Chapter 8

It was about sixty miles to Norwich Airport from John's house, and as it took about the same time to get to Norwich by train, and then from the station to the airport, as it did by road, John ordered a taxi to take them door to door. Their flight was due to leave at 08:45, so John asked for the taxi to pick them up at 06:30.

"I suppose you've flown a lot!" Jo had said to John.

"Yes, quite a bit. I take it this is your first time?"

"Yes, Julie and I always intended to go abroad, but we never got round to it. When we went to Ireland, with mam and dad, we went on the ferry from Liverpool. But Julie was a baby and I was a toddler then, so I don't really remember it. Apart from that, we only had a few occasional days out in Blackpool."

"Well, this flight usually only takes about seventy-five minutes, so you'll be there before you know it. I think the best bit is when you're just above the clouds ... it's like nothing you've ever seen before!"

"And what time is our appointment at the registrar's?"

"1:30. We should be landing about ten o'clock, and it takes about eighty minutes to get to Elgin, but I think I've allowed plenty of time, in case we get delayed for any reason. If we are on time, we can have some lunch when we get there."

"You're very organised, aren't you, Love!" Jo said to him.

"I suppose so. That's the thing I like about writing: getting the details right; so you have to do research, and having the Internet makes it a lot easier!"

The airport check-in was a formality, made even easier because they were travelling Business Class. This also meant that they had a more comfortable flight. And like a lot of inexperienced fliers, Jo spent much of the flight looking out of the window: first at the changing patchwork quilt of landscape below them, then the grey and blue of the sea. And there was a lot of sea to see; as the most direct route was mainly over the water. As Jo was distracted by the images she saw, John, a seasoned traveller, tended to sit back in his seat with his eyes closed ... he'd seen it all before and the novelty had worn off ... but he wasn't asleep, and if Jo wanted to ask him anything, he was always ready to answer.

Then before they knew it, there was an announcement that the flight was on time and they would soon be starting their approach to Aberdeen Airport. John made sure that Jo's seatbelt was done up again and he held her hand. Jo's heart began to beat faster as she saw the ground rapidly approaching, she squeezed John's hand a little tighter, there was slight jolt to her spine as they touched down, and then the aircraft slowly taxied back to the terminal until it stopped. Jo breathed out noisily, but she was exhilarated all the same. They took their hand luggage down from the overhead locker and patiently waited to get off the plane. As it was an internal flight there was no immigration control to negotiate, and they only had the bags they were carrying, so they were quickly heading for the waiting taxis. "Elgin, please," John told the driver, and they were on their way.

When they got to Elgin, the driver asked them if there was anywhere in particular that they wanted to go.

"Do you know the council offices?" The driver dropped them off, and once they had found out where they needed to go later, they went in search of somewhere to eat.

At 1:15 they announced their arrival at the registrar's reception, then waited to be called. It was a fairly brief and painless process: they had all the correct documents, which were soon checked and found to be in order. Jo told the senior registrar that they wanted to be married there, and on which date. The registrar confirmed the date and offered them a number of timeslots for the ceremony. Jo thought about 11 o'clock would be fine.

"So," John said, "in seven weeks time you will be Mrs Siobhan Neill!"

"I know!" Jo said, "I only wish it was sooner!"

Another short taxi ride, and they arrived at John's parents.

"Come on," John said to her, "I know what you've been waiting for!"

They left their bags by the front door, then walked the short distance to the place where Sam was buried. The last time that they had been there it had been covered with snow, but now the snow was gone. The area itself was still covered with the smooth stones that they had gathered on the morning that he had died, but the ground on either side had been dug and early blooming plants were now in evidence. The grave had been sited next to a wall, and against the wall there now rested a bigger, flatter stone, into which had been chiselled the following words:

Sam A Much Loved Companion and Friend

When Jo saw this, the tears that she had been holding back flowed freely. John put his arm around her shoulder and she put hers around his waist and her head against his shoulder. After a few more minutes they walked back to the house and went inside.

John and Jo greeted Callum and Barbara in the same way as they had left them after Christmas. Barbara made tea, while the others seated themselves around the kitchen table.

"Thank you so much for what you've done for Sam!" Jo said, "I love the flowers and the headstone!"

"It was nothing, Dear!" Callum said, "We only knew him for a few days, but we know how much he meant to you both ... and especially you, Jo!" Barbara brought over the tea and her home made cake.

"Is everything arranged about the wedding?"

"Yes, all arranged," Jo replied, "You will be our witnesses, won't you? We assumed, but we never asked you!"

"Of course, Dear!" Barbara replied, "We're both looking forward to it!"

"What about afterwards?" Callum asked them, "Will you be going off somewhere?"

"No, I don't think so," John said to his father, "We thought we'd stay here, if you don't mind. Jo has to be back at college shortly after, and then she doesn't have long until her exams. We can go away somewhere after they're over."

"I think I'll be happy if we just go back to Wales, then!" Jo said to him, "I have some very happy memories of the last time!"

"So," said Barbara, "tell us all about what's been happening to you two since Christmas!"

"Ah! Where to begin..." Jo replied.

John and Jo's flight was due to leave Aberdeen on Sunday at 6:15 in the evening. They would have been happy to take a taxi there, but Callum said that he and Barbara would take them, so at about 4:30 that afternoon they set off. Callum didn't drive much any more, but he got them there safely with time to spare, so they all had tea in the airport before the travellers made their way to the departure lounge. By the time that the plane took off, on the last day of February, it was dark, so there was nothing for Jo to see, so she sat holding John's hand and leaning her head on his shoulder.

It was after nine o'clock by the time that they got home. Jo had a bath then put out her things for the next morning. John went through the mail that had arrived on Friday and Saturday morning then he sat on the sofa, where Jo joined him for a little while before they went to bed.

The month of March passed quietly for Jo and John. She continued to go to classes, where she took many notes, which she then used when she wrote her assignments. Usually on a Thursday after class she went to the pub with her classmates. John would meet her there for half an hour. He encouraged her to take time away from her books, sometimes, so she would take thirty or forty minutes to ring Bridie or Julie. Her sister was now in the final stages of her pregnancy: Jo said that she would talk to John, and if it was at all possible, she would try to get there when the baby was born, or shortly after. John of course said that he would drive her there at short notice.

Jo had a class on the last Thursday before Easter, so they booked a flight for the day before the wedding. It was the same schedule as the last time that they had flown: the only difference was that this time Jo packed a suitcase with her dress and shoes, and John's suit, as well as clothes for the rest of their stay. Once again the weather conditions were good and the plane landed in Aberdeen on time. They took a taxi all the way to Callum and Barbara's and at 12:30 they all sat down to lunch.

John and Jo had previously been out to buy wedding rings: just simple gold bands. Jo had insisted that she be allowed to pay for John's ring. In all the time that they had known each other ... amazingly, less than a year ... they had never argued about anything! Jo was tough and stood up for herself and what she believed was right, but they had never disagreed about important things, or lost their temper with each other, or even raised their voices. Jo would sometimes say to him: 'I don't understand what you mean, ' or, 'I don't know what you're trying to say' ... then they would stop and talk about it, and they always came to an understanding. John loved her, was financially well off, and was happy to indulge her; Jo was eminently sensible and level-headed, she knew that whatever she asked for John would gladly give her; but she had grown up with very little, and so she rarely asked for anything. She had a roof over her head, clothes to wear, food to eat, and a good man who she loved to pieces ... what more could she want from life!