Going back to Falcon Cove

Danielle didn' t think she could ever go to her special beach again, until her boyfriend did something amazing¼

It was the most beautiful late summer day. The blue sky was dotted with fluffy white clouds, and the breeze was so delicate that it tickled the fine hairs on Danielle' s arms. She sighed. It was so good to get out in her garden and enjoy the sun on her skin after the awful rain-soaked last few days.

She paused to stop and gaze at the beautiful rose bush that her mum had given her. The roses were all fully in flower now they were a riot of colour, such a beautiful pale pink, her mum' s favourite. And the scent was exquisite. How she' d have loved it.

Every time you look at it, you' ll remember me,' her mum had said when she gave it to her the year before. But neither of them realised how soon it would become her memorial.

Danielle stood there for a moment, lost in memories, then she blinked back a tear and sighed. This wouldn' t do! She was just thinking about changing into her gardening clothes and doing some weeding, when she heard footsteps. When she turned and saw John standing at the back gate, her heart lifted.

John!' she cried. You didn' t tell me you were coming!'

Surprise! Surprise!' he grinned.

Danielle ran to him and he flung his arms around her and kissed her.

What are you doing here?' she asked, pulling away.

He smiled at her. I was sitting in my stuffy office, and I thought: It's just too lovely to be stuck inside. How many days like this do we get in an English summer?

So I signed off at lunchtime and here I am.'

Come in for a drink, darling,' Danielle said, smiling. You must be absolutely roasting. I' ve got some home-made lemonade and there' s ice in the freezer.'

He shook his head. That would be lovely later. But first I want you to come with me.' Where?' she asked.

It' s a surprise,' he said. Come on. Please?'

OK, well, let me just quickly change my clothes and lock up,' she replied.

A few moments later, she took his hand and he led her out to his battered MG. The roof was down.

I' ve brought a scarf for you if you want it,' he said, or we

can drive along with the wind rushing through our hair for the first and possibly last time this summer.'

Danielle hesitated for a moment. Come on, it will be fantastic!' he added. We' ve got to enjoy the sun before autumn sets in. In you get, I' m taking you somewhere special.'

`All right, but tell me where,' she said.

You' ll find out soon enough,' he said. But there was something about the way he avoided her eyes.

So she climbed in the car and with the roof down and the wind in their faces, they drove along the country lanes. It was such a beautiful day and the countryside looked so lovely and lush and green. There were flowers out in the hedgerows and the birds were singing, as though they, too, were celebrating the reappearance of the sun.

It was too noisy to talk, so Danielle just sat there, smiling. Sometimes she thought that John was psychic. Had he been able to sense her mood from 20 miles away? Did he know just how down she' d been feeling that afternoon, in the garden where she and her mum had spent so many happy hours? What would she have done without him this year? She ran her fingers along his bare arm and he smiled at her.

OK?' he shouted.

She nodded. With John by her side she was more than just OK.

When he' d first asked her out, she' d resisted, thinking they had nothing in common. But he hadn' t given up and eventually she' d gone out with him once just to keep him quiet. After that evening, she' d never wanted to be with anyone else. He' d brought such fun into her life.

But when he took the coast road and then turned down the narrow lane that led to Falcon Cove, she frowned.

John!' she cried, but the wind snatched her words away and he didn' t seem to hear her.

She clutched his arm.

John!' she cried. No! Go back!'

I can' t!' he shouted. It' s a single-track road, look, there' s nowhere to turn. It' s all right, trust me. Don' t worry.'

But Danielle did worry. He knew exactly how she felt about Falcon Cove. Why was he bringing her there? Did he want to ruin her day? He must do, otherwise he wouldn' t have come this way.

How could he be so unfeeling? She thought she and John were soul mates, that he understood her almost better than she understood herself.

He' d been so caring and considerate over the past few months, listening when she wanted to talk about her mum, making her laugh when she was feeling down, holding her when she just wanted to be silent, letting her go at her own pace.

But now? Now all his patience seemed to have evaporated, his understanding blown away by the wind. She sat back in her seat and angrily folded her arms across her chest and waited until he' d reached his destination and they could turn round and go home again.

As they finally drew to a halt in the car park on the small clifftop overlooking the bay, he turned off the engine. There was no sound but the waves crashing on the beach below and the gurgling noise they made as they pulled on the pebbles.

Danielle sat there, stonyfaced, glaring at the golden curve of the beach and the brilliant turquoise-blue sea

Isn' t it beautiful?' cried John.

Of course it was. That' s why she' d loved this place more than any other, it held so many precious memories

all the family picnics they had come on here, all the sandcastles that had been built, all the fun they' d shared since she' d been a tiny child¼

Her mum had loved the beach, too she' d called it a little bit of paradise that' s why it had seemed the perfect place. And why it wasn' t.

It had seemed such a good idea at the time. When her mum had died after her long battle against illness, and the family had been wondering where to scatter her ashes, it was Danielle herself who' d suggested Falcon Cove.

Mum was happier here than anywhere,' she had reminded everyone. What better place could there be to say goodbye to her?'

Everyone had agreed it was a wonderful suggestion. And so, on that cold, grey March day, with scudding dark, ominous clouds hanging low above a slate-grey sea, the wind whipping the sea spray into their eyes, the whole family had gathered here.

They had held a little service on the beach and then they had scattered the ashes in the sea and said goodbye. And as they had, the sun had come out, just for a second, and as the rain headed in from the sea, a rainbow had suddenly appeared.

It had

been so beautiful.

But how she' d missed her mother. The memory of that final farewell was so painful, Danielle just hadn' t been able to face the thought of coming back. Even though it was the place she had felt closer to her mum than anywhere else on earth.

They' d tried for the first time one fine spring day. It had been John' s idea and he' d brought her. But Danielle had been so upset, she hadn' t been able to get out of the car. John had turned to her and put his arm around her.

You have to think of the happy times you spent here with your mum and be glad,' he said. Your mum wouldn' t want you to come here and be sad.'

I don' t want to come here and be sad!' Danielle had told him. I hate that this place has been ruined for me. But I can' t be happy here. I long to be but I can' t. This place just reminds me that she isn' t here any more.

Whenever I come, I' ll remember that last time, the time we said goodbye to her. And it' s so painful and overpowering, it drowns out all the other memories. It' s unbearable.'

You just need to replace that sad memory of here with a newer, happier one,' he' d said.

John, if I could actually come here and be happy, I wouldn' t have a problem in the first place,' Danielle replied miserably.

And so for the next few months they had stayed away. She and John had drawn closer together, and Danielle had hoped, even believed, that they might have a future together. She loved him like she' d never loved anyone else before.

But as she sat next to him in the car park on what had been such a beautiful day, all that was suddenly in doubt. How could they have a future when he understood her on her bringing expressed so little that her wishes? here he insisted against

He climbed out of the car and opened her door for her. Come with me this one time, and I swear I' ll never ask you to come again, if you don' t want to,' he said. Just trust me.'

Danielle sighed. What the heck! He had completely ruined the afternoon for her anyway. So, reluctantly, she let him take her hand and lead her along the narrow path between the sea thrift and heather that led to the bench, their bench where they had

had so many picnics. As they neared it, he let go of her hand and rushed ahead and sat down. He patted the space on the bench next to him for her to sit there. John. I don' t know why¼ Please?' he said. I' ve got something to show you.' She sighed and sat down next to him. And then he moved away from her, revealing a brass plaque on the back of the bench. It was obviously new it glinted brightly in the afternoon sun. He looked at it and grinned.

Danielle' s breath caught in her throat. No! If it was a plaque in memory of her mum, it would totally finish her off. She couldn' t bear it¼ Read it!' John urged. Danielle took a deep breath and with her heart in her throat, she leant forward and read the inscription¼

On this bench in the summer of 2021, John Bradley proposed to the love of his life Danielle Spence.

Danielle gasped and stared at John, but he was already on the ground on one knee, fumbling for something in his trouser pocket.

Danielle couldn' t speak. She stood up, her eyes filled with tears.

Concern filled John' s face. Darling,' he said, getting up quickly and putting his arm around her. I' m so sorry, I didn' t mean to upset you¼'

Danielle shook her head. I' m not upset,' she sniffed. I' m so happy. Oh, I love you so much, John. You' ve kept me sane this year, you' ve always been there for me, you' ve listened to me and held my hand through the good times and the bad.

`And now¼ now you' ve given me back Falcon Cove! You' ve created a new memory for this place. A happy one. One I' ll remember for the rest of my life.'

He sighed with relief.

Close your eyes, would you, Danielle? Just for a moment,' he said. She smiled and did as he asked. OK, now you can open them.'

She opened her eyes, and saw in Daniel' s left hand a small box containing a sparkling diamond ring.

So, you' ll marry me? And I' ve done the right thing?

You' re not angry?'

Danielle shook her head. No,' she said.

And then he frowned. Is that no, you' re not angry, or no, you won' t marry me? It' s kind of important because¼'

Danielle laughed and threw her arms around him and kissed him. And that was all the answer he needed.