Chapter 28

‘Is everything okay, Mum?' She couldn't begin to imagine what her mother was about to tell her.

Alice nodded. ‘It is now.'

‘It is now?' What did that mean? Stella's stomach started churning. ‘Is it Rhys?'

‘No, no, it's nothing to do with Rhys, everything's fine with him. It's…' Alice heaved another sigh. ‘I wasn't actually going to say anything; especially with everything you've had on your plate, what with moving house, your workload and now thatman turning up out of the blue, but Rhys thought I should be open and honest about it, said you'd want to know. So…'

Stella grabbed her mum's hand, nausea swirling in her stomach. ‘Mum, you're scaring me, please tell me what it is. I want to help. You're not ill, are you?'

‘I'm fine, but the reason I couldn't come to the meeting this morning was because I had an appointment at Middleton-le-Moors Hospital.'

Stella's heart stilled, her hand flying to her mouth. ‘Hospital? Oh my God, Mum! Why did you have an appointment there?' Tears misted her eyes once more.

Alice patted her daughter's hand. ‘This is exactly why I didn't want to say anything, lovey. I didn't want to worry you unnecessarily.'

Stella latched onto the word "unnecessarily", a tiny glimmer of relief sneaking in.

‘I'm absolutely fine. I just went to get the results of a recent biopsy.'

A recent biopsy?Fear surged through Stella, snuffing out the small glimmer of relief. She blinked, listening as her mum went on.

‘I found a lump in my breast about a month ago. I wasn't going to do anything about it. It was really quite small; didn't think it was worth troubling the doctor about it. Anyway, I mentioned it to Rhys who told me I should get it checked out, just to be on the safe side, and to put his mind at rest if nothing else, especially after what he'd been through with Theresa. After a week's-worth of nagging from him, I made an appointment with our GP who then referred me to the hospital. It all seemed to happen very quickly from there. As I said, I got my results this morning, and I'm thrilled to say they're clear, it's just a cyst.' She smiled broadly at her daughter, relief evident in her eyes.

‘Oh, Mum! You should've told me!'

‘What? And worry you unnecessarily? I really couldn't see the point in that.'

‘But what if it had been…' Stella couldn't bring herself to say the word. ‘What if the results hadn't come back clear? Would you have told me then?'

Her mum looked at her sheepishly. ‘Probably not. I'd have waited to see what the prognosis was. Having said that, I had a strong feeling it was going to be okay.'

‘That's beside the point, Mum. I'd want to know,' Stella said softly. ‘You've got to promise you'll tell me if you're ever in that situation again. You'd say the same if I was in your position.'

‘True.' Alice nodded. ‘I'm sorry I kept it from you, I promise I'll share things like this with you in the future.'

‘Good.' If it hadn't been for Rhys, Stella dreaded to think how long her mum would have ignored the lump before doing anything about it. ‘Thank goodness for Rhys nagging you. It might not have been okay, and that doesn't bear thinking about.'

‘Oh, he certainly nagged me all right.' Alice said with a chuckle.

‘Yes, well, it can't have been very nice for him, after what he went through with his wife.' The thought of her mum going to hospital alone, potentially to receive some devastating news crossed Stella's mind, sending a shiver up her spine.

Her mum's smile fell. ‘No, it wasn't. Poor man was walking around looking so worried. Which is why I made the appointment. Rhys insisted on coming with me.'

‘Good. That was kind of him.' Once again, she found herself glad that her mum had Rhys to support her.

‘He's a very kind man, very thoughtful.' Alice's expression softened as she spoke of him. ‘And I'm so glad he's in my life, lovey, it's taken me quite by surprise.'

Stella turned to her mum, scrutinising her face. She noted how her eyes were shining and the glow that emanated from her when Stella had joined them for the barbecue had returned. ‘I'm really happy for you, Mum. I've never seen you like this before, but being in a relationship with Rhys certainly seems to suit you. You're positively sparkling!'

Alice's cheeks flushed pink. She clapped her hands on her knees and said, ‘Well, I don't know about that, but anyway, I'm ravenous. How about we rustle up some sandwiches and a bit of salad for lunch? You can tell me all about your charming young man while we're eating.'

Crafty, Mum, turn the attention back on me!The mention of food cut through Stella's thoughts; a timely reminder that she'd only had a couple of biscuits all day. Her stomach rumbled perfectly on cue. ‘I like the sound of the sandwiches, but I think I should clarify before you get carried away, Alex is not my "young man".'

‘Are you sure about that, sweetheart? I'm not the only one who's sparkling, you know.'

It was Stella's turn to blush.

Over a meal of chicken pesto sandwiches in crusty granary bread accompanied by a crisp salad – all ingredients courtesy of the local deli – mother and daughter chatted away, perched opposite one another on bar stools at the island. Stella's mood had softened towards her mum since the day of the auction, and she happily told her about Alex and Fred, her face animated, her insides dancing as she spoke.

Alice dabbed her mouth with her napkin. ‘The thing is, lovey, listening to you talk, seeing how happy you are, is exactly how Rhys makes me feel. And I know it's early days for you but I?—'

‘Mum, I've barely known Alex any time at all. How can I know for sure? I've never felt like this before, but what if I've got it all wrong?' The warnings had begun to creep in again, Johan de Groote and the obvious impact he'd had on her life, hovering at the corners of her mind.

‘I don't think it matters how long you've known him, especially if being around him is triggering those kind of feelings. I knew there was something different about Rhys from the first moment we spoke to one another. No one has ever made me feel that way, not even Johan de Groote, with all his smarmy charisma and "champion stud" genes.' She chuckled, pressing her hand to her mouth. ‘Sorry, I shouldn't speak to you like that about your father.'

‘No need to apologise at all on that score.' Stella set her knife and fork down on her plate. She was interested to hear her mum's take on her feelings for Alex.

Alice looked thoughtful for a moment. ‘I know I've drilled it into you not to depend on a man, that you should avoid getting bogged down in a relationship, and how you'll only risk being disappointed or hurt. But I realise now how wrong that was of me. I let my experience with Johan cloud my judgement and influence you.'

‘It's understandable after what happened, but it's a shame you've been on your own for such a long time.'

Alice nodded. ‘I can understand why you think that, but in truth, I'd never met anyone I wanted to build a relationship with.' She raised her eyes to meet Stella's. ‘Until I met, Rhys, that is.' Her face flushed again. ‘I always say everything happens for a reason. Seems I had to wait for Rhys to come along for me to find love, so it's the perfect time for me. I suppose it meant I could focus on you and setting up the business without the distraction of a relationship.'

‘Well, I'm happy for you, Mum.' Smiling, Stella reached across the countertop for her mother's hand.

‘Thank you, that means a lot, sweetheart.' Alice's face was wreathed in smiles. ‘Which is why I want to tell you that if Alex makes you feel the way Rhys makes me feel, then don't let what I've told you in the past get in your way. Let love into your heart. You'll know if it's right, and if it is, just go for it! You deserve to be loved, my darling, and from the way Alex was looking at you, I think he could be "the one".' She put finger quotes around the words.

Butterflies fluttered in Stella's stomach. ‘I do really like him, Mum. No one has ever made me feel the way he does. I honestly never expected this.' Her heart started dancing, Alex's handsome face appearing in her mind. ‘I never thought I'd fall in love.' Oh my days! Had she really just said that out loud? Had she fallen in love with Alex? A surge of emotions flooded her chest as she realised, yes, she'd fallen head-over-heels in love with Alex Bainbridge, just like Maggie had done with Bear all those years ago, and just how Stella, the "lovephobic" as her friends had regularly described her, had found difficult to comprehend.

‘Well, grab it with both hands and let yourself be happy.' Alice beamed at her daughter. ‘Tell you what, why don't you and Alex come over to Magnolia Gardens, join Rhys and me for a meal? Did I tell you Rhys is an amazing cook? His chicken curry is to die for.' Watching her mum speak so animatedly warmed Stella's heart.

‘Much as I think that sounds great, Mum, I think it's a bit early days for dinner with a parent and her partner. I mean, I don't want to scare Alex off before we've even got properly started. You'll be rushing us down the aisle at this rate; that'd be guaranteed to have him running for the hills.'

Both women looked at one another and burst out laughing.

‘Sorry, lovey. Looks like I've got a lot to learn with this rules-of-dating malarkey,' Alice said through her giggles. ‘Tell you what, you shout up and let me know when you're ready to come round and I'll book Rhys for cooking duties. How does that sound?'

‘Much better.' Mother and daughter exchanged happy smiles.