by Helen Mcginn
‘Are they good?’
‘Have you not had one?’ She offered the now open tin to him. ‘You have to have one now, whilst they’re still warm.’
He took one and did the same, nodding at Flora as he chewed. ‘So good.’
‘Would it be wrong, Mack, to have a very small glass of something bubbly, just us two, whilst we polish off a few more of these?’
‘I have just the thing.’ Mack went to the fridge in the back, taking out a bottle. He removed the stopper. ‘We opened this yesterday. It’s new from a small grower near Avize. It’s incredible.’ He poured out two small glasses of champagne and took them back over to the counter.
Flora was now perched on the stool behind, half a dozen of the tiny cheese-sprinkled gems in front of her. She took the glass, lifted it to her nose and took a long sniff, the scent of freshly popped toast enough to make her mouth start watering.
Mack raised his glass to hers. ‘Here’s to us, Flora. Look what we did.’
She smiled back at him. ‘Here’s to you, Mack. Thank you for making me understand…’ Flora swept her gaze across the shop, searching for the right words, ‘… that life goes on.’
They clinked their glasses and for the time it took for them to drink a few sips of champagne, nothing else mattered.
Just after six that evening the shop started to fill with family and friends, the party soon spilling out into the courtyard. The warm summer air carried the scent of wisteria, and music drifted from the old record player in the corner, set up by Mack with Pip and Tom in charge of changing the record from time to time. Flora and Johnny did the rounds carrying glasses of perfectly chilled pale Provence rosé, pressing them into their guests’ hands.
Flora’s parents had arrived early to help them set up. She watched as they laid out glasses, her mother unable to help herself then from doing a little emergency weeding in the beds in the courtyard. They looked comfortable together again, Flora noted. She’d never spoken about the affair with either of them again – and hoped she’d never have to. Her father had had a lucky escape, so far as she was concerned, but more than that, Flora was surprised to discover that she admired her mother for refusing to give up. She wasn’t sure she’d have been able to do the same.
Tilda and Pete arrived, Pete carrying a small magnolia tree in a pot.
‘This is for the courtyard and to say congratulations, we’re so proud of what you’ve done with the shop,’ said Tilda.
‘Guys, you shouldn’t have… but thank you. That’s so lovely of you. Here, take these,’ she gave them each a glass of wine, ‘and go through, I’ll be out in a minute.’
The bell tinkled behind her. It was Susie. Flora did a double take. ‘Bloody hell, Susie. You look amazing!’ Her friend stood there, immaculate as ever, but there was something about the way she looked that was different.
‘He’s agreed to a divorce.’ Susie beamed.
‘Oh my God, that’s fantastic!’ Flora hugged her friend. ‘I mean, you’re OK?’
‘I’m over the bloody moon.’ Susie laughed. ‘But I don’t want to waste a second more thinking about it tonight. I want a massive glass of something delicious, please.’
‘You’re in the right place.’ Flora laughed. ‘Come with me.’ She led Susie by the arm into the courtyard, handing her a glass on the way.
Johnny waved at Flora from the corner where he stood with a small crowd of regulars, signalling that he was coming over. ‘I’ve just asked Mack if he’d like me to say a few words, but he said he’s happy to.’
‘Great, so long as I don’t have to do it this time.’
The sound of spoon against glass brought the assembled crowd to a hush. ‘Hello, can you all hear me?’ Mack stood by the back door of the shop. ‘I promise to keep this brief. Right, well, first I want to thank you all for coming, of course. I feel very lucky to be celebrating the first anniversary, which was actually a few weeks’ ago, of our new, improved wine shop. As you all know, it couldn’t have happened without two very special people, Johnny and Flora.’
The crowd cheered.
‘Now,’ Mack continued, ‘it wasn’t so long ago that I thought it was the end of the line for this shop. But then Flora – and Johnny, of course – came along and decided it wasn’t the end. In fact, it was the beginning of a whole new story. Thank you both.’ He raised his glass. ‘To Flora and Johnny!’
The crowd toasted, followed by a round of whoops and applause. Johnny turned to Flora, kissing the side of her head. ‘Want me to get you another lime and soda?’
Flora looked down at her swelling stomach. ‘God, no, I can’t face another one. I’ll make do with tap water after this.’
Kate appeared at their side, her face a picture of pride. ‘Well done, we’re so happy for you.’
‘Thank you, Kate,’ said Johnny.
‘Now,’ Kate looked at her daughter, ‘how’s that Venice baby doing?’
Flora laughed. ‘Mum, please stop calling her that. It really freaks me out.’ She put her hands on her belly, feeling the baby turn like a jumping bean.
‘Sorry, I can’t help it. I’m just so excited.’ Kate sighed. ‘Right, I need to find your father. Luckily, he’s driving tonight so I can have another one of these.’ She held up her empty glass.
‘Let me sort that out for you, then.’ Johnny took it and went off to get her a refill.
‘Mum, are you really all right?’
Kate took Flora’s hands. ‘Darling, I’m fine. Good days and bad days, you know.’
Flora nodded. She did indeed know. ‘I miss him so much, Mum.’
‘Me, too.’
Colin appeared with a fresh glass of rosé for Kate. ‘Johnny sent me over with this.’
‘Thank you, Colin.’ Kate took it from him. ‘That’s a beautiful colour on you, by the way.’
‘Thank you. It’s sage green.’
Kate and Flora clinked glasses, their smiles tinged with sadness.
‘He’d have been so happy for you,’ said Kate, softly.
‘I know.’ Flora squeezed her mother’s hand.
‘Gougères?’ Colin held a plate of them.
‘Thank you, Colin. Mum, you have to try one, they’re so good.’ She turned to Colin. ‘Why don’t you tell my mother how you make them? I’m really sorry, but I’ve got to dash to the loo. Again.’
Flora crossed the courtyard into the shop, making her way upstairs. She saw the window at the back was open and went to it, looking down at the courtyard below filled with familiar faces, the sound of talking and laughter floating up towards her. She looked up at the pale silver moon overhead.
‘Hey, little brother,’ she whispered.
Book Club Questions
Who did you most identify with in In Just One Day?
How well do you think Helen McGinn dealt with the mother/daughter relationship?
What made Billy and Flora’s relationship so memorable?
Did you feel sorry for Denise or did you think she was to blame?
What did you think of the book’s title?
Which character did you like most and least?
An interview with Helen
1. Flora is a wine buff - how much of Helen McGinn is there in Flora?
When it comes to wine, quite a lot. I didn’t follow quite the same path as I’ve worked in the wine industry all my working life but I did all the wine exams as Flora does. Writing about that brought back lots of memories! And to this day I love pouring over wine maps. (I promise I’m more fun than I sound).
2. Who was the hardest character to write?
Probably Kate because she’s such a contradiction. At first glance she seems quite chaotic but she’s far more capable than she seems. Over the course of the story she loses so much but still comes out fighting. I want you to love her and find her infuriating all at the same time. Some of my favourite people are just like that.
3. How did writing this book compare to writing your first novel, This Changes Everything?
&nb
sp; This was definitely more of a challenge. Obviously I had the experience of writing a fiction book under my belt but This Changes Everything was written over four years. This one was written in a year with three lockdowns! And of course the subject matter was different, more personal in fact. My little brother, Tim, died twenty years ago when he was just 26 so I know what losing a sibling feels like. Writing this one was an intense experience but the time was right. Grief is such a personal experience and I wanted to explore how it affects people in different ways. And how life can be good again, even if things are never the same.
4. How does Kate experience Billy’s death as compared to how Flora experiences it?
Their reactions are so very different. Kate feels a lot of anger from the start whereas Flora feels as if she’s underwater, almost disconnected from those around her. It takes a while but they come to understand that neither way is right or wrong, it’s just how it is. And how you feel changes, often from day to day. Years ago, like a moron, I Googled ‘how long does grief last’. I was desperate to know when it would stop hurting. Of course that didn’t help but in time I realised the answer is learning to live with it and finding the positives wherever you can. Grief lasts forever but, eventually, it might not hurt quite so much.
5. Denise is such an interesting character. What gave you the idea to include her point of view?
I really wanted to explore the feelings of two mothers who had been affected by what happened and though Denise didn’t lose a son, her life was changed too. The way she questions what she could or should have done differently to change the course of events was heart-breaking to think about. It certainly wasn’t her fault but I wanted to show it was hard for her too in this situation. We don’t often hear that side of the story.
6. How does Venice help Flora come to term with Billy’s death?
Johnny knew she’d been there with Billy years before when they were kids, so he’d hoped it would bring back some happy memories as well as providing a much-needed change of scene. I went as a teenager many years ago when inter-railing with friends and again years later for our wedding anniversary. I love it but the fading splendour seems to lend an air of sadness to the city which fits with Flora’s frame of mind. I like the idea that once the city has worked its magic, she’s able to remove her mask and not feel she must put on a brave face. The woman in the church telling Flora that hearts stay broken is one of my favourite scenes in the book. It’s sad but she does say things will get better. And she’s right, they always do.
Acknowledgments
Thank you to my very special agent Heather Holden Brown, to Elly James and all at HHB for your constant encouragement and unwavering dedication.
Enormous thanks to Amanda Ridout and Team Boldwood, especially to my editor Sarah Ritherdon for being so completely brilliant at what you do. Thank you to Nia Beynon and Claire Fenby for bringing this book to life and getting it into people’s hands. My thanks also to Yvonne Holland for making sure it all made sense, to Alice Moore for the beautiful cover and to Ross Dickinson, Sue Lamprell and Suzanne Sangster for all your help and support.
Once again, huge thanks to Charlotte Russell and Alie Plumstead for your honest feedback on my early drafts and to Chris Daw QC for your invaluable insights and expertise on the technical stuff. Thank you to Marina Cantacuzino MBE for taking the time to talk me through your incredible work and to Edwina Snow for making that happen. The Forgiveness Project had a profound effect on me and I’m forever grateful that our paths crossed when they did, Marina. Also, to my friend Liz Gough. Liz, this is all your fault and I can’t thank you enough. Wine soon, please.
Talking of which, I must give a special mention for my favourite independent wine shop, The Solent Cellar in Lymington. Heather and Simon, thank you for inspiring the shop setting for this story (and for keeping everyone’s wine racks topped up with such lovely wines)!
Thank you to my parents Christine and Ken, stepmother Jo, and in-laws Frank and Dru for your love and eternal cheerleading, and to my brilliant sister Alex for making the world a much brighter, funnier place to be. And to my little brother Tim, I miss you every single day.
To my husband Ross and to my children George, Xander and Alice, in the words of The Beach Boys, God only knows what I’d be without you. Thank you, I feel very lucky to have you all (but please can you not leave wet towels on the floor, kids. That’s actually quite annoying).
Thank you to all the readers of my wine blog, The Knackered Mother’s Wine Club. Your amazing support over the years is never taken for granted and I appreciate every comment / wine-glass emoji.
Finally, thank you so much for reading this book, it really does mean the world to me. It was a tough one to write but I’m so glad I did. Life does indeed go on. X
More from Helen McGinn
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This Changes Everything, another wonderful read from Helen McGinn is available to order now by clicking on the image below. Or read on for an exclusive extract…
Chapter One
Annabel Armstrong had loved James for as long as she could remember. But on this particular morning she wanted to tip the contents of her half-full cereal bowl over his head. It wasn’t that he was being deliberately unhelpful, but rather he was so busy rushing around the kitchen asking who’d moved his keys (answer: him) he didn’t seem to notice Annie could really do with a hand. The boys had to be fed, teeth and hair needed brushing, and everyone needed to be in the car ready for the school run in the next twenty minutes. Meanwhile, chaos reigned. The noise – shouting from the boys, whining from the dogs, mewing from a hungry cat – was ridiculous. Annie contemplated sitting on the floor under the kitchen table, closing her eyes and covering her ears.
‘Come on, Rufe, eat up!’ she managed.
‘I am! I can’t eat any faster,’ Rufus replied dramatically. He really was the slowest eater.
‘I’ve finished all of mine,’ said Ned, wiping the last of the cereal from his mouth across the sleeve of his newly washed school jumper.
Annie sighed, reaching for a cloth. ‘Good boy, Ned. Now let’s get going, otherwise we’ll be late.’
‘You never say good boy to me when I finish my breakfast!’ protested Rufus.
‘If you finished it, I would,’ said Annie, immediately feeling mean.
‘Thanks a lot.’ He looked distinctly huffy.
‘What’s your plan today?’ Annie called after James as he headed down the hall.
‘Oh, you know, the usual,’ he replied over his shoulder. ‘Get in, be driven to distraction by people much younger than me. Try not to shout at people. Come home.’ James was having a work mid-life crisis of sorts. Having spent twenty years working in advertising, changing company a few times as he worked his way up to a management position, he now seemed no longer to be doing the work he loved. As he saw it, he was a glorified babysitter for (just about) grown men and women who all appeared to be younger, hungrier and better equipped to get ahead than he was. Cue resentment, inevitably leading to a ‘what’s-it-all-for’ phase. And now he’d started talking about retraining as a woodcutter, or something like that; Annie couldn’t quite remember.
‘Oh, come on, Jimmy, you love it when things are going well. Maybe this is just a, you know, down bit? Things will get better, they always do.’
‘Annie, I love you for your optimism, I really do.’ He came back to kiss Annie on the top of her head and shout goodbye to the boys.
‘’Bye, Dad!’ they hollered before careering off into the garden.
The sun was out and it was already warm, despite the early hour. They were still just under half a term away from the summer holidays but there was already a holiday feel in the air. Annie w
atched them run, dogs in tow, into the garden before she turned to attack the kitchen table. The boys’ cereal of choice had a habit of attaching itself to that table like barnacles. A blowtorch really would have been more appropriate than the damp cloth she held in her hand.
Her phone rang. It was her sister, Jess, the flashing screen announced.
‘You OK?’ Annie always started her phone calls with her sister with these words. Most of the time everything was, indeed, OK. But with Jess, calls often came with a generous dose of drama, sometimes with a side order of flakiness. Annie adored her only sister; eighteen months younger and a few years off forty.
‘Oh God, Annie. You won’t believe what I’ve done. Seriously, I have even surprised myself this time,’ Jess sighed, and Annie could hear her dragging furiously on her e-cig.
Annie wedged the phone between her shoulder and ear, ditched the cloth and started to throw hastily made Marmite sandwiches into lunch boxes for the boys.
‘Go on, I’m all ears.’
‘Well, you know that small, bald, irritating little man in accounts?’
‘Brian?’ said Annie, fearing the worst. ‘Oh God, Jess. Please don't say you…’
‘No! Of course not,’ said Jess. ‘But he was buying endless shots last night and I seemed to be drinking most of them. And, er, things got a little out of hand and I ended up, you know… with Rob.’
Annie’s shoulders tightened. Rob was drop-dead gorgeous. She didn’t know that for a fact – she’d never met him – but according to Jess he was. He was also married. And as much as Annie berated Jess for doing what she was doing, Jess insisted she was better off being with someone she didn’t have to be with. Basically, it meant she didn’t have to commit, which, Jess said, suited her perfectly. It was, Annie thought, a very sad situation for everyone concerned, most of all Rob’s wife who, presumably, had no idea.