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‘At least it was me who found the note. What if Mum had?’
‘She knows. I told her. I couldn’t risk someone else telling her.’
‘Oh my God.’ Juno looked horrified. ‘I didn’t mean for that to happen.’
‘It’s OK.’ Nikki put her arm around her. ‘She already knew.’
‘She knew? All along?’
‘Yes.’ She sighed. She didn’t want to blame Jess. Tell Juno that her mum had stolen Rik from her in the first place. It seemed petty. ‘I don’t know how much to tell you. I don’t know how much you want to know. It was so complicated. It was everyone’s fault. And no one’s. If that makes sense.’
For a while, there was nothing but the sound of their footsteps on the soft path, and Edith’s panting.
‘Just tell me again what he was like.’ Juno broke the silence. ‘That’s all I really want to know.’
Nikki thought back, to the very first time she’d seen Rik as he stepped off The Lady Stardust and her eyes had followed him every step of the way along the pontoon, transfixed.
‘Whenever he walked into a room, people looked at him. He had a sort of radiance. A special light. But he wasn’t aware of it. He could have been big-headed, but if anything, he was unsure of himself. Sometimes. He had so much to give but sometimes he held himself back. And sometimes, he made mistakes.’
As she spoke, Nikki realised she could have been describing Juno. Radiance and reticence.
‘Do you think I’d have liked him?’ asked Juno.
‘Liked him?’ Nikki could feel her heart buckle. ‘Darling, you would have adored him. And I can tell you, hand on my heart, that he would have adored you too. Whenever he spoke about you, even though you hadn’t been born, he was so proud. So excited. You were the most important thing in his life.’
Juno walked on, her hands in her pockets, looking at the ground. Edith padded along next to them, occasionally stopping to snuffle at the roots of a tree. Eventually she spoke.
‘Zak’s asked me to go on tour with him next year. As a backing singer.’
‘What?’
‘I don’t know what to do. I mean, I’ve been to France on my own, to see Granny Sabine. But this would be twelve countries.’
‘Juno, that is the most amazing opportunity. And you might never get another one like that.’ Nikki felt a thrill go through her at the thought of what this could mean.
‘He says it’s not all glamour. Sleeping on a tour bus with everyone’s smelly feet and snoring.’
Nikki knew with Juno it was best not to put her under pressure. Gentle encouragement was the best tactic. ‘I think,’ she said carefully, ‘you might regret it if you turn it down.’
‘That’s what I thought.’
‘And the M and Ms would kill you.’
Juno laughed, then went quiet. ‘You were the first person I wanted to talk to, when he offered. But I felt like I didn’t know you anymore. I didn’t trust you.’
‘Juno, you can always trust me. It was all a very long time ago, remember. And you know the most important thing to me is family. My mum, Jess, you … everyone.’
Juno bit her lip as she considered Nikki’s reply. ‘What would my dad have said to me, do you think?’
Nikki didn’t hesitate. ‘He would have told you to follow your heart. To take wing and fly. To make all your dreams come true. And he would have been very, very proud.’
Juno seemed to flinch, blinking, then she stood very still as she took in the words. Nikki was about to try to rephrase her encouragement – had she been too forceful? – when Juno suddenly flung her arms around her. The two of them stood there, in the middle of the mighty trees, clinging on to each other, and they were both crying, but laughing too, as the sunlight trickled down through the branches, drenching them in gold as the shadows of the past finally fell away.
50
A month later
The day of the anniversary, Speedwell was looking her very best. Tamara had a crack team getting the harbour ready. The pavements were swept clean of litter and dust, the shop windows were shining and bunting was strung from every lamp-post. A stage had been set up in the car park, ready for the ceremony and the performances. Both the inshore and all-weather lifeboats were on proud display outside the station. Belle and Gloria were already prepping in the Neptune kitchen, and mobile food trucks began to arrive.
