Page 59 of Happiness Under a Summer Skye

When the rendition was finished, the whole pub began to clap and cheer and it was only then that she realised, as well as her new friends from Glentorrin, Fiona and Marcus, Meghan and Ezra and the band were there too. She was enveloped in a group hug and had to fight the threatening tears on receiving such a wonderful surprise.

The pub had been closed to anyone who wasn’t a resident of the village or part of the invite list and Stella and Joren who owned the pub had prepared a buffet. Caitlin had baked the most incredible chocolate birthday cake that could rival anything seen in the most expensive patisseries in London.

Heath and Anouk performed a couple of acoustic songs, which her friends from the village loved, especially Evin, who was a little starstruck. Angelia introduced him and his girlfriend, Grace, to the band and made sure to take photos of him with them on his phone.

‘Hey, how are you?’ Josh asked when he found her at the buffet table while Nancy was talking to Ruby.

She nodded but her stomach clenched with annoyance. ‘I’m good, thanks. You?’

He sighed. ‘I know you’re upset with me. I know I haven’t been the best friend I used to be. But… it’s been hard for me. What with your news and then the band folding. It’s been… difficult,’ he said with a shake of his head.

Angelia clenched her jaw. ‘Don’t you think it’s been hard for me? I never asked for any of this. I didn’t do it on purpose, you know.’

‘I know, I know that. It’s just… You mean so much to me and… I…’

‘I don’t mean enough to you for you stay in touch, Josh. You bailed when I needed you the most. That’s hard to forgive.’

He closed his eyes for a moment. ‘I know. I’m sorry. I just⁠—’

‘That’s the problem really, Josh. You’ve said “I” so many times during this brief conversation that I don’t want to listen to it any more.’

Someone tapped at the microphone near the bar, and everyone turned to see Ed seated at the keyboard.

He cleared his throat. ‘Seeing as the musos in the room have been doing their bit I thought I should too. This piece of music probably isn’t the most lively thing for a birthday party but… I know it’s one of Angelia’s favourites, so I’m going to play it anyway.’ He closed his eyes and began to play Debussy’s ‘Clair de Lune’ and tears spilled over from Angelia’s eyes. The emotion and pain she’d felt during the conversation with Josh and the memory of the night she fell in love with Ed overwhelmed her and her heart ached.

Part way through the piece, with everyone in rapt awe of Ed’s playing and the chosen music, Fiona came over and slipped her arm around Angelia’s shoulder. ‘He adores you, you know. Always has,’ she whispered.

Angelia smiled. ‘Josh?’ she asked.

Fiona shook her head. ‘No, you wee dafty, Ed.’

‘I adore him too,’ Angelia replied.

‘No, I mean he really adores you,’ Fiona said.

Angelia turned her head to stare at Fiona and widened her eyes as her heart tripped over itself. ‘What do you mean?’

‘He arranged all this,’ Fiona told her.

‘Yes but… he adores me as a friend, right?’

As Fiona was about to answer, Ed’s piece ended and the pub erupted in raucous applause. And from that moment Angelia was whisked away, handed gifts and left wondering.

Ed had arranged a taxi to take them back to Portree at the end of the night and Marcus and Fiona accompanied them. Meghan and Ezra were staying at Morag’s B&B and were setting off very early the following morning to get the train back to Cardiff, so they said their goodbyes outside the pub.

‘I’m so glad your mum is getting better,’ Angelia said as she hugged Meghan.

‘Me too, it’s been quite scary. But Ezra has been amazing.’

Angelia hugged him next. ‘Thank you for looking after Meghan. She’s so used to looking after everyone else it’s good to know she has someone looking out for her.’

Ezra smiled. ‘I have you to thank for us meeting. She’s the love of my life.’

When she came out of the bathroom, Fiona and Marcus had already gone to bed in her parents’ room. Scrappy had curled himself up on her bed and was fast asleep so before collapsing into bed Angelia knocked on the spare room door where Meghan had once slept but Ed had now taken up residence.

‘Entaaaaar!’ Ed called out, clearly a little sozzled.

‘I just wanted to say thank you for tonight, you stinker,’ she said, smiling.