She was exhausted, her skint knees were stinging, and her hip was beginning to ache again, but as the opening bars of ‘Moon River’ filled the room, her ailments were forgotten as she began to sway, and as always, felt Henry’s cheek touch hers.
‘My darling, I have so much to tell you,’ she said to him, without speaking the words. ‘Ailish and Eric have mended fences, but only as friends. Eric wanted more, but, well, there was no going back for Ailish, and nor should there be. Eric is just going to have to find a different happiness. And going by the sparkle in Ailish’s eyes tonight, I think she’s already there. You’ve always loved her like I do, Henry, so I know you’ll be pleased about that. And, Henry, your darling granddaughter got engaged to Cormac. Oh, to be that age again. There was a slight hitch getting there, but when they sorted it out, the joy on their faces made me weep with happiness for them. I’ll only admit to you that I so wish it was us. Imagine starting all over again, Henry. Another lifetime with you. I’d give anything for that to be true.’
The bars of the music wrapped around her heart, and she knew that he’d give anything to have that too. But for a little while longer, she had to live in the real world.
For the first time since the music started, she whispered words aloud, just to make sure he heard them. ‘And, Henry, I spoke to Gino, and everything went just as planned, my darling. So you can go rest now, because I’m going to be fine.’ She knewhe could see her smile and hear the soft words she was saying now. ‘Henry, my love, you’ll always have my whole heart. I’ll see you when I get there…’
And with that, Henry Ryan kissed her and then began to walk away.
‘You will, ma darling,’ she heard him say. ‘I’ll be waiting.’
EPILOGUE
ONE YEAR LATER
Carlo’s Cafe was closed for business. At least, to the outside world.
However, inside, there was a private party, and the glasses were being refilled, ready to toast the dawn of another year.
Yvie and Emmy were circulating with two bottles of champagne, but as Emmy passed Cormac, he pulled her down on to his knee and kissed her. ‘Hey, wife…’
He’d been doing that a lot since they’d tied the knot right here the week before. They’d chosen Christmas Eve to say, ‘I do,’ because, well, they both knew Hogmanay was just too unpredictable.
‘Would you mind putting my daughter down, only my glass is empty,’ came a man’s amused voice from the next table.
Cormac immediately put his hands up, doing as he was asked. ‘Apologies, Eric.’
Emmy feigned outrage. ‘Father, your drink will be topped up when you grab a tray of those sausage rolls and whip them around to everyone too.’
Happy to oblige, Eric leaned over and kissed the woman beside him. ‘She gets that bossiness from her mother,’ hequipped to his new girlfriend, Colette. He’d met her when he’d joined a gym at the start of the year and so far, so good. Although, his knees were starting to ache because she could outrun him every day of the week on the treadmill. But at least she was in the same age bracket as him so she could remember the eighties.
‘Erm, Eric Ryan, I heard that!’ Ailish shouted from the corner table, where she was delivering Slippery Nipples to Rhonda and Matty, who’d surprised everyone by lasting longer than the tiramisu at last year’s party. Rhonda was well aware that people raised an eyebrow about the age difference, but she couldn’t care less because, as she always said, thanks to a few cosmetic nips, tucks, and enhancements, there were definitely parts of her that were only twenty-nine.
‘I’ll have two of those sausage rolls over here, please, waiter,’ Sonya chirped, then cleared a space in front of her to make room for them. She’d just been telling Nicky and Scott that she was starting her diet tomorrow. Or maybe next weekend. Her Ollie hadn’t come home from university because he’d fallen madly in love with an astrophysics student and was being taken home to meet his boyfriend’s family for the first time. Sonya was going to join them tomorrow. She’d already batch-cooked a full week’s worth of dinners for Gino and Minnie, but she knew they’d probably go to waste because those two were never home. Taking care of them as their live-in housekeeper was the best job ever though, so she didn’t mind in the least.
‘Five minutes to go!’ Carlo bellowed, then got thoroughly distracted because Yvie was now dancing with her tray, and he knew it could all go wrong at any second. She was a wonderful nurse, but a terrible waitress. She was also the most laid-back girlfriend in the world and didn’t mind that he’d been working longer hours than ever this year, opening two new cafés with Matty and Dario. There was a fourth on the way, and the firstevent at that one would be their wedding. She’d already told him she wanted four kids, and they’d all be allowed to go into the family business.
He’d need new partners by then anyway, because Dario was already semi-retired. He only worked a couple of days a week, because he spent the rest of the time making up for the fact that he’d worked far too many hours in his lifetime already. Besides, there was so much life out there to enjoy, and Dario felt truly lucky to be experiencing it all with Gwen. Her scan results last January had been clear, and all the tests she’d had since then had continued to show she was cancer-free, so they were planning a three-month tour around Europe in the summer. Gwen had already invited Minnie and Gino on the Italian leg of the trip, and they were excited to help Gino finally revisit his homeland and the village of his youth.
Dario switched on the large TV on the wall and turned it to the countdown that was shown live from Edinburgh Castle every year.
They all saw that it would shortly begin, so Gino stood up, banjo in hand, and raised a silver flask, the one inscribed with a message from an absent friend.
‘I would like to propose a toast,’ he told them, to a raucous cheer. ‘To the people who are no longer with us… We miss you…’
Another cheer.
Minnie raised her eyes heavenwards and murmured, ‘That’s you, Henry, love.’ She would always be grateful for his love both before and after he died. Sharing the house with Gino had been the wonderful chapter that she hadn’t expected, and she was in no hurry for their story to come to an end.
‘Minnie, are you listening?’ Gino teased, much to the amusement of the others.
‘Just waiting for you to get to the point, my friend,’ she replied sassily, earning a round of whoops and applause.
Gino took the hint. ‘And to the people who are still here by our sides. Let us love and laugh from this year to the next. Because, as a very special man once told me, friendships last long after midnight. To friendship!’
‘To friendship!’ came the response, everyone on their feet now to bring in the bells.
On the television, the countdown began, and the whole room joined in.
