Chapter 2

　　So much for a fresh start and new friends!

　　So far it had been a new life as a recluse, in a stinky musty cottage with endless manual labour.

　　‘So, you’re settling in well then? Do you regret leaving London to go back to the highlands?’ Her mum sounded wary, concerned almost.

　　Rose had always followed her own heart impulsively, ever since she was a child, and now coming here and leaving everything behind her. All her life she had been fiercely independent.

　　‘Not even a little bit.’ She assured her, and it was true, she hadn’t even thought of her six years in the big city since her arrival. She had always felt there was something more out there for her in the world that London hadn’t given her. It was as though she was holding her breath, waiting for that moment of clarity as to where her next steps were to be taken. Holding on, treading water, rather than just living and moving forward until the elusive something better came along. The cottage had been that chance for her.

　　‘I’m glad you decided not to sell it Rose, Olivia would be so happy to know you’ve decided to make it your home... Much like she did at your age and she was really happy there, Darling.’ The uplifted tone in her mother’s voice made Rose feel better. Confirmation that she had made the right choice coming here, although she had never needed it, she knew it in herself that this place was the key to a her own happy ever after.

　　‘I always had really good times here to Mum, with her... Painting and drawing and just enjoying this crazy, small town, and its quirky inhabitants. I needed a fresh start; my life was becoming so stale.’ Rose flipped onto her stomach, her fingers working into the edge of the overgrown lawn and twisting stems distractedly.

　　‘Rose, you’ve always been my baby, but, out of the three of you, you were the one who was most self-sufficient, who followed the beat of her own drum... Olivia washed off on you so much in your young life. I guess because you were her only niece and she couldn’t have a child of her own. You were like a daughter to her too and you make me so proud, I love you Darling.’ The emotion in her mother’s voice was raw, her mother obviously just wanted to get it out there, between them. An acknowledgement that dismissing her aunts name in conversation was not because they didn’t miss or love her. It was because it was still so hard to accept she was gone.

　　‘I love you too Mum. Look I really should go, I’m starting to burn, and I think Muffin is crossing his legs, he needs out.’ Rose didn’t really want to end the call, but her heart ache was becoming a little too prominent, she didn’t want to upset her mother more by asking her to stop talking about Olivia.

　　They said their goodbyes and she hung up the phone quickly, sighing to herself before turning, rolling to her knees to get up from the ground. She was about to head into the cottage when the sound of tyres on the gravel behind her alerted her to a visitor and halted her in her tracks.

　　Turning to see the small red post van approaching she pasted on her friendly smile, although he came daily they had never actually met as he usually posted letters through the slot while she was still inside cleaning and fixing up her new abode. Today she had been up and outside early to get some much-needed sun and it was about time she met her mailman.

　　As soon as the van pulled near, it parked by her rickety gate and she was faced with a little, old, red-cheeked man, with white receding hair and a smart royal mail uniform in navy blue. As he rounded his van with a handful of letters he smiled her way with a devilish twinkle in his merry face.

　　‘Hello my dear. How are you? So nice to see what you look like at last.’ He almost gushed at her when she straightened herself and tried to smooth down her dishevelled, grubby clothes. Rose extended her hand to meet his outstretched palm as he pushed mail under his armpit to shake it.

　　‘Hi there, I’m fine, thanks. Yes, all moved in and settling well, now I have the place cleaned up a bit more.’ Rose beamed at the friendly face, she had walked halfway down the path to meet the small man, who was now retrieving her post and taking the letters he was holding to her, she noted he had another in his right hand that he seemed to be holding back.

　　‘Well my dear, there’s been a lot of talk, you know...At the church!