Falling Daisies

Epilogue

“You are so slow!” I panted.

“I do believe I’m the one who is carrying the majority of our supplies, so I think I have a right!” Ben shouted back up to me.

“Stop whining! I think I see the top! Not long now... Ta dar!”

I turned to look out, mouth ajar, as I took in the awe-inspiring landscape before me. I waited for Ben to get to the top also and come and stand beside me. We tried to catch our breaths but the beauty before us just took it away once again, as we stood together in disbelief looking out over the African plains.

“It’s...”

“I know...”

The sun was beginning to set and we didn’t have long to pitch our tent on the mountain top before dusk settled and we fell into darkness. Each place we visited proved to be greater than the last and now, as we reached Kenya, I thought I had found the most exquisite of them all. The vastness and earthly richness of the land was captivating and the plethora of animals we had witnessed from our Safari was such a life changing experience. However I had to watch my back – one of the monkeys had taken quite a liking to Ben – ever the charmer.

We had ridden Camel’s in Egypt and Elephants in Thailand, climbed to the top of the Eiffel Tower and swam to the depths of the Great Barrier Reef. Yet here, alone in the Savannah with Ben was my favourite.

It did have close competition however from Greece where we had returned for the wedding in the chapel on top of the hill. Claire had looked exquisite in a flowing dress of ivory silk and held in her hands a bouquet of pink and white hydrangeas which matched the dusty pink floor length gowns both Tess and I wore to be her bridesmaids. They had hired out the Restaurant, where they had taken me to ask my permission on their engagement, for the evening reception and it looked even more fairytale-esque as an abundance of floral decorations scattered the table and a quartet of traditional musicians serenaded the night, as we danced well into the early hours of the morning.

Love, in fact, seemed to be blossoming all over. I had received an email from Hazel who was now studying in Paris, whilst I was in an internet cafe in Vienna.  Apparently there was a rather beautiful French boy whose family she was staying with who seemed to be spending rather a lot of time with her. Of course to Hazel, blind as she was to male attention, she couldn’t see what was happening. I would let her work it out for herself though; it would be a nice surprise...    

With the tent now relatively stable – we were beginning to become experts – we got out our blanket and laid it out on the ground before us, lying back together to gaze up into the sky where the pinks and oranges were slowly being replaced by the cobalt blue of night. 

I rested my head on Ben’s chest and he intertwined our fingers, playing with them lazily as we lay; momentarily lost in our own thoughts.

“What are you thinking?” I asked Ben.

“If I’m going to try and catch a Zebra or a Lion tomorrow...” I let go of his hand and batted him playfully, being quick to join our hands again, missing their warmth on my skin.

His laughing protestations suddenly were replaced with a sober tone and a look that melted my heart, even after all this time, “That... And how much I love you...”

I nuzzled further into him and contemplated how our relationship had gone from strength to strength through each country we passed through. It was amazing to see Ben outside of England, he relaxed in a way I was sure I had when I had gone to Greece that first time. Everything just seemed more at ease. We were living in a bubble of just the two of us and we both knew when we got back to England things would all change again. Yet I wasn’t scared, we had made it through so much together that I felt I had no reason to be scared. We had proved we could stand by each other through the darkest places and the loneliest thoughts and I didn’t see how our bond could break.

“How about you? What are you thinking?”

“I think I know what I want to do when I go back...”

“Luce, that’s great! What are you considering?” He said, giving my hand a reassuring squeeze.

I bit my lip and looked up at him. We talked openly about her now. Our past was our past and pretending it hadn’t happened was ridiculous to do so. Yet still, whenever she was mentioned or something we spoke of linked to her in some way, we both became reflective and quiet for a while.

“I want to teach Art to children with terminal illnesses... I just think it’s a brilliant way for them to express themselves... Then maybe one day, I can open up a gallery of their work and we can auction it off and give the proceeds towards medical research... It’s just an idea...Plus it would be nice for them to accomplish something before... You know...”

“That sounds a wonderful idea to me. You are truly amazing you know that Lucy?” Ben said, sitting us up so he could hug me, as I just rested on his shoulder.

“I think you may have told me once or twice...” I turned and kissed him lightly on the lips which he responded to, cupping my neck and stroking my cheek tenderly.

We lay back for a second time then, gazing up once again to the night, where the stars were just beginning to appear. It was a cloudless night and they overwhelmed the sky with the sheer quantity of them.

I smiled to myself. I really didn’t know in this moment what the future held for me and Ben nor did I worry. Equally, I didn’t dwell on what the past had made us. I only cared for the present. I only cared now about living my life. Living each day like it mattered. I was no longer content with just being alive.

In the sky now, there appeared one tiny star which seemed to shine even brighter than the rest. Very soon, a larger star materialized beside it; flickering like a diamond in the darkness.

It was even better than what he had dreamed up on the chalky picture he had thrust into my hands, with such an assurance for one so young. A small tear rolled down my cheek, for he was shining brighter than he could have ever imagined. And look; he had even made a friend. Daisy would take care of him for sure.

T H E  E N D