Ivy Lane: Winter: Part 4

by Cathy Bramley

  ‘I told you my life was complicated and it is . . . was . . .’ I hesitated, my mind searching for the right words.

  Tell him, Tilly, open your heart.

  I wanted to tell him, but the lump in my throat got in the way and I lowered my forehead to his chest.

  Aidan gently lifted my chin and the look he gave me was so tender that tears pricked at my eyes.

  ‘Charlie told me about James, about the car accident and losing the baby,’ he murmured.

  Words failed me suddenly so I simply nodded.

  ‘Tilly, knowing what you’ve been through only makes me . . .’ He took a deep breath and brushed the tip of his thumb across my lips, ‘It makes me love you more. And I promise you that from now on, I will do everything – anything – to make you the happiest girl in the world. I can only imagine . . .’

  I placed a finger lightly to his lips.

  ‘Thank you,’ I whispered, my mind racing as I processed his words.

  He loves me.

  ‘Aidan, sometimes terrible things happen and you wish with all your heart that you could turn the clock back, do things differently, and you tell yourself that if only this had happened, or that had happened it could have all worked out perfectly.’

  I swallowed and stroked his beautiful face with my fingertips.

  ‘But that’s not how life works. It’s taken me a long time to come to terms with that since losing James. And an even longer time to look on the bright side, to find the silver lining in my life. But the thing is . . .’ I tilted my chin until I could feel his breath on my face. ‘I think that you just might be my silver lining.’

  He laced his hands through tendrils of my hair and kissed me. The feel of his lips against mine was so sweet, so exquisite, that it was almost too much to bear. And as I kissed him back, with every atom of my body rising to meet his, I felt a lightness, as if I was floating on air. My heart was lifting too and the last traces of grief that had been with me since losing James finally dissolved and melted in to the past.

  As the kiss ended, I pulled away and cradled his face in my hands, committing the feel of his cheekbones, the scent of his skin, every contour, every detail to memory. From now on I realized I would be making new memories and, whilst James would be forever part of me, I had a new life to look forward to.

  My new life with Aidan.

  As we gazed at each other for a long moment, a feeling of peace washed over me and I knew unequivocally that this man was my future.

  I glanced up to the ceiling and noticed a small sprig of mistletoe, nailed roughly to the ceiling in the middle of the shed.

  All Charlie’s work.

  What a sweet thing to do. My heart swelled with warmth for Charlie for bringing Aidan and I together so selflessly.

  ‘I’m so sorry,’ I said, pulling him playfully by the lapels of his jacket until we were directly underneath the mistletoe. I lifted my eyes upwards and he followed my gaze. ‘But I’m afraid we are going to have to do that all over again.’

  I smiled into the eyes of the man who had brought me back to life, back to love, and saw my own happiness reflected back at me.

  He lowered his mouth to mine. ‘With my absolute pleasure.’

  Four months later

  I finally located my mobile on approximately the twelfth ring after a frantic search through the trail of abandoned clothes on the living-room floor and blushed at the memory of our ‘quiet night in’.

  Whoever it was, calling at this time in the morning, was certainly persistent. I peered at the screen and grinned: Gemma – who else?

  ‘Take your time dot com!’ she huffed down the line.

  ‘Sorry,’ I panted, ‘couldn’t find my mobile.’

  I grabbed a blanket from the end of the sofa and wrapped it sarong-style around me. Conversations with my best friend were rarely brief and despite the sun glinting through the – thankfully – closed curtains, the morning was still chilly.

  ‘OK, so what are you wearing?’ she asked briskly.

  ‘Um, at the moment? Just a blanket,’ I laughed.

  ‘A bl . . .? Ooh, Tilly Parker, you little minx! Well, lucky you, that’s all I can say. His Lordship woke me up a full three hours ago. Anyway,’ she sighed, ‘I dread to think when I’ll be brave enough to let Mike see me naked again. My body is strictly for my eyes only at the moment.’

  ‘Nonsense,’ I retorted. ‘Your husband worships the ground you walk on. Even more so now you’ve given him a baby boy. Talking of whom, how is my godson today?’

  ‘Adorable. And he’s so clever. Do you know what he did this morning . . .?’

  I clamped the phone between my ear and shoulder and made appropriate noises while I boiled the kettle for tea. Gemma and Mike, rightly so, were besotted with their three-month-old son and liked to keep me updated with his miraculous progress in minute detail. I didn’t mind one bit; I was completely smitten with him myself.

  ‘Anyway what I called to say was that he’s wearing a purple velvet suit to his christening, so can you just bear that in mind when you’re picking your outfit out for today, please. I don’t want you two to clash on the photographs.’

  ‘OK,’ I said, rather bewildered. ‘I thought babies traditionally wore white?’

  ‘Oh no.’ I heard her shudder down the phone. ‘White completely drains him. Actually, we’re all wearing purple; we thought it would be nice to be fully colour-coordinated.’

  ‘We?’ I chuckled, imagining the look of resignation on poor Mike’s face.

  I promised to dress appropriately and rang off. I carried two mugs along the hall, past Aidan’s suitcase – a sight that gave me butterflies every time I saw it – and trotted up the stairs as quickly as I could without spilling the tea.

  I paused in the doorway to give my heart the chance for a proper flutter. Aidan was still asleep, his swirl of thick dark hair the only thing visible above the duvet. I sighed. A big happy, contented sigh. I didn’t think I would ever tire of looking at him.

  Four months. Just four months together and he had totally transformed my world. And not gradually either! Aidan had appeared on Christmas Day after lunch with presents for all of us, including Mum’s new boyfriend Clive (who is one of the sweetest men I’ve ever met) and had even accompanied me to James’s parents’ Boxing Day buffet. I sighed again, remembering what an emotional day it had been for all of us, but James’s mum had taken me to one side before we left and given me her blessing. We would always be welcome in their home, she had promised, both me and Aidan.

  Setting a mug down next to his side of the bed, I moved to the window to open the curtains. There was still so much to do before the christening, especially now I’d have to rethink my outfit. The red flowery dress I planned on wearing certainly wouldn’t do.

  I pulled back the curtains and peered outside. A beautiful morning, perfect for such a special day. Aidan stirred as the sun bathed the room in a pinky orange light.

  ‘Good morning, sleepy head.’

  I dropped a kiss on his lips and he stretched languorously and rubbed his eyes.

  ‘Hello, gorgeous.’ He pulled me towards him, but I slipped out of his grasp. Much as I’d rather climb back into bed and wile away the morning wrapped in his arms, I had too much to do. I knew I couldn’t get away without washing my hair (I did not want to suffer the wrath of Gemma if I turned up to my godson’s christening looking anything less than immaculate). Then I needed to get dressed in purple – which wasn’t going to be easy – not to mention finish packing and drop off Cally at the cattery. After that we would pack the car, arrive at the church for noon and drive straight from there to the airport . . . Heavens! All of that in less than two hours!

  ‘What sort of day is it?’ Aidan asked.

  ‘Weather-wise, glorious. Activity-wise, extremely busy, so time to get up, I’m afraid. We’re already behind schedule. You might have packed your suitcase, but I’ve still got heaps to do.’

  I opened my wardrobe doors and looked for someth
ing purple.

  ‘What can I say, you wore me out last night, I need my sleep.’ He sat up, sipped his tea.

  I giggled and peered at him over my shoulder. ‘Are you complaining?’

  He pulled the corner of the duvet back and patted the mattress. ‘Come on, get back in.’ He stared at me with those beautiful eyes and gave me his cutest grin.

  My whole body tingled with love for him. How could I resist? He was simply irresistible. I sighed and looked at the clock.

  ‘Please? I won’t be here for another six weeks.’

  There was a handsome man in my bed and I was wittering on about schedules. What was I even hesitating for? I dived back under the covers and kissed him. Another fifteen minutes wouldn’t hurt . . .

  We made it to the church in plenty of time, although I was convinced I’d forgotten to pack something. But I had the tickets and my passport and Aidan and really, nothing else mattered.

  ‘Here you go.’ Mia handed us a pamphlet each. ‘All the prayers and stuff are in it. You’ve got words to say, Tilly.’

  ‘Have I?’ I bit my lip and followed Aidan into the church.

  ‘Parker Elton?’ he sniggered with an amused frown as he read the Order of Service.

  I giggled. I was honoured that Gemma and Mike had named their son after me, but no matter how often I heard his middle name, it still made me smile.

  ‘Elton John,’ I whispered. ‘Gemma’s guilty pleasure. Ooh look, it’s the proud grandparents!’

  I linked my arm through Aidan’s and led him to the side of the church where Christine was flicking invisible specks from Roy’s jacket while he tugged at his collar.

  ‘Well, don’t you scrub up well!’ I said, placing a kiss on Roy’s cheek and giving Christine a hug.

  ‘I could say the same about you, Tilly,’ said Christine, beaming at Aidan and me. ‘Being in love suits you. Put some colour in your cheeks, so it has.’

  ‘She’s beautiful, isn’t she?’ agreed Aidan, reaching an arm around my waist. ‘A fairy Godmother, I’d say.’

  I certainly had colour now. ‘Stop it, you lot. You’re making me blush!’

  ‘Congratulations on your TV award, Aidan,’ said Roy, shaking his hand.

  ‘Thank you.’ Aidan bowed his head modestly. ‘Couldn’t have done it without the Ivy Lane community, of course.’

  ‘Oh yes!’ exclaimed Christine, turning to me. ‘Was it very exciting? Did you see lots of celebs.’

  I laughed. She sounded just like her daughter had when I’d phoned her after the red carpet event. ‘It was amazing,’ I confirmed. ‘I’ve never been so nervous in my life. Nor so proud, seeing Aidan and Suzanna accepting the award.’

  Aidan and I exchanged glances. I felt his arm tighten around my waist and thought my heart would burst with love.

  ‘Tilly!’ I turned to see who had called my name and spotted Liz waving at me, hanging onto Nigel’s arm. I left Aidan to save me a space in a pew and went over to say hello. They were tanned and relaxed and clearly more in love than ever.

  ‘How was Madeira? You look well,’ I said, kissing them both.

  Tickets to see the flower festival in Madeira had been Nigel’s Secret Santa present to Liz. Hardly within the ten-pound budget, but the two of them looked so happy that I was sure it had been worth every penny.

  ‘Wonderful,’ breathed Liz. ‘Wasn’t it, Nigel?’

  ‘Absolutely,’ said Nigel, ‘and er, quite eventful as it turned out.’

  Liz flushed and waggled her left hand. An elegant solitaire diamond ring sparkled from her third finger.

  ‘Congratulations! I’m so pleased for you.’ I gave them a hug and excused myself to join Gemma, who was on the altar testing the temperature of the water in the baptismal font.

  ‘Freezing!’ she hissed. ‘Parker’s going to do his nut when the vicar splashes him with this.’

  ‘He looks like Little Lord Fauntleroy in this outfit,’ I giggled, planting a kiss on Gemma’s cheek and taking Parker from her. I nuzzled his soft velvety skin and inhaled his delicious baby scent.

  ‘I’m going to miss you,’ I murmured, pressing my lips to his cheeks.

  ‘More to the point, aren’t you going to miss Aidan?’ Gemma touched my arm gently and frowned.

  I shrugged helplessly. ‘We’ll have two weeks together in the Galápagos Islands before I have to come back to school, so he’ll only be there for four weeks without me. And his next job after that is producing a programme about woodland habitats back here so it won’t be too bad. Anyway, I’ll be busy on the allotment in May, you know how it is.’

  Besides which, we had the rest of our lives together. There was no rush.

  The church was filling up and virtually everyone from Ivy Lane allotments was here. It was nearly time for the christening to start and I saw Mike trying to catch Gemma’s eye to come and sit down.

  ‘I met Aidan’s family yesterday,’ I whispered out of the corner of my mouth.

  ‘And?’ Her blue eyes widened with curiosity.

  ‘Perfectly lovely, of course.’ I grinned and lifted one eyebrow. ‘You’d love his sister, completely barmy, didn’t shut up for a second . . .’

  ‘Cheek!’ she tutted, pretending to be affronted but then her eyes softened and she hugged me, planting an indulgent kiss on Parker’s cheeks as she did so. ‘Seriously though, Tills, he’s just right for you and I’m delighted to see you looking so happy.’

  The vicar appeared from a door at the side of the church and asked us all to take our seats. Gemma took baby Parker from my arms and joined Mike and Mia in the front row and I squeezed into the row behind next to Aidan, catching sight of Hayley as I did so, clamped to her boyfriend Ben in the back row. She winked and did a double thumbs-up and I grinned back.

  The church’s double doors clattered as they opened and shut and Charlie dashed in, pulling Freya behind him, the pair of them breathless and windswept. I pressed my lips together in a secret smile. So much for her not being his type.

  Gemma turned round in her seat and twinkled her eyes at the pair of us. ‘Ah, look at you two! Happy ending dot com.’

  Aidan leaned forward and dotted Parker’s nose affectionately with his finger. ‘Who says it’s the end?’ he whispered to Gemma with a grin.

  At that moment the vicar cleared his throat and gestured for us all to stand. ‘We are gathered here today to celebrate a new life . . .’

  I turned to Aidan and gazed into his loving brown eyes. He laced his fingers through mine and we shared a knowing smile.

  I couldn’t have put it better myself.

  Dear readers,

  So we come to the end of a year at Ivy Lane and what a year it has been for Tilly and Co.! Even though there is a happy ending for the lovely Tilly Parker, I don’t know about you, but I miss her already.

  I just want to say a huge Heart-Felt THANK YOU to everyone who has stayed with Tilly and me throughout this year to read the whole series and for getting so swept up in her story and speculating what Tilly’s secret might be. I have enjoyed your online reviews so much as well as delighting in the many Twitter and Facebook conversations which have appeared as readers have finished each part. It has been absolute torture keeping schtum about the story, but I managed it. I didn’t even confide in my mum, the allotment aficionado, as to how the story would end!

  I know that some people prefer to read their fiction in one long marathon session and that the serialized novel is not for everyone. However, writing Ivy Lane has made me understand just how different we are as readers and that there can be immense fun in the anticipation of the arrival of the next part.

  I finished writing Ivy Lane in April and I immediately began to miss my fictional friends. Luckily, Harriet Bourton, my wonderful editor, who seems to know exactly what I should do next, planted a little seed in my mind for a new ebook series to follow on from Ivy Lane. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the waitress who’d only popped up in Ivy Lane Winter seemed to have a lot more to say th
at I’d given her chance to so far.

  After a few days of walking around with a glazed expression, muttering to myself, looking straight through my poor family, Freya Moorcroft had her own story to tell. And soon you can read all about her and some other familiar characters in a brand new ebook series called Appleby Farm.

  Thank you all so much for your lovely messages, emails and Tweets. Please keep them coming, they really do mean the world to me. Writing fiction is ninety-nine percent sitting alone with my computer, and receiving encouragement from my readers really does help me to keep on writing.

  Warmest wishes,

  Cathy Bramley

  Have you loved reading the Ivy Lane series?

  If you’ve been charmed by the unusual characters that Tilly befriended on the allotments and have beamed over Aidan and Tilly finding happiness via the vegetable patch, we’d love to hear from you.

  Send a tweet to @TransworldBooks using #IvyLaneLove and we will mention everyone we hear from in a special ‘Thank You’ page in the Ivy Lane paperback, where Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter will be published all together for the first time in February 2015.

  The closing date is 31st December 2014, so tweet us before Christmas to be included!

  @TransworldBooks #IvyLaneLove

  Coming February 2015, a charming and funny new four-part series from Cathy Bramley...

  Appleby Farm

  Freya Moorcroft has wild red hair, mischievous green eyes, a warm smile and a heart of gold. She’s been happy working at the café round the corner from Ivy Lane allotments and her romance with her new boyfriend is going well, she thinks, but a part of her still misses the beautiful rolling hills of her Cumbrian childhood home: Appleby Farm.

  Then a phone call out of the blue and a desperate plea for help change everything...

  The farm is in financial trouble, and it’s taking its toll on the aunt and uncle who raised Freya. Heading home to lend a hand, Freya quickly learns that things are worse than she first thought. As she summons up all her creativity and determination to turn things around, Freya is surprised as her own dreams for the future begin to take shape.