Page 126 of The Boathouse By the Loch

Percy woofed twice, which made everyone laugh.

‘Shall I be mother?’ asked Gayle, rising from her chair.

‘But I’m mother,’ said Doris.

Gayle smiled as the plates were passed to her one by one and she started dishing up the homemade lasagne. Conversation rose around the table.

David was about to walk over to resume his seat at the other end of the table when Bonnie grasped his hand.

He looked down at her, concerned. He whispered. ‘Is everything okay?’

‘Oh, David – everything is more than okay. It’s just … I didn’t expect this.’ She’d tried very hard not to cry in front of everyone, but now tears were streaming down her face.

He knelt down by her chair and reached up, gently wiping away her tears. ‘Did you think we’d all love you any less?’

‘I thought … I really thought I was coming back here to collect my things and leave.’

‘I know. Joe really wanted to tell you, but we just wanted tosurprise you. I’m so sorry, it was a stupid, stupid idea. I didn’t mean to make you cry. We were all in on it, obviously. Gayle did think that after what you’d been through it was too much, surprising you, and continuing with the meal, and having the party, but we all wanted to be here to welcome you home. Can you forgive us?’

‘Canyouforgiveme?’

‘What for? Having a raw deal in life, and trying your best to make a go of it with the rotten cards you’d been dealt?’ He took her hands gently in his and whispered, ‘Tell me it’s all too much and I’ll send everyone home. They’ll understand … we can do this another time.’

She smiled at him, then looked around the table at everyone chatting, and eating, as though nothing extraordinary had happened that day. But something extraordinary had. She wasn’t thinking about the fact that after so many months, she had her memories back. What she’d discovered was far, far more important to her; finding out where she truly belonged, right there in the boathouse, with the people who knew her, therealher – the young woman who had started life with absolutely nothing, and nobody in her corner, but through a twist of fate had ended up with everything she could ever wish for.

‘I love you, David Gillespie.’

‘And I love you, Bonnie Stewart. Now, how about we eat, finally?’

Epilogue

She’d been standing on the balcony, looking over the loch and watching the sunset. In the back garden below, the lanterns and fairy lights had come on. It was now dusk, and the party had spilled outside. The band had arrived, lively folk music getting people in the mood to dance. She saw Melissa dragging Brodie into the middle of the lawn near the band, and with some encouragement he started to dance.

She smiled when she caught sight of Evie and Natty. Evie was showing Natty how to tie ribbons in Olive’s fur. On the way back from the hypnotherapy session at Marnie’s, Nick had made a detour to Lark Lodge and collected Olive so that she wasn’t left home alone. Percy was a little jealous of Olive getting all the attention from the girls. He kept stealing the ribbons and running off with them, burying them in the garden.

She turned as David reappeared with a throw from the lounge. He put it around her shoulders.

‘Thank you. It was a lovely sunset, wasn’t it?’

‘Yes, it was.’

She turned to look at him. ‘Will you do something for me?’

‘Yes, of course. Anything.’

‘I want to help Judith find her daughter.’

‘I know.’

She cast her gaze down at Judith, who had a glass of wine and was chatting to Gayle. Although Gayle had vacancies, Judith would be staying at the boathouse for a while. Judith had said that she didn’t want to speak ill of her missing stepdaughter, but in the very short time she’d known the young woman calling herself Robyn, she’d grown fond of her, of the fact that she had the qualities – kindness and compassion – that she felt her stepdaughter lacked.

Bonnie had been honest in turn and had told her that she wished she was her stepmum for real. In that instant, a friendship had been forged, and while Judith was searching for Robyn, Bonnie had insisted she stay with them in the town where Robyn had last been seen.

‘There’s something else, David.’

‘What is it?’

‘I’d like to do a trip down memory lane.’

---