Yesterday's Sun

by Amanda Brooke

  Holly frowned, unsure where her next thoughts were leading. “Patti is a lovely girl and very sensible for her age. Do you think she could help? She would have finished her degree by the time Libby’s born. Maybe she could help Tom, be his researcher, or even look after Libby?”

  Jocelyn raised an eyebrow. “You’re not looking for a replacement for you, are you?”

  Holly laughed nervously. “Good grief, no. I want Tom to be happy, but right now he’s mine and I don’t want to even contemplate him having another woman in his life, but …” Holly couldn’t finish her sentence, she let the word hover in the air.

  “But?” pushed Jocelyn.

  Holly looked out of the window and her frown deepened. “When the time’s right, tell him I want him to be happy. Tell him to let go.” She turned to face Jocelyn with a wicked smile. “Just make sure that whoever she is, she’s good, but not better than me.”

  “I don’t think that’s possible. You’re pretty unique, Holly Corrigan.”

  New Year’s Eve was a bittersweet moment for Holly, but there was no time to brood on how unfair life was. She had enough and she was happy—happy because she had finally accepted the gift the moondial had given her. It had given her the chance to be a mother and to meet her daughter before she died. Without the moondial she would never have been given the chance to hold her daughter.

  “Would now be a good time to tell you I think I’m pregnant?” Holly said, almost in a whisper.

  They had chosen to stay at home and were in the kitchen as the countdown to the New Year approached. Tom was in the middle of opening a bottle of champagne but his fingers froze as the news sank in.

  “Really? Would you know so soon?” he asked cautiously.

  Holly nodded. “Believe me. I’m sure,” she beamed.

  Tom still didn’t move; he just stood in the middle of the kitchen and blinked. A huge grin began to appear on his face. He dropped the bottle of champagne onto the kitchen table and rushed toward Holly as one year moved seamlessly into the next. The cork popped and champagne started gushing out but Tom was oblivious.

  “Really?” he repeated.

  “Happy New Year,” Holly told him, her smile a mirror image of his.

  “Happy, yes, very happy,” he agreed. “How could I ever have doubted it? It’s in the plan after all.”

  Holly’s smile didn’t exactly falter but it took a little extra effort as she pushed back more unpleasant thoughts about the future. “Yes, this plan of ours, I think we need to work on it.”

  A frown of suspicion creased Tom’s brow but only for a moment. His smile reappeared, twice as wide as it had been and Holly knew he would happily agree to almost anything. He obediently cleared up the spilled champagne while she took out her notepad from a kitchen drawer and placed it purposefully on the table, leafing through until she found their current five-year plan set out in black and white. Holly sat down and Tom joined her, both of them staring at the open page.

  “Do you mind if we have a supplementary plan?” she asked.

  “One especially for me by any chance?”

  Now it was Holly’s turn to look suspicious.

  “One that sets out my career in a little more detail?” he continued. “Don’t look so surprised. Do you think I haven’t noticed your less than subtle hints about me not taking the anchorman job?”

  “I know I’m interfering. It’s just that …” Holly began.

  “Enough already,” laughed Tom. “I know what you think. I think the exact same thing. It’s not the job for me, but you’re about to have our baby and I want to do the best for you both.”

  “But there’s nothing to say you can’t still provide for your family without taking on a job you’re going to hate—and you will hate it, Tom, you …”

  Tom placed his finger gently on Holly’s lips. “I’ll take the job for six months, and meanwhile I’ll set the ball rolling to go freelance. By the time the baby’s born, I’ll have a new career all carved out. I might even have started writing my first book. Now, would you like to write all of that down, or shall I?”

  Holly pulled his finger away from her mouth and kissed it innocently. “It’s your plan,” she told him sweetly. “I’m glad you think so. I was starting to have my doubts.” The accusing look he gave Holly transformed to one of awe.

  “A baby. We’re going to have a baby,” he whispered.

  When Holly wasn’t meddling with Tom’s plans, there were plenty of other things to keep her busy. Sam Peterson made sure of that. Fortunately, Mrs. Bronson hadn’t caused too much of a fuss over the sculpture debacle. She had a piece of genuine Holly Corrigan artwork and she didn’t want to devalue it by undermining the artist, especially when she’d acquired the work for free. But despite her reputation remaining intact, Holly refused point-blank to take on any more commissions. She still worked on small pieces for the gallery, but not with the intensity she had previously put into her work. She wanted to spend as much time as she could enjoying life with Tom.

  When she did venture into her studio, Holly found herself spending more time staring at her mother-and-child sculpture than she did working on other pieces. A pregnancy test had given Tom the confirmation he thought they both needed, and there were small changes to Holly’s body that gave teasing hints of the life growing inside her. But it was still the baby she had molded from clay that made Libby real. Holly felt comforted by its presence but she knew the sculpture deserved a more prominent and permanent home. She decided to follow Sam’s suggestion and donate it to the village. She chose May Day, the festival of fertility, as the perfect day to unveil the sculpture in the village hall, and Sam received an invitation he couldn’t refuse. It was going to be a very emotional evening, and Holly knew it was just one of the legacies she would be leaving behind.

  Tom and Holly were getting ready for the great unveiling of her sculpture, and as usual Tom had taken all of ten minutes to shower and change and then spent the rest of the time sitting on the bed watching Holly. She was running around like a lunatic. She tried on countless combinations of outfits but she was now four months pregnant and blooming, right out of her clothes.

  “Nothing fits,” she complained, trying to pull one of her favorite dresses over her bump. It was a vintage sixties minidress in a loud orange-and-black print, but it stretched so much over her stomach that it was indecently short, even for sixties fashion.

  “Complaining?” asked Tom. He had worn a permanent grin from the moment he knew she was pregnant.

  Holly pulled off her dress and slipped onto the bed next to him. “No, I most certainly am not.” She kissed him softly and started unbuttoning his shirt.

  The gentleness of her kiss hit him like a steam train and he groaned in delight. “Let’s not go. Let’s stay here,” he pleaded.

  “Not a chance,” she told him with a reluctant smile. “Our guests will be waiting and besides, your mum and dad are downstairs. They might complain about the noise.”

  Holly whisked Tom’s shirt off and then scuttled off the bed. She slipped it on and matched it with a pair of black leggings and a belt while Tom scrambled around for another shirt.

  Eventually, with the help of his parents, she dragged a reluctant Tom out of the house, although she was the one who was feeling apprehensive about the evening. Unlike Tom, she wasn’t used to being in the limelight and so she had used her pregnancy to persuade Tom to do the ceremonial speech. Even so, she knew she wouldn’t be able to avoid being the center of attention.

  The village hall was comfortably full with villagers and a few select outsiders. Jocelyn had helped Tom with the arrangements for raffles and auctions to raise money for the village community fund, and if that weren’t enough, she and Lisa had also prepared enough food to feed the five thousand.

  “You really shouldn’t have gone to all this trouble,” exclaimed Tom when he spotted the buffet spread out along one side of the hall.

  “It was no trouble, no trouble at all,” lied Jocelyn. Lisa pulle
d a face behind her to let everyone know she was lying. “OK, I will admit I’ll be glad to put my feet up tonight. My legs are aching like you wouldn’t believe.”

  “Well, you sit yourself down right now,” commanded Tom, taking Jocelyn by the arm and finding her a seat. “I don’t want to see you lift another finger all night. If you want something, you just ask me.”

  Jocelyn’s eyes twinkled with delight. It was obvious that she enjoyed being cosseted by a handsome young man. “I could do with a drink, if it’s not too much trouble,” she cooed.

  “Excuse me, don’t go escaping your duties,” interrupted Holly with a smirk. “Let’s get the unveiling out of the way first and then we can party all night. Jocelyn will just have to fend for herself a little longer.”

  “Can I be of service?” Sam had slipped into the hall without Holly noticing.

  “Perfect timing,” Holly replied slyly. “Everybody, this is Sam Peterson, gallery owner and expert negotiator. Sam, meet the family,” Holly chirped, quickly going through the introductions, leaving Jocelyn until last. “She’s a very special lady,” Holly explained. “And I want you to look after her. I think she could do with some liquid refreshment, if you’d be so kind.”

  “Who died and made you queen?” retorted Sam.

  “Nobody yet,” answered Holly and everyone laughed except Jocelyn.

  “Come on, your majesty, let’s get to work.” It was Tom’s turn to try to pull Holly away. “And don’t you go anywhere. I won’t be long,” he added, winking at Jocelyn.

  Up onstage, in front of the sculpture that took pride of place in the hall, Tom entertained the crowd with plenty of jokes at Holly’s expense. It was only when it came to the dedication of the sculpture that Tom’s tone became serious. “I know Holly won’t like me saying this, but twelve months ago, she didn’t believe in motherhood, not for her anyway. She didn’t think she could ever be a mother and if I’m honest, I started to doubt it myself.”

  Tom looked cautiously at Holly, unsure if she would be comfortable with his public confessions. Holly smiled tentatively at him. She would be the first to agree that it had indeed been a difficult journey.

  “I thought I was the one who had been on an amazing voyage of discovery, off traveling the globe, but I look at the sculpture behind me and I can see the incredible journey that she’s traveled. She thought she could never experience a mother’s love, but the love is there, carved into stone for the whole world to see. I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of her and I can’t wait for the day that the image she created in stone becomes real flesh and blood.”

  Tom glanced at Holly. The last twelve months had also taught her how to cry and she was now crying like a baby. She was dragged toward the microphone and sniffed her way through all the thank-yous. She thanked everyone for their love, support, and patience, especially Tom, especially his parents, especially Jocelyn, and even Billy, too. The list just continued until she had to thank the crowd, too—mostly for their patience. Despite her reservations at giving a speech, Holly was starting to feel comfortable in front of the microphone, which Tom was now regretting handing over to her.

  “I never could have imagined what a life-changing experience moving to the country would be. In a very short period of time, I’ve come to see Fincross as my home, the place where I’ve been able to put down roots that I hope will continue to thrive for generations to come. I’m just sorry I never had a chance to see Hardmonton Hall in all its glory. Now I hope you won’t think of me as an interfering busybody, but I was hoping that, perhaps, the money raised tonight could go toward the restoration of the gardens at the Hall. It’s such an amazing site. It would be a shame to lose it to the past forever.”

  Holly’s gaze settled on Jocelyn, who was looking at her quizzically. This was yet another of Holly’s intended legacies, one that would pay tribute to Edward and Isabella Hardmonton in particular. The world may never know what sacrifices they had made, but Holly knew only too well. There was also another reason for suggesting the plan. The project would help Jocelyn look to the future instead of dwelling in the past, and it would satisfy her love for gardening far better than a single window box in her tiny flat.

  Having kept her audience captive long enough, and to relieved sighs all around, Holly declared the buffet open but warned people not to disappear. There were still plenty of fund-raising activities on offer. She expected not only for everyone to dig deep but to dance the night away into the wee hours of the morning.

  Before they joined the throng, Holly turned to Tom one last time. “Thank you.”

  “I think you’ve already said that,” laughed Tom. “And in case I haven’t said it enough, thank you, Holly. Thank you for making me the happiest, luckiest man alive.”

  Holly wrapped her arm around Tom’s waist and laid her head on his shoulder so he wouldn’t see the look of sadness in her eyes.

  “Hey, there’s Billy,” Tom said excitedly.

  “The second love of your life. It’s a wonder I can trust you two alone with each other.”

  “You? Trust me?” gasped Tom loudly as they stopped in front of Billy. “You’re the one who kept the poor man hostage in your studio for hours.”

  “Hello, Mrs. C., Mr. C.,” Billy said with an excitement that rivaled only Tom’s as the two men shook hands. “I’d like to introduce you to my wife, Edna. Edna this is Holly and Tom,” he stumbled.

  The woman standing next to Billy was very matronly, with gray hair tied back tightly in a bun and a round face that was matched equally by her round body. She looked like she could easily keep Billy in check with a single withering look, but her smile to Tom and Holly was open and welcoming.

  “Oh, how lovely to meet you both at last! I’ve heard so much about you from Billy, and of course, I’ve seen you on TV,” she said to Tom.

  “I won’t be on TV for much longer, not on the news anyway. I’ve given my notice,” explained Tom with a palpable sense of relief.

  “Does this mean you’ll be putting the landscaping plans on hold?” Billy asked.

  “Not a chance,” smiled Tom. “I’ll be working for myself and I’ve already got a couple of projects lined up.”

  Billy raised an eyebrow in suspicion. “I hope you won’t be leaving your wife all on her own again,” he warned.

  “No, of course I won’t. I’ll be staying put, don’t you worry, and I’ll still have time to help sort out the plans for the garden. Speaking of which, can I have a quick word about next week?” Tom asked.

  “Do you mind, love?” Billy asked sheepishly, looking to Edna for approval.

  “Just be quick about it,” she warned.

  Once they were out of earshot, Holly couldn’t help but laugh. “I can see who wears the trousers in your house, and there was Billy giving the impression that he was master of all he surveyed.”

  Edna joined in the laughter. “You have to take a firm hand with him or goodness knows what he’d try to get away with. Actually, I’m glad I’ve caught you on your own,” Edna confessed. “Billy is going to insist on decorating the nursery for you. He wants to do it as a thank-you for all the work you’ve put his way.”

  “Really? How sweet of him,” gasped Holly, genuinely touched by Billy’s generosity.

  “Is it all right with you, though?” asked Edna. “It’s just that he has a real soft spot for the gatehouse and its inhabitants and he’d be there all the time if you let him. Please let me know if you think he’s becoming a pest and I’ll put him off.”

  “Billy? A pest?” Holly asked. She may have thought he was a nuisance at one time, but she knew Billy better now. “He’s kept a watchful eye over me while Tom was away and I really appreciate it.”

  “We never had kids of our own and, I swear, he’d adopt you and Tom if he could.”

  “Ah, but is he ready to be a granddad?” asked Holly, patting her stomach. The two women collapsed into a fit of giggles and they were still laughing when the men rejoined them. Holly insisted that Billy an
d Edna join the rest of their group so she could spend the remainder of the evening with her growing family.

  The night was a huge success and Holly had never felt so alive. She was only sorry that Jocelyn had left not long after the buffet had been devoured and cleared away. She would be the last one to admit it, but the preparations for the evening had totally wiped her out, so Holly didn’t try to persuade her to stay.

  Tom and Holly were the last to leave and although Jack and Diane had offered them a lift, they were determined to make the night last as long as possible and said they would walk home. The full moon looked over their shoulders and pointed the way home as they passed the village green. Hundreds of daffodils bobbed their heads approvingly in the soft breeze and Holly allowed herself a rare moment to feel sad and just a little scared about what she was leaving behind.

  “I can’t go on anymore,” complained Tom and he sat down on the grass. “I’ve danced myself out and my feet are killing me.”

  “Excuse me, I’m the pregnant one. I’m supposed to be the one with sore feet.”

  Tom pulled her down onto the grass with him. “It must be sympathy pains,” he concluded.

  “The only sympathy pains you have are with Sam,” laughed Holly.

  “Well, someone had to dance with him. He was mortified when he realized all the villagers weren’t raving line dancers.”

  “Hmm, you did have some good moves on the dance floor.”

  Despite Sam’s strange view of what village life was like, he was a hit with the locals and Holly suspected that he would be returning soon. He was staying over at one of the pubs and had been deep in conversation with the landlord when she had last seen him.

  Tom and Holly both lay back on the grass and looked up into the night’s sky.

  “Just look at that moon. You never see a moon that bright in London.”

  “It’s not everything it appears to be,” answered Holly. “It’s a reflection of light from the sun, that’s all. It doesn’t hold any power of its own.”

  “Tell that to the werewolves and lunatics,” slurred Tom lazily.