Page 96 of The Village Cafe in the Loire

They’d both laughed.

Romcom night was still on every Thursday and Pascal had sometimes joined them, back early from his Paris digs and seemingly as amused by watching them mouth the famous quotes in each film as he was by the films themselves. ‘How many times have you watched this?’ he’d asked, when they slipped a familiar DVD out of a rather battered case.

‘Believe me, you don’t want to know,’ Becky had said.

‘It’s just our thing.’ Amber had shrugged.

‘I can think of worse addictions,’ Pascal had replied, shaking his head and laughing.

Amber returned with the coffees and they made their way out of Maud’s new space, shutting the door softly behind them.

In a few hours, Maud would arrive and they’d get her settled in, ready for her new adventure. And although she didn’t have – or want – a fixed plan for her future, Becky had the sense that the next chapter of her life was going to be a happy one.

‘Who are you writing to?’ Pascal asked her as she started scrolling on her phone.

‘Just sending some pictures to Mum,’ she said with a wink.

He gave a small smile in return. Becky had been sending her mother regular updates. Not revisiting old hurts but hopefully, by sharing her life, showing Cynthia that she still wanted her to be part of it. Once in a while she’d get a thumbs up or even a small heart in return. ‘Your Mum is very set in her ways, in herthoughts,’ Maud had said recently. ‘It’s a kind of self-protection, I think. But she’ll come around, mark my words.’

‘I hope it isn’t stressing you out?’ Pascal asked.

‘No. It’s just a few photos. I know I have to play the long game.’

‘Are you sure? Just your eye… It was twitching again?’

She laughed. ‘Actually, this time it was a proper wink.’ She touched her eye, realising that somewhere over the last few weeks it must have stopped its habitual twitch.

The end of an era. Thank God.

A moment later, a message pinged on her phone:

Mum

Looks nice, well done.

Becky

Come and see for yourself.

Mum

Maybe. Soon. x

It wasn’t the end destination, but it was a step on the way. The cogs of life were turning again, and this time in the right direction.

‘I think in the long term this might be great for Mum too. For me and Mum. Who we are to each other,’ Becky said, showing Pascal the message. ‘“Problems are part of the journey to transformation.”’

‘That’s a beautiful quote,’ Pascal said. ‘Is it Sartre?’

‘No.’

Pascal frowned. ‘I am sure I have heard this before. Perhaps the philosopher Camus?’

‘Not… quite.’ Becky’s smile became so wide that it almost made her mouth ache.

Pascal looked at her. ‘Becky. Is it the celebrated philosopher Jerry Maguire?’

She grinned. ‘Maybe.’

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