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‘Love, devotion and blissful pleasure.’MiagrippedKeith’shand. ‘It’sa wonderful way to tell your story.’
‘Andmy mother’s too,’Rickadded.
Keithgazed at him, his pale-blue eyes opaque with age. ‘Run-of-the-mill story.Sameas happened to lots of folk, but special to us.’
‘Veryspecial,Dad.’
Fatherand son smiled their love at one another.
Janblew her nose,Miawiped tears away and evenMariondabbed at her immaculately attached false lashes with a tissue.KeithandSusan’sstory had affected them all.
Daisywatched, through eyes blurred with tears, as a gull cried mournfully overhead against a dazzlingly blue sky.Itcaught a thermal and turned away to the west, the sun lighting its white underbelly into a blazing white.Keithwas a wonderful man, full of humour and love.Shethought of the blue glass heartJagohad given her and which was hanging in pride of place in her flat.Onceher heart was like it, hard and brittle.IfRickhad half of his father’s warmth and compassion, devotion and caring, then her own heart was safe.
Chapter Thirty-Five
October’s bouquet
Michaelmas Daisy – Aster amellus
Farewell, loyalty.
Pansy – Viola spp.
I think of you, think of me.
Myrtle – Myrtus communis
Love in all seasons, marriage.
Forget-me-nots – Myosotis sylvatica
Enduring, true love.
AnearlyOctoberwind rustled leaves off the sycamore trees in the cemetery and whipped up the sea into a frenzy which they could hear in the distance.Keith, with a walking stick in one hand andRickhelping him on the other, made his unsteady way towards his wife’s grave.
Daisyfollowed clutching the last bouquet.Shethought back to the very first one and the mystery it had sparked.Now, though, she knew who it was for and why it had been ordered.Shestudiedthe flowers in her hand.Abunch ofMichaelmasdaisies, interspersed with winter pansies and a good sprinkling of myrtle.Small, unshowy, humble even.
Mia, though, had thoroughly approved. ‘Daisiesare for farewell and loyalty,’ she’d explained, tears glistening. ‘Pansiesfor the message, “Iwill think of you”.’Shesighed a little with the poignancy of it all.Nowthey all knew the story behind the flowers it seemed even more touching. ‘Andmyrtle is for marriage and love in all seasons.KeithandSusanmust have been very happy together.’
Thesymbolism had struckDaisyhard. ‘It’sa plantI’vesneaked into so many bridal bouquets, not knowing its true significance,’ she’d replied, givingMiaa hug. ‘It’sjust perfect, isn’t it?’
Keithhad also stipulated forget-me-nots, but they were out of season.Daisyhad suggested, instead, she pot up some seedlings and plant them in a decorative tub to be placed permanently on the grave.Everyonethought it such a good idea thatDaisyandJanplanned to do the same for her father.AsMiahad pointed out, the little flowers’ symbolism was both obvious and apt.
Unfortunately,Keithhadn’t recovered quite as quickly as expected so he’d moved into a flat in a warden-controlled block.Witha communal lounge should he wish to be social he was in his element, especially whenDoreenmoved in too.Togetherthey snaffled the best cake and biscuits, held court dominating the best seats in the lounge and ran the poor staff ragged.
Daisy’srelationship withRickhad gone from strength to strength and she couldn’t be happier.Everyinstinct about how her heart would be safe with him was correct.Theyhad scraped snatched moments, when not devoted to setting upRick’sbusiness or developingVaVaBloom!to spend together.Ina way, it felt all the sweeter and more exciting.ToDaisy’samazement,Rickhad even asked her to move intoBeechTreeHousebut she’d held off, thinking it too soon.AtleastMintywas off their conscience.Wordwas she’d found herself a millionaire, was livinginDubaiand very happy.Marion, wild with envy, thoroughly approved.
Daisyconsidered it an honour to accompanyRickandKeithto place the last bouquet onSusan’sgrave.Shewaited whileRicktidied it and then handed over the flowers.Nowshe knew its purpose she’d made it more robust with thicker wrapping and more securely tied.Keith’sface when he’d seen it told her all she needed to know.Shestood back to give them some space and then wandered off to her father’s grave.
Standingin front of it, nestling her face into her collar, her nose as rosy red as her coat due to the chilly breeze, it felt right that she talk to him.Inevitably, the blackbird landed a few feet from her, its glossy feathers sheeny in the autumn sunshine.Shereached into her coat pocket for the biscuit she’d brought especially, crushed it and threw the crumbs. ‘See,’ she said softly. ‘ToldyouIwouldn’t forget.’
Shewatched for a few moments as the blackbird was joined by a robin, the birds hopping about pecking and then she turned to her father’s grave. ‘Well,Dad.Alot’s happened since me andMumpopped by inAugust.IthinkMumtold you aboutColin?Sheseems to have bagged herself a good ’un, and a pet dog too.Aspaniel calledFleurwho is adorable.Mumdotes on her.Ithink you’d likeColin.Heseems a decent bloke and obviously adoresMumbut then who wouldn’t?Wedid a jointFaceTimewith the twins and told them.Theywere surprisedIthink, and a little shocked, butIbackedMumup when she said how goodColinis for her.Andhe really is,Dad.She’sblossomed.
‘Wewent toColin’sbarbeque and met his daughters.Itwas okay, a bit awkward at first but his grandchildren were fun and once we’d rescuedFleur, they were trying to put her in the paddling pool can you imagine, the ice was broken.Isuppose none of us knew quite how to navigate the situation but after a couple of glasses of wine, we all relaxed.Ithink everyone could see how muchMumandColinare besotted with oneanother.
‘He’svery different to you, of course, butI’veseenMumlaugh more in the last month thanIhave in a long time.She’sfinally embracing her early retirement, about time, eh?She’sputting in fewer hours in the shop and has even joined theKnitandNatterGroup.Notsure that’s totally a good thing, to be honest; she’s knitted me this lime-green-and-orange scarf.Itreally doesn’t go with my red coat butIwear it to make her happy.Youknow they’ve found the culprit who was vandalising the yarn bombing?Whoeverwould have thought it would beColonelSmytheof all people with a grudge against all the lovely knitted stuff that goes up in town?Alwayssuch a stern upright pillar of the community.Heoften popped in to buy his wife some roses.Apparently, he’s got early-onset dementia so it’s all really sad.Justgoes to prove you never know what’s going on under the surface with people.
‘ThinktheNinjasKnittersare planning on even bigger and better things than lastChristmasand who could forget the wise man they created last year with that phallic purple present at his feet?I’veheard rumours they’re planning on a life-sized knitted nativity scene to put in the castle grounds.MaryandJoseph, the shepherds, a donkey and even a camel.Hopethey’ve got enough brown wool!
