Page 72 of The Island of Hopes and Dreams

EPILOGUE

THREE YEARS LATER

The rock was warm and barnacle-rough through Lola’s thin trousers. With her feet dipped in the cool water of the rock pool and the September sun on her shoulders, being on the beach took her back to her childhood, to the freedom of growing up on the coast and the peace she felt by the ocean. Sandymouth Bay was one of her favourite places, with its huge swathe of sand, and rock pools of varying shapes and sizes, backed by crumbling cliffs. The only other people in sight were dog walkers and young families, antlike on the vast beach. The dramatic landscape reminded her a little of the Cane Malu tidal pool in Sardinia, but rather than being otherworldly, this place evoked a sense of freedom and joy.

Lola tilted her face to the sun and relished the warmth. Soon, the long days of summer would be over and she’d have to swap her sandals for wellies and salads for hearty soups. But at least then the wood burner could be lit; there was nothing better than spending the day outdoors and returning cold and exhausted to the warmth and comfort of home. That thought alone was enough to motivate her to move. Even though she was a relatively new driver, she’d become confident quickly out of necessity, yet she’d still prefer not to have to navigate the narrow lanes near home in the dark.

Standing up, she searched the edge of the rock pool and spotted Archie’s wagging tail. She whistled and grinned as he looked up and bounded over. He charged through the shallow rock pool, splashing water over her legs, then snuffled his sand-covered nose into her hand. She stroked behind his ears and kissed the top of his head. He was an eighteen-month-old Beagle cross and they’d fallen in love with him the moment they’d laid eyes on him at the rescue centre. Her childhood dream of having a dog had finally come true.

‘Come on then, Arch, let’s go home.’

An overnight stay with her parents had ended up being longer because her dad had insisted she stay an extra day so he could fire up his new gas barbecue and cook her a meal. Making an effort to see her parents more often was one of the best things she’d done. They’d all benefitted from quality time together, their relationship revitalised by openness and effort, bringing all three of them closer. It made Lola happy that the drive back up the M5 was now familiar because she’d done it enough times. The changes in her life over the past three years had been monumental and good for her. She loved visiting her parents and making the most of coastal living for a few days, but she adored returning home.

Home.Just the thought filled her with joy, the same way heading west onto the M4 towards Wales rather than east to London ignited something in her heart. Rhys was often with her, but he had to work this time, so she’d visited her parents on her own, although she was never alone now she had Archie for company.

As she passed the ‘Croeso i Gymru’ sign after crossing the Prince of Wales Bridge, she rang Rhys to say they were less than an hour from home.

* * *

The two nights that Lola had intended to stay at the Harmony Hotel in the Dolomites had turned into five and even then she’d been reluctant to leave. While she’d returned to London, Rhys had continued on to Salzburg. But promises had been made, truths shared and hearts given, so Lola had gone home with a renewed purpose and her mind made up over Rhys, because she was certain he was her future.

As Rhys journeyed through Europe and Lola threw herself back into work, their frequent messages were interspersed with long phone calls late into the night. Their chats became less about missing each other and more about their hopes and dreams and taking chances, made less scary if they did it together.

In mid-December, Rhys had returned to the UK a new man… well, not exactly ‘new’ because he was still the wonderfully open, kind and delicious man Lola had fallen in love with, but he’d regained a sense of who he was and what he wanted. His passion fuelled Lola’s own desire to reshape her life. Mirabel had transformed her life with her marriage to Fabs and her move to Sardinia along with a U-turn of her successful career. Deni too was an example of how reassessing priorities and regaining perspective led to a healthier relationship and a happier balance. Lola remembered Deni’s advice about following in Mirabel’s footsteps when it came to love, so she chose to put happiness ahead of everything else, something she realised was tied up in Rhys.

They knew they wanted to spend Christmas together even if it wouldn’t be alone. Lola had vowed to make amends with her parents, while Rhys was desperate to introduce Lola to his family. They saw Fabs and Mirabel at a pre-Christmas party hosted by Deni and Mark, before their friends went to Mirabel’s parents for Christmas. On Christmas Eve, they took the train to Bristol and Rhys gave Lola a whistlestop tour of his house before they drove to Wales to spend Christmas Day with his parents, brothers and their families. Growing up an only child with family spread far and wide, Lola had never experienced a big family Christmas. Rhys had said his parents were reserved compared to Fabs’s, but a house full of children injected excitement and love into the festivities. A chaotic, noisy and merry few hours on Christmas Day was a first for Lola, but she knew she wanted more of it in her life. More Rhys, more love, more family, more joy. More everything. Having children had never been a serious consideration, but seeing how good Rhys was with his nieces and nephews, the possibility of starting a family with him in the future became more than just an idea, but a hope, a dream, a desire.

The time with Rhys’s parents was as impactful as it was fleeting. On Boxing Day, they drove down to Devon. As her mum and dad welcomed them, Lola realised it was the first time she’d brought a boyfriend home to meet her parents. She was involving them in her life and introducing them to the person who meant the most. Rhys was her olive branch offering and he charmed them, but not in the way Jarek would have, rather in his effortlessly honest way.

She was glad her parents had never met Jarek and she was even happier that he was out of her life. The messages had stopped, she had an injunction against him and, like Barnaby had said, he’d cut his losses and left. If there was a silver lining, his damaging influence had altered her opinion of what was important when it came to love and life.

Rhys’s talent for crafting beautiful things was apparent. She’d only had to look at the quality of the work in his house to know it could be more than a hobby and when he talked to her about turning it into a job, she wholeheartedly encouraged him. Continuing to do what was expected was relatively risk-free, but to invite possibility and a better way of life by following your heart, well, wasn’t that the ultimate dream? Because although Lola and Rhys were opposites in many ways, they were united about building a life together. Of course, compromises would have to be made, but when they talked about what they wanted, many of their dreams aligned. Lola had spent her teens dreaming about an exciting career in London and she’d believed she’d had it all, until she hadn’t. Her friends had kept her going through the hard times, but she’d been drifting, unsettled and lost, much like Rhys had been in Bristol, albeit for a different reason.

The following spring when Rhys took Lola to see a sizeable plot of land in Wales that contained a wood, a stream and a house that had seen better days but had plenty of potential, the fluttering in her stomach matched the excitement in Rhys’s eyes. Neither of them had said much as they’d been shown around, but during the drive back to Bristol they’d fired off ideas, talking non-stop, their passion palpable as they planned their future.

While Lola was happy in her job, Rhys was discontented in his. He longed to move away from the city to follow his dream of countryside living and the possibility of turning his hobby into a business. Lola enjoyed the unpredictability of her job and the travelling, but she wanted more freedom and to put the past behind her. An honest chat with her boss at Rhythm paved the way to flexible working. Suddenly, their hopes and dreams could become a reality if they were brave enough to take the chance.

Nine months later, a tumble-down house with five acres of land in the Vale of Glamorgan surrounded by woodland, countryside walks and within driving distance of the coast became the place they would call home.

* * *

The Hideaway was a fitting name for their house in the woods. Compromises were a part of life and relationships, but Lola and Rhys had managed to attain something that made them both happy. There was no sea view but there were beaches a short drive away. Cardiff was commutable too, which made it possible for Lola to travel to London or wherever else for work.

After handing in his notice at the school in Bristol, Rhys moved to Wales to start doing the house up before Lola joined him. He found part-time work as a supply teacher and spent every spare minute gutting the house, rebuilding and decorating. He put his woodwork skills to good use, transforming the kitchen and building shelving in the living spaces and wardrobes in the bedrooms. Lola joined him at the weekends, swapping her heels and make-up for dungarees and a paintbrush. With four bedrooms, there was enough space for her to turn one into a snug with a whole wall filled with bookshelves.

Once the house was liveable and Lola had learnt to drive – discovering her travel sickness was significantly eased by being the driver rather than a passenger – she rented out her apartment and made the permanent move to Wales.

Rhys started on the next phase of their long-term plan, building the first of three wooden glamping cabins to rent out as holiday lets. He had grand ideas of eventually adding two treehouses as well, which would be an extra source of income while he swapped teaching for his own woodworking business.

Now, three years later in mid-September, the Hideaway was filled with their friends, who were all sitting around the clearing at the heart of the wood, their chatter joining the birdsong. Freddie and Barnaby were in charge of the barbecue and smoke twirled into the air along with the delicious aroma of grilling burgers. The weather had been kind, with an Indian summer reminiscent of their time in Sardinia. Not everyone was staying, as even with two cabins completed, there wasn’t enough space. Polly and Barnaby had brought their families with them, while Deni, Sarah and Gareth were with their partners. Fabs and Mirabel were joined by their seven-month-old son Enzo, plus Freddie and Zoe had their cheeky two-year-old in tow. A baby had arrived before Freddie and Zoe had managed to get married. Lola was certain they’d never get round to tying the knot because their son was as much of a handful as he was adorable. Everyone had been in agreement that a baby would make or break them and Lola was quietly pleased that they were somehow muddling along. Rhys had forgiven them and Lola wasn’t going to hold a grudge, not when she and Rhys were happy. As both Sarah and Polly had stressed on more than one occasion, being in a permanent sleep-deprived state of anxiety with a young child came hand in hand with parenthood. Lola and Rhys hadn’t reached that stage yet; starting a family was something they’d talked about and hoped would be on the horizon, but for now they were focused on the here and now and the things that made them happy. The Hideaway was a huge part of that.

Fabs and Mirabel had managed to achieve a decent work/life balance, but then it was a little easier in Sardinia with a host of family to help out with the baby, and at least they had their own modest coastal home to retreat to when things got too much. Mirabel had her struggles, though, and missed her own family and friends; the compromise was lots of time spent in the UK. Work as well as family brought her back. Her own talent agency had gone from strength to strength and she needed help, so a change was on the cards for Lola too. Going into partnership with Mirabel was an exciting step for both of them. Fabs and Rhys referred to them as the dream team.

Lola cast her eyes over their friends filling the sun-drenched clearing. Fabs was bouncing a chubby-cheeked Enzo on his knee, while Rhys was pulling silly faces at his godson, making him giggle. It was a joyous sound that made Lola’s heart yearn. She smiled as Rhys hid behind his hands and went ‘peekaboo’, setting off another wave of giggles as Enzo rocked back against his dad. She really was ready for the next stage of her and Rhys’s life.

Catching Mirabel looking at her husband and son with a mix of pride and love, Lola gestured towards them. ‘They’re just too cute together.’

‘I’m completely biased, but yes, I have to agree.’ Mirabel put her arm around Lola’s waist. ‘This weekend with everyone means so much; I can’t put into words how amazing this place is. I’m blown away by what you two have achieved in such a short time.’

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