Seeing the LIGHT

Angie had put her life on hold for Robbie’s sake – but was he really worth the wait?

- Ginny Swart

So Angie, will you and Mike be going along to the community hall tonight? Someone told me they’re getting up a protest meeting about widening that road out of town.’

Chloe, the owner of the florist’s where Angie worked, came barrelling into the shop with a bucket of longstemmed roses, off-loaded from the supplier’s van.

‘The engineers intend to chop down that avenue of old beech trees.’

‘Yes, Mike’s going to speak and ask people to sign his petition. Those trees go right past his farm – he wants to persuade them to widen on the other side instead.’

‘So you’ll be going along, too?’

‘Of course.’

Angie admired the way Mike Thomson did something about the things that mattered to him. She’d met him when he was helping clear a cycle path around the town and he’d persuaded her to try mountain biking with him. Now she was hooked.

‘And have you heard?’ added Chloe. ‘Robbie Stewart’s back in town! He arrived at the weekend and he’s staying with his parents.’

Angie’s mouth went dry. Her heart was pounding and she concentrated hard on arranging a flamboyant bouquet for a 90th birthday.

‘Oh really? He’s been gone for so long,’ she replied breezily. ‘I wonder if I’d even recognise him.’

‘Of course you would. You dated for ages before he went off. I always thought you two would last. What happened?’

‘Nothing,’ Angie replied quickly. ‘He just decided he needed to see the world and never mind me, so off he went.’