Page 89 of Wild Swimming at Croftwood Lake
‘Only me,’ he called.
She appeared at the top of the stairs, looking every inch like she’d stepped out of the nineteen-eighties. Her hair was huge, with an enormous floppy bow tied in it. She had a pink sweatshirt hanging off one shoulder and was wearing leggings, leg-warmers and lots of neon bead necklaces and bracelets.
‘Wow!’ he said, grinning. ‘You look like…’ He floundered, but Nora grinned.
‘I was going for early Madonna,’ she said, coming down the stairs and kissing him before she snuggled into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, glad that they were back to where they’d been before the baby news.
‘You look amazing. You feeling okay?’
‘Mmm,’ she murmured. ‘I’m looking forward to it. I came home early and had a nap so I’m raring to go.’
She seemed anything but raring to go, though Archie was pleased they were. They hadn’t had much fun in the past few weeks.
He’d booked two tickets for seats in the circle, since it was quieter up there and the seats were more comfortable. They parked the car on the road nearby and walked the long way through the park to the cinema, joining the short queue to get in. Everyone in the queue was dressed in similarly nineteen-eighties clothes with a scattering of other Judd Nelsons and Madonnas amongst them.
‘You two look great!’ Patsy said, checking their tickets. She was wearing a ra-ra skirt with three tiers each in a different neon colour and a vest top with a mesh t-shirt over it and a pair of mesh fingerless gloves. ‘We’re doing Long Island Ice Tea cocktails and mocktails. Grab one before you head upstairs.’
With their drinks in hand, they climbed the stairs to the circle and settled themselves into the comfy seats.
‘The planning officer came round today,’ he began.
‘Oh, was it Ben?’
‘It was. We discussed renovating the stable block into a house for us.’
Nora turned to look at him. She was biting her lip, looking unsure.
‘And we could set up a pottery studio for you so you can work from home.’
‘We’d move in together?’
‘I hope so,’ he said, still not sure if she thought it was a good idea. ‘And there’s no pressure for you to sell your cottage. You ought to keep that if you want to. But we need somewhere that’s ours. Somewhere that’s never been mine or yours, where we can start our family together.’
A tear escaped down Nora’s cheek. Archie leant over and wiped it away, his heart sinking into his stomach.
‘It’s okay. We can think of something else. It’s not the only option.’ It was the best he could come up with though, and he’d thought it was as close to perfect as they were likely to get.
‘It’s a wonderful option,’ she said, taking his hand and squeezing it just as the lights went down.
After the film, they headed through the stalls to the backstage bar where there was an after party that was spilling out of the doors and into the park.
Nora pulled Archie by the hand outside into the park before anyone could intercept them.
‘I want to pay for the pottery workshop,’ she said. ‘It’s the only way it can work. I can’t explain it very well, but it’s important that it’s mine. I need it for my business and it’s only right that I pay for it.’
‘And you think the house is a good idea?’ he asked, his heart filled with hope again.
She nodded, her eyes sparking. ‘I do. How will we pay for it though without selling the cottage?’
Archie explained his plan. ‘I know my mother and Betsy won’t be pleased but it’s the best option for us and that’s the most important thing. I hope they’ll understand that holding onto paintings and vases that no one ever sees but us, things that don’t even have any sentimental value to any of us, is ridiculous when compared to building a future for our family.’
‘I think it’s the perfect solution. Thank you.’
Nora looped her arms around his neck and pressed her cheek to his. ‘I love you so much,’ she whispered into his ear.
‘My love. I feel so lucky to have this chance of a new life with you. I love you.’ Archie thought his heart might burst. It had all come together and they had found a way to be together. Nothing else mattered now.
33
