Read Online Desperately Seeking Heaven by Jill Steeples - Free Book Online
Authors: Jill Steeples
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picket gates and thatched roofs dotted around the village green, a pub, The White Hart, that had held centre stage for a couple of hundred years at least, and a Saxon church nestling amongst oak and yew trees. Normally, according to Jimmy this sleepy little hamlet played host to the very occasional visitor curious only about the history of the church or day-trippers sampling the delights of the local inn, but today it was swarming with family and friends of James McArthur who had come to pay their respects. It was supposed to be a small family affair, but I conservatively estimated the crowds to be in the hundreds.
Jimmy had told me about growing up in Mettlesham, about the little village school he’d attended before moving on to the grammar school, a bus ride away in the next big town. It was funny to think I was standing in a place where he’d spent so many happy times, among people I didn’t know, but who had played such an important part in his life.
Jimmy was giving me a running commentary on who was who as the procession of mourners filed into the church.
‘That’s Mrs Butterworth,’ he said, pointing out a large lady in a floaty black skirt and blouse. ‘She was my first teacher at school. Very strict, but a complete sweetheart beneath that slightly scary exterior. Look,’ he whispered in my ear causing the hairs to rise on my neck. ‘There’s Uncle Harry! I used to spend my summers when I was a boy helping out on his farm. Oh, and there’s grandma Rose. Aw, she looks so frail,’ he added wistfully. ‘I hope she’s OK.’
A tall willowy lady hung onto Harry’s arm for support resembling a sunflower lowering its head in deference to the change in season.
‘Those two over there are Paul and Sylvia, our next-door neighbours. I was best friends with their kids Natalie and Ryan. I spent more time in their house than I ever did in mine. They held the best Christmas parties. Ah, I’m going to miss those guys so much.’
‘They’ll miss you too, Jimmy,’ I said, barely able to keep a lid on the emotion bubbling beneath my skin. I felt privileged to be here at Jimmy’s side, but an all-pervading sense of sadness swept through me like a tidal wave.
‘Mum, Dad!’ he said, his voice breaking with emotion. There was no mistaking his parents, Rosemary and Michael, carrying themselves with a quiet dignity as they greeted the other mourners.
I grabbed hold of Jimmy’s hand and squeezed it tight, biting on my lip to stop the tears from falling. The sight of his parents, their bodies clearly wracked with grief, was almost too much to witness.
‘You look just like your dad.’ The older more distinguished version of Jimmy looked across at me and although we’d never met before our eyes locked for a moment in what I hoped was a shared understanding and purpose.
‘Everyone says so.’ Jimmy gave a rueful smile. ‘I think I’m more like my mum in temperament though. We are very close, we were very close,’ he corrected himself. ‘And they are the perfect couple, they have the happiest of marriages. It was what I aspired to and I think probably the reason I never got round to settling down. I was hanging out for the One.’ Jimmy lifted my hand to his lips, brushing the lightest of kisses against my fingertips and I felt my whole body sway against him. ‘Thanks, Alice. For being here. It means so much.’
‘Come on,’ I said, smiling, wondering how I’d ever get through this day. ‘I think we probably need to go in now.’
‘It’s weird to think all these people have turned out for me.’ He paused, looking all around him. ‘Really weird. Half of them, I don’t even recognise.’
‘Well, they obviously know you, Jimmy. They’ve come to say goodbye. It just goes to show how much you meant to so many people.’
‘Yeah,’ he sighed, wistfully. ‘That’s pretty cool, isn’t it? Will you be OK if I wander off for a while? There’s something I need to do.’
‘Yes, of course,’ I
Jimmy had told me about growing up in Mettlesham, about the little village school he’d attended before moving on to the grammar school, a bus ride away in the next big town. It was funny to think I was standing in a place where he’d spent so many happy times, among people I didn’t know, but who had played such an important part in his life.
Jimmy was giving me a running commentary on who was who as the procession of mourners filed into the church.
‘That’s Mrs Butterworth,’ he said, pointing out a large lady in a floaty black skirt and blouse. ‘She was my first teacher at school. Very strict, but a complete sweetheart beneath that slightly scary exterior. Look,’ he whispered in my ear causing the hairs to rise on my neck. ‘There’s Uncle Harry! I used to spend my summers when I was a boy helping out on his farm. Oh, and there’s grandma Rose. Aw, she looks so frail,’ he added wistfully. ‘I hope she’s OK.’
A tall willowy lady hung onto Harry’s arm for support resembling a sunflower lowering its head in deference to the change in season.
‘Those two over there are Paul and Sylvia, our next-door neighbours. I was best friends with their kids Natalie and Ryan. I spent more time in their house than I ever did in mine. They held the best Christmas parties. Ah, I’m going to miss those guys so much.’
‘They’ll miss you too, Jimmy,’ I said, barely able to keep a lid on the emotion bubbling beneath my skin. I felt privileged to be here at Jimmy’s side, but an all-pervading sense of sadness swept through me like a tidal wave.
‘Mum, Dad!’ he said, his voice breaking with emotion. There was no mistaking his parents, Rosemary and Michael, carrying themselves with a quiet dignity as they greeted the other mourners.
I grabbed hold of Jimmy’s hand and squeezed it tight, biting on my lip to stop the tears from falling. The sight of his parents, their bodies clearly wracked with grief, was almost too much to witness.
‘You look just like your dad.’ The older more distinguished version of Jimmy looked across at me and although we’d never met before our eyes locked for a moment in what I hoped was a shared understanding and purpose.
‘Everyone says so.’ Jimmy gave a rueful smile. ‘I think I’m more like my mum in temperament though. We are very close, we were very close,’ he corrected himself. ‘And they are the perfect couple, they have the happiest of marriages. It was what I aspired to and I think probably the reason I never got round to settling down. I was hanging out for the One.’ Jimmy lifted my hand to his lips, brushing the lightest of kisses against my fingertips and I felt my whole body sway against him. ‘Thanks, Alice. For being here. It means so much.’
‘Come on,’ I said, smiling, wondering how I’d ever get through this day. ‘I think we probably need to go in now.’
‘It’s weird to think all these people have turned out for me.’ He paused, looking all around him. ‘Really weird. Half of them, I don’t even recognise.’
‘Well, they obviously know you, Jimmy. They’ve come to say goodbye. It just goes to show how much you meant to so many people.’
‘Yeah,’ he sighed, wistfully. ‘That’s pretty cool, isn’t it? Will you be OK if I wander off for a while? There’s something I need to do.’
‘Yes, of course,’ I
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