The Song

Part Seventy-One

We settled down into the cottage, making some tea as Aston unpacked all the food. He’d booked us in for three nights, insisting that he had more tricks up his sleeve to make it the best few days away yet. Honestly I was a bit over the surprises, but I had to grin and bear it to find out just what he had in store.

“Wanna go for a walk?” Aston asked, “Before it gets too dark?”

“Sure,” I said, finishing my tea and setting the cup in the sink.

“You can have the willies.”

“AST!!!”

“Sorry sorry!” he grinned, going to the front door to slip on his muddy trainers.

“You’re the worst.”

“I love you really.”

I rolled my eyes at him, taking his wellies and slipping them on my feet. They were a little big on me but I didn’t have anything else to wear.

Hand and hand we walked through the woods for a bit, enjoying the peace and quiet. There was a little stream that ran not far from the cottage, and a trail that walked along it.

“This is really quite pretty,” I said.

“I know,” Aston replied, “When we came here the first time we were both a little concerned that there wasn’t much to do, but we found these paths and it was fabulous to just wander around.”

“Yeah?” I smiled, squeezing his hand as I stopped under a huge oak tree.

“Definitely,” he grinned. Carefully he pushed me so my back was against the trunk of the tree, his finger trailing along my jaw and stopping on my chin so he could carefully pull my face closer to his in a sweet kiss.

I sighed contently as he pulled away, my heartbeat racing as I smiled at my husband.

“You know there aren’t people for miles,” he winked.

“Oh really…”

“And you’ve brought those extra willies.”

“Merrygold!!”

“I’m sorry, no more teasing,” he said, kissing me again and then releasing me from the tree.

“Please no more,” I replied, “I’m so embarrassed.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s ok, it’s my fault for being a slag.”

“You’re not a slag,” Aston said.

“Only mentally, and only sometimes,” I winked.

“Ohhh…”

I rolled my eyes at him, dragging him away from the tree and down the path. We walked in silence for a while, eventually turning back and heading back to the cottage.

“I’ve got something really special planned,” Aston said, “If you want.”

“What?” I asked.

“I don’t want to say quite yet,” he replied, “But I think it’ll be good for us.”

“Now I’m dying to know!!”

“Just trust me,” he replied, squeezing my hand again as we reached the house. The sun was starting to set and we were bathed in a soft twilight. “I think you’ll love it.”

“I’ve got something for you too,” I said, “After dinner.”

“What’s that?”

“Nothing to do with willies,” I grinned, finally catching on to the joke, “Just something special I think you’ll love.”

“I can’t wait.”

We made a light dinner in the old cottage kitchen, standing side by side at the counter as we cut vegetables and put them in to a pot for homemade stew. We’d bought this lovely crusty bread and a bottle of wine and spent the evening sipping glasses and joking as the stew simmered on the stovetop.

When we were done eating I sat down at the piano, taking my time to get it all tuned up. It was a long process, and luckily I had the knowledge and tools to get it done properly.

“So what have you got for me?” Aston asked, sitting down at the piano bench next to me when I was finished.

“I’m sure you can guess,” I replied, “A song.”

“The one you’ve been working on?”

“Yeah, I wrote it for you,” I said, “Sort of as a thank you for being so amazing through all of this.”

“You don’t have to thank me.”

“Yes I do… Without you I’d be a total and complete mess.”

“Jess…”

“I love you Aston,” I said, touching his knee gently, “I wanted to show you how much.”

He gave me a small smile, turning to stare at the keys as I moved my fingers to them. I felt a bit nervous playing the song for him, it was quiet intimate and it had a lot of deep feelings in it. But I knew he had to hear it.

I started out carefully playing a slow sad melody. The song was about being lost, and then being found. Just like I’d been with the whole memory thing. I’d woken up in hospital without a clue, but somehow Aston had gotten me to a happy, comfortable place. I knew that the other songs I’d uncovered in hunting for clues to my memory were about us, and I wanted to add to it. The fourth one was so angry, but I didn’t want it to be that way. This was the new fourth part.

When I was finished I put my hands in my lap, tentatively turning to look at Aston. He had great big tears streaking down his cheeks, his eyes red as he tried to sniff them away.

“Oh Ast…” I giggled, wrapping an arm around his neck and hugging him tight.

“It’s so beautiful Jess… Your best yet,” he cried.

“Hey, no tears!”

“I can’t help it,” he hiccupped, “I love you so much and I’m so happy you’ve gotten this far since everything.”

“I’m here to stay you know… I’m not going to leave you,” I said.

“I know,” he replied, “And that makes me so fucking happy.”

I leant forward and captured his lips, my own tears starting to streak down my face. It was so perfect and emotional, to be finding this place with him. Despite everything that had happened we were on our way to our happily ever after.

“Can you play more?” Aston asked, “Do it again?”

“Sure,” I said, “Let me go top off the wine though.”

“Course,” he grinned, nuzzling my cheek with his nose and leaving a soft kiss behind.

Carefully I slid off the bench, running my hand along his neck as I slipped away. I started to walk out of the room towards the kitchen, Aston not moving from the piano as he stared at the ivory keys before him and tried to will away his tears.

I heard him press a key on the piano after a moment, and then almost hesitantly he started to play a nursery rhyme. He got partway through it but then stopped suddenly.

There was just something about this song. Something there…

“Keep playing!” I said, turning back towards him suddenly.