A couple of weeks later, with Alex away on a business trip, she hit the shops with a vengeance. She hated the harsh reality of standing in the cold light of day, pulling bikini after bikini over her swollen thighs and squinting at herself in the unforgiving mirrors as she decided which ones were the most flattering, or rather the least unflattering! Every year she noticed that bikinis started to look less and less attractive on her; she was almost tempted to start wearing a swimming costume, but not quite. She couldn’t wait for her skin to get a suntan, being slightly plump it was wondrous what effect the sun had on her general appearance. Lucy had come to the conclusion that you could get away with many more extra pounds on the scales if they were of a sexy, golden brown variety, rather than being white and flabby like raw pastry.
She arrived home grateful that that particular chore was over and done with for another year then set about unpacking her shopping bags into the ever-growing mountain of stuff that they seemed to have amassed.
The next day she decided to have a bit of a sort-out, taking clothes out of cupboards and drawers, folding them and reorganizing them. There was a corner of the walk-in wardrobe that Alex had taken over with his sports kit. Lucy hauled his golf clubs out from the cupboard, causing a cascade of bags and boxes that had been carefully wedged in to fall with a clatter, scattering onto the floor. Lucy sighed and began picking them up, sorting them out and stacking them into some kind of order. She couldn’t imagine why men needed to have so much sports equipment, Alex rarely even played golf! A stray golf ball rolled across the floor and under the bed. Groaning, Lucy chased after it, flinging her arm as far as it could reach under the bed and stretching out her fingertips as she just managed to clasp hold of it. She knew that Alex kept his golf balls in one of the side pockets of his club bag, so she unzipped the pocket closest to her, reaching inside gingerly to see if there were any balls there, half expecting to lay her fingers on a smelly pair of socks or something far worse. Her hand closed around a small, velvet box. Without even thinking, she pulled it out.
‘OH MY GOD!’ she squealed, her vision suddenly becoming blurred as her head began to spin. She sat down with a thud on the floorboards, still clutching the box. She knew exactly what it was: a jewellery box. She sat there frozen to the spot like a statue for several minutes, staring at the blue velvet. Her mind was completely blank. She knew she should put it straight back where she had found it, but her fingers, as if acting completely of their own accord, flicked to the clasp and undid it. The box sprang open.
‘AAAAAAAAGHHHHH!’ she screamed out loud, as her gaze fell on the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. A huge diamond sparkled as though it was filled with its own light source, reflecting miniature rainbows off every facet, with two hexagonal aquamarines nestling on either side of it.
Grinning like a Cheshire cat, she slammed the lid shut, unable to believe her luck that not only had Alex decided to propose but that he had chosen such an exquisite ring, and furious with herself at the same time for having ruined the surprise before it had happened. This could explain why he had seemed a bit distant and remote with her of late. Tor had felt exactly the same way before Will had proposed, that he had been slightly awkward around her; she had even rung Lucy and complained that something was seriously wrong, but then he had proposed and when she had talked to him about it he had explained that he had been so nervous he couldn’t act normally around her!
Lucy opened the box once more, staring in disbelief at the ring that she had been waiting for her whole life. She couldn’t believe that it was finally going to be her turn! She was going to get engaged and be a bride and… it was too much for her to cope with. A tear trickled down her cheek and she lay back on the floor, a smile splitting her face from ear to ear.
Hands trembling, she silently packed away the ring in exactly the place where she had found it. She stuffed the golf clubs into the cupboard, followed by all the bags and boxes, trying to replicate the same random order that they had been in before she had begun tidying up.
She knew there was only one person she could tell. Claudia. She tripped over to her bed and flung herself onto it, grabbing her iPhone and pressing the speed dial for Claudia’s mobile.
‘Hello Juicy Lucy, how are you?’ Claudia answered on the second ring.
‘Is Dan there?’ Lucy asked, trying to get her voice to sound normal.
‘No,’ said Claudia, ‘why? What’s up?’ she asked.
‘Nothing really, only I JUST FOUND AN ENGAGEMENT RING IN ALEX’S GOLF BAG!!!!!!’ Lucy screeched ecstatically.
‘WHAAAAAAAAAT!!!!’ Claudia screeched back. ‘Are you JOKING?!’ she shouted.
’No!’ replied Lucy. ‘I’m totally serious!’
‘Oh my god this is too exciting! You have to tell me everything. And I mean everything!’ instructed Claudia. So Lucy recounted every detail, giving her an exact description of the ring and swearing her to total and absolute, eternal secrecy, invoking best friend rights over the marital vows that Claudia had made with Dan. Claudia agreed, swearing to secrecy, unable to stop shouting with excitement.
‘So do you think he is planning on doing it in Sicily then?’ asked Claudia.
‘Oh my god, I hadn’t thought of that. I wonder if that’s his plan!’ said Lucy.
‘I bet it is, oh this is just too exciting, if only I could come in your suitcase!’ cried Claudia.
‘Don’t get too carried away, Clauds,’ Lucy warned. ‘I mean, imagine if he doesn’t do it then, how will I feel?’
‘Oh shut up Lucy, of course he will do it then! You’re thirty six, he’s nearly thirty seven. It’s bound to happen sooner or later!’ said Claudia. ‘It was always just a matter of time!’
When Lucy finally hung up the phone, she sat on her bed, quietly awestruck by the momentous events of the day. Her earlier worries about looking good in a bikini had disappeared completely. Now she knew once and for all that Alex truly loved her exactly as she was. She found that the most incredibly reassuring thought. Lucy vowed that whatever happened, she would never tell Alex that she had found the ring. She didn’t want to ruin the surprise, after all. She would react as though she had never seen it before, and she knew that it would be such a genuinely emotional time that he would never suspect her accidental discovery.
Lucy was in such a state of shock and excitement that she didn’t know what to do with herself. She looked at the clock; it was only lunchtime. She knew she needed to do something to fill her day or she would just spend it staring at the ring which she had forbidden herself from looking at again. Making the decision that she had to get out of the flat, Lucy pulled her running kit on, grabbed her keys and a fiver to zip into the disguised pocket at the back of her leggings as she did so. She skipped happily down the stairs and out into the spring sunlight. As her feet hit the pavement, it was as if they had a mind of their own, falling into a steady rhythm as they pounded along the roads. She had no specific destination in mind but soon found herself jogging the familiar route to Holland Park.
She felt as though she was radiating joy through every cell of her body, her feet barely touching the ground. A soundtrack of ‘I’m engaged, I’m getting married!’ played on repeat over and over in her mind. She just couldn’t believe how her luck had changed.
She made a loop of the park, enjoying the sight of families picnicking, couples relaxing and children playing as she ran. Finally, she slowed her pace and began walking, making a beeline for the cafe as she cooled down. She was suddenly gasping for a drink. She entered through the back of the cafe, popped to the bathroom and then queued up at the counter for a cold bottle of water.
Breaking the seal as she twisted the cap off, she pushed open the door and sat at the nearest table, glugging the refreshing liquid gratefully down her parched throat. As she did so she noticed that the man with the huge dog who had spilt her coffee several weeks before was sitting at the very next table. The dog was lying peacefully at his feet. The man was smiling at her, his crow’s feet cre
asing deeply as he squinted at her in the sunshine.
‘You’re the lady that my awful dog pounced on, aren’t you?’
‘Hi!’ Lucy blushed, embarrassed that she must be as puce as a tomato and shining with sweat. ‘It’s Rufus, isn’t it?’
‘Err, Rory, actually. Rufus is down there, behaving himself for once!’ said Rory, nudging his dog with his foot.
‘Oh yes, I remember, Rufus is the dog. Sorry!’ laughed Lucy. ‘I’m Lucy, Lucy Johnston.’ She stuck out her hand, having wiped it hastily on the side of her leg.
He took hold of it rather awkwardly and shook it, saying, ‘Rory McCullan, pleased to meet you,’ in that extraordinarily gruff voice.
‘Am I right in thinking he’s an Irish setter?’ Lucy asked.
‘You are indeed!’ replied Rory.
‘He reminds me so much of my little spaniel, Tiggy,’ said Lucy. ‘He looks just like a supersized version of her!’
‘You have a spaniel?’ asked Rory, looking around as if expecting to see one hidden underneath her table.
‘Well, she’s actually my parents’ dog. So she lives in Cornwall, not exactly close by!’ said Lucy. ‘I wish she did though, I miss her terribly.’
‘Spaniels are a great breed,’ agreed Rory. ‘They’re such friendly, excitable dogs.’
‘I know… I remember when she was a puppy, her whole body would just tremble with excitement whenever we came into the room. It was like she was plugged into the mains electricity, poor little thing. They are so eager to please!’ said Lucy.
‘Unlike this one,’ Rory said. ‘He has a mind of his own, I’m afraid.’ At this, one of Rufus’s long conker brown ears cocked, he lifted his head slightly as though he was listening to their conversation. ‘Don’t you, boy?’ laughed Rory, bending down to stroke his glossy coat. Rufus emitted a contented sigh and rested his handsome head back on to his paws.
‘He’s a really gorgeous dog,’ said Lucy, bending down to stroke him. ‘How does he cope with city life?’ she asked.
‘He’s pretty good, really. I take him for a nice long walk every day to make sure he can have a proper run around. I do feel guilty at times that he doesn’t live in the countryside.’
Rory and Lucy chatted for a few more minutes about the pros and cons of dog ownership in the city, before parting ways as Lucy decided to return to the flat. Her head was buzzing with possibilities about her new life with Alex. Maybe they could get a dog of their own? Perhaps they would move out of London so they could bring their children up in the countryside, with plenty of space to run around and explore. They would probably sell Mayfield Road and buy a house together… a cottage perhaps? But where? Maybe she could find a new job somewhere nearby. Her mind spun as she daydreamed her way home. She was determined to act normally when Alex arrived back later that afternoon. There was no way he could find out what she had discovered.
Chapter Fifteen
Gatwick airport was crammed full of passengers all trying to beat the system by getting cheap flights despite the extremely antisocial hour of the morning. Lucy was beginning to regret her decision not to fly with British Airways and pay the extra few hundred pounds that would have given them another couple of hours in bed. She watched Alex as they edged their way forward in the check-in line, looking for any clues or unusual behaviour that might betray his nerves. She wondered where he had hidden the ring, in his check-in bag or somewhere on his person? Would he have bought insurance, she thought to herself, in case something happened to it or to his bag. She couldn’t bear the thought. She tried to stop herself from acting weirdly around him, telling herself that it was vital that she behaved completely as normal. Her nerves were on edge and she knew that they would be until the moment he asked her. But, she told herself, there will be a time and a place for the proposal, and the check-in queue at Gatwick airport was certainly not that.
As the plane took off, she gave Alex her blow-up pillow, noticing that the bags under his eyes were really pronounced. He must be exhausted, she thought. He had been working increasingly later and later into the evenings recently, seeming very stressed whenever he got home. He was being very quiet too, which was unlike him. If she hadn’t have found the ring she might have been quite concerned as to whether or not everything was okay between them. She was thankful that they would have a whole week in Sicily with nothing to do but sleep and relax, thinking that would be exactly what the doctor ordered to restore Alex to his former self.
Settling back into her seat with a new book, she looked out of the window as the plane took off. She watched as the city disappeared beneath her, the familiar patchwork of mustard brown and green fields stretching out like a quilt as far as the eye could see. After only a couple of hours she looked out of the window once again to see crystal blue water shimmering beneath them and the majestic Mount Etna towering ahead as they began their descent.
The Sicilian farmhouse they stayed in was a dream. The owners Anna and Fede were as charming as could be, they didn’t speak much English but, between the four of them and with lots of sign language, they managed to communicate quite well. They gave them bikes to use during their stay and Alex and Lucy explored the local area both on foot and on bicycle. They drove to different local beaches every day in their little hire car, each one glistening with golden sand, the sea sparkling turquoise. They ate mouth-watering pizzas with fresh basil, tomatoes and mozzarella, tasty concoctions of pasta and gnocchi, gelati of every different flavour under the sun. They went for walks along the coastal paths and lay in the sun, relishing the heat as it beat down on their bodies. Alex slept endlessly, on the beach, in the hammock and in bed. He would fall asleep the minute his head touched the pillow and Lucy would watch him as she lay awake, so handsome and so peaceful in his slumber, grateful that he had the chance to catch up on some sleep and hoping that he would recover some of his usual energy soon.
Her heart had jumped into her mouth on several occasions at the start of the week: as their drinks had been served in a little trattoria on their first evening, as they had reached the top of a hill on a bike ride with a panoramic view stretching out beneath them. But nothing had happened. It became obvious to Lucy that he was planning on proposing at the end of the week, on the last night perhaps. She had been pleased with his thoughtfulness, knowing that she would want to celebrate immediately with her nearest and dearest and that that would be possible the very next day as soon as they landed back home. Her nerves were still a quivering wreck, but she now had them at least slightly under control. A slow countdown to the end of the week ticked in her head as though emblazoned in neon lights around her.
On the last day of their holiday they sat on the beach watching the evening sun make its lazy descent onto the rolling waves, turning them into molten, liquid gold. The sand felt warm from the heat of the day as it nestled between her toes. She could taste salt and sun cream on her lips, her skin radiated with heat. As the sun began to set she knew that this would be the moment. She snatched a glance at Alex, he looked lost in thought. She had heard enough engagement stories from her friends to know to expect odd behaviour from their other half in the run up to popping the question. She had thought that Alex would be able to handle it better than this! He must be crippled with nerves, she decided. She took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, mentally willing him on. She couldn’t take it any longer.
He turned to face her and said, ‘It’s such a beautiful sunset, isn’t it?’
Lucy smiled at him, trying to stop herself from welling up with emotion. ‘It really is.’
‘It’s been wonderful to get away from London for a week,’ Alex continued. ‘I really needed a break.’
‘I know you did, you’ve been working so hard,’ Lucy agreed, wondering what tack Alex was taking here.
He turned back to watch the last few minutes of the sun setting as it dipped behind the golden waters, disappearing to shine its light on the other side of the world.
She had to remind herself to breathe, real
izing that she had been holding her breath.
He turned to face her again, ‘Shall we go?’ he asked, getting up as he did so and beginning to pack his towel, book and general beach paraphernalia into his red rucksack.
‘Oh okay,’ said Lucy, slightly nonplussed, but remembering that she wasn’t meant to know anything, and forcing herself to be cheerful despite the sense of anticlimax that engulfed her.
They made their way up the beach and back to the hire car that was awaiting them, full of sand, in the car park.
‘I quite fancy going back for a shower before we go out to eat,’ Alex said. ‘Is that okay with you?’
‘Sure,’ said Lucy. ‘I feel like I’ve got sand in every part of my body, I’m dying to be rid of it.’ She was disappointed that he hadn’t taken advantage of the romantic setting of a sunset, especially knowing how much she loved them, but she decided that he had probably planned something special for later that evening. A restaurant proposal would be better anyway; she could get all dressed up and make sure she was looking her best.
They drove back to the farmhouse where they were warmly greeted by Anna, who was watering her plants in the garden, and then showered and changed for dinner.
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