Midsummer Magic (18 page)

‘Don’t be daft,’ joshed Ant, when he mentioned his fears. ‘We’re all going to be together anyway. And it probably won’t work. What’s the worst that can happen?’

‘What indeed?’ agreed Harry; put like that, his fears seemed foolish.

‘Okay,’ he said, as he sat down in the circle. ‘How do you want me?’

‘You’re fine, just there,’ said Freddie. ‘Now sit still, and breathe deeply and cast your mind back to a happy positive point in your life.’

Josie
. Harry’s heart leapt as his thoughts automatically turned to Josie.

‘You’re getting married soon, I gather,’ Freddie’s smooth mellifluous tones continued. ‘Think of that happy day.’

Harry felt a jerk of concentration. Josie made him happy, but the cheerful positive feelings fled away the minute he tried to picture her in a wedding dress …

‘Sorry, lost concentration for a second.’

That’s okay …’ Freddie’s voice soothed. ‘Think only good thoughts. You are very, very relaxed. Now, I want you to find your safe place …’

Harry resisted the urge to giggle. What was he doing here? A grown man. This was ridiculous. But he couldn’t seem to keep hold of Freddie’s words, they seemed to flow over and past him, sounding meaningless, yet dragging him further down into himself. Until eventually he found himself at the bottom of a spiral staircase, rooted in the earth, his arms round Josie, the safest place he could possibly be.

‘… And you will reveal the secrets of your heart,’ he heard Freddie say as he pulled his arms tighter still round Josie.

Harry stifled a yawn and heard Freddie say, ‘You are ascending, slowly climbing back up the stairs …’ again the words flowed around him, and he could barely remember what Freddie was saying till he heard, ‘Three, two, one. Now you are awake.’

Harry roused himself, feeling a bit confused about what had just happened.

‘Now what?’ he said.

‘Now you go back to the others,’ said Freddie, and when you hear me count to three, all four of you will fall asleep.’

Harry went back and sat down next to Ant, as Josie and Diana were preoccupied in a giggling girlie session.

‘What are you doing?’ said Harry to Josie.

‘Look, I’m making daisy chains,’ she grinned. ‘Here’s a crown for the king of my heart.’

Harry blushed, but accepted the gift and the kiss Josie gave him.

Then Freddie was standing before them.

‘When I click my fingers, you will all go to sleep. But when you hear an owl hooting, you will wake up.’

Harry let out a yawn; he felt enormously tired, as if he just had to lie down. He saw the others were also struggling to keep awake too. And then Freddie clicked his fingers.

‘Just might put my head down for a bit,’ said Josie sleepily.

‘Me too,’ yawned Diana.

‘This is ridiculous, I’m not going to sle –’ Ant’s words were muffled by the sound of his snoring.

Sleep washed over Harry. No point fighting it. He lay down, curled up and in seconds was fast asleep.

Ant was wandering through a forest, feeling kind of dreamy. He had never been out at night like this in the country. The silver beams of the moon danced through the trees, casting a light shimmer, which meant he wasn’t afraid. He heard the snuffling sounds of woodland creatures in the undergrowth.

It was such a lovely evening, such a pretty copse. He felt that no one would mind if he lay down here and stayed for a while. Ant lay flat on his back and looked up at the stars, feeling pleasantly detached, and then suddenly the dream changed …

It wasn’t summer any more, it was winter, and he and Diana were holding hands, laughing, at the top of a mountain. He could feel the crisp cold air against his cheeks, see the majestic mountains around him. He was with her and nothing mattered at all. He could hear the others falling out of the bar, screaming and laughing, but nothing else mattered but this moment, with Diana by his side. He had never felt such exquisite happiness.

‘I will never ever let you go,’ he whispered, kissing her softly on the lips.

Laughing, she tugged him by the hand, and then they were tobogganing down the mountain at a dizzying and thrilling rate. Time and time again they ended up in heaps of snow, only to remount and carry on. It was mad, furious and funny and he never wanted the moment to end. But end it did, with a bump, as they fell off the toboggan for one last time and ended up in a soggy giggling heap in the snow.

‘I’m so lucky to have found you,’ he said, ‘don’t ever change.’

‘Tony –’ she began, just as he heard the sound of an owl hooting. ‘I need to tell you something …’

‘What?’ Ant asked, but the dream was already fading, and the snow and Diana disappeared as quickly as they’d come.

What? What was she going to tell him? He felt sure it was important, and simultaneously sad, as if he’d lost something very dear to him.

He felt his cheek and realised to his surprise that tears were coursing down them. He remembered more then. Diana had never answered his question, and two weeks later she’d dumped him in front of everyone, by pouring a pint of beer over his head. At the time he had no idea, why. And by the time he’d found out why, it was too late.

Ant sat up and looked around him, and gasped. He was alone in a beautiful copse, the silvery moon casting its light in the gaps between the trees. How had he got here? He glanced at his watch, nearly ten o’clock already. He must have been sleepwalking. Suddenly it felt imperative he get back to them, especially to Diana. He’d done her a great wrong and it was time he put it right.

Diana was dreaming she was lying on pillows in the base of a boat, being rowed down a river. Kingfishers darted across the bows, and fish jumped up out of the river. She lay back drowsily, letting her hands drift in the river, feeling the warmth of the sun on her cheek, deeply content. She wondered idly who was rowing the boat; all she could see were strong arms rhythmically rowing back and forth. She had never felt so safe and secure.

She heard the sound of a bird – an owl at this time of the day? – and sat up to see what it was. Smiling, Diana took in the face of the rower, but the dream faded before she could tell who it was. The warmth of the sun was gone, and she was completely alone in the midst of the Standing Stones. She felt sure she’d woken up earlier and looked over and seen Harry next to her. Where had he and the others gone? What was happening? She should be feeling alarmed, she supposed, but somehow she wasn’t. They would probably turn up in a minute. Perhaps she should go and look for them? Although there was no sense of urgency.

‘Hello?’ a voice called out to her. ‘It’s Freddie, just wondering how you are?’

Freddie? Oh. Then Diana remembered. She’d been hypnotised, they all had. Not that she felt any different.

‘Fine,’ she said, looking up as Freddie came towards her, shadowed by the cameraman, Will. ‘Where’s everyone else?’

‘They’re scattered about,’ said Freddie. ‘Part of the experiment is waiting to see what happens now.’

‘Okay,’ said Diana. ‘Should I go and find them?’

‘If you wish,’ said Freddie. ‘Is there anyone in particular that you’ll be looking for?’

Diana thought for a moment.

‘I don’t think so,’ she began, and then realised it wasn’t true.

Her mind flashed back to the dream, and the face she’d just glimpsed when she woke up. No, it couldn’t have been.

‘Well?’ prompted Freddie gently.

‘There’s only one person I want to see,’ said Diana, puzzled, ‘and I have to find him now.’

‘And who’s that?’ Freddie smiled at her, and she was vaguely aware the camera was still rolling.

The face from the dream swarmed in front of her again.

‘Harry,’ she said slowly. ‘I need to find Harry.’

Harry was on a boat – no, not on one,
driving
one. He was powering a speedboat across the waves, blinking into the sun. The wind was blowing through his hair, and he was exhilarated by the speed and the spray. He was wearing sunglasses, tee shirt and jeans, but felt like something in a James Bond movie. Even more so when he realised there was a beautiful girl by his side, shrieking her pleasure as he sped up, causing waves behind them.

‘This is awesome!’ she shrieked.

‘Isn’t it?’ He turned and smiled. ‘I’m so glad we’re doing this together.’

‘Me too,’ said Josie. ‘Me too.’

Harry woke with a start, a smile on his face. What a great dream. He wondered if he could perhaps persuade Josie to go travelling after the wedding. His dream had left him feeling restless, as if something were missing from his life.

He looked down, and realised he’d been sleeping curled up with Josie on a bench at the top of the cliff. He had vague memories of them waking up after Freddie had hypnotised them, and deciding they wanted to sit here together looking out to sea.

Josie was still asleep, and he didn’t like to wake her. She was so beautiful, so precious. Their relationship was still new enough for him to be grateful that he’d found her. Not for him any more the thrill of the chase, the misery of the rejection. He’d found the woman of his dreams, and he wasn’t ever going to let her go.

Josie stirred in her sleep and then blinked and looked up at him. She stretched and yawned.

‘Where are we?’ she said as she sat up. ‘I was dreaming I was wandering through a vast forest, and I couldn’t find you. I’m so glad you’re here.’

‘Me too,’ said Harry. ‘I was dreaming we were taking a round-the-world trip on a massive speedboat. It was amazing.’

‘Ha,’ Josie sat up properly now, ‘I can’t see you ever being able to drive a speedboat.’

‘You never know,’ said Harry, ‘I’ve never had the chance.’

‘And aren’t likely to,’ said Josie.

‘Is it such a mad idea?’ said Harry.

‘Is what?’ said Josie.

‘Us going travelling together?’

‘Woah,’ said Josie, ‘where’s this come from? Have you been talking to Ant again?’

‘Ant has nothing to do with it,’ said Harry. ‘You know before I met you I was planning to go travelling?’

‘I didn’t think you were serious,’ said Josie. ‘How can we go travelling? We can’t afford it, not with the wedding and everything.’

The wedding. Harry suddenly felt as if he’d been hit between the ribs. He was beginning to hate the sodding wedding.

‘We could go afterwards,’ said Harry. ‘Save up and …’

‘No,’ said Josie, ‘I’m sorry Harry, I don’t want to go travelling. I can’t believe you’ve suddenly suggested it. We need to get ourselves straight first.’

‘Oh,’ said Harry, feeling deflated. He hadn’t realised till now just how much it meant to him. ‘I suppose you’re right.’

‘You know I am,’ said Josie. ‘You’ve got commitments now. You can’t just up sticks when you feel like it anymore. That’s Ant’s department.’

‘Then maybe,’ said Harry slowly, ‘we should have a rethink.’

‘About?’ said Josie.

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

‘The wedding,’ he said.

Josie stared at him in dismay. It was the last thing she’d expected. She’d woken up feeling unaccountably anxious, after uncertain dreams in which she was searching for Harry and unable to find him. And now Harry had started wittering on about doing some kind of grown-up gap year, which was the last thing she wanted to do at the moment, and now he seemed to be saying …

‘What about the wedding?’ said Josie.

‘We could put it off,’ said Harry. ‘Wait a couple of years, have some fun. Then get settled. What’s the rush?’

‘I thought you wanted to marry me,’ said Josie in a small voice. A feeling of cold dread washed over her. Had he changed his mind?

‘I do,’ said Harry.

‘But?’

‘But, I think we’re rushing things,’ he said. ‘We’ve been together less than a year. We have still so much to learn about one another. You didn’t know I wanted to travel that badly, for example …’

‘More than you want to get married to me, it would seem,’ Josie felt as if her world were crumbling. Harry couldn’t be saying all this stuff.

‘That’s not what I meant,’ said Harry.

‘So, what did you mean?’ said Josie. ‘Do you still want us to get married or not?’

There was a pause, before Harry said, ‘Yes, of course I do.’

The pause hadn’t been long, but it was long enough.

‘But you’d rather go travelling first?’ said Josie. ‘Thanks for nothing, Harry.’

‘It’s not like that,’ protested Harry.

‘Then what
is
it like?’ said Josie. ‘It feels like my fiancé has cold feet, is what it’s like from my perspective.’

‘I love you,’ said Harry.

‘Really?’ said Josie. ‘You could have fooled me.’

Shaking with anger, she got up and walked away. Harry had taken her completely by surprise. She thought that everything was perfect, that he was happy, and wanted to get married. But now it appeared he wasn’t. He said he loved her, but seemed to be unable to prove it in the one way she felt mattered. What did it mean? Could they still be together and not get married?

‘So it’s over then?’ Bron said sombrely.

‘Sorry, mate, but I’m afraid it is,’ said Freddie sighing. ‘They’ve said the viewing figures are really down from last series. And to be honest, I want to look at doing something new. Time for a change for both of us, old boy.’

‘I suppose,’ he replied. He’d hated the last two seasons of
Illusions,
but even so Bron felt cast off. It was work, and it was regular. It stopped him having to think too hard about what happened next.

‘There’s always producing and directing,’ said Freddie. ‘You have been banging on about doing both forever.’

That was true. Maybe he’d have time for that now …

He felt melancholy though. And he knew the reason why. Bloody stupid after all these years to be still hankering after her, but he’d always imagined that Tatiana Okeby would be the first leading lady he’d ever direct. But then, he’d always imagined that they would have been together with a horde of kids by now. What had stopped him? He could have had that future, and it was his own fault for not making it happen.

Tati had more or less intimated that to him on their last, and he hoped final, meeting. One drink had led to another, and another, and then, of course the inevitable. And he thought it was their chance to put things right. They’d talked about everything that night; about their hopes, their fears, their failures, the pain they’d caused one another, and he’d really thought it was a new beginning. But whereas he had been over the moon, thinking that finally, here was the second chance he’d been wanting all those years, Tati had made it very clear to him what it was all about for her.