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Liv nodded, utterly confused as Sarah span on her heel and ran down the corridor leading to the consulting rooms, her fairy wings flapping and bouncing with every step.

Liv buried her nose in the bouquet, and inhaled the delicate scent of roses. She had no idea what was going on, or what to think, but if this was Callum’s way of apologising, and saying goodbye, then at least she’d be leaving with a few happy memories instead of the hurt she’d been nursing for the last few days.

She looked around the waiting room, and allowed herself a moment of sadness. She was really going to miss it here. But with Tom and his wife back, they didn’t really need a locum right now. The fundraising had been a success, but the refurbishments the surgery needed would take months, so they’d have plenty of time to find someone else. Someone more permanent. And with her new job starting in less than a fortnight, she wanted time to settle in at what would be her new home.

The bell that usually called patients through to the consultation rooms pinged, and Liv looked up and smiled as her name appeared on the screen instructing her to go to Callum’s room. Apparently, she could now find out what was happening without risking incurring the wrath of her favourite fairy.

She gasped in amazement as she opened the door into the corridor, and found it lined with rose petals and flickering candles. She swallowed hard, suddenly feeling incredibly nervous as she walked through the familiar space and slowly pushed open the door to his office.

* * *

Callum licked his lips nervously as he heard Liv’s footsteps in the corridor, and the door swung slowly open. He scrubbed his suddenly clammy hands against his trousers, and tried to force a smile to his face.

He looked at her as she stood in the doorway, clutching her flowers and looking confused. At least she’d accepted the flowers — that had to be a good sign. But then again, even though she might have thrown them back in his face, he knew she’d never reject Sarah like that.

As usual, Liv looked stunning to him. In jeans and an oversized jumper that moulded itself softly to her curves, and with her hair in a scruffy knot on the top of her head and without a scrap of make-up, she was still breath-taking. Possibly even more so than when she was dressed up, because she looked softer, younger, and more like the version of herself who crawled around the floor playing with Sarah, and curled up happily next to him on a couch. He had to convince her to stay. He loved her far too much to let her go, and he loved who she was, and how she was, with Sarah.

Then panic hit him. He’d been so busy making sure Sarah was OK after the car crash, and planning this and getting the flowers, candles and himself and Sarah ready — not to mention hatching the plan to get Liv here and practicing Sarah’s phone call with her — that he suddenly realised he didn’t know what to say. He hadn’t planned the most important words of all. Blind panic filled him, and he could feel the sweat start to prickle at his temples.

‘So.’ Liv gave him a smile that warmed his heart. ‘As farewell apologies go, this one is certainly up there with the best.’

‘That’s not what this is.’

‘It’s not?’

‘No, I mean it is.’ Callum fumbled his words. ‘I mean, an apology. It’s an apology. I owe you that and so much more. But it’s not a farewell. At least I hope it’s not.’ He ran his hands through his hair. ‘I’m not doing a very good job of this.’

‘Of what, exactly?’

‘I’m trying . . . very badly . . . to ask you to stay, Liv. I’m asking you to forgive me my unforgivable behaviour, and give me another chance. To give us another chance.’ He ran his hands through his hair. ‘It seems like me apologising for terrible behaviour is something of a theme for us.’

‘You could say that.’ She bit the inside of her lip. ‘You hurt me really badly, Callum.’

‘I know, and I really am so, so sorry. But will you hear me out? Please?’ He waited for her nod. ‘I felt like we’d started to create a family. You, me and Sarah. And I want that back. These last few days without you have been . . . well, they’ve been the worst of my life.’

‘All you had to do was listen to me. That’s all you ever had to do.’

‘I know. And if you let me, if you can forgive me enough to give me another chance, I promise I’ll do my best to always, always listen to you.’

‘I don’t know what to say.’ The cellophane around the flowers rustled as her hands started to tremble.

‘You don’t need to say anything if you don’t want to. I’m just going to ask you to do the one thing that I didn’t manage for you. I just want you to listen. To do better than I did.’

She nodded.

‘I don’t know if this is the right time, or if it’s premature, but it’s what I really want, and how I really feel. But, I promise, whatever you say, whatever you need, I’ll do my best to give it to you. And I’ll do my best to be patient for as long as you need. Even if it drives me crazy. I’d do anything for you, Liv.’

‘Oh my God.’ Liv’s voice was breathy as Callum produced a small box from his pocket.

‘I-I’m sorry it’s not a real ring yet,’ Callum stammered nervously. ‘I didn’t have a chance to get one. Or properly work out what to say to you. But if you say yes, it will be. A real ring, I mean. Any one you like. We can pick it out together. And it can be whenever you like. Whenever you’re ready.’

‘I can help,’ Sarah exclaimed from behind him.

’Sarah.’ He rested a restraining hand on her shoulder. ‘She hasn’t said yes, yet.’

‘You haven’t asked me anything.’

Callum winced. This was not going the way he’d imagined at all. ‘Liv, this is not the ring, or the proposal you deserve. I’m not even sure I’m the man you deserve — I certainly haven’t been lately. But, if you agree, I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you, and trying to be everything that someone as amazing as you should have in your life. Please, Liv, give me another chance and I swear I’ll never let you down again. I’ll never not hear you. If you agree to stay with me, and Sarah, we’ll build a family together. However and whenever you want.’ He took a deep breath, and prayed she would say yes. ‘Liv, will you do me the greatest honour I’ve never deserved, and maybe consider marrying me? If not now, then whenever you’re ready?’