Page 94 of You Only Live Once
‘Uncle Jack!’ Ruby called over my shoulder as she began to wriggle with excitement. A fluttering sensation filled my stomach as we turned to see Jack walking up the church path towards us. He wasn’t alone.
‘Hello, chickpea,’ he said, taking the little girl who was reaching out towards him as far as her arms would stretch. Our hands brushed as we transferred our goddaughter to his arms. My breath caught, as though I’d touched a low volt electric fence, but Jack barely looked at me. The tall, elegant woman next to him removed her hand gracefully from his arm in order to allow him to take the child properly and placed it across her other one, which held a delicate Chanel clutch bag with a large gold clasp. As her hand moved, the late autumn sunlight flashed off the huge solitaire diamond on her left hand.
‘We haven’t seen you for aaaaages!’ Ruby pointed at him, big blue eyes looking imploringly – she was going to be a heartbreaker when she grew up.
‘I know, sweetheart. I’m sorry. I’ll try and do better, OK?’
‘Promise?’ Her fingers toyed with the white carnation in his buttonhole.
‘I promise.’ He held up his free hand and hooked his little finger. Ruby did the same and linked them before cuddling against him, his arms wrapping her tighter.
‘So sweet,’ the stranger in our midst commented. ‘Clearly Jack’s forgotten his manners, so I’ll introduce myself.’ She smiled warmly. ‘Cecily Fullington-Beck. You must be Felix and Poppy. I’ve heard so much about you, it’s wonderful to finally meet you. And what’s your name?’ she said crouching down on a level with my nephew.
‘Freddy,’ he said, his hand sneaking up to Felix’s.
‘That’s an excellent name, and don’t you look handsome, all smart in your nice suit.’
‘Thank you.’ His other hand snaked up to take my left one and I wrapped my own around it.
‘And you must be Lily.’ It was a statement rather than a question.
‘I am,’ I said, offering my right hand, which she shook, smiling pleasantly.
‘It’s so nice to put faces to names, don’t you think?’ Cecily said.
My gaze flicked to Jack and unexpectedly locked with his. He immediately looked away.
‘Excuse me a moment, I just need to check on something.’ I let go of Freddy’s hand and headed around the corner of the church towards the back in the old part of the cemetery before sinking onto a bench. The peace of the area contrasted with the screaming that was currently going on inside my brain, telling me what an idiot I’d been to push Jack away. I’d been lucky enough to find one man who loved me and then, years later, been given a second chance at happiness. Instead of being grateful and grabbing the opportunity as I should have, I’d thrown it away, pushing the man I loved into the arms of Lady Cecily. As Jack had said at the time, there was more than one way to lose a person and this time I’d helped the process. My heart felt like it was in shreds as I dialled the number on my phone.
Perhaps this was for the best for Jack – this was the woman his family had wanted him to marry and, so long as he was happy, perhaps their marriage would help heal the rift between him and his parents. I could only hope something good came out of it, because Jack deserved that.
‘He’s absolutely fine, dear,’ Mrs Dorsey said, laughing, before I’d had a chance to say a word down the line. ‘Clive and I had a chat when you left and I told him you’ll be back later, and he seems quite happy with that now. Busy playing with his friends, he is, zooming around the garden at the moment.’
‘Thank you, Mrs Dorsey.’
‘Oh, none of that Mrs Dorsey lark. Call me Pearl, dear. Have you seen the bride yet?’
‘No, not yet. I should think we’ll be going into the church shortly, though.’
‘Would you take me some photographs, dear? I’m more than happy to look after everyone’s pooches today, but it’s always nice to see a lovely wedding, isn’t it?’
‘Of course I will.’
Judging by the massive rock on Cecily’s hand, Pearl might just have the chance to go to another big wedding in the village before long.
‘Thanks again, and I’ll see you in the morning.’ I hadn’t been sure what time I’d be back, so we’d arranged for me to collect Clive tomorrow.
‘Have a lovely time!’ she said cheerily before hanging up. I sat with the phone in my hand and stared out across the carefully tended cemetery.
‘There you are. We were wondering where you’d gone.’
I smiled. ‘It’s OK. I haven’t chickened out and gone home.’
Poppy sat down next to me. ‘We didn’t think you had.’ She placed her hand over mine. ‘You all right?’
It would be easy to pretend I didn’t know what she was talking about but that would have just been a waste of breath for both of us.
‘Did you know?’
