‘Okay. Yes. That’s true. But I don’t want to live without you. I want you to stay here. I want us to try. I want to give Baby Groot a proper family, and spend time with you in the camper van, and wake up in your arms on more than one morning. I want us to have stupid conversations that only we understand, and I want to bonk you silly, and I want to help you zombie-proof Briarwood. I want all of that – and I’m sorry I was ever stupid enough to think I didn’t.’
He takes his time responding, and for one heart-stopping second I think he will say no. That my crazy dash through the undergrowth will be wasted. That I’ve risked pneumonia and ruined a perfectly good dress all for nothing. That he’ll get back in the Noddy car, and whisk himself and Rick Grimes and Baby Groot away, back to a simpler life in London, away from insane women with pink hair and complicated families and snooty Border Terriers.
I cling onto his hands, and feel the tears finally flow, and wonder if this is it – the moment I say goodbye to the legendary ghost boy of Briarwood, who will haunt me for the rest of my days.
He reaches out, and wraps me into his arms. He holds my head against his chest, and kisses my hair, and swamps me with his warmth. I feel safe, and loved, and want more than anything for this to last. For this to be a beginning, not an end.
‘Of course I’ll stay,’ he says, his breath warm against my skin. ‘Because I was lying – I don’t care what the science says. I can’t live without you, either.’
Chapter 39
My name is Willow Longville. I am twenty-six years old. I live in a village called Budbury, with my mum Lynnie. I work as a waitress at the Comfort Food Café, and I run my own cleaning business called Will-o’-the-Wash. I have a dog called Bella Swan, and I love my life. In the last few weeks, the following things have happened …
1. I have given Superwurzel a brand new look for the summer – a Hawaiian shirt I found in a charity shop, cool shades, and a pair of Van’s old football shorts.
2. I have volunteered as a cleaner at the day centre, to help them keep costs down – although their future is looking a bit more shiny after they received an anonymous donation from someone who chose only to be known as ‘flange bracket’.
3. I have progressed from choux pastry to filo, but it all burned so I don’t think I’ll become a chef after all.
4. I have taken my mother for her latest check-up, which was hellish as usual.
5. I have decided to go back to the Twisted Sisters to chat to Blister Bum Bobby, who may or may not be my father.
6. I have had Lizzie over for movie and pizza night, as she did brilliantly in her GCSEs.
7. I have spoken to my brother Angel. He explained that on the day he visited us, his girlfriend Charlotte had also told him she was pregnant, and everything felt too big for him to cope with – he is sad about what happened, and plans to come and visit again. I pretend to be understanding, but am a flawed human being, and secretly hope he rediscovers his backbone in time for his trip.
8. I have left Mum alone with Van and Auburn on three separate occasions, none of which resulted in anything more dramatic than me getting to spend blissful nights with my geek-boy lover in a camper van in the woods.
9. I have watched the whole of Friday Night Lights, and have to agree that I, too, am in love with Tim Riggins.
10. I helped Tom stock the Briarwood cellar with essentials like water, beef jerky, glow sticks and antiseptic cream. Bring it on, zombies – you won’t stand a chance at the House on the Hill.
Epilogue
It’s a gorgeous day in late summer. Frank has had his eighty-second birthday – the theme was Explorers, and we all wore pith helmets and drank gin and tonic in a big tent Cherie had set up in the garden. The teenagers came as lions and tigers, with species-appropriate onesies and matching face paint.
The summer has been busy, with most of the population of the Western hemisphere coming to the Comfort Food Café to enjoy Laura’s cakes and paninis and chocolate-flavoured milkshakes. Now it’s the end of the season, and there’s a real ‘school’s out’ feeling for all of us as the pace of life quietens down.
Things with Mum have been up and down, but that’s always been the way. Some of her symptoms are getting worse, and some exciting new ones are springing up as well – but she can still have days where everything feels normal; or as normal as it can with Lynnie.
I’ve been in regular contact with Robert, after breaking the news to him that his one-night stand with the mysterious Ms Longville might have resulted in the creation of yours truly. Maybe, at some point, we’ll do a paternity test – not live on the Jeremy Kyle show or anything – to find out for sure. At the moment, we’re both feeling our way through a tricky situation, and getting to know each other.
Auburn is up and running at the village pharmacy, ably assisted by her glamorous assistant, Katie. Van is working for Frank, and will be at least until harvest is done. He seems happy enough, but I do sometimes catch him sitting in the garden, staring into space, as though his head is somewhere else entirely.
Today, we are all here together, at Briarwood. All of the work is done, and in mid-September, the first of Tom’s Baby Boffins will be arriving to immerse themselves in its splendid isolation while they hone their skills. We’re all really excited about it – especially Tom.
I am sitting on the edge of the fountain, looking on as he chats to Van about his plans. He’s wearing the same Godzilla T-shirt he was wearing on the day we were reunited, all those months ago. He’s waving his arms around, his brown eyes shining with enthusiasm. I am completely and utterly mad about him. I know he feels the same about me, because he tells me so all the time. This is a small miracle, and something I celebrate every single day.
Auburn is sitting next to me, tapping her fingers on her knees, jittering around as usual. She’s had a few private lessons with Mateo, but it’s clearly nothing more than a fling. She’s rediscovered her mojo with Mum, though, and finally feels confident enough to be alone with her. We work out our hours together, the three of us, so we are always available for Lynnie adventures.
The sun is warm today, and the air is still and quiet – no breeze, and no sound apart from Tom and Van’s chatter, and the mellow hum of the birds and the bees and the tinkling of water in the now-restored fountain behind us.
Off on the edge of the garden is my mum. She has a big tartan blanket spread out on the grass, and she is stretched out contentedly in the sunlight. She’s very happy right now, because Angel is here. He’s here with his baby, a pudgy little girl called Heather, and they’re both on the blanket with her. Heather has her tiny fingers curled around one of Mum’s, and Angel is watching them fondly.
He looks up, and sees me, and smiles. I smile back, wave, and sigh out loud. Auburn looks at me, and raises her eyebrows.
‘What’s up?’ she says.
‘Nothing. Just happy,’ I reply, gazing around at everyone. This is the first time we’ve all been together in so long, and it’s perfect.
Mum disengages her finger from Heather, and sits up, cross-legged. Her grey hair is wild, and she is watching us all, her eyes flitting from one to the other, pausing on each. She smiles, and reaches for her notepad and pen.
Does she even know who we are? Are we friendly strangers or cherished children in her mind? Is she calm because she understands where she is and who she is with, or is she just enjoying the warm day and the company of a cute baby?
I honestly have no idea – but for now, I simply choose not to care. I am here, in the sunshine, surrounded by my family, and a man who makes me insanely happy.
She might not know who I am – but is that really the point? I know who she is. And I love her.
Today is a good day. I feel strong. I feel lucky. I feel whole. My name is Willow Longville, and I love my life.
Acknowledgements
The biggest thank you of all must really go to my readers – the Comfort Food Café fans who love it as much as I do. I’ve lost count of the number of time
s I’ve received e-mails or comments about how much they wish it was a real place – well, so do I. Wouldn’t it be great if we could all meet up there, for coffee and cake and a chinwag with Cherie and the gang?? Without your continued support and enthusiasm there wouldn’t still be a Café, and I wouldn’t still be telling these stories – so thank you, so much.
As ever, a mahoosive great big THANK YOU to my family – you all totally rock. Dom, thank you for at least trying to stop your eyes from glazing over when I tell you my ‘fascinating’ plot plans and tales of publishing. It’s not been an easy year, my love, but we shall overcome. Kids – thank you for being simply the best (and no, I don’t know what’s for dinner). Much appreciation also to the friends who help keep me practically sane, through their humour, kindness, patience and willingness to sit in pubs with me. I might not have a real-life Comfort Food Café, but I do have the friends, which makes me a very lucky woman indeed.
Extra dollops of thanks to my author friends, who are the closest thing I have to colleagues, and who have been incredibly tolerant of my ups and downs this year: Jane Costello/Catherine Isaac, Jane Linfoot, Milly Johnson and Carmel Harrington.
Giant whoop-whoops and other enthusiastic noises also for Kim Young and the team at HarperCollins, especially Charlotte Ledger – she’s the Publisher of the Year, don’t you know? Thank you, Charlotte, for being boss-lady, editor, drinking partner, inspiration and cheerleader all rolled into one.
Last but not least, thank you to my superb agenting team – Rowan Lawton and Eugenie Furniss and their lovely squad at Furniss Lawton.
If you enjoyed Sunshine at the Comfort Food Café, you might enjoy these other books from Debbie Johnson…
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About the Author
Debbie Johnson is an award-winning author who lives and works in Liverpool, where she divides her time between writing, caring for a small tribe of children and animals, and not doing the housework. She writes romance, fantasy and crime, which is as confusing as it sounds!
Her best-selling books for HarperCollins include The Birthday That Changed Everything, Summer at the Comfort Food Café, Christmas at the Comfort Food Café, Cold Feet at Christmas, Pippa’s Cornish Dream and Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Jumper.
You can find her supernatural crime thriller, Fear No Evil, featuring Liverpool PI Jayne McCartney, on Amazon, published by Maze/Avon Books.
Debbie also writes urban fantasy, set in modern day Liverpool. Dark Vision and the follow-up Dark Touch are published by Del Rey UK, and earned her the title ‘a Liverpudlian Charlaine Harris’ from the Guardian.
@debbiemjohnson
www.facebook.com/debbiejohnsonauthor
www.debbiejohnsonauthor.com
Also by Debbie Johnson
Cold Feet at Christmas
Pippa’s Cornish Dream
Never Kiss a Man in a Christmas Jumper
The Birthday That Changed Everything
Summer at the Comfort Food Café
Christmas at the Comfort Food Café
The A-Z of Everything
Coming Home to the Comfort Food Café
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
http://www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Canada
2 Bloor Street East - 20th Floor
Toronto, ON, M4W, 1A8, Canada
http://www.harpercollins.ca
India
HarperCollins India
A 75, Sector 57
Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201 301, India
http://www.harpercollins.co.in
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited
P.O. Box 1
Auckland, New Zealand
http://www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London,SE1 9GF
http://www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
195 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
http://www.harpercollins.com
Sunshine at the Comfort Food Café Page 29
