Page 96 of The Cosy Christmas Chocolate Shop

‘It’s so lovely to see you, Emma. I’m so glad you could come across.’ She was welcomed into Angela’s arms.

‘Yes, we know how busy you are,’ added John, greeting her warmly.

For a second Emma found herself sideswiped; she had forgotten quite how like his mother Luke was. As always, meeting up with them brought back so many memories, so much shared history – and grief.

After a fifty-minute journey through country lanes, she had found the old-fashioned teashop they had recommended a few miles from the Kielder Water reservoir. Holly was looking after The Chocolate Shop for her for a few hours, being a Sunday.

She sat down with them at a pine table by the window which overlooked rolling green hills, dry-stone walls, and herds of grazing sheep, the landscape so typical of rural Northumberland.

‘So, how are things, my lovely?’ Angela asked.

‘Good, thanks. I have now opened a café within the chocolate shop, so it was all go getting it ready.’ Strangely, thoughts of Max and all his help with that filled her mind, which made her feel extremely uncomfortable.

‘Oh, that sounds a lovely idea. Is it going well?’ Angela continued.

‘Yes, it seems to be, and with the usual run-up to Christmas it’s pretty full-on.’

‘You’ve put your heart and soul into that shop,’ commented John. ‘We always say that, don’t we, Angela?’

‘Indeed. Such a pretty village there too, I remember.’

‘Yes, it feels like home. I have some really nice friends,’ Emma confirmed. She wanted them to know that she had settled. That life was okay.

‘Good.’

They chatted politely over tea and cake, but it seemed harder than usual because Emma still felt caught up in her emotional whirl of the past few weeks.

John excused himself after finishing his tea, saying he needed to check on the dog in the car. They had an ageing golden Labrador, Barney. Luke used to be such buddies with that dog.

‘Oh, I’ll pop out and see him in a minute, John,’ exclaimed Emma. ‘Can’t miss a cuddle with Barney now, can I?’

‘Do you still have Alfie?’

‘Oh yes, he’s my best friend. He just loves running about on the beach there.’

‘I bet. I’ll catch you before you go, Emma.’ John smiled warmly.

Once the women were alone, Angela asked, ‘Have you met anyone?’ Was it a mother’s intuition, or did she just know Emma so well she could sense some change in her?

‘Ah …’

Angela placed a gentle palm over Emma’s hand where it rested on the table. ‘Emma, don’t ever feel that we wouldn’t want you to meet someone else. Please, please don’t feel that you can’t move on. We know how very much you loved Luke.’

‘I still do.’

‘I know that. Love doesn’t die, does it?’

Emma shook her head. She still didn’t know quite what to say. After all, the relationship with Max was all over now, anyway. She didn’t want to lie, though. ‘There was someone … briefly. But it hasn’t worked out.’

‘Ah, I wondered. You seem … different. John and I have talked about this a lot and we’d like to think you could find someone one day. Someone to make you happy.’ Angela smiled. ‘God knows, we’ve all had far too much sorrow. Emma, please don’t feel that you don’t have the right to be happy again.’

‘Thank you.’ Tears were misting the two women’s eyes. A mother, a fiancée, who loved the same young man so very much.

They made their fond farewells in the teashop’s car park, after Emma had had a big cuddle with Barney, who, from the exuberant wags of his tail, definitely remembered her.

‘Thank you so much for coming all this way, Emma.’

‘You’re so welcome. It’s been lovely to see you both again.’