Lost and Found

Chapter 38 - The End

Chapter 38

Friday 8th October 2010

                “Are you ok?” Amelia watched her father struggle with his bow tie with a sense of déjà vu. He puffed in anger as fingers that hadn’t fully recovered from his stroke failed to complete the knot. “Let me do that!"

She deftly tied the cravat then stepped back and brushed the dark suit lapels of imaginary dust, “you look handsome Dad, really handsome!”

He laughed, “isn’t it me should be saying that to you?”  Her father seemed nervous, since his stroke he hadn’t spoken in public, and the thought of a speech did seem to scare him.

Saying that so much had happened over the last eighteen months, Amelia had never imagined that Sol and her father would talk amicably ever again, but time seemed to be a great healer, coupled with her father’s interminable guilt. In the end Sol had insisted that he stop trying to make up for the past, he knew that this relationship was important to Amelia and had worked hard to salvage something. Then her father had given her...them, the Manor house. Despite Sol’s reluctance, they’d spent the last summer decorating and renovating the house into the family home they’d dreamed of. A hot tub now looked over her mother’s kitchen garden, the electrics, the furniture were all changed.  Oh and they’d installed a generator, remembering the disaster of that Christmas.

The plan was that after the wedding they’d move in, make the house their own. But the only room they hadn’t touched was her old bedroom. Neither of them could bring themselves to go there, let alone change it.

                “Come on then old man, our car is here.” She turned back to her father, and in a slight deviation from tradition, Amelia offered Max an arm and led him out to the car. Usually his walking was good, but the occasion seemed to be getting the better of him.

The drive from the apartment to the small village church passed uneventfully. There was no one to wave to them as they passed, the majority of the residents were waiting for the bride and groom at the church.  Pulling up outside, she aided her father in through the doors.

Every pew was full and all eyes turned to watch the two of them stroll down the aisle. No eyes were more intense than those of Sol, taking in every inch of her as she strode towards the front of the building in such an appreciative manner. Sol her beautiful, loving husband, holding their equally beautiful son Ethan in his arms.

Standing at the front of the church, she squeezed her father’s hand and leaned in close to whisper, “she’s here!”

They both turned to see Sylvia, hanging on the arm of her son, at the entrance to the church, her smile lighting up the whole building as she acknowledged every single person in the entire congregation. Amelia’s only role as ‘best man’ was to hand the rings to her Dad, after that she slipped back a row and took the straining Ethan into her arms. Sol’s arm slid around her and he leaned in close to whisper, “no tears! You promised!”

She nodded, then hissed back, “I did...and I won’t!”

His knowing chuckle infuriated her, but that was just typical of him. So much had changed since she’d followed him to Santiago. They’d spent two days doing very little other than stay in bed, but once they did leave the hotel, they’d had nothing but fun. He teased her incessantly, but she loved that.  They had such an easy relationship, complimenting each other so well. She’d never imagined she could be this happy. There were bad times, him working in London, her in the country helping Cole set up his dream resort, but there’d been the great times too, evenings together in front of the fire, parties in his town house, holidays together...and uncountable hours in bed. Yep they’d had ups and downs, but she wouldn’t change a moment, especially now that Sol’s mini-me Ethan had arrived.