Page 46 of A Wedding at The Cornish Garden Café
Within minutes he returned, carrying a glass of water and a mug.
‘What is it?’ She looked at the mug.
‘Hot chocolate to raise your blood sugar. Pearl is making you some toast.’
‘Thanks.’ She sipped the drink and watched as Wyatt scribbled some notes on the pad. He looked up and met her eyes.
‘I’ll get there so don’t worry. I’ll make sure the speech is a good one.’
‘I know you will.’ She finished the hot chocolate and sighed with relief. She had been feeling weak; the panic must have caused her adrenaline to spike, and then she’d crashed. After a restless night, she’d been rushing around since she’d got up. ‘And thanks again. You always seemed to know when I needed something to eat.’
He smiled, but the sadness in his eyes undid her more than words ever could. ‘You always worried me with that. You’re not great at taking care of yourself, especially when you’re busy. Edith, you must look after yourself. It’s important.’
‘I know. I just?—’
‘Forget.’ He finished her sentence.
‘Yes.’
They gazed into each other’s eyes for a few moments, and something warm unfurled inside Edith as though the hot chocolate had seeped through every cell, wrapping her in comfort. It was sad that things hadn’t worked out between them, yet there was still a connection, even if it was only friendship. His kindness, the way he’d taken care of her, made her question herself again. He was a good man, even if he couldn’t love her the way she wanted him to. It hurt, but that was life. Not everyone got their happy ever after, did they?
‘Do you need any help with that?’ she asked.
‘I think I’ve got it, but if you recall any funny stories about Titus, then let me know and I’ll slot them in.’ He winked conspiratorially, and she felt her cheeks flush.
Pearl brought out a plate of buttered toast along with another mug of hot chocolate. ‘Now you get these into you, Edith.’ Pearl wagged a finger. ‘Wyatt said you almost fainted on him, and we can’t have that, can we? Young women like you are often so busy you forget the important things like eating and drinking.’
‘Thanks, Pearl.’
‘It’s no problem, my lovely.’
After Pearl had gone, Edith ate the toast and drank the second hot chocolate, and soon she felt much better. Wyatt had continued to work on his speech, and so she’d sat there silently, enjoying the food and drink and the sweet morning air.
Soon, she realised she needed to get moving because people started arriving with more flowers, and the champagne delivery arrived along with supplies from the nearby dairy farm.
Before standing up, Edith pressed her hands to the surface of the table in front of her, grounding herself for a moment. Over the years, lots of people would have sat here and eaten their meals, spoken to friends or even worked while the sun shone above them and the sea breeze washed over them. The grooves and bumps of the wood suggested that memories, emotions, thoughts, and feelings could have caused the uneven surface as if they were embedded in the wood.
Would this moment in time also become part of the grain? This moment of calm in the storm of their relationship? A moment when they’d been able to just be without the pressure of anything else creating tension between them.
Today was about consolidating love and friendship and starting something new. After today, Wyatt would move on, and Edith would remain here in Cornwall. They would always have yesterday to bind them together, but as for tomorrow… Their lives would follow different paths.
Wyatt looked up and caught her eye. ‘Done.’
‘That’s brilliant.’
‘Thanks.’
‘What for?’ She frowned.
‘The moral support. Just having you sitting opposite helped me to focus. It’s like you were my muse.’ He bit his lower lip and his eyes widened a fraction.
‘Your muse?’ she asked.
‘You always were,’ he whispered.
Edith looked away, keen to avoid becoming swept up in sentimentality. ‘I’d better get moving.’
‘Of course.’ He folded up the speech and slid it into his pocket. ‘And you’re OK to carry on now?’
