A bright blue sky greeted Emily on her return to Birchtide. A couple of days of warmth had begun to melt off the lying snow, but another heavy snowfall was due on Christmas Eve, so Emily knew she had to get going over to Karen’s before then.
With great reluctance, she had turned down an offer from Alan to have Christmas dinner at Rowe Farm, deciding instead to give Karen some moral support at David’s for a few days. She would certainly have liked to be a fly on the wall; after all, Alan had also invited Nathan, Mrs. Taylor, Skip, and both Peter and Veronica’s entire families. Alan, who had promised to stop by the teahouse sometime in early January, would surely give her a complete talk through.
Like the aging of a fine wine, her feelings for the farmer had taken some time to develop. Whenever she thought about Nathan now, she found herself smiling at his awkwardness and feeling a sense of relief that he had found some kind of closure.
When she thought of Alan, however, things seemed a little different.
She thought of his welcoming kitchen with its natural warmth, and of the smiles of the children so eager to see her again. She imagined relaxing walks in the fields with a cool, clear winter sky overhead, and quiet evenings sitting around his open fire, mulling over the events of the day.
And most of all, she thought of his kind, resilient smile, and the unfaltering brightness of his eyes. The eyes of a man who had been through so much, the eyes of man who deserved to find happiness and peace.
She was looking forward to seeing him, so much that the idea of it gave her a little tingle in the stomach. She had already sent him an email suggesting an arrangement to supply milk for her business. His reply had come so quickly it was almost as though he’d been waiting for it, and it gave them a reason to meet again early in the new year. There had been something latent there for sure, hidden perhaps behind more serious events, but now that the roads were clear, other developments were free to happen. Emily was putting no pressure on it, however. She had her own priorities now, which would take up much of her time.
One of them was hiring some new staff.
As she walked up the path to the teahouse entrance, she saw the signboard she had placed outside still stood where she had left it, underneath the porch roof. A swirling text surrounded by a flower design announced:
ELAINE & EMILY’S
GRAND REOPENING
JANUARY 1st
Pinned to the chalkboard were dozens of messages of support, plastic flowers, even a teddy bear.
She smiled.
It would go well, she was sure. Particularly with Veronica to help her. For the first month at least, after which Veronica would be coming every Monday, to learn more about running a business and dealing with customers. Emily had put it to Veronica that she affiliate her little shop in Cottonwood with the teahouse, and the girl had jumped at the chance. Emily required a certain standard, so Veronica would need to be put through her paces, and Emily would have to visit Cottonwood frequently to ensure her standards were being met. Veronica, however, had been so excited she had even offered to cut her hair, although Emily had vehemently refused.
‘You’ve got to be you,’ she said. ‘Customers will see through an act in a second. That’s what my grandmother always said.’
She put her suitcase down outside the door and fumbled in her pocket for her key. Over the door the sign read, “Elaine’s Teahouse”. Emily had already ordered a replacement, to add her own name. It should be arriving just after Christmas.
The hard work began now, but it was a challenge Emily felt ready for. She unlocked the door and let herself inside.
‘I’m back,’ she said, then added, ‘I’m home.’
And meant it.
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