Page 87 of Christmas at Hollybush Farm
‘We need some Christmas Hope!’ says Dad.
‘Got any more sprouts, Twm?’ I ask.
‘Loads!’
‘Thought we could sell them in paper cones, salted, with butter and a bit of bacon!’
‘That sounds lovely!’ He chortles. ‘I’ll be there for those!’
And Dewi runs in with bits of ripped-up paper in his mouth, tossing it around.
‘What’s that?’ asks Dad.
‘Looks like the solar-panels contract,’ I say. ‘Must have blown down from the shelf when we came in from the barn.’
‘Well, then,’ says Dad, not attempting to get the envelope back from Dewi. ‘Looks like this has to work now.’
36
‘A taste of Wales,’ I say into the camera. ‘Any food producers, get in touch. We want you to come along. Let people taste your food and tell them where it’s come from.’
‘Now all we have to do is hope,’ I say in the shed, the next morning, after Llew has filmed me talking about our new year food festival. ‘Hope the producers turn up and people come to eat the food.’
I can’t bear to think what will happen if this doesn’t work. The farm will definitely have to be sold. We’re out of options.
Llew puts down the phone and walks over to join me.
‘Hope,’ he says, looking at the lamb: she has been reunited with her mum, wearing a warm jumper Evie knitted.
‘What will you do now?’ I ask. ‘When do you have to go back?’
‘I’m not sure,’ he says. ‘What about you?’
‘If this doesn’t work? Look for another job.’
‘What about the B-and-B idea? People would love to stay here. I know I do.’
‘It could work with something else, but not on its own. If the street-food festival took off, and the barns, it could be part of it.’
‘Stronger together?’ he asks.
I nod.
‘I get it. A bit like the people I’ve met since I’ve been here,’ he says. ‘You, Mae, Owen, Evie, your dad and Myfanwy, you’ve all rallied around Owen and Jess.’
‘I don’t want to sell. I’m staying here and I’m going to make this work! I can’t do it on my own. You’re right, we’re all stronger together. I thought I was a lone wolf when I worked at the hotel, didn’t need any help, but it wasn’t a team. People worked for me. Here, we’ve got to work together.’
I look at him as he pulls me close. ‘Same when I gave in my notice. I realized I didn’t care about what I was doing. I wasn’t helping people. I thought I was, but it was about getting the deal. Competing with my colleagues. Seeing who could seal the most deals. It didn’t mean anything.’
I stare at him, suddenly terrified of saying what’s on my mind.
37
New Year’s Eve
It’s pitch black, as Llew and I check and feed the ewes. The last day of the year. And what a year! I would never have expected to end up back at the farm, with a man I’ve only just met, but with whom I may be falling very much in love. I glance at him as we lay fresh straw in the pen for the ewe and her lamb, still wearing one of Evie’s unique jumpers.
I remember how I managed to tell Llew how I was feeling. Took the leap of faith. It took me two years and three months to admit to Matthew how I thought I felt about him, and look how wrong I got that. Turned out I was just part of his plan for the perfect couple on his Facebook page. The power couple, about to start their new life in Seattle. ‘Livingthe dream’. Well, I know now it wasn’t my dream. My dream is here … What he wanted was my job. The life in Seattle, come what may! The corporate couple. We never discussed having a family: it wasn’t on the cards. And now more than anything I want to stay here, and build on the little family we have. Dad and Myfanwy. Mae, the boys and Josh. Owen, Evie and Jess. And I may be taking a leap of faith, but I’ve never felt so happy, relaxed or myself. Just being me, where I want to be, with the person I want to be with.
