Page 45 of Coming Home to Crumbleton

‘I still can’t believe you’re here,’ said Oli.

His voice was low and lazy, and Ruby felt it as much as she heard it. She was snuggled against him, cosied into the crook of his arm with her head resting against his chest. The copy of Persuasion lay unopened on the blanket next to them, and it was so reminiscent of their teenaged study sessions that Ruby felt like she’d climbed into that time machine again. Only this time, it was different. No one could send Oli away from her, and she didn’t have to leave him behind either… not if she chose not to.

‘I’m here,’ she said simply.

Oli tightened his arms around her, pulling her into a warm hug that cocooned her from the rest of the world.

‘Rubes… I want to tell you something,’ said Oli. ‘Need to tell you something, actually. About my dad.’

‘Caroline told me he’d passed away,’ said Ruby. ‘I’m really sorry.’

‘Thanks,’ he muttered.

She felt him shift a little on the blanket and followed suit, turning so that she was lying on her side, her head propped up on one arm, facing him.

‘Is that why you came back?’ she said gently.

He shook his head.

‘Did you get injured? Is that why you decided to stop competing?’ she asked.

‘Nope,’ said Oli. ‘No,’ he said again with a heavy sigh. ‘I just wanted to come home… I wanted to investigate some of the “what ifs” I was busy tormenting myself with.’

‘Like… the bookshop?’ said Ruby.

‘Working with books was definitely one of them,’ he said. ‘I always wished I’d had the strength to stand up for myself and follow my heart. I spent years living for someone else… and I decided it was time to try out some stuff for myself instead. Then dad got sick and he was gone so fast and…’

He paused, a look of confusion crossing his face as though he didn’t quite know how to continue.

‘You must miss him,’ said Ruby, her heart sinking. There was no way she was going to be able to tell him everything now - not with him grieving for his father like this.

‘I do miss him,’ he said. ‘But at least I got to be with him at the end. I got to say goodbye.’

Ruby nodded.

‘Rubes - that’s what I wanted to tell you,’ said Oli, pinning her with his eyes. ‘Before he died, dad told me what he said to you before I went to America... he admitted he was the reason you disappeared from my life.’

‘It doesn’t matter now,’ she said quickly, shaking her head.

Of course, it had mattered - more than anything - for a very long time. But now she was back here with Oli… now they were talking…

‘He only did what he thought was best for you,’ she said.

‘That’s true,’ said Oli, nodding slowly. ‘He told me he was trying to protect me - but he also said he was trying to do the same thing for you, too’

‘I-’ she started, not really knowing where she was planning to go with the sentence.

‘Those things he said to you?’ said Oli. ‘He basically said the same thing to me, too. Not to ruin your life. Not to hold you back. He said you had so much talent… and it wasn’t fair for me to ruin your future.’

Ruby stared at him, her mouth slightly open.

‘He also asked me to apologise to you – for him - if I ever got the chance,’ said Oli. ‘So… sorry… for my dad.’

‘It’s forgiven,’ said Ruby, shaking her head.

And forgotten, she added silently to herself.

The breeze set the leaves above them rustling and Ruby sat up, feeling like she was coming out of some kind of trance.

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