One More Thing

Epilogue

FIVE DAYS LATER

"Jude!" I shout, running over to the barbecue. "The burgers are going to burn!"

Jude jumps up from his seat on the decking and comes over to help. "Oh no."

"I thought he was a barbecue pro?" asks Mae's friend Aisha, giving me a knowing smile.

I laugh. It's true, Jude had reassured us all that he was an expert in everything barbecue-related. He'd had to persuade me to go ahead with the whole idea because I'd told him, several times, that a barbecue in November is an utterly miserable idea. 

It'll be fine, he had said. I'll deal with it. You won't have to do a thing.

And here we are, staring down miserably at a bunch of disintegrating blackened burgers.

I look at Jude, eyebrows raised.

"Sorry," he says sheepishly. "Must be out of practice."

The doorbell rings.

I run back into the house, flashing a smile at Mae and her friends who are all huddled in the kitchen, trying to keep warm.

When I open the door, a tall skinny girl greets me. 

"Hey!" she says, with a nervous smile. "I'm Ella. Jude's cousin."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Valerie."

I welcome her inside and take her coat, hanging it on the coat stand.

"Bathroom's upstairs if you need it," I say, pointing towards the landing. "We're all in the kitchen if you want to come through."

"Um... sure," she says, stammering. Then she turns to face me. "Have I seen you somewhere before?"

I panic. Does she remember me from that embarrassing moment in the woods last weekend? 

"I don't know..." I say, trailing off.

"I've definitely seen you before," she says.

Oh crap.

And then her face lights up. "Oh, I remember!" she says. "I saw you at therapy the other week."

What? I don't ever remember seeing her at therapy.

I study her face intently, noting the freckles on her cheeks and the way her bobbed hair hangs just below her jaw. I notice the sadness in her olive-green eyes and the tanned hue of her skin and suddenly it all comes back to me...

"Oh my god," I say. "You were the girl I bumped into on my way out of the building."

She nods eagerly, a smile forming on her lips.

I shake my head in disbelief. "Small world, huh?"

She grins.

"Come on into the kitchen," I say, turning on my heel. "I'll make you a drink. What would you like?"

Mae jumps off her chair when she sees us come in.

"Hey!" she runs over to hug Ella.

"Don't tell me you guys know each other," I say.

"Nope," laughs Mae. "I'm just a bit tipsy. Want one?" She holds a blue WKD out to Ella, who takes it hesitantly.

"You don't have to," I tell her. 

"No, it's fine," says Ella. "I want to."

And then she goes over to sit on a bar stool, between Mae and Johnny.

I go back outside to see if I can help salvage the barbecue. Jude is flipping some burgers. They must be new ones, because they are not black and they are not crumbling to dust like the previous batch.

"I did it!" he exclaims happily, and I can't help but laugh.

"Congratulations," I say, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing him.

"I promise you it will be worth it in the end. Seriously. You can't have a birthday party without a barbecue."

"Even if it's November?"

"Even if it's November."

I grin and cup his face with my hands. He moves in and gives me a kiss, sliding his tongue into my mouth. I pull him closer, feeling the heat of his body on mine.

"Get a room, guys!" someone shouts.

I turn to see everyone staring at us through the patio windows. Usually, I would be embarrassed in this kind of situation but I've had more Alcopops than I can count, so I don't care. I pull Jude in for another kiss.

When the food is ready and the table laid out, we sit down with everyone. There aren't enough bar stools so I end up sitting on Jude's knee.

"What a shame", I whisper into his ear, and he chuckles.

I have to admit it. The food is delicious. I take a bite of my burger and it is the nicest thing I have ever tasted. As usual, I have doused the whole thing with ketchup, mustard and brown sauce, so my tastebuds are exploding.

"Did you really put brown sauce on there as well?" asks Jude, shaking his head.

"Yep. Stop judging me," I tease, taking another bite of my burger.

I turn my head to see Ella whispering something into Mae's ear. Mae giggles and looks at the floor, battering her eyelashes. Then she says something to Ella, whose cheeks turn scarlet.

I look at Jude, who has also noticed, and we exchange smiles.

By the time the birthday cake is on the table, my stomach is full. I feel as if I am about to burst, but the fresh scent of strawberries and cream wafts into my nostrils and I know I won't be able to resist.

While Jude is busy lighting the candles, I take a moment to look around the room. It really is beautiful. There are paper butterflies hanging from the ceiling, which Mae put up earlier, and fairy lights trailing up the back of the kitchen door. 

No matter how I used to feel about myself, it is clear to me now that I am loved.

Jude lights the candles on the cake, and everyone sings Happy Birthday. I can't hide the massive grin that erupts across my face.

"Thank you," I whisper into Jude's ear, after blowing out the candles. "For this. For everything."

He looks at me, his warm brown eyes filled with tenderness.

"Of course. Happy belated birthday, Valerie."