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“Vietnam.” Andy nods. “Yep. Yep, am.”
“So you came all the way back home
for Holly?”
ask.
“Well, no …,” he confesses sheepishly, hands deep in
his pockets. “Not exactly …”
“Then …?”
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“Well …” He sighs, shuffling his feet through the
leaves as he shuffles closer. “I realized I’d left something
behind …”
“Oh?” The scent of his aftershave drifts on the
breeze as he moves closer.
“The same thing
keep leaving—the most
important thing of all.”
“Your passport?” whisper, his breath warm on my
face.
“No, idiot. Much more important than that.” He
grins, brushing my hair behind my ear. “I keep leaving
you.”
My heart flips, my skin tingling at his touch.
“I thought
was missing out, being stuck in tiny
Provincetown, that was getting in the way and missing
my trip—the adventure I’d looked forward to and worked
for and pla
You’re the adventure, Rose— you’re the trip! You’re bloody roller coaster!” He grins. “You’re what made New
York so incredible—you’re what made me want to go
traveling in the first place. This is our dream. Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand
it doesn’t mean anything unless
you’re there.”
He looks deep into my eyes and my pulse races.
“I can’t go without you, Rose.” He shakes his head.
“There’s no point—I’d rather not go at all. I’ll wait for you,
we’ll travel together.” He cups my face gently, smiles.
“When you’re ready
I’m go
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you,” he promises, pulling me close, searching my eyes.
“However long it takes.”
look at him and can hardly breathe, my heart
thumping like crazy against his, my necklace nestled
between.
“I love you, Rosie Ke
you. Full stop.”
“I love you too.” smile, and he kisses me,
long,
deep, lingering kiss that thrills through my veins and
makes my head spin dizzily, as only Andy can. kiss him
back, holding him as tight as possible—like I’ll never let
him go again.
“Oi, no snogging on the driveway, young lady!” Jack
shouts.
laugh, my cheeks hot as
turn to grin at him
standing by the doorway with Nana, Holly and Sarah.
“Can we cadge lift to the airport, young man?” he
calls.
“Certainly, sir!” Andy salutes, kissing me again
before going to unlock his car.
take
deep breath and steel myself, my insides
twisting. hate goodbyes.
walk up the driveway, gazing fondly at the little
bungalow, at Nana in the doorway, and my heart aches.
know I’m doing the right thing. It’s time to go home. For
all of us. Them to New England. Me to my old England.
More or less.
It’s so weird—it’s only been few weeks, just over
month, really, since left, but it seems like
lifetime. So
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much has happened, so much has changed. Yet here
nothing has so much as shifted position. Nana’s garden
gnome is still fishing determinedly in the frozen pond, the
hall clock still runs two minutes fast, the old family-photo
collage still hangs at
jaunty angle beneath—I even bet
Cary Grant’s still in the DVD player. Everything the same
as it always was, as it always has been—ever since Mum
was little girl.
Mum My heart floods with love for her. My mother,
my mum. She always was. She always will be. She beams
down at me from multitude of photos, her chestnut hair
gleaming in the afternoon sunlight. Trudie
“Oh, Rosie, I’m so happy you’re home.” Nana smiles,
and suddenly see Mum there too—in Nana’s sparkling
eyes, her bright smile, the warmth of her hug as she holds
me tight, her hair soft as candy-floss against my cheek, her
love spreading through me like melted chocolate.
“Me too, Nana.”
hold her close, her small frame
dwarfed by mine, the familiar smell of hot tea and toast
wrapping round me like cozy blanket, engulfing me with
memories. press my eyes closed, imagining—fearing—
just how awful all this could so easily have turned out, and
my skin prickles.
“You’ve got goose bumps!” she laughs, rubbing my
arms. “Are you all right?”
“Yes,” say. Just one more secret, one more lie
“Just
chilly.”
“You need
nice hot chocolate!” Nana grins.
“Warms you from the inside out, you know?” She winks.
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look at her—so happy, so fragile, so precious
“That’d be lovely.” smile tightly, locking the truth
inside forever, realizing fully for the first time how Sarah
felt, why she kept her secret for so long.
Some things are more precious than the truth
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Holly
“Goodbye, Holly,” Sarah says softly, almost afraid to
look me in the eye now that she knows who am. “Take
care.”
“Goodbye, Sarah,” sigh, gazing at the woman who
changed my life. The woman thought I’d hate—this tired-
looking woman with sorrow in her eyes and lines etched
across her face, who brought me chocolate mousse and
cared for my baby—who took me from my real mother
and gave me to my wonderful dad.
For that, could never hate her, not really.
Laura hugs me goodbye, and smile. She was right.
Que sera, sera squeeze her tightly, breathing in her faint perfume. You can’t predict how life’s go
out
For better, or worse—I smile, thinking of Josh
waiting for me at home. For richer, for poorer—I think of Kitty
Usually life’s bit of all those things. But it’s what
you do with it that counts. And intend to make the most
of every single moment.
take deep breath as Rosie walks me to the car.
“Well,” say. “I guess this is it.”
She nods. We look at each other for an awkward
moment; then stick out my hand.
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“Well, goodbye.”
“Goodbye,” she says quietly, taking my hand, then
holding on. “I know it’s not enough—it never will be …,”
she whispers, takes deep breath. “But Holly, really am
so sorry,” she says, her eyes deep in mine. “About
everything.”
look at her, my cheeks growing warm in the frosty
air, then shake my head. “It wasn’t your fault, Rosie.”
sigh. “It wasn’t anyone’s. Not really.”
“I’m still sorry,” she says softly.
look at her for moment. “Me too,” admit. “I’ve
been bit of bitch lately.”
She laughs, shakes her head.
“Blame the hormones.” grin.
“Congratulations.” She beams. “You’re going to be
such great mum!” She holds me close, and return her
hug, feeling all my resentment and hurt finally ebbing
away.
“And for what it’s worth,” she whispers, “I think you
made the right decision.” She pulls back, her eyes earnest.
“I think some things you’re better off not knowing.”
nod slowly, then glance at Laura standing by the
door. squeeze Rosie’s hand, lump forming in my throat.
“I think you’re right.” smile.
She follows my gaze, her eyes shimmering as she
pulls me into another tight hug. “Thank you,” she
whispers, squeezing me tight. “Thank you so much.”
smile.
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“Now, don’t be
stranger,” she commands. “Come
and visit whenever you want—you know where we are
now.”
“Speaking of which …”