When it seemed that Merrin had calmed a little, he turned to take in the family.
‘Home at last!’ Ben Kellow, a short, stocky man, rushed forward and folded Merrin in a tight hug. Both were a little overcome with emotion, and he understood; two years was a long time not to see your child. ‘What a wonderful thing! My little Merrin Mercy.’ Ben let her go and studied her, as if examining her face for change. ‘How we’ve missed you. In’t that right, Heather?’
Heather Kellow nodded as she held a handkerchief under her nose; it appeared she was a little too overwhelmed for words. She simply stared at her daughter’s face before planting a kiss on her cheek.
‘How long is it you’re staying, little one?’ her dad asked, with such excitement it was almost painful to watch.
‘Give her a minute, Ben, she’s only just arrived and already you’re talking about her leaving!’ Heather found her voice. ‘Hello, my love.’ She turned to him, her tone warm and kindly.
‘Hello, Mrs Kellow.’ He wasn’t sure whether to shake her hand or hug her and so did neither, standing awkwardly with his hands on his hips.
‘Call me Heather.’ She winked at him and he liked her welcome.
‘Just two nights, Dad.’ Merrin spoke with a breathlessness that betrayed her nerves. ‘And then back to work.’
‘Two nights.’ The man whispered the fact with no small echo of disappointment. His smile faltered, which rather took the joy from the moment. ‘We shall make the most of it,’ he rallied. ‘A wedding!’ He clapped his hands. ‘Can you believe that someone wants to marry old Ruby?’ He chuckled. Merrin had told him about this, the good-natured ribbing that flew back and forth.
Ben then turned his attention to Miguel and looked him straight in the eye. ‘Hello there, boy! You must be Miguel.’ He stepped forward and shook Miguel warmly by the hand. ‘Good journey?’
‘Not bad, considering Merrin was driving,’ he whispered.
‘I reckon you’ll be needing a beer, am I right?’
‘Now that sounds like a plan.’
The man nodded his head in approval. ‘Plus, I want to give the girls a chance to catch up; her mother needs time with her littlest.’ Ben’s words were solemn.
‘A beer is always a good idea.’ Miguel had heard enough about Merrin’s father to know that when he offered a beer it was because he wanted one himself and to refuse was not the way to ingratiate himself with him.
‘I’m taking the lad to the pub! He’s had a traumatic journey! Come on out, Jarv!’ he called to the groom, who came lumbering from the cottage with his boots in his hand.
‘Traumatic journey?’ Merrin wiped her face and called over her shoulder as she made her way inside the cottage. ‘He’s eaten snacks and slept most of the way!’
He caught the smile she flashed him, though her eyes were swollen and her face streaked with tears, and felt the swell of longing for her in his veins. A longing that he would have to bury until they were back in Thornbury, where they could share a bed without the tell-tale creak of an old floorboard giving him away.
‘Good to meet you, Jarvis!’ He fell in step with the man who had come out of the cottage next door and was tying his dusty work boots loosely on to his feet.
‘And you.’ Jarvis slapped his back.
‘Looking forward to the big day?’
‘Be glad when it’s all over, truth be told.’ He kept his voice low. ‘But don’t tell Ruby I said that.’ He looked over his shoulder as if checking she was out of earshot.
‘Your secret is safe with us!’ Ben laughed loudly. ‘He’s had enough of it, haven’t you, Jarv? Nothing but wedding talk for months now! Everyone all of a dither over every little detail. He’s been happy to get out to sea, where we talk about fish and football, not frocks and flowers!’
‘I wouldn’t go that far.’ Jarvis rolled his eyes at Miguel.
‘I’ll just be bloody glad if he turns up at the church! We’ve got our Bella left high and dry with a little ’un to look after now the bloody Dutchman’s done a flit, and before that our Merrin abandoned!’ Ben spoke from the side of his mouth as they walked towards the slipway with the pub in sight. ‘That was a rum old business, make no mistake.’ He addressed Miguel for the first time on the subject, and it made him wonder how many people would feel the need to remind Merrin of that one disastrous day – which was apparently lodged in the memory of Port Charles and the people in it – and for how long. He looked back towards the cottage and considered how this must feel for her, especially as they were here to celebrate a wedding. His heart flexed with concern for her.
‘I can’t imagine.’ He spoke sincerely.
‘Terrible business,’ Jarvis concurred, shaking his head, as if remembering. ‘Reckon if I didn’t turn up tomorrow, Ruby would have my balls made into earrings.’
‘Ouch!’ Miguel cringed at the thought.
‘I’ll go get the beers in; Robin will be waiting for us at the bar, so you lads make your way up and grab a table.’ Ben broke into a small jog while he and Jarvis took their time. It was nice to be by the sea and away from work, and to feel the sun on his skin.
‘Ben jokes about it, but what happened to Merrin wasn’t funny. It changed things for the whole family.’
‘In what way?’ Miguel was keen to gain any insight into the life of the woman he loved.
‘Well, it’s why she moved away, for starters.’
This he knew. ‘Port Charles’s loss is my gain then,’ he joked, but his words seemed to fall flat, as Jarvis didn’t laugh.
‘And she and Ruby aren’t as close as they once were, not really, and I know Heather misses her. Ben, too, but he’d never say as much – doesn’t want to hold her back. But yeah, it changed the family. Folk still talk about it.’
So I’d noticed . . .
‘And that can’t be easy for any of them.’
‘I can’t imagine any bloke letting a girl like Merrin slip through his fingers. I know I never would.’
‘Well, I can’t imagine a life without Ruby. Truth is, no matter what Ben says, I’m excited to turn up tomorrow, seal the deal!’ Jarvis took his time, as if wanting to get the words right. ‘I consider myself very lucky to be marrying Ruby. I feel like the luckiest man alive.’
Miguel punched him playfully on the arm, his relief instant. ‘You old softie, Jarvis! She must be some girl.’
‘For sure.’
‘How did you know Ruby was the one you wanted to marry?’ It interested him, the certainty with which Jarvis was willing to make such a commitment.
Jarvis looked out to sea. ‘I think . . . I think you can love more than one person, and I think you can love different people in different ways. Love can be fickle, your heart and your mind can play tricks’ – he tapped his temple as his mouth lifted in a wry smile – ‘and then, one day, you realise that the thing you’ve been waiting for, searching for, has been right under your nose all the time and it can make you feel a bit stupid that you’d spent the longest time looking in the wrong place – do you know what I mean?’