A warm welcome awaited Rachel and Jill at Primrose Farm. It lifted Rachel’s soul as they came back into the gentle folds of the lush green valley; though she’d had a great time away with her friends, and had loved the rugged Scottish countryside and her lake view, here was where her heart lay.
They dropped Eve off first, Rachel getting out and helping her with her things, including the precious wedding dress that her friend was going to keep safe for her. Rachel gave her an extra big hug as she waved her into her cottage, and back into the arms of her husband and daughter. She still felt pretty stunned by last night’s revelation, and wished them all a silent good luck.
Soon they were turning onto their farm track, and as they pulled up by the farmhouse, Rachel spotted a big homemade banner over the front door that read: ‘Welcome home, Mummy and Grandma!’ with bold sunny flowers in pink and yellow painted each side of the writing. A ‘Maisy creation’ for sure, with a bit of help from Granny Ruth. Though hopefully someone other than Granny had hoisted it into place, Rachel thought, not wanting to imagine Granny teetering up stepladders or suchlike at her grand age.
‘Oh, look, how lovely.’ Jill was grinning from the passenger seat.
Within seconds the front door opened and out bowled Maisy. No sooner was Rachel out of the truck than she was in her arms. ‘I missed you sooo much, Mummy!’
‘Missed you too, petal.’ It was gorgeous to feel her daughter’s solid weight in her arms, smell the shampoo-fresh blonde curls.
‘So, have you been a good girl for everyone?’
‘Yep …’
‘Been good as gold,’ confirmed Ruth, who had trundled out and was there beside them now too.
‘I love the special banner,’ said Grandma Jill, who was next in line to receive a huge Maisy hug.
‘And we’ve made coming-home cupcakes,’ beamed Maisy from Jill’s arms. ‘Chocolate ones.’
‘Wow, you have been busy.’
‘I’ll head in and pop the kettle on then, my lovelies,’ said Ruth, ‘and we can hear all about your trip away.’
Daniel popped out of the Pudding Pantry – the wonderful tearoom venture that they had set up last summer in the converted barn – where he had been helping to serve with Jan today, the pair of them holding the fort whilst Jill and Rachel were away. Jill went across for a few words, and Rachel spied her mum giving him an affectionate kiss on the cheek. It still felt strange to watch, and her heart dipped slightly as she inevitably thought about her dad; yet she was starting to understand and accept her mum’s new relationship.
Moss, their Border collie, gave a welcome bark from his kennel in the yard. Rachel quickly went around to greet him with Maisy at her heels.
‘Hey, boy.’ She opened the catch and he bounded out, skirting her legs as she leaned over to pat the soft fur on his black-and-white head. Moss’s tail never stopped wagging as he happily herded them all back inside the farmhouse kitchen. Home.
There was someone else who Rachel couldn’t wait to see too.
Fifteen minutes later, the sound of his truck pulling up in the yard made her heart sing even more. She dropped her mug of tea down on the kitchen table and dashed out to meet him.
‘Tom!’ She couldn’t hide her excitement.
‘Good time …?’ Before he could get to the door, she was in his arms and smacking a big kiss on his grinning lips.
‘I guess you missed me then, hey?’ He pulled away, laughing.
It was only a few days, and she’d had a great time with her friends, but she had missed him. His broad smile, the feeling of his strong arms around her, the woody smell of his aftershave, the promise of slow nights making love … if she could get away this evening, that was.
As she finally touched her feet back on the ground, she took Tom by the hand and led him inside towards the family gathering.
‘Hello, Tom.’
‘Hi, all.’
‘Hey Mummy, Tom helped me with my jigsaw yesterday, and he took me out to see Petie in his truck.’
‘Thought I’d give Ruth a bit of a breather,’ he smiled.
‘Aw, thanks, that’s so thoughtful of you.’
‘And I went and helped Dan in the Pantry. We made cheese scones together … but they were triangle ones and not circles. He’s not as good as you, Grandma …’
‘Well, you have been busy,’ replied Grandma Jill with a grin.
‘Cupcake, Tom?’ Ruth passed the plate across. ‘Double chocolate sprinkles, courtesy of Maisy.’ She gave a wry smile.
‘Don’t mind if I do.’ He took one, and gave a thumbs-up to Maisy, who beamed with pride.
‘So, everything’s been fine with the farm?’ Rachel asked, turning to Tom.
‘Yeah, just one of your ewes got a bit tangled in a fence. I got her out okay, but she’s got a deep nick on her foreleg. Treated it with the purple spray; looks like it’ll heal okay.’
‘Ah, there’s always some trouble, hey?’
The usual farmyard niggles.
‘You’ll find her in the Top Field, still limping a bit this morning.’
‘Well, thank you. It was great knowing Primrose Farm was in good hands.’
‘You’re welcome. And Maisy filled me in on lots of things while we were out and about. I’ve learnt all kinds of things while you were away.’ His eyes were twinkling mischievously.
‘Hah, I bet she did, little chatterbox.’ Rachel squeezed her daughter’s cheek affectionately.
Back in the fold of Primrose Farm: Moss stretched out by the Aga, his tail rhythmically giving a happy thump on the tiles, the Baking Bible set there high on the shelf above the well-used food mixer, and the glorious view of the valley beyond the square-paned window, green and lush. Sitting in the hub of the kitchen with her fiancé and her family, Rachel felt such warmth. There was a glow of happy love around that table. It felt good, and Rachel was so thankful. Her mind drifted to her best friend Eve, and the recent revelation that had rocked her. She sent a silent prayer that Eve was feeling that same warmth on her arrival home.