Page 75 of The Twilight Garden

Still a little unsure of herself, Ashley sat down, resting her arms on the table. She looked done in.

‘And you’re not walking home either. I’d say one of us will drop you home in a bit but…’ He pointed to the champagne. ‘We’ll call a taxi for you.’

Willow beamed, first at her husband and then at Leo. ‘The champagne is such a lovely idea, thank you. Although I’m afraid it’s going to go straight to my head. All I’ve eaten today is cake.’

‘I’ll get some glasses,’ said Gemma.

Leo opened the bottle and put it on the table in front of Rowan. ‘Your honours, I believe.’ He sat down, holding out a chair so that Gemma would sit next to him.

Waiting while Rowan filled their glasses, Gemma slid her hand into Leo’s. They’d hardly spoken a word to each other all day, but they had still managed to tell each other all they needed to know. The warmth in his eyes as he entwined his fingers with hers was proof of that.

Rowan cleared his throat, which had them all sitting to attention, and then he groaned.

‘I don’t know what to say,’ he said. ‘Except that today has proven to me how right Gemma was in telling us to throw open our doors. I didn’t even dare dream it could be as successful as it has been, but these last few days have taught me a few things. Things I’ve been afraid of in the past – of letting people in, not just through our gates but inside, where it really matters. It’s also taught me that it’s okay to get things wrong or to make mistakes.’ He paused to glance at Ashley. ‘Because as long as you own them, when you’re among friends, they’ll help you make things right. So I want to thank you, Gemma, for being here and for being you.’

‘Hear hear!’

She smiled, nudging Leo to be quiet, embarrassed enough by Rowan’s words.

‘It’s me who should be thanking you,’ she replied. ‘Both of you, for letting me in – when I had nothing, when everything was in the past and nothing was in the future. Do you remember how you told me when I first arrived that I was learning how to swim again? And that I should keep both feet on the bottom until I had found my buoyancy? I think it’s fair to say I’m ready to take my armbands off. And that is all down to you. And Thistledown.’ She blushed. ‘And Leo…’ She raised her glass. ‘So thank you.’

‘Toast!’ shouted Willow, beaming.

Rowan looked momentarily panicked. ‘To Thistledown,’ he said. ‘I don’t know what we’ve witnessed here today. I don’t know what you’d call it, but it’s the start of something big, I know it is.’

Willow nodded. She looked tired and dusty. There was a smudge of dirt on her nose and another on her forehead, but she looked happy too. Happy and peaceful and serene, just like she always did, but there was no mistaking the relief that shone out from her eyes either.

‘I know what it is,’ she said. ‘It’s something I really thought was in doubt. It’s the future. A new beginning. No, it’s more than that,’ she added. She turned to Rowan and laid her head against his shoulder, her fingers sliding through his to hold them tight.

‘It’s our life,’ she said simply. ‘And it’s time to live it. All of us, together.’

31

SEPTEMBER

And although the dying time, it is also the color time,

the time when faith in the steadfastness of Nature is surest…

The seeds all have next summer in them, some of them thousands of summers.

​— ​JOHN MUIR

‘I had a chat with Rowan last night,’ said Leo.

They were sitting in Flora’s garden, drinking in the last of another golden day.

‘Oh yes, I wondered what you were huddled together about.’

‘He’s asked me to stay. In fact, he’s asked both of us to stay.’

Gemma frowned. ‘But aren’t we already here?’

Leo tutted in amusement, nudging her shoulder. ‘Very funny. But neither of us actually lives here, do we? My house is almost an hour away and I’m back and forth, back and forth, when really all I want to be is forth, if that makes sense. Not back…’

It was Gemma’s turn to be amused. ‘Yeah, I get it. You’d rather be here than there.’

‘I would. And I wondered… Rowan wondered, if you’d like to be here too. On a permanent basis. And if you would, then I’d very much like it to be with me…’