Chapter 30
Chapter Thirty
Five months later
D illy was up with the gulls, sitting in the new gallery at the lighthouse, just a couple of hours before it was due to open. The soft light of the day was already filtering through the windows, casting a golden glow on the artwork that adorned the walls. Dilly loved this time in the morning when she could sit at her desk enjoying a cup of tea. The familiar clang of the letterbox sounded and the national Sunday newspaper landed on the mat with a thud. She hurried to pick it up, her heart racing with anticipation. She flipped through the pages, her eyes scanning for the headline she knew would be there.
TWINS BORN AT PUFFIN ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE AS HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF.
Her thoughts drifted back to a week ago, to the night the twins were born, a night marked by a storm that would go down as the second worst that Puffin Island had seen in seventy-five years.
The island had been battered by relentless winds and rain. On the eve of the storm, Max was still living above the boat house, their plan having been to move him in the following day. Even though Dilly had wanted him to move in at the start of the relationship, she also wanted the time to date and enjoy the first flush of love. There had been something magical about the nights they’d spent apart and she’d cherished waking up alone in the lighthouse and glancing out of the window to see Max across at the boat house. He would greet her with a playful message using the semaphore flags, their private romantic code that made her heart skip a beat every time. It had become a charming ritual that she loved, and they had fallen into a way of life together that felt effortless and right.
Still, she had been looking forward to his moving in, and being able to wake up and see his smile in her bed, rather than across the bay.
The wind was howling that day and Dilly had had a niggle in her belly all morning. The Braxton Hicks were playing havoc across her stomach, leaving her uncomfortable. With a throw wrapped around her shoulders, she’d sat on the bedroom floor using the binoculars to watch Max. He’d somehow known she was watching as the signal soon came: the three flashes of light telling her he was about to send his last message via the semaphore flags from the boat house.
I L-O-V-E Y-O-U
She’d smiled. Even though Max had shared those words with her out loud, he’d never spelled it out via the flags. She’d known he was waiting for her return message so she’d bent down to pick up the flags… and taken a sharp breath.
‘Woah!’ she’d said as the tightening across her chest took her breath away and she felt a warm, unexpected rush of wetness spreading down her legs. Her eyes widened as she realised that her waters had just broken.
As soon as the contraction eased, she’d thrown open the window to give Max a clearer view of the message. The wind howled and the rain was lashing down as she spelled it out.
H-U-R-R-Y B-A-C-K I-M I-N L-A-B-O-U-R
Max had been looking at Dilly through binoculars and as soon as he’d deciphered the message he’d dropped them and sprinted across the harbour towards the jetty.
‘The babies are coming!’ Dilly had gasped as he rushed through the door. She clutched her stomach as another contraction rippled through her, making her knees buckle.
Max had grabbed her hand. ‘Dil, the causeway is closed. The tide is in. The storm is raging, and we can’t get you to the hospital.’ His voice was panicked.
‘Call Betty. She’s done this before!’
Soon the lighthouse was alive with activity as a long line of people hurried up the jetty, battling against the howling wind and sheets of rain. Ralph, Betty, Annie and Clemmie had burst through the lighthouse door, their clothes soaked, faces flushed with urgency and determination.
As Ralph set about making tea to steady everyone’s nerves, Betty and Max had disappeared up the spiral staircase to the bedroom. For over an hour, the group downstairs had waited until finally, through the howling wind, they’d heard the cry of newborns echoing down the staircase.
‘We have two healthy baby girls!’ Max had shouted down to the others. ‘Mother and babies are both doing well.’
Now, hearing a rap on the door, Dilly was pulled from her memories.
‘Aunt Annie!’ she exclaimed as she opened the door. She kissed her aunt on both cheeks.
‘I’m reporting for duty!’ Annie announced cheerfully as she slipped off her coat and hung it on the stand at the back of the gallery. Since discovering her new family, Annie had taken a bold leap, moving all the way from Devon. She was now renting Seaside Cottage, the very place where Selby had lived her whole life after moving from Lightkeeper’s Cottage.
‘Thank you again for helping to cover for me while I’m on maternity leave.’
‘I’m loving every second of it,’ Annie replied, her gaze drifting to the painting of Eva. As with anything noteworthy on Puffin Island, the news about Selby having had twins had spread quickly, and although it had initially shocked the community, they had welcomed Annie with open arms. In just five months, Annie had become an integral part of Dilly’s life, and her support had been invaluable.
‘And where are the beautiful babies? Can I grab a cuddle before I open up the gallery?’
‘I think they’re still sleeping but we’ll all know the second they wake up.’
‘And do we have any names yet?’
‘Not yet, Aunt Annie, but soon! I’ll go and get myself ready. Here’s the keys to open up – and thank you again, you’ve been amazing. Oh, and take a look at the newspaper!’
Dilly climbed the spiral staircase to the nursery and as she gently pushed open the door, a wave of pure joy washed over her. Max was fast asleep in the armchair in the corner, both babies nestled snugly against his chest.
Max had embraced fatherhood with such ease, effortlessly changing nappies, feeding the babies and grabbing cuddles wherever possible. He stirred and opened his eyes, a warm, sleepy smile spreading across his face. ‘I can’t move,’ he whispered, careful not to disturb the twins.
‘That is such a picture of happiness,’ Dilly replied, laughing softly. ‘How long have you been there?’
‘For a few hours, but I don’t mind, you needed your rest. I think Twin One needs her nappy changing.’ He wrinkled his nose.
‘Aunt Annie’s just arrived and she’s asked me about names again.’
Max’s eyes twinkled as he continued in a hushed tone, ‘You do know everyone’s expecting us to announce their names at this afternoon’s family dinner? We can’t keep calling them Twin One and Twin Two.’
Dilly nodded. ‘I know and I’ve been thinking… I like Selby Eva and Violet Annie. Four strong, remarkable women. What do you think?’
Max looked down at the twins then back towards her. ‘I think that’s perfect.’
She leaned down to kiss him on the top of his head and then each baby’s forehead. ‘Selby and Violet, which one of you will be the most trouble?’ she mused aloud.
Max’s smile widened. ‘I don’t think these two will ever be trouble.’
Gently, Dilly picked up Selby and placed her in the Moses basket whilst Max changed Violet’s nappy. After Violet was placed in the basket next to her sister, Max wrapped his arm around Dilly’s waist, drawing her close. Together, they watched their daughter’s sleep.
‘Even their breaths sync,’ noticed Dilly, watching the gentle rise and fall of their chests. ‘Could you have ever imagined, five months ago, that we’d be here… together… living in a lighthouse and watching the most beautiful set of twins sleep?’
Max squeezed her. ‘Not in my wildest dreams. But here we are, living the most perfect life.’
Just at that moment, Selby stirred and let out a cry that quickly awakened Violet. The twins’ cries soon grew louder and more insistent, as if they were in a playful competition.
Dilly’s laughter bubbled up. ‘It’s Selby who’s going to be the troublemaker. I can feel it!’
Max, with a grin, declared, ‘I’ll get the bottles. It’s all hands on deck!’ His voice rang with enthusiasm as he dashed towards the kitchen.
In that moment of joyous chaos, surrounded by the comforting glow of their lighthouse and the unwavering love they shared, Dilly knew that their life together would be an adventure filled with love, laughter and the occasional challenge, and she was going to embrace every moment of it. She brimmed with love for her family and the life she had created.
‘I love you, Max Harrington,’ she shouted.
‘I love you, Dilly Waters,’ Max shouted back.