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Flick was home for the summer after her first year at university. She knew as soon as she landed there that she was in the right place and she was always on the phone to her new sister-in-law talking over her assignments and asking advice. Relations with her mum were improved. Cilla would always be a pain in the arse, but she was at least trying not to be one all of the time.
The shop that was once going to be a Ciaoissimo was now a popular antiques centre. Ciaoissimo was no more. Its ship had sunk into its own murky waters and took its crew with it, but its story kept the newspapers fuelled for months. The winds of change had blown through the council and by all accounts, it was a far better place to work these days with councillors being voted in in the local elections who cared very much about their constituents.
‘So, do you fancy doing a bit of virtual admin work for us then?’ asked Sabrina.
‘Abso-flaming-lutely,’ replied Sheridan, opening up one eye. I need something adult to do. I’m at the stage where I want to hunt down Peppa Pig with a sawn-off shotgun.’
‘It’ll be great to have you on board.’ Sabrina grinned.
‘Only if we can have some sort of online version of confectionery tennis, though.’
‘Deal.’
Working with Phil and Dave again was like being back in the old days with Alan Eagleton. They’d called themselves Yorkshire Eagles in Alan’s honour, they told her. No one better to be with them in spirit.
Sabrina sometimes did some creative writing. She’d joined a class in the next town: the Slattercove Nibs. She didn’t need to finish her novel though because Sabrina Bonetti couldn’t write a happier ending for Sabrina Anderson than she was already living. Her own story now included a house she and Teddy were about to complete on, with thick stone walls, a creaky staircase and a cottage garden overflowing with roses of all colours. And a kitten that Teddy had given her for her birthday, naughty and ginger and partial to a lump of cheddar. They’d called him Cheese.
Sabrina felt a quiver inside her. Baby Bonetti was growing a little more every day. She was the size of apomodoroat the moment. Teddy had put a poster up in the restaurant so they could chart the progress in Italian fruits.
She followed her friend’s lead, leaned back against the bench and let the sun take her face between its hands, like Teddy Bonetti often did before he kissed her and told her that she was all of his best dreams come true. She wasn’t sure it was legal to be this content but she was milking it for all it was worth. She was a living lesson to anyone who was lost that they could be found, that changes could be messy and scary but ultimately magnificent. And that there was a right place for everyone, where they could live their happiest ever afters – and this, here with these wonderful people, was hers.
