‘Hi, Granny, it’s Rachel.’
Rachel stepped through the cottage hallway, which was decorated with jugs of pastel-coloured sweet peas.
‘Ah, come on in, lass. I’m just here in the sitting room … catching up with Escape to the Country.’
Rachel popped her head around the door.
‘Hello, pet.’ Granny was looking rather pale beneath her smile. Her illness last winter had really taken its toll. Despite her age, it was unusual to see her sitting down at this time of the afternoon. ‘Yes, they’re in the Cotswolds today, pretty enough place, but not a patch on what we have up here.’
Rachel went to stand beside her. ‘No, I don’t suppose it is.’
‘It’s a hidden gem we have up here in the Scottish borders.’ She gave a wink of her wise old blue eyes, ‘and let’s keep it that way, hey lass. Anyway, you won’t get me moving again. I’ll be coming out of this wee cottage feet first, I tell you.’
‘Oh Granny, don’t talk like that.’
‘Well, I’m not going to live for ever, hinnie.’ Ruth was down to earth as always.
‘Yes, but we’ve got a wedding to look forward to and happier times. And … on that note, I’ll go and put the kettle on, as there’s something I want to ask you.’
‘Sounds important.’
‘It is,’ answered Rachel with a knowing smile, not giving anything away. ‘I’ve brought you those eggs that you asked for, by the way, and there’s a summer pudding that Mum’s made.’
‘Oh, that’s grand. Yes, I’ve been busy baking again this week. Made a load of buns and a sponge cake for the stall at the coffee morning for the toddler group.’ It made Granny happy to bake for others, and to help the community in her own small but lovely way.
With that, Rachel set off for the kitchen. She hoped Granny would be pleased when she came out with her question. It might not be easy for either of them, but it was the only thing that felt right …
With the tea pot set up on a tray, and cups and saucers set out the old-fashioned way, Granny pottered through to the kitchen to help Rachel dig out the cakes. There was a Madeira cake and some rock buns. She sliced the cake and set out two gorgeous yellow squares on a plate; their Primrose Farm free-range eggs were always wonderfully good for baking and gave such a golden colour.
Settled back in the living room, with Rachel seated on the slightly worn, but very comfy sofa, and Ruth in her high-backed armchair, Rachel let out a deep breath. ‘So, Granny, I’ve been thinking … and … I know who I’d love to walk me down the aisle at my wedding. So, I thought I’d come and run it past you.’
‘Okay, lass …’ Granny looked up.
‘You.’ Rachel beamed.
‘Me? Are you sure …? Well, we won’t be going very fast!’
Rachel laughed. ‘That’s fine. We’ll be in no rush … everybody will be gawping at my dress then, for sure.’
‘Oh, yes, I haven’t seen it yet. Eve’s made it, hasn’t she? I bet it’s beautiful.’
‘It really is. I’m not really a dress person, as you know, happier in my jeans and wellies, but … wow.’
‘Oh, I can’t wait to see you in it.’
‘So, will you do it? Look, I know it’s going to be hard for us …’ She paused, catching her breath, ‘as dad can’t be there himself … but it just feels kind of right. You’re his mother, and my best support. But if you think it’ll be too emotional, too difficult …’ She didn’t want to make Ruth feel obliged to do anything she wasn’t comfortable with.
‘Oh, lass, I’d love to do it. That’s if you don’t mind some old bid being there by your side?’
‘I can’t think of anyone better. It might end up being a bit teary, mind.’ She was welling up just thinking about it already. It was definitely going to be an emotional day.
‘Aye, well … that’s only natural, in the circumstances. Of course, if that’s what you want, I’ll be there beside you, lass …’
‘… every step of the way,’ Rachel took up, trying to stop herself getting too choked up.
‘Yes, every doddery step.’ Granny gave a warm smile. ‘Ah, bless you pet … there’ll be tears and laughter on the day, for sure. But we’ll be certain to have a grand old time. Robert would want that and he’d be so proud of you.’
Rachel found that any words were stuck in her throat then, so she just nodded. For all the hurt and grief, she felt happy too. The Swinton ladies were taking life forward – without their gorgeous dad, husband, son – one doddery yet forceful step at a time.
Rachel headed home via Eve’s to collect Maisy from her tea-time play date with Amelia. She was looking forward to catching up with her best friend, who’d been rather elusive these past few days.
‘Hi-i.’ After rapping on the door, she stepped into her friend’s house.
‘Hi, there.’ Eve came out into the hallway to greet her, looking slightly flushed.
‘All okay?’
‘Yeah, the girls have been great. They’re out playing in the garden. They’ve made a den.’
The friends walked out through the back door of the cottage.
‘Mum-my,’ Maisy dashed over. ‘We had fish fingers and peas and chips, and ice cream with strawberries. Yummy. I ate all mine up.’
‘Sounds great.’
‘And look, come see our house.’ She laced her fingers through Rachel’s, tugging at her to follow her. A den had been created from a tented sheet draped over the wooden picnic table. Eve had pinned some bunting up inside for them, adorning the underside of the table, and there were dolls, animal toys, a mini tractor and some flowers, now wilting, evidently picked from Eve’s garden borders. Rachel raised her eyebrows, hoping the girls hadn’t just taken it upon themselves to raid the flowerbeds.
‘It’s okay,’ Eve chuckled, spotting her concern, ‘I said they could pick a few flowers.’
‘It’s a wedding,’ announced Maisy with delight.
‘And this is the tent like you’re going to have,’ added Amelia animatedly.
‘Ah, yes, now I see … a tipi.’
‘Told you it was a ti-pi.’ Maisy crossed her arms huffily, as though the girls had had a difference of opinion earlier.
‘Well, it is a kind of tent too, Maisy.’ Rachel didn’t want any falling outs.
‘We can’t wait to be your bridesmaids, Auntie Rachel. We’ve been practising,’ said Amelia.
‘They’ve been traipsing up and down the garden with nighties on over their school uniforms,’ Eve grinned.
‘Aw, bless them.’ They were on real countdown now, with only ten days to go.
‘Do you want a coffee or anything, Rach?’ Despite asking, Eve looked slightly uneasy, as though fearful of having too much time to talk.
‘Yes, just a quick one, if that’s okay? That’d be great.’ Rachel had already had her fill of tea at Granny’s house, but she felt as if it might finally give them a chance to have a heart-to-heart.
‘Okay, cool. Umm, Ben’ll be home any time soon, too.’
Was that a warning not to get too personal? For Rachel not to probe?
‘Tea or coffee then, hun?’ Eve raised a smile.
‘A coffee would be great.’
‘Yeah, I’ll just make it, and then let’s go sit in the sunshine with the girls, shall we?’
‘Sounds good.’
Rachel followed Eve to her galley kitchen, hoping a moment in private might just be the spur Eve needed, but the conversation stuck closely with the wedding. Eve chattering on a little nervously: Did Rachel want another dress fitting at the weekend, for any final tweaks?, How was she feeling?, How were things now with Tom?
Rachel answered, telling her friend how relieved she was that she and Tom were so much more at ease with each other again; it was as though a black cloud had been lifted.
‘And you and Ben?’ Rachel asked, seeing her opening.
‘Ah, we’re fine. All good here.’ Eve didn’t meet Rachel’s eye, and carried on spooning coffee granules into the mugs. ‘Oh … I’ve made some shortbreads,’ she said, swiftly changing tack. ‘I’ve experimented with adding a little fresh lavender to them. It was a tip I remembered from my nanna. You can be my taste tester, if you like.’
‘Sure.’ Rachel could spot a diversionary tactic a mile off, but the biscuits did look delightful.
They were soon sitting out in the garden, listening to their daughters’ chatter, sipping coffee and eating the delicately fragrant lavender shortbreads, whilst taking in the glorious green-field view across the valley, clouds billowing like pillows above them.
‘These are delicious, Eve. Who’d have thought?’ Rachel was definitely going to borrow that recipe from Eve for the Pantry.
‘Thanks. Well, let’s hope you get a gorgeous sunny day like this, Rach. Not long to go now, hun …’
‘Yeah.’ Rachel felt a giddy swirl of excitement, swished with a twist of anxiety that all would go well, that there’d be no last-minute hitches with the catering, flowers, the weather, Jake being there, the list could go on … But all of that could be sorted, she reassured herself. The most important thing in all this was the love and commitment between her and Tom.
The conversation stayed safe thereafter. Rachel knew not to push, but just hoped her friend really was okay. Eve didn’t seem herself, and Rachel was sure she was holding something back.
Twenty minutes later, with coffee cups drained, and no more than wedding plans and breezy everyday conversation between them, Rachel was getting up to go when Ben arrived home.
‘Hiya, Rach.’ He appeared on the back step in his garage overalls with a smile.
‘Hi Ben, you okay? Good day at work?’ Rachel asked.
‘Yeah, fine. I’ll just go take a shower, get out of these oily clothes.’ He dipped his head back through the door again, just as Amelia called out ‘Daddy!’ from their makeshift play-tent.
‘Hey, sweetheart, I’ll come and see you in a minute. I’m all sweaty just now,’ he shouted back.
‘O-kay.’
Rachel noted that Ben and Eve merely said the briefest of ‘hellos’ to each other; there was a definite coolness between them.
Over their years of friendship, she and Eve had shared all their ups and downs, their crushes, hurts, their hopes and dreams. Whatever it was, Eve wasn’t yet ready to open up. But, whenever she did, Rachel would be there for her.