I wasn’t here for Sam that day. But I didn’t leave him completely alone. Meg was here, and my message. If I’d never cared about him, I wouldn’t have given a second’s thought to what he was going to find by the statue. I did what I could where I was. That’s all I can ever do.
I’m still sad that we didn’t make it. I have to acknowledge that so it isn’t a shadow hanging over the next part of my life. Being in a different city will help – lots of new things to demand my attention. But I won’t ever wish it hadn’t happened.
‘Thank you, sir,’ I say to the statue in the empty station. I don’t care that I’m talking to an inanimate object. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only person to sneak a chat with the great man. He’s just a modest public artwork in a place that belongs to everybody – but Betjeman’s statue is now part of my life. We’ve shared a unique moment in time. That’s a beautiful thing. I stroke his cool face, surprised by a sudden welling of tears. ‘I’m sorry you got caught up in it. But thanks for passing the message on.’
‘I don’t think he minds.’
I close my eyes. The memory of Sam’s voice is so vivid, so real, that it shocks me. It’s warm and close and I can hear that smile of his dancing through each word. He had a wonderful voice. I still remember the thrill of hearing it, hundreds of miles from home; how it seemed to resonate deep in my soul. Like I’d known it for a lifetime already.
‘I hear he’s good at meeting people.’
No, that’s wrong. That isn’t what Sam said. Am I forgetting him already?
‘Even people who make total idiots of themselves.’
Light floods back in to my eyes. And there he is.
‘I was just saying goodbye,’ I manage – not the words I expected to say.
‘To Sir John or me?’
Looking at Sam feels like the biggest step of faith. ‘Both.’
‘Why?’
‘I have a new job. New home, too. I leave in two days.’
‘Oh. Congratulations.’
‘In Edinburgh,’ I rush, because if I don’t say it all now there won’t be another opportunity. ‘And I know you have somebody else now but I wanted to tell you that I think I chose Edinburgh because it would remind me of you. Of what you’ve meant to me.’
‘Phoebe, it’s not—’
‘And I think that, finally, I’m doing this because it’s what I want to do. I have you to thank for that. For believing in me, in the beginning. And keeping that faith in me all the time I was away.’
Holding my nerve is a battle. Sam is here. How could he possibly have known this is where I would be? He’s here and he’s looking like he doesn’t know whether to laugh or run away.
‘You left me a rose.’
‘I know, and it was nowhere near enough. But it was all I could do.’
‘No, listen. I understand. I didn’t for a long time – until tonight, in fact. I thought you abandoned me, but you didn’t. You left the rose and then later you spoke to me. You didn’t run away, Phoebe: I did.’
‘I wasn’t there…’
‘And I hadn’t been there for you while I was looking for Frank. I am so sorry I didn’t let you in.’
‘Finding him was important to you.’
‘It is – it was – but it would have been far easier if I’d had somebody to share it with. I didn’t see the mistake until Niven pointed it out. I never meant to hurt you.’
‘The last thing I wanted was to hurt you. I didn’t think I’d see you again.’
‘Me either. But here we are.’ His brow creases. ‘Sorry, did you say you’re going to Edinburgh?’
‘Yes.’
‘Where?’
‘At the university. That’s where I’ll be working.’
‘In Edinburgh?’
‘Yes.’ How many times do I have to say it?
And then he laughs, his head thrown back and the sound filling the empty concourse. It’s unexpected and beautiful and a precious gift I’ve been lost without.
‘You’re going to Edinburgh because of me and I’m staying in London because of you.’ He shakes his head. ‘What is it with us and trains in opposite directions?’
Is he laughing at me? Or should I get the joke? Either way I’m confused. I don’t know why Sam’s here or what I’m supposed to say to him and we’re the only two people in the station with an old iron statue between us. I have no script for this. My words are useless.
Sam’s smile softens. ‘I love you.’
Why say that? When he’s not free and I’m going to live four hundred miles from him? ‘I don’t think…’
‘I love you. I wish I didn’t – that is, I wished I didn’t until right now. But we met here by chance again tonight. I’m not big on the whole destiny thing, but even I can see that’s one hell of a coincidence.’
‘I love you, too. But you have someone else…’
‘No, I don’t. That’s what I wanted to tell you earlier, at the party. That’s my ex – Laura. I told you about her. And ten minutes after she kissed me she slapped my face in front of the whole room and then found a complete stranger to snog. So no, I don’t have anyone else.’
Tonight feels endless. It was supposed to be my goodbye to London, to everything Sam had meant to me. ‘I don’t know what to say.’
‘Me either.’ He pats the Betjeman statue. ‘Look at us, eh Johnny? What have you done to us?’
I still can’t tell what Sam is thinking. His words whirl round me like the curling script carved in stone around the statue’s feet. High in the iron-and-glass roof, there’s a sudden beating of wings.
‘I’m going, too. To Edinburgh. Tomorrow, actually. I’m spending a few days with Ellie and my nephew. So, I don’t know, if you were free to meet…? Maybe we could find a coffee shop, or a bar or a random statue on a train platform?’
That smile could end any argument, I think.
‘I’d like that.’
‘So would I.’ He moves from Betjeman’s side, less than a step away from me. ‘There are a million and one things I want to ask you. To say to you. But I don’t even know where to begin.’
There are times in life when you should step back, consider and be level-headed before making a decision. And then there are moments when you just need to believe your heart has everything covered.
I reach out and flatten my hand against Sam’s chest, feeling his heartbeat beneath my palm, as strong and sure as I remember. Has it really been beating for me all this time? In spite of everything?
My breath stalls. I dare to look into his eyes again.
‘Then let’s begin here.’
This time, Sam kisses me first.
Questions wait, our lives meet again. The meeting is what matters; we’ll work out the rest when we leave St Pancras. For now, we are just Phoebe Jones and Sam Mullins, two wandering souls reunited by the Betjeman statue, where so many travellers have met before.
And anything can happen on our next journey.
* * *
Sir John keeps his attention on the arcing glass roof, his bag of books in his hand and his coat whipped up by the wind of an unseen passing train. One shoelace is untied, his collar unbuttoned, too. But he doesn’t mind. His work here is done.
Acknowledgements
Lovely reader, welcome to my tenth novel.
Ten years. Blimey!
I am so proud that my dream continues, ten years after my very first novel flew out into the world. I have you to thank for it, first and foremost. Thank you for reading my books and coming back for more. You make this dream happen.
Huge thanks to my lovely new publisher HQ – and the phenomenal team who have welcomed me so warmly and whooped and cheered The Day We Meet Again onto the page. My brilliant editor, Manpreet Grewal, who is, quite simply, awesome; Cara Chimirri, Lily Capewell, and Lisa Milton and Kate Mills, for their faith in me. Thanks also to Jon Appleton for wise copy edits and Sara Kinsella.
Thank you to my agent, Hannah Ferguson, for her continuing faith in me and for
finding Phoebe and Sam their perfect home.
I’ve sneaked some lovelies into this story:
Amanda Moran appears as Dr Amanda, Phoebe’s friend in Italy.
Michael McEntee and his fabulous Big Comfy Bookshop in Coventry appears as himself! Osh and his film crew are inspired by Teddy Powell and his production company Weekend.
Thank you to #TeamSparkly for being superstars and my brilliant supporters on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, for your excitement and brilliant suggestions in my annual #getinvolved challenges. Special thanks to @lizwm for suggesting the painted pebbles which became so important to the story; to Nina Pottell aka @Matineegirl for suggesting the snowglobe for Phoebe; and to @michellejenkinstropic for suggesting the flat cap.
Huge love to my writer friends who have cheered, consoled, provided giggles and spurred me on: Louise Beech, Cathy Bramley, Jo Quinn, Julie Cohen, Rowan Coleman, Kim Curran, Liz Fenwick, Kate Harrison, Fionnuala Kearney, Rachael Lucas, Tamsyn Murray, A.G. Smith, Cally Taylor and the ace Dreamers. Thanks to my family and the Peppermint Massive, too.
And last but never least, my gorgeous Bob and fantastic Flo. You rock! xx
This book is about taking chances, celebrating everything and allowing life to surprise you. I hope it inspires grandes aventures of your own!
* * *
Miranda xx
A few things that inspired Miranda when writing The Day We Meet Again
Sam’s Journey
If you’ve loved discovering Mull, Edinburgh and Port Glasgow with Sam, here are some links for further adventures:
www.visitmullandiona.co.uk
www.edinburgh.org
www.edinburgh.org
www.peoplemakeglasgow.com
Phoebe’s Journey
When researching Phoebe’s journey I found the Travel Guide vlogs by Samuel and Audrey about Paris, Rome and Florence really helpful. Check out their YouTube channel and their blog at www.backpacking-travel-blog.com
These websites are also great for planning your own visit:
www.roughguides.com
www.ee.france.fr
www.en.parisinfo.com
www.italia.it
www.lonelyplanet.com/italy
The Books that Inspired Phoebe
A Room with a View by E. M. Forster (1908)
A Tramp Abroad by Mark Twain (1880)
Italian Journey 1786-1788 by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (181617)
Frankenstein (The Modern Prometheus) by Mary Shelley (1816) – the story goes that Mary Shelley created her famous novel to win a bet while on a grand tour across Europe with Percy Shelley and Lord Byron!
The Music that Inspired Sam
Sam’s musical journey to Mull was inspired by the wonderful Scottish and Irish folk music produced by a host of musicians, including: Julie Fowlis, Aly Bain, Phil Cunningham, Kris Drever, John McCusker, Heidi Talbot, Ross & Ali, Duncan Lyall, LAU, the cast of the Transatlantic Sessions (including Jerry Douglas and John Doyle), Cara Dillon, Michael McGoldrick, Eddi Reader, Donald Shaw, Karen Matheson and RANT.
Thank you to these fabulous musicians for the huge inspiration they have given me and for shaping Sam’s journey back to his roots.
The Day We Meet Again Playlist
This is the music I listened to while writing Phoebe and Sam’s story:
‘The Beast’ – Duncan Lyall – (Infinite Reflections)
‘With Fingers Entwined’ – Rael Jones – (Emotional Cinema)
‘Back In The Water’ – HAEVN – (Eyes Closed)
‘All We Do’ – Oh Wonder – (Oh Wonder)
‘The Right Track’ – Mary Bragg – (Violets as Camouflage)
‘Place from Where I Fell’ – Elenowen – (For the Taking)
‘Someone You Loved’ – Lewis Capaldi – (Breach – EP)
‘I Don’t Want to Know’ – Sigrid – (Raw – EP)
‘Wonderful’ – Gary Go – (Wonderful – EP)
‘Running Home’ – Reuben Halsey feat. Miranda Dickinson – (Eucalyptus Tree)
About the Publisher
Australia
HarperCollins Publishers (Australia) Pty. Ltd.
Level 13, 201 Elizabeth Street
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
http://www.harpercollins.com.au
Canada
HarperCollins Canada
Bay Adelaide Centre, East Tower
22 Adelaide Street West, 41st Floor
Toronto, ON, M5H 4E3, Canada
http://www.harpercollins.ca
India
HarperCollins India
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Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201 301, India
http://www.harpercollins.co.in
New Zealand
HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited
P.O. Box 1
Auckland, New Zealand
http://www.harpercollins.co.nz
United Kingdom
HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
1 London Bridge Street
London SE1 9GF
http://www.harpercollins.co.uk
United States
HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
195 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
http://www.harpercollins.com
The Day We Meet Again Page 32