Hey guys, this is the next story in my Lovejoy series and is a sequel to Aisle Tango With You, so you will need to read that and it's prequel to make sense of this one. Happy reading =)

Jess stood in front of the mirror and nervously examined her appearance. She looked very different from the Jess everyone was used to seeing, with her hair brushed and scraped back and neatly from her face into a bun and dressed all in black. She had on black opaque tights, with a black knee-length dress with a black cardigan over the top. She even had tall black boots which made her look a lot older than her twenty years. Everything she was wearing she'd borrowed from her mum's wardrobe, except the bright red knee-length winter coat she was now barrelling round her shoulders. Just as she was pinning on her red and green poppy broach above several medals, Jane appeared at her bedroom door. She was also dressed smartly in a dark blue dress, with a black cardigan over the top and a red poppy pinned to her lapel.

'Are you ready to go?' She asked.

'As ready as I'll ever be. It feels strange to be doing this without my mum…I mean…I know I am doing it with my mum because you're my mum but…'

'Don't worry sweetheart, I know what you meant,' Jane replied with a small smile. 'I can't even begin to imagine what today must feel like for you.'

'It's strange because I never really got to know my dad, so sometimes I don't know if I'm commemorating his memory or if I'm still mourning his loss.'

'Maybe it's both,' Jane replied thoughtfully as they walked down the stairs towards Lovejoy who was waiting patiently for them.

'Are you ladies ready to go?' He asked cheerfully, but without the usual cheekiness in his tone; he knew that today was a big day for Jess, one in which she needed a lot of support in, and for Jane as well.

'You're not going like that are you?' Jane asked as she looked him up and down, dressed in jeans, a white shirt and black suit jacket over the top. Jess thought he was dressed in a very typical Lovejoy way, and she liked him for feeling comfortable to express himself as such.

'I think he looks fine,' Jess replied.

'Exactly, see Janey; anyway, I've got a suit jacket on haven't I?' He asked rhetorically trying to add a little humour to their situation. 'And how are you feeling Titch?' He asked Jess as his tone became a little more serious, placing his step-daughter into a tight, comforting hug.

'I'm alright. It's not my first Remembrance Day and it won't be my last, it's just a little hard at certain moments, that's all; but I have you both beside me to support me, and knowing that gives me the strength to deal with it,' she said courageously.

'Well unfortunately you won't have me beside you as such, but thankfully this will be my last engagement as Lady Felsham,' Jane explained feeling relief at the idea of officially giving up her role as Lady of the manor, no longer having to go to tedious events, or being expected to talk about things she had no interest in or experience of; she didn't even have to sit on anymore committees if she didn't want.

'Well knowing that you're there is enough for me.'

'Besides, you'll have me, Tinker and Eric,' Lovejoy said, putting Jane a little more at ease.

'That's true; but if you do feel that you need me, just you come and get me Jess. You come first in my life and no one else, and if anyone has a problem with that they can stuff it,' Jane said, which did make Jess giggle. She liked it when her Lady titled mother didn't behave in a Lady like manner, something that was happening more and more in recent weeks, as Jane shook off the shackles of aristocratic life.

As they drove into Kinley they could see the beginnings of the procession starting to form in the town square. Once parked Jane left Lovejoy and Jess, but not before giving her daughter a warm comforting hug and apologetic look, as she then disappeared into the town hall where she was to meet with the mayor and council officials first.

'Do you know what's funny Jess?' Lovejoy asked as they wandered around in search of Tinker and Eric, and just as they were walking passed a plaque dedicated to the residence of Kinley next to the ford.

'What?'

'Your mum unveiled this plaque ten years ago,' he said. 'That's when I first saw her.'

'I thought you met her back at home? She was wearing that little purple number.'

'That is how we met, but I first saw her here. It was when I first met Eric as well. You see I was in hot pursuit of a girl…not like that young lady,' he said with a smirk as he saw Jess' raised brow, 'she'd bought something I wanted. Eric's father had sent him to find me looking for a job and my car at the time refused to start, so we ended up on his motorbike and sidecar. Only problem was, the breaks were a little dodgy, so just as your mother was unveiling this, we sped through the ford, soaking her, the vicar and anyone else that was there that day in a tidal wave of water and sludge. She was drenched,' he laughed at the memory. 'It was a couple of days later that I met her properly in that little purple number you were just talking about.'

Jess laughed at the thought of her mum being soaked and by the man she now loved and it made her feel genuinely happy for the first time that day, and as they rounded the corner back into the square they found Eric and Tinker, who was dressed exceptionally smart with his medals pinned to his chest as well.

'Hi guys,' Jess said a little melancholy as the gravity of the situation began to hit her again as the mayor, local vicar, Jane and others began to come out of the town hall.

They watched as the procession walked out towards the memorial statue with their wreaths. A military brass band began to play familiar remembrance day pieces, as one by one they placed their wreath at the foot of the memorial. As the final wreath was laid in place and the music stopped, Jane approached the podium and began to speak into the microphone. Jess could feel the tears begin to prickle at her eyes, but took comfort when Lovejoy grabbed her hand and placed his other arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close. She thought about how much she missed her dad growing up and about her situation with Alexander, but then she thought about Lovejoy and it brought a smile to her face. She loved him more than she thought possible and he really did feel like her dad, but she still missed that feeling of having had a father her whole life and it hurt her more than she cared to admit.

'Today we commemorate the memories of our fallen heroes, who went to war to fight for a better future for us. Without their sacrifice who knows what kind of world our children would be growing up in now. But we mustn't forget about those who have fallen in more recent conflicts as well, in Ireland and in the Falklands,' Jane said as she began her speech, and looked specifically at Jess when she mentioned the Falklands war, and Jess knew that that was a private commemoration to her dad, something that made her love and respect her mother even more, 'and all around the world. I thank you all for coming here today to remember the men and women of our armed forces who have died for our country and our freedom, and now I welcome the Reverend Nettles to begin our service of thanks giving.'

Jane's words really touched Jess and Jane could see how emotional her daughter was, even though she was in Lovejoy's arms and knew that he was more than capable of comforting her, Jane wasn't going to do what was expected of her anymore. Her daughter needed her and expected her to be there for her, that was the only expectation Jane intended to fulfil from now on. So as she descended the podium she didn't take her place in the line, but walked through the crowd to her daughter. Lovejoy kept a hold of Jess, but let go of her hand, allowing Jane to take hold instead. None of them said anything to the other, even though quite a few people turned to look at where Jane had gone, and some of the official delegates looked at her with confusion and disapproval. But Jane didn't care. As far as she was concerned, her official duty as their Ladyship was now over. She would walk in the procession down to the reception, but she would do it as Jess' mum and not as Lady Jane Felsham of Felsham Hall. Her official duties were now over and done with. As far as she was concerned, now she was just Jane.