Christie Barlow - Love Heart Lane

‘The cab couldn’t cross the bridge, it was too treacherous. I had to walk the next half mile.’

‘Oh my, you should have rung, I could have sent Drew down with the tractor to fetch you.’

‘Mum, the mobile signal is virtually nothing.’ Felicity glanced at her phone. ‘See … no service.’ She held the phone up.

‘And where’s your suitcase?’ Rona gave a puzzled look all around.

‘I couldn’t drag it through the snow. I abandoned it under a tree … this side of the bridge though.’

‘It can’t stay there, you’ll never find it again. This snow is going to fall all night, maybe for the next few days. Ring the farm. The number is by the phone,’ Rona insisted, before poking the embers of the fire. Felicity hesitated and felt a wave of uneasiness pass through her.

‘Go on, the phone is where it’s always been,’ Rona continued brightly and shooed Felicity out into the hallway.

Foxglove Farm was owned by Isla and Drew Allaway. Felicity had known them all her life, and they had all once been the best of friends. Isla and Drew were childhood sweethearts who had married and took over the farm from Drew’s dad when his wife had sadly passed away. Even though over the years Felicity had taken short trips back home, she’d not seen or spoken to either Isla or Drew in all that time. She had no clue how they were going to react to her homecoming.

Hesitantly, she picked up the olive-green phone and began to dial the number. As soon as the phone connected it only took two rings before it was picked up. ‘Hello, Foxglove Farm.’ Even after all this time she instantly recognised Drew’s voice.

Felicity took a deep breath, ‘Hi Drew … it’s me … Felicity.’

There was a short pause on the other end of the line. ‘Flick!… Welcome home! It’s been a while.’

He sounded pleased to hear from her which was a relief. ‘Yes, it has. How are you?’

‘Good thanks, we are all good. But I’m sorry to hear the sad news about your grandmother.’

‘Thanks Drew … me too.’ There was a slight pause.

‘What can I do for you? Rona’s okay for wood, isn’t she?’ he asked with concern. ‘She doesn’t want to be stranded for warmth in this weather.’

‘I’m not sure … wait there … Mum!’ bellowed Felicity from the hallway. ‘Are you okay for wood?’

Immediately Rona appeared in the doorway. ‘That’s nearly the last of the logs on the fire. With everything … I’ve not had much time to re-stock. It’s all been quite difficult.’

‘Drew, are you okay to bring some logs up?’

‘Yes, of course … and what was it we can do for you?’

For a second, Felicity had forgotten why she was ringing. ‘My suitcase … it’s my case. It’s stranded by the bridge at the bottom of the track … under the tree. The wheels wouldn’t turn in the snow and it was too heavy to lift. Mum thought you might…’

‘Don’t worry, I’ll come now Felicity,’ he responded valiantly, ‘before it’s buried forever. Well, until the snow thaws anyway.’ He gave a small chuckle.

‘Thanks Drew,’ she said, before hanging up and joining her mum back in the living room.

‘I’ve made tea … help yourself,’ said Rona, ‘and have a flapjack.’ She pointed to the plate on the coffee table. ‘We always had a slice of flapjack at this time, most days.’ Her voice suddenly wavered and Felicity felt a pang of sadness as her mother glanced towards the empty rocking chair which displayed her grandmother’s hand-crocheted, multi-coloured blanket draped over the back of it.

Felicity instantly felt guilty for not being around to help her mum during her grandmother’s illness. The tiredness and grief in her mum’s eyes were apparent.

Out of every inch of Felicity’s body poured the memories of her grandmother, magical moments she’d never forget. She could still remember the hours she’d spent in the teashop at the weekend mirroring her grandmother while she helped to bake all the delicious cakes and scones.

‘I’m so sorry, Mum, for not coming home at Christmas,’ Felicity said, genuinely remorseful.

‘It’s not that easy to just up and leave your job, especially working in the department store. It must be one of the busiest times of the year. And how is Adrian? I thought I might finally get to meet him.’

Felicity exhaled. ‘It’s over Mum … we’ve finished. He’s moved out.’

‘Oh Felicity, why didn’t you say?’ Rona’s voice was earnest.

‘Because it was my choice. Honestly, he just wasn’t my happy ever after … that’s all there is to it.’

Rona gave Felicity a knowing look.

‘Mum, don’t give me that look,’ she exclaimed.

‘You do know you’re going to have to face your happy ever after at some point.’

Felicity protested. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’

But she knew exactly who her mum was talking about … Fergus.

She and Fergus had made plans, they’d promised each other they’d be together forever. Felicity had thought their love was unbreakable until tragedy had struck… twice. Then Felicity had convinced herself she’d never be enough for him, and she’d upped and left for London, breaking his heart as well as her own.

She took a second to remember their first kiss. Her knees had actually trembled like in the movies and goose bumps had prickled over every inch of her skin. She remembered the feeling like it had only happened yesterday. Felicity knew that being back for two whole weeks, she was bound to bump into Fergus at some point. She wasn’t sure how he was going to react to seeing her after all this time or how she was going to feel.

Hearing the drone of the tractor outside, Felicity thankfully abandoned her train of thought. She shifted to the edge of the settee and flicked a glance out of the window. There was Drew waiting outside. He noticed her and gave her a quick wave above his head as Felicity stood up.

‘I’ve brought your old snow boots in from the shed, you’ll need them out there on a day like today.’

‘Thanks Mum.’

Felicity thrust her feet into her old boots and slipped her arms into her coat. ‘I won’t be long,’ she said, closing the cottage door behind her.

Since her arrival, the snow hadn’t given up for a second and already Love Heart Lane was covered in a thick blanket, inches deep. Felicity had barely seen snow in London – the odd flurry here and there, but nothing that ever stuck.

But Heartcross was used to this kind of weather, they were prepared. The route into the village would be restricted and depending on the snowfall some vehicles might find it difficult to climb the half mile track but when they knew the bad weather was coming the delivery drivers always doubled up on supplies.

Felicity pulled open the door of the tractor to be greeted Drew’s huge beam. ‘Hi Flick, jump in. It’s great to see you.’

Drew hadn’t changed a bit. His blond tight corkscrew curls were still as springy as the last time she’d set eyes on him.

‘How are you?’ asked Felicity. ‘And Isla?’

Drew started the engine, and the tractor began to move through the snow with ease.

‘She’s fed up, but not long to go now until the baby’s arrival.’

Felicity swung a glance towards Drew. ‘Baby?’

‘Aye, a baby brother for Finn, due in the next few weeks.’

Felicity had had no idea. ‘Congratulations!’ She was genuinely chuffed for them both. The pair had been inseparable since high school and had married at the age of nineteen at the small church in Heartcross. Their wedding had been beautiful, and all they’d ever wanted was to be together, a family.

‘We are all ready for the little fellow, but this weather is a worry if Isla goes into labour. I can see her arriving at the hospital in this tractor—’ he gave a small chuckle ‘—and she won’t be best pleased about that.’