Page 85 of All Wrapped Up
She sounded utterly forlorn and I put down the flowers and gave her a hug which she willingly accepted.
‘What does Aiden have to say about it all?’ I asked her, when we broke apart.
‘Oh, I haven’t told him,’ she said, with a wave of her hand. ‘The move to the German office is a good promotion and I can’t take the shine off that for him. He’d be devastated if he thought I was unhappy, so I’m just going along with it all.’
‘As selfless as you think keeping quiet is, Joanne,’ I seriously said, ‘it’s not going to help in the long run, is it? You absolutely have to tell him how you feel.’
‘Do I?’ She swallowed, looking tearful again.
‘You know you do,’ I said more softly. ‘Because it will all come out in the end and he’ll be so upset when it does. Please, talk to him sooner rather than later, because the clock is ticking.’
She let out a breath.
‘I suppose you’re right,’ she said. ‘The countdown is definitely on, but how can I tell him that I don’t want to go?’
‘I bet,’ I said, ‘if you put half as much energy into trying to find the words as you have into your matchmaking, you’ll have a speech prepared in a heartbeat.’
She did smile at that.
‘I daresay that’s true,’ she said. ‘Thanks, Clemmie. It’s been good to offload. I haven’t even told my mum how I’m really feeling.’
‘Well, you should,’ I told her. ‘Now, let’s have a coffee and you can have a minute to gather your thoughts before you head home and start putting this situation right.’
I gave Joanne a few minutes’ peace and once she’d left and I had congratulated myself on picking up on and addressing her discontent, I took my time arranging the rest of the flowersto my satisfaction. I then spent even more time photographing them. It didn’t matter where I put them, they looked perfect and I knew I’d be moving the arrangements around the entire time they were at their best.
As well as arranging Joanne’s floral apology and hoping that she would be able to both solve her own predicament and stick to her vow not to meddle, I also posted the soup recipe I’d mentioned to the woman I’d met at Skylark Farm because I’d forgotten about it before.
As I pottered about, I did my best not to become preoccupied thinking about the frostiness Ash had come back from Bakewell with and how I might be able to thaw it. I really did try not to dwell, but I can’t say I succeeded for the whole of the time, and what occurred the next day put him very firmly at the forefront of my mind again.
‘You’ll be seeing Will today, Pixie,’ said the cheerful receptionist in the vets when we arrived a few minutes ahead of the appointment time for Pixie’s vaccination and check-up on Tuesday afternoon.
‘Not Ash?’ I frowned. ‘I thought the appointment was scheduled so Pixie would see Ash.’
The receptionist checked her screen and shook her head. ‘No,’ she said. ‘It’s definitely Will.’
‘Oh,’ I said. ‘Right. I must have got it wrong, then.’ I knew I hadn’t, but there was nothing to be gained from arguing the point, even if I had hoped that with Pixie between us, we might have taken the opportunity to get back on an even keel. ‘I take it Will’s recovered?’
‘Yes,’ said the receptionist, without any hesitation whichsuggested his illness had been genuine. ‘He’s fighting fit now. Take a seat and he’ll call you through when he’s ready.’
I sat as instructed and shortly after, Will came out and introduced himself. Pixie, who had been rather cowed since we arrived at the practice – obviously having an idea of what she was in for – suddenly perked up no end and I liked Will as a result.
‘How’s she settling in?’ he asked, once the vaccination had been administered and Pixie had been weighed and given a general once over amid a lot of fussing.
‘Like she’s been with me forever,’ I was very happy to tell him. ‘She had a couple of melancholic moments when she first arrived, but she seems consistently happy now.’
‘Well,’ said Will, ruffling Pixie’s coat, ‘she’s certainly the picture of health. Though that said, you should never underestimate grief in animals or humans. It can come back—’
‘Yes,’ I cut in. ‘I know how grief operates.’ I hadn’t meant to sound so blunt. ‘And don’t worry,’ I added in a softer tone, ‘I’ll keep a close eye on her.’
‘Ash was very lucky to find you,’ he then smiled at me.
‘Was he?’ I swallowed.
I wasn’t sure either Ash or I would agree with those words now.
‘Yes,’ Will said, looking slightly pink as he gave a nod to my furry friend. ‘To take Pixie, I mean.’
‘Oh, yes,’ I agreed, as I lifted her off the treatment table. ‘I was perfect for taking Pixie.’
