‘Come on, Eric, let’s go see your mum,’ she said, spotting Minnie and Gino hugging at their table.
Minnie saw them coming together and her eyes widened with surprise as she opened her arms to Ailish, leaving the men to shake hands. ‘Happy New Year, darling Ailish! Does this mean…?’ she asked, as their heads met, both of them understanding the unspoken question.
Ailish kissed her beautiful now-ex-mother-in-law on the cheek and decided to reframe that terminology. Minnie was the mother she didn’t have. Through thick, thin, and divorce, thatremained the essence of who they were to each other. ‘No, Mum,’ she gave Minnie her answer. ‘But it does mean we can all be together again, and I think that’s a good place to start.’
Minnie’s delighted expression told her that was good enough.
‘Happy New Year, Gino,’ Ailish said, as she hugged the elderly man, marvelling as always at the happiness he had created here. So many years, and so many people had seen in the bells with joy and surrounded by love, thanks to a dream that he’d made into a reality. As she left his embrace, she noticed the beautiful silver flask on the table and squinted to read the inscription that was carved into the gleaming metal.
Friendships last long after midnight.
The two women who were making their way through the crowds to them now, bringing their midnight kisses with them, had proved that time after time.
Rhonda reached her first, and with a shriek of, ‘Happy New Year,’ wrapped her in the tightest of bear hugs. ‘It’s going to be the best year ever,’ her wild friend promised, out of earshot of the others. ‘I’m already in love.’
‘And you’re already fricking fabulous, so you’re sorted,’ Ailish giggled.
‘If you’ve taken the Adulterous Arse back, I might have to kill you though,’ Rhonda chirped, her words a hilarious contrast to the jubilation in her tone.
‘Still single,’ Ailish assured her, laughing. ‘This dress was too good to waste on him. Thanks, Rhonda. I love you more than you know.’
‘Ah, bugger, you’ll wreck my lashes!’ Rhonda sobbed, frantically fanning her face so the tears didn’t dislodge the glue that held her diamond-edged, mink masterpieces in place.
The celebratory jig of changing partners continued with Dario, then Matty, until finally Ailish embraced Gwen gently,careful not to bruise the thin skin that was covering her bones. Her friend would get her strength back, and the happiness in her squeal of, ‘Happy New Year, Ails!’ told her that Gwen’s illness might have sapped her strength, but it had left her spirit intact.
Ailish’s eyes were crying, but her grin was beaming as she embraced her.
They held their clinch, as Gwen’s mouth reached Ailish’s ear. ‘I kissed Dario,’ she whispered, the words oozing pure joy.
‘I saw!’ Ailish murmured in return.
‘He’s the biggest reason I wanted to come here tonight and why I planned this weeks ago,’ she confessed. ‘I’ve thought about him for years, and just decided that if I didn’t tell him this year, then I might not get the chance. He just told me he feels the same. I can’t believe it, Ails.’
‘Believe it, my love. I’m so happy for you, Gwen. You deserve this.’
‘I do. You know what?’ she said, still just the two of them in their own world.
Ailish gulped. ‘Tell me.’
‘Fuck cancer.’
Ailish could barely breathe through the tears now. ‘Fuck cancer,’ she repeated, because right now, with all of them together, it felt like there was nothing that could beat them.
In fact, it felt like nothing could ever spoil this perfect moment… Until her daughter raced towards her and fell into her arms.
35
EMMY
‘No.’
She’d only said one word, but it had been enough to crush their whole relationship to dust.
Still on one knee, Cormac had let his hands fall, the ring he was holding no longer required. ‘No?’
Emmy’s head was shaking slowly from side to side, her eyes wide, hand over her mouth as if to stop it uttering another lethal blow.
A few feet away, Yvie had been stunned into silence, her face a mask of shock and bewilderment, a stark contrast to the crowds of people who were celebrating in the streets around them. Fireworks soared above them, cheers rang out, music blared from windows that had been opened despite the cold, to let the New Year in.
