just give me a call.’
‘It’s been great being here with you all – feels like home now.’
We share a look, but with our business completed, the time has come for me to move on.
Together we walk to the O’Connor I rub my face, feeling more and more like I’m losing my mind.
I need my head checked. I need to focus on the present.
I need to catch up with Ash. Spend quality time together, in person, instead of just exchanging quick emails and brief texts; virtual communication isn’t the same, and things between us have become strangely distant over the time I’ve been here.
He’s clearly in a mood with me for being away so long, although we discussed it beforehand.
Meanwhile, his lack of interest in anything besides the auction and the eventual sale is beginning to bother me.
We’re at an impasse, and neither of us appear to be winning.
James and I reach the office, and we step through the door together.
I’m hit with the familiar musty scent of old paper and leather-bound books, and Jonathan O’Connor greets me, his silver hair complementing the lines on his weathered face, a testament to the years he’s devoted to this establishment.
‘Ah, there you are,’ he says with an unusual lightness and informality. ‘A good day for you today, Ms Clarke! Everything looks in order!’
My lips curl into a small smile; I appreciate the familiarity and warmth.
James leaves us to it, and Jonathan swiftly ushers me into his office, where walls adorned with generations of O’Connor family portraits watch over us.
He gently lowers himself into his worn leather chair behind the massive desk, its mahogany surface showcasing endless paperwork and abandoned cups of cold tea.
We chat through the legalities and next steps. Amidst the signing and dating of all the documents required, he hesitates for a moment before letting out a long sigh. ‘Ah, and I suppose it’s time I broke the news to you. After all these years and generations, O’Connor & Sons has come to an end.’
I blink in surprise, feeling a sense of loss for a thing I hadn’t even realised held such a dear place in my heart. ‘Oh?’
‘You see, despite all my efforts to uphold our family tradition, it seems life has other plans,’ Jonathan continues, a bittersweet smile gracing his lips.
‘It’s time for me to retire, and James has been given an opportunity he couldn’t pass up, a prestigious role at the Human Rights Advisory Council. New horizons for him in Brussels.’
When I hear the news that James has been hired, I’m ecstatic for him.
He’s worked so hard and has overcome all the odds to land this job.
But with his success comes a strange feeling of loss that I can’t shake.
Innisfree won’t be the same without him, and the thought of my life without him brings on a wave of inexplicable sadness.
Inexplicable that I should care so much about this, considering I’m leaving in a few hours.
James and I will never cross paths again – so what difference does it make?
‘Brussels… Wow, that’s amazing.’ I force a smile and manage a congratulatory remark, though it feels as if my heart is slipping somewhere far away with every word.
As we continue discussing James’ departure, mixed feelings surface within me.
On one hand, I’m filled with pride and happiness for James, progressing his career far beyond the confines of this small village and embracing his true passion.
On the other, a familiar sadness envelops my heart, realising that our paths have already started moving in different directions, that my life will grow a little duller without him by my side.
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch James’ likeness in an old photograph adorning the office wall.
The beaming young man has black hair tousled from a day of adventure outside, and an infectious grin plastered on his face.
I’ve seen that same grin over our time together in Innisfree – playing with Liam and Finn, flirting with Jacinta, sharing a joke with Dom and Fintan, joining in with Kayla’s teasing of me.
I turn away, realising that with James gone, everything I’ve come to love about Innisfree will simply be reduced to another page in its past.
Jonathan then stretches his hand out, and I can see he has a bottle of whiskey in it.
He hands it to me and says, ‘This is just a little token to remind you of us all when you arrive – something to raise a glass with when the sale goes through. It was Mick’s favourite, so it might be a nice way to remember him. ’
I take the whiskey from him and thank him sincerely.
‘It’s me who wants to thank you, Daisy,’ he says softly, fumbling with his bow tie in a way I’ve never seen before. Jonathan O’Connor doesn’t get tongue-tied.
I’m taken aback, laughing in confusion. ‘Thank me? For what?’
‘For bringing the light back into his eyes. I feared it was gone for good. But it’s back. And I dare say brighter than before.’
My eyes fill with tears, and I give him a hug in return. He nods and looks away again, but this time I notice that his eyes are shining with emotion too.
We stand there for a few moments, both lost in our own thoughts. The sound of Jonathan’s phone ringing breaks the trance, and I motion to the door, knowing it’s my time to go.
As I pack the remainder of my things, all I can think of is James. I wonder what he’s doing right now, what he’s thinking about and if our paths could ever cross again. I can’t get the conversation with Jonathan out of my head.
‘For bringing the light back into his eyes.’ It’s hard to hear that James had lost that light before. I couldn’t imagine what he’d gone through, just knew how deeply it had affected him.
‘But it’s back. And I dare say brighter than before.
’ I quickly catch myself, take a deep inhale and flop onto my bed.
I miss James already, even though he’s only been gone for a few hours.
It’s strange how someone can become such an integral part of your life in such a short amount of time.
But I need to snap myself out of this nonsense because in a few hours’ time, I’m going to land right back into my life with Ash.
When the house sale goes through, we can begin to move forward.
I lean against the doorway and unfold the brochure with the listing of The Lake House – the auction details, reserve price, times, dates and all the terms and conditions. I run my fingers over James’ neatly penned notes in the margins…
Suddenly, I hear the doorbell downstairs. It must be our cab. Grace answers the door, and I recognise the voice immediately and my heart skips a beat. I smooth my hair back, lick down my brows and compose myself to walk down the stairs.
I see James, standing in the doorway, a sheepish smile on his face.
‘I was hoping I hadn’t missed you,’ he says quietly, his eyes not meeting mine.
‘James,’ I start, unsure where to begin. ‘Congrats on the job! Brussels! You’re really going!’
His eyes suddenly find mine, and his face softens. ‘I only found out officially this morning. You have your own stuff going on, so I thought it best just to keep things… simple.’
I force a smile and swallow my emotions, saying, ‘Well, congrats!’
He mumbles in response, and I get the sense he’s avoiding physical closeness. Does he suspect like I do what could happen if I brush his skin, smell his cologne or feel the heat of his body next to mine?
I take a step back, needing some time to compose myself. ‘Why are you leaving?’ I ask. ‘You love it here. You have friends and family and your own little piece of the planet.’
He heaves a deep sigh before finally confessing, ‘I’ve always wanted to travel more, experience something new. If nothing ever changes, nothing ever changes. And I’ve decided that I’m ready for a change. Ready to change.’
‘James,’ I say, swallowing hard, ‘I’m really going to miss you.’
My words surprise both of us. We stand in an awkward silence for what feels like ages before James finally speaks, though he looks away as he does so.
‘I’m going to miss you too,’ he says quietly before walking away without another word.