Page 60 of Amazing Grace

Since she had found out that he’d been seeing Grace, Ellie had transferred her affections to a young man on the same course who totally idolised her and for the first time in ages, she was really happy.

When Vinnie had asked about why Grace hadn’t told him about taking Mark to the awards evening, Grace explained that it just wasn’t important to her, and that she had also been trying to block it out. She knew in her heart that the only real reason that she’d ever considered getting back with Mark was because of Archie and she realised that within months, they’d have been back to the way they were before they split up.

Grace and Vinnie laughed through their tears and vowed that if they had any chance of a future together, there would be no secrets at all, however big or small, and that they would discuss everything.

However, there was one more secret that both Archie and Vinnie had been keeping and that was the incredible pre-wedding present that Vinnie had bought for her.

Her mind drifted back to that very special evening when Vinnie and Archie had very clearly been up to something. They loved their surprises and were as thick as thieves.

‘Mummy, we have a surprise for you, so you have to do as we say, OK?’

She nodded at Archie.

‘OK, so you have to walk with us into town,’ he continued, ‘and just keep doing as we say. Would you take these keys, please.’

Puzzled, Grace didn’t really think she had a choice in the matter. She took the keys that Archie handed to her, and his face broke into a grin as they drew towards the high street.

They walked down the street, past Elizabeth’s bar, before they suddenly stopped. Grace wondered what on earth was going on. At this point, Vinnie took over giving out the instructions.

‘Put the key in the lock, Grace.’ She looked up and saw that they were standing outside the empty shop on the main street, the one she’d always dreamed of owning.

‘Don’t be silly, Vinnie!’ she laughed. ‘It’s hardly going to fit, is it?’

‘Put the key in the lock, Grace,’ he repeated calmly.

She looked at the big black heavy door with the brass handles and searched for the lock. She slotted in the big iron key and looked up at Vinnie, puzzled as it clicked into place.

‘Now turn the handle,’ Vinnie told her.

She looked at him, totally bewildered, her heart pounding with apprehension and confusion. She had no idea what the hell was going on.

As she turned the handle, Vinnie placed his hand on her back and gently guided her into the shop. There on the floor making a path to a huge wooden fireplace in the centre of the first room were what seemed like a million tea lights twinkling away in glass jars.

She glanced around at the vastness of the room. It felt like she’d known this place for years. It felt like home. Again, she looked towards Vinnie, bewildered.

‘But I don’t understand. What are we doing here?’

‘It’s yours, my darling! You told me your dreams and I just want to make them all come true. This is your chance, Grace. This can be the bookshop you want it to be. You just have to follow your dreams. You always find a way, and I admire that quality in you so much. If you think something is right, you’ll do everything in your power to make it work. And now this is something you can make work.

‘I’ve done the easy part. I’ve signed the lease on the building, now you need to tell me how we can move to the next step and make it the bookshop that you’ve always wanted.’

‘Vinnie, what have you done?’ Grace put her hands to her mouth. ‘I just cannot believe my eyes and ears right now. Thank you, thank you, thank you.’

She turned and hugged him so tight he could hardly breathe.

‘Vinnie, before Archie came into my life, I just existed. When he was born, he completed my life but I was only truly happy when it was just him and me. And when Mark and I split up, I thought that my life was just going to stay the way it was. But then I worked out that even though I was alone, it was actually OK and I found that I didn’t need anyone to complete me. That I was enough. That it was up to me to make myself happy, no one else.

‘Since the day I opened up my front door and found you standing there, my life has changed so much. You make me so very happy. I love you so much. It’s almost like a guardian angel has been watching over me and sent you to me!’

She glanced skywards and smiled. Once she’d started to trust in her own judgement, trust in herself and realise that she had a right to be happy as well as making others happy, she’d found true love. She’d had to love herself before she could truly and fully love someone new.

‘Mum, that’s not all! You have to follow the lights.’ Archie was jumping about excitedly.

She stepped through the room, her heels tapping on the wooden floorboards, and followed the two lines of candle jars, which led to the fireplace, where on the wooden mantelpiece lay an old, worn book.

‘Open the book, Mum!’ he instructed her. He went to stand next to Vinnie and put his little hand into his. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Archie look up into Vinnie’s eyes, his eyes shining with love.

Grace looked down and her hands were shaking as she opened the cover of the book. Hidden inside it was a delicately wrapped black velvet box and she gasped as she opened the box with trembling fingers. Inside was the most exquisite white gold ring, its centrepiece a beautiful aqua aura crystal, in a stunning setting of what looked like a million sparkling diamonds.

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