Page 26 of All Wrapped Up

I picked Pixie up and kissed the top of her head. She looked utterly transformed when I compared her to the dog I had met just a couple of weeks ago and I wondered if I looked different, too. I certainly felt it. Though not, in that moment, necessarily in a good way.

‘Here goes, indeed.’ I nodded, as perfectly in sync, the keepers in the shops around the market square began to peel away the paper to reveal the designs and artistic tableaus they’d each created in their windows to celebrate autumn and this first festival.

‘Oh wow,’ Ash gasped, as practically the entire square turned all the shades of autumn that I loved most.

Orange, yellow, brown and red appeared in abundance and I knew that my deputy and I were in for a tough time when it came to allocating the three awards because even from the distance we were at all of the windows looked spectacular.

‘We’d better head over to the stage.’ He nudged me and with shaking hands, I handed Pixie back into his care. ‘Are you ready for this?’

‘That’s entirely irrelevant,’ I said, with a wobbly smile, as I smoothed down the skirt of my leaf-patterned dress, ‘because I’ve got to do it anyway, haven’t I?’

‘You’re a wonder, Clemmie,’ he sighed and when I looked up at him, I found he was gazing at me just as intently as he had the first day we met in the café and the evening before at Rowan Cottage. ‘I think you’re amazing.’

‘Do you?’ I swallowed, as Lizzie began to windmill and wave in our direction.

‘Yes,’ he said, lightly brushing my arm with his free hand and causing a shock, which I put down to my heightened nerves, to ripple through me. ‘I do.’

Lizzie climbed on to the stage and was then right in my eyeline.

I had no choice but to join her, but with Ash’s words still ringing in my ears, the look in his eyes imprinted on my brain and the feel of his warm hand on my arm, I felt like I could conquer my fears.

His support and kind words at such a daunting moment were perfectly timed and hugely appreciated.

Another jolt landed as I acknowledged that Ash’s presence and support felt almost as encouraging as Callum’s notes back at the cottage.

‘Break a leg!’ Ash called after me and I took a deep breath.

By the time I turned around and looked across the square, quite a crowd had assembled and I hoped my nerves weren’t about to spring back up and get the better of me. My palms felt hot and my tummy was doing somersaults, in spite of the confidence boosting moment Ash and I had just shared.

‘How perfect is this?’ Lizzie nudged me and I nervously nodded and again looked at the still growing sea of people in front of us.

It was then that I noticed that everyone seemed to have dressed with the season in mind and I could smell woodsmoke, nutmeg and cinnamon on the air. Had I dreamt up an autumn festival fantasy, this was exactly how I would have created it. It was truly idyllic.

I stoically told myself to forget the nerves which were trying to take over again and endeavoured to completely immerse myself in this very special moment. A moment that, even just a few weeks ago, I wouldn’t have thought it possible for me to be a part of, let alone in many ways responsible for.

‘Here we go,’ said Lizzie. She fiddled with the microphone she had been given and her voice filled the square. ‘Good morning, everyone!’ she said loudly and the crowd cheered. ‘And thank you for turning out this morning to celebrate the launch of the very first Wynbridge Autumn Festival!’

This evoked an even louder cheer and I began to feel genuinely excited. I knew the emotion would probably slip into reverse when it was my time to talk, but I hoped that Lizzie was going to say most of what was needed and leave me less than a sentence to struggle through.

‘As some of you may know, there wouldn’t be a festival happening if it wasn’t for the wonderful person standing next to me,’ Lizzie carried on and I realised my time to address the crowd, which was still growing, was going to come sooner than I had hoped.

‘Lovely Clemmie here has stepped in to turn this idea that our dear friend, Moses Talbot, had into reality and for that I’m sure we’re all very grateful. I know I am.’

‘We are!’ shouted Bella, which made the crowd laugh.

‘Good morning,’ I nervously said as Lizzie handed me the microphone.

‘Of course, what Lizzie has failed to mention is that she actually strong-armed me into taking the festival on.’ This evoked more laughs as Lizzie vehemently shook her head and pretended to look shocked.

‘But I’m delighted that she did. I’m a relative newcomer to the town, but I already know that Wynbridge has a wonderful community and I’m thrilled to be a part of it now. ’

I could hear a slight commotion happening behind me and turned to see a group of children being led on to the stage and arranged to stand in some sort of height order.

‘We’re very lucky to have the local primary school here to officially open the festival for us today,’ I then gabbled to say, ‘and so, without further ado, I’ll wish you all a very happy autumn and lots of fun at the festival which will be running right into November. The Wynbridge primary choir, everyone!’

My words were met with an enthusiastic round of applause and then the opening bars of ‘Autumn Days’ rang out and the singing began. Everyone had joined in by the second verse and, encouraged by the crowd, the children sang even louder.

‘Well done,’ Lizzie said to me. ‘That was brilliant.’

‘I forgot to mention where the events are listed,’ I groaned, as I shakily handed her back the microphone and she turned it off. ‘I should have said about the social media pages, shouldn’t I?’

Lizzie shook her head.

‘Everyone knows where to look,’ she said kindly. ‘That’s how half of them knew to be here today.’

‘I suppose,’ I said, biting my lip and wishing I’d had time to prepare a proper speech or at least a few notes.

‘Honestly, hon,’ Lizzie insisted, ‘you were great.’

‘I can’t believe I’ve just spoken in front of all those people.’ I gulped.

‘Go and get yourself a drink.’ Lizzie smiled. ‘You deserve it.’

My legs were shaking as I edged around the stage and climbed down the steps.

‘Good luck with the judging!’ Lizzie called after me and I realised I’d also forgotten to mention that there was going to be a separate public vote on the shop windows, too.

I made a mental note to upload a promo post highlighting it later. I thought it was only fair that everyone else had the opportunity to vote for their favourites, too.

‘You got your own way then,’ said a gruff voice as I stepped on to the cobbled square.

‘Excuse me?’ I frowned.

I looked up to find Jason standing rather closer to me than I would have liked.

‘All this,’ he said with a dismissive nod to the stage and the packed market.

‘Everyone who was in favour of the festival happening has got their own way , as you put it,’ I corrected him. ‘It’s wonderful, isn’t it?’ I continued, refusing to show him that I felt intimidated. ‘A truly great way to honour Moses and boost the town economy at the end of the summer season.’

‘You didn’t even know him,’ Jason sniffed. ‘And time will tell, won’t it? I wouldn’t count your chickens.’

‘I haven’t got any yet,’ I said, refusing to back off. ‘And I wouldn’t try any more of your tricks about disrupting things if I were you. Everyone’s on to you now, Jason, so you’d soon be found out.’

He went to say something else but sensed someone was behind him. It was Ash.

‘Bloody incomer,’ he muttered and strode off.

‘Are you all right?’ Ash frowned.

‘Yes,’ I said, though I wasn’t really. The adrenaline from making my speech had only carried me so far and I hoped Jason’s opinion about me wasn’t shared by everyone else. The crowd had seemed warm enough, but it might have been far cooler behind closed doors. ‘Never mind him,’ I further rallied.

‘You did really well up there.’

‘Did I?’ I asked, as I picked Pixie up and took comfort in holding her little warm body close to mine again.

‘Yes,’ Ash said, firmly. ‘You did. I know I haven’t done anything to help with the festival yet, but I’m feeling properly proud to be a part of it after listening to you.’

‘Well,’ I nodded, as I determinedly shrugged off what Jason had said and the subsequent negative thoughts his meanness had evoked, ‘that’s just as well, because I have a very special festival job to do and it requires both of us.’

‘Go on…’

‘We’re going to judge the shop windows… together.’ I smiled.

‘Oh, no,’ said Ash, trying to take a step away, but I quickly put Pixie down and caught his jacket sleeve. ‘You’re not roping me into that.’

‘Yes,’ I said, keeping a tight hold on him, ‘I am. And we’re going to look at them all right now.’

‘I’m sure you don’t really need me for that—’

‘Yes,’ I cut in, ‘I do. You’ve just said you’re proud to be a part of the festival and you also said earlier that this was one task that was fraught with danger, so I insist on having my deputy’s support to carry it out.’

He was wavering, but not entirely convinced.

‘And I’ll buy you lunch after we’re done,’ I added.

‘Pub or café?’

‘Your choice.’ I shrugged, even though I wanted to go to the café and try Jemma’s new additions.

‘Oh well, in that case.’ Ash caved, then reached for Pixie’s lead. ‘Show me the way.’

I made the right call in insisting that Ash accompanied me throughout the judging. He was the fount of all knowledge when it came to shop gossip and rivalry and, even though I wasn’t going to really let any of that influence our final decision, it was fun to find out about.