Page 60 of All Wrapped Up

By the time November fifth, the day of the bonfire party on the edge of town, rather than at Wynthorpe Hall as I’d been told was usual, dawned, my life had changed beyond all recognition when compared to what it had been the year before.

Then, I hadn’t had so much as a sparkler to celebrate the day with, whereas now, I felt like I had an entire box of fireworks at my disposal.

I had completed the cottage renovation, I had a whole host of new friends, including perfect Pixie, I had organised and was overseeing the inaugural Wynbridge Autumn Festival, there was a new job on my horizon, my Insta account was still thriving and, most surprisingly of all, I had healed my heart enough to open it again and let love in.

What a phenomenal and transformative few months I had created! The intention I had pinned to Aurora’s skirt had been about being brave enough to continue to walk the path I had started out on, but now it felt like I had sprinted miles along it.

Ash had been initially tentative about my suggestion that we should move our relationship forward when we arrived home after the trip to see the geese, but once I had convinced him that I was ready for the upgrade, he was both delighted and willing to acquiesce.

Very willing… and kind and tender, too, and then increasingly passionate.

I was thrilled he wasn’t down to work that day, or the next, and we could commit to getting to intimately know one another without any disturbance of any kind.

It was certainly time pleasurably spent, even if Pixie was inclined to sulk that she had limited opportunity to snooze upstairs.

‘Hello, you two!’ Jake grinned when he and Amber spotted us holding hands at the party that evening. ‘We heard a rumour that you were a couple now. What fantastic news!’

‘Very discreet, Jake!’ said Amber, as she rolled her eyes. ‘But he’s right,’ she then said to us both. ‘We’re really happy for you.’

‘Thank you.’ I smiled as Ash pulled me close.

‘And I’m sorry to dash off,’ she then tutted, ‘but I really need to round the kids up before they’re full of sugar! Come on, Jake.’

‘Actually,’ he said, refusing to budge, ‘I was just going to ask Ash if he might have a spare minute to give me a hand with the bonfire? I’m in charge of it and could do with a deputy.’

‘Oh, he makes an excellent deputy,’ I laughed.

‘Come on then, Ash,’ Jake also laughed.

‘Do you mind?’ Ash asked me, before making a move.

‘Not at all,’ I said, letting him go. ‘I’ve just spotted Lizzie and I need to have a word with her, so I’ll see you in a minute.’

He gave me a quick kiss, then went off with Jake and I headed over to Lizzie.

‘Hello, you three,’ I greeted her, Dorothy from Wynthorpe Hall and Jemma as they continued to set up a table which was already groaning with hot dogs, jacket potatoes and toffee apples.

It was all proper bonfire night fare and my tummy growled in anticipation of enjoying it. ‘Have you got a second, Lizzie?’

‘For you,’ she said, ‘I might even have two.’

We walked a little distance away from the rapidly filling space around the towering bonfire that was still to be lit. The recumbent, straw-stuffed Guy had now been launched on, but not made it right to the top and looked to be in danger of sliding down.

‘I know it’s taken me an age to come back to you,’ I told my new friend while my heart thumped hard in my chest, ‘and I’m sorry about that.’

‘With everything you had to organise for the festival,’ she said, guessing it was her job offer that I wanted to talk about, ‘you know I told you I was in no rush for an answer. And that was before you had everything extra going on in your private life, too!’ she added.

‘I know.’ I smiled. ‘It feels like an age since you offered me the job, but I do want it. I definitely want to accept it and I can start as soon as you need me to. Even before Joanne leaves, if you like. That is, assuming you still want me…’

‘Oh, Clemmie,’ she said, giving me the hugest, tightest hug. ‘Of course I still want you! I can’t tell you how excited I am! I’m thrilled! We’re going to have the best fun.’

‘Yes,’ I said, smiling broadly. ‘I think we are.’

‘And between you and me,’ she giggled, ‘I already knew you were going to say yes after the lantern workshop.’

‘You did?’

‘Of course I did! And if you really can start before Joanne leaves, then I could do with a hand in the run-up to Christmas. The workshops are all fully booked now, thanks to some extra interest as a result of the autumn festival, which,’ she added, after taking a breath, ‘everyone will definitely want you to organise again next year, if you’re up for it? ’

‘Yes, to both!’ I said, feeling excited about each of the opportunities that had come my way.

‘With a whole year to get organised and funds already in the pot to grow it, the festival will be even bigger next year and I might even consider having a strategy in place by then to use AutumnEverything to help further spread the word.’

‘I’m even happier now,’ Lizzie beamed.

‘I’m happy too,’ I laughed. ‘And I have to admit, and there were times when I never thought I’d feel this, that I am now so grateful that you stopped by the cottage that day and subsequently goaded me into taking the festival on.’

‘I think goaded is a rather strong word,’ she protested. ‘Though I did sense that you weren’t quite so impressed with me in the early days.’

‘I really wasn’t,’ I laughed along with her. ‘But then I met Joanne and realised meeting her first would have been so much worse!’

‘I heard that!’ said a singsong voice behind us.

‘I know you did,’ I said, turning around. ‘You were meant to, Joanne.’

She stuck her tongue out and we all laughed. ‘But you know what, Clemmie,’ she then said, ‘if Moses has been looking down on what you’ve achieved during these last couple of months, then I know he’ll be feeling that the festival and its future is in the safest of hands.’

‘Oh, Joanne,’ said Lizzie, sounding choked.

I felt moved by her kind words, too, but a deafening squeak from a loudhailer cut the emotional moment off and started a couple of children crying.

Jake’s voice then boomed out, telling us it was time to light the bonfire and the sobs quickly turned to cheers.

As the flames rapidly rose to the top of the stack, Lizzie and Joanne went to help with the food and I spotted Ash making his way towards me with two onion packed hotdogs.

‘So,’ he smiled. ‘Did you miss me?’

‘Of course I did,’ I grinned. ‘Is one of those for me?’

‘They’re both for you if you’ll tell me you love me again.’

‘I love you, again,’ I laughed and he handed both over.

‘Idiot!’ I giggled, handing one back.

He took a huge bite out of his to claim it and I followed suit and tucked into mine.

‘How come,’ I said, once I’d swallowed a few mouthfuls and wiped most of the ketchup from my chin, ‘they taste so much better outdoors?’

‘I dunno,’ Ash shrugged. ‘Everything does though, doesn’t it?’

I stood on tiptoe and kissed him, ketchup and all.

‘Oh yeah,’ I said. ‘You’re right. It does.’

I looked beyond the bonfire and spotted Molly watching us and smiling serenely.

Given the number of people at the party, I was surprised she was there, but it was definitely her.

I waved and she inclined her head and raised what looked like a silver chalice, rather than the recyclable paper cups the rest of us were drinking from.

‘Who are you waving at?’ Ash asked.

‘Molly,’ I said, with a nod, but when I looked again, she’d gone. ‘Oh, she’s disappeared.’

‘Oh, well,’ said Ash. ‘I’m sure she’ll pop up again when you least expect her to.’ I knew he was right. ‘Now, toffee apple first or a sparkler?’

‘Um,’ I said, screwing up the paper napkin my hotdog had been served in. ‘Sparkler, I think.’

We wrote each other’s names and drew love hearts in the dark as the full moon came into view. It was an incredibly romantic evening and the loving feeling continued when Ash drove us back to Rowan Cottage and accepted my offer to stay the night again.

‘Don’t go,’ I said, reaching across where Pixie was asleep between us, very early the next morning and as he made a move to get up. ‘I don’t want you to leave.’

‘I was just going to make us breakfast in bed,’ he said, as he softly brushed my hair away from my face, ‘but if you’d rather I—’

‘No, no,’ I said, then pushed him out. ‘You carry on. Breakfast in bed would be wonderful.’

‘That’s what I thought,’ he laughed. ‘Come on, Pixie,’ he added as he pulled on a pair of boxers. ‘You can help.’

She opened her eyes, stretched and reluctantly jumped off the bed and followed him.

‘There’s smoked salmon in the fridge if you fancy going fancy!’ I called after him.

I must have dozed off again and it was just a few minutes later, that I was startlingly woken by what sounded like my father’s voice.

I sat bolt upright and stock still and cocked an ear.

With Pixie yapping, it was hard to make anything out clearly and I was just about to snuggle back down on the assumption that I must have been dreaming, when I heard Mum shouting a greeting up the stairs.

Her voice was followed by the sound of footsteps and Ash burst back into the bedroom still in his boxers, looking red faced and sounding out of breath.

‘Your parents are here,’ he puffed, reaching for his jeans and pulling the hoodie he had taken to keeping at the cottage over his head.

‘But they’re not coming until tomorrow!’ I protested, as I flung back the duvet.

‘Oh well, in that case,’ he laughed, as he rushed out again, ‘would you like me to tell them they’re a figment of my imagination, or would you rather do it?’

By the time I had pulled on my dressing gown and descended, Dad and Ash had ferried in a multitude of bags and were chatting as if they’d known each other forever and Mum was making a pot of tea with Pixie neatly tucked under one arm.

Had I not been feeling so shocked, it would have been a charming scene.

‘Clemmie!’ Dad shouted, when he spotted me in the doorway. ‘At last!’

He rushed across the room and pulled me into his arms.

‘Oh, Dad,’ I gulped, tears springing up, because in spite of the unexpected nature of his and Mum’s arrival, it was wonderful to see them both. ‘It’s so good to see you.’

‘We thought we’d surprise you,’ Mum chimed in, handing Pixie to Dad when he let me go and squeezing me tight herself.

‘Oh, you’ve certainly done that,’ I told her. ‘Mission very definitely accomplished.’

‘You were right, love,’ said Dad, nodding at Ash. ‘He is even better close to.’

‘Dad!’ I flushed and Ash shook his head.

‘I apologise for my previous state of undress,’ Ash said, holding up his hands. ‘Had I thought, I would have got dressed before I opened the cottage door.’

‘No need to stand on ceremony with us, lad,’ Dad chuckled.

‘Though next time, we’ll telephone in advance,’ Mum laughed, too.

‘We’d been parked up a few minutes, wondering whether to knock or ring,’ Dad elaborated. ‘Then this fella opened the door to pick up the milk and, well, you know the rest.’

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘I do, and as you’re here, shall I introduce you properly?’

‘Bit late for that,’ Mum pointed out, with a wry smile.

‘But we wouldn’t say no to a bite of breakfast,’ Dad requested, with a nod to the smoked salmon and eggs Ash had already got out.

The meal that followed, with us all crowded around my little table and Pixie balanced on Mum’s knee, which was usually strictly forbidden, was the polar opposite of what I had envisaged would occur after my night with Ash, but it was the jolliest way I’d eaten in the cottage so far and it was wonderful that we were all together at last.