Page 58 of Happiness Under a Summer Skye

‘Well, the thing is, my client,’ he said with a glint in his eye, ‘wants to know if you’d like to collaborate on some songs for her solo album. She loves your songs and she’s desperate to work with you. She says it can all be done remotely and you can do things at your own pace. No pressure to tour unless you want to join her when the time comes, of course, because she would absolutely love that. You’d be credited as a co-writer obviously, so would be entitled to royalties. You don’t have to give her a decision right away, but it looks like we’re about to do a deal for her to sign with Blue Demon Records, so it’d be a real boost to her if you’d work with her.’

Her throat tightened again and her eyes stung. ‘Really? She wants me on her first solo album?’

Heath nodded. ‘Hey, she’s getting in before the world realises you’re available. You’ve no idea how in demand you’re going to be as a songwriter. If that’s something you feel you want to pursue. Anyway, have a think about it and let me know.’

Angelia laughed and wiped tears of joy from her cheeks. ‘I don’t need to think about it. I’m in.’

24

June arrived and brought its best and brightest outfits along; the sun was out, the sky was blue, the hedgerows were buzzing with life around a multitude of coloured blooms, and the birds were having their own choir practice. The songs Angelia had selected and had been rehearsing with the choir were really taking shape and she was giddy with excitement. With the show in a few days’ time, her excitement was tinged with a little sadness that it was going to be over soon.

After what had felt like so much bad news in the last few months, she now felt like life had taken a turn for the better. Meghan’s mum was out of ICU and was set to make a full recovery, although there would be strict lifestyle changes, but Meghan, who had realised she needed to be around for her mum more, had relocated to Cardiff to work for a talent agency. Ezra had already bought a house on the outskirts of Cardiff almost as soon as he had met Meghan, so determined was he that they were meant to be, and now he and Meghan were stronger than ever and talking about moving in together. Meghan had promised to keep in touch and that made Angelia happy.

After the conversation she’d had briefly with Heath, Angelia had gone on to chat with Anouk on video call about their songwriting collaboration and had even sent her some demos of songs she’d already written a long time ago. Anouk had loved every single one and had asked if she could use some on her album to which Angelia immediately agreed.

Anouk had signed on the dotted line with Blue Demon Records, and the world had finally been notified, via the band’s website and a general press release, that Angel and the Fallen would be no more. Angelia had felt it important to have her diagnosis mentioned in the press release as myasthenia wasn’t such a well-known condition and after doing her own research on the condition she was living with, she wanted to use her platform to raise awareness. She had anticipated heavy fallout, and for people to be angry about the band’s unexpected demise. But to her surprise and relief, she received nothing but support on social media. The story had made the headlines in all the papers too; both broadsheet and tabloid, and from what she had been told, and witnessed for herself, almost everyone was sympathetic.

There was, of course, a small cohort who bemoaned her condition online and insinuated it was all down to overindulgence in illicit substances but in response to this, Heath had recorded a video that was put out, addressing their true fans in which he decried such rumours and made it clear that drugs had never been a part of Angel and the Fallen.

The most touching occurrence was that other people with myasthenia gravis wrote letters of encouragement to her personally, and these arrived in sacksful to her parents’ house via the band’s management company. She read as many as she could and was humbled by some of the stories of people overcoming the worst symptoms to raise money for myasthenia research. She vowed, then, that she would do whatever she could to spread awareness about the relatively unknown condition and even spoke to Den about the band making a donation from the proceeds of their upcoming ‘best of’ release, to aid further research too. The rest of the band agreed.

An organisation that helped and supported people with the condition contacted her around the beginning of June, via Den, and asked her to meet with them to discuss being an ambassador. It was something she had been honoured to accept and had met with Kendric MacKinnon for an interview to start the ball rolling. It was a little surreal sitting on a couch in a TV studio to talk about something other than the band and being interviewed by a man she used to watch on her local channel presenting the weather. She had been incredibly nervous, but it had gone well.

On the back of the letters from other MG warriors, as she called them, she had decided she would definitely sing at the summer concert and had chosen one of the Angel and the Fallen ballads she had co-written. Only instead of the raucous, heavy guitars and rousing drum solo that the track originally showcased, she would sing a stripped-down version accompanied by Ed on his electro-acoustic guitar. They’d run through it at home a few times and it sounded good, even by Angelia’s exacting standards. It was her intention to surprise the choir and the audience at the summer concert, which was approaching rapidly.

Meanwhile Angelia and Ed had spent almost every waking minute together. They had been on long drives to secluded beaches to picnic, and had visited the shop on several occasions, too, to oversee the progress. The only occasions he left her were when she met with Ferris for coffee and cake in their usual spot. But on those occasions, he never strayed too far.

On one visit to the shop that happened to be on her birthday, Bella had requested a meeting to discuss colour charts for the living accommodation. Angelia was struggling with the thought of letting the place go and to this end she had decided against the original safe and bland neutral colour palette and had chosen to decorate the place to her own tastes. Bella had brought samples of dark greens, blues and reds for her to look at, along with samples of William Morris print wallpapers.

Angelia pored over the samples but was finding it difficult to choose. They were all so beautiful.

‘Which one do you like best, Ed? I think I’m leaning towards “Strawberry Thief” with the navy background,’ she said as she flicked through the sample books.

Ed had been fidgety and kept glancing at his watch. ‘Sorry, what?’ he asked distractedly.

‘“Strawberry Thief” in navy or red?’ she repeated.

‘Oh… I like the navy,’ he said, walking over to the window. ‘Why don’t we go over to the pub for a drink and some lunch and we can decide there?’

‘That sounds like a good idea,’ Bella said. ‘We can take the sample books.’

‘Ugh… okay. We’ll go to the pub. I don’t know what’s got into you today, Ed.’

He walked across and linked his arm through hers. ‘Sorry. I think I’m just hungry,’ he replied, pouting.

‘You’re always hungry. And always eating. I’ve no idea how you stay so lean,’ Angelia said as he tugged her towards the door.

‘I’ll go ahead and get the drinks in while you lock up,’ Bella said as she dashed down the stairs.

‘I’ll just have an orange juice!’ Angelia called after her.

‘Oh, come on, it’s your birthday. Have a glass of wine at least,’ Ed said as she locked the door to the shop.

‘I need my wits about me, or I’ll end up having wallpaper that’s sky-blue and pink with yellow dots on.’

Ed laughed. ‘I don’t think you’ll ever be that drunk.’

When they reached the Coxswain, Ed held the door and gestured for her to walk in first. As she did, she was greeted with a chorus of ‘Happy Birthday’ from the choir who were standing in front of the bar and being led by Ferris on the keyboard she recognised as the one from the church. Shocked, she covered her mouth with her hands and grinned beneath them like the Cheshire Cat.