Mine

"You will have to let go of me at some stage, you know," Charlotte whispered.

"I don't think so," Sidney mumbled, pulling her even closer. "I absolutely don't think so."

They were still standing by the rocks of the cove, engulfed in the morning light, hands, arms, heads, winter jackets and scarfs forming one entangled unit of unadulterated happiness. And even though there was still quite a lot to say, for the moment, they both preferred silence. There were no words anyway for the joy of having found each other again.

Charlotte leaned back, just so that she could take in Sidney's face. How she would never tire of looking at him. Sidney angry. Sidney focussed. Sidney emotional. A rare and therefore special sight: Sidney dumbfounded. And the most beautiful of them all: Sidney happy. So happy that his mouth curled into a smile that reached his eyes, turning them all soft and dark and sparkling. She carefully raised a finger to the bruise, feeling him wince under her touch. "Who is the red Hulk?"

"He's Eliza's lover," Sidney said, briefly closing his eyes as if he was feeling that punch again. "He did not like me saying that I was not in love with her, but with you. After she had asked me to marry her. On camera and in front of two-hundred people. "

"She asked you to marry her?" Charlotte shook her head in disbelief. Maybe Crowe had been wrong about shortcuts in rural Oxfordshire, but he was absolutely spot on with his assessment that the show was crap and Eliza completely mad. And Sidney had said… what? "You said you were in love with me? In front of the camera?"

Sidney tightened his grip of her again. "I did. I'll ask the film crew to show you the footage. – It turned out they'd all been suspecting something was wrong. Even the production people."

"But why would she ask you to marry her?" Charlotte asked. It seemed such a crazy thing to do in front of a TV camera, especially if you were in love with someone else. Sidney shrugged his shoulders.

"I assume she was trying to get a second season for EMIL including lots of bridal drama. – I never – never – gave her the slightest indication that I would wish…" She put a finger to his lips.

"Sht. Don't defend yourself. You said no to her, and that's it. – After all," she added with a mischievous little smile, "I'd say you've given a good account of yourself, Mr Parker."

"A good account?" Sidney perplexed: another wonderful face.

"Yes," she went on, the smile broadening. "I had not expected you to be so…"

"Are you making fun of me?"

"I'm only quoting your own accolade," Charlotte said, unable to hold back her laughter any longer. Laughing about mrscampion's follies was the best remedy for all the pain that woman had inflicted on them - just until Sidney inclined his head and resorted to an as old-fashioned as proven method to silence a cheeky woman: he kissed her.

Charlotte did not mind the interruption, quite on the contrary. Like the many faces of Sidney Parker, there were the many kisses of Sidney Parker, all of them leading to the same result: they left her breathless and a little giddy, hungry for more and with the deep and satisfying feeling that everything was right just the way it was.

"Sidney," she said more serious now, stroking his dear curly head. "Can we agree on something?" He arched an eyebrow.

"Do we have to? I quite enjoy our disagreements."

"This one is serious." She stopped stroking his hair because obviously, that was too distracting for both of them. Instead, she framed his face with her hands to make sure they looked in each other's eyes. "Despite everything that's happened… I don't want us to start on a note of guilt and reparation. I don't want you to think that you have to go easy on me or keep all evil away, just because of a guilty conscience. I want us to start as we are, equal in mind and disposition. Can we do that?"

He took her hand from his right cheek and kissed it. "I'll try to. But I fear I might occasionally forget that you are perfectly capable of looking after yourself. And I might want to indulge you from time to time. Not out of a guilty conscience, but because that's what I want to do."

"I think some indulgence is perfectly alright." Charlotte smiled. In fact, she was quite looking forward to being indulged by Sidney Parker. He covered her hand, his expression suddenly serious.

"It will always be part of our story, Charlotte. Those six months have happened, and we cannot explain them away. We will be equal, and we will move forward together, but we will also have to accept how my actions have shaped us."

"Maybe it helps if we acknowledge that what has happened has made us grow," Charlotte said. "And if we strive to build something stronger than all our sad memories."

"We will build something stronger," Sidney confirmed and took the first step towards a stronger bond by bending his head and kissing her until she hammered her fists against his chest.

"You're eating me up, Sidney Parker." And when her heartbeat had slowed down a little: "I have another question for you, by the way."

"Ask me, Charlotte."

"What happened to your face in the promo ads for EMIL? I've been wondering – who in the world would think it necessary to photoshop your face?" It was a pleasure to see Sidney blush – even though perhaps, it was only the result of cold winter air combined with persevering kissing.

"Oh. I… I was afraid you might see those ads. I was always worried about what you might think or feel once the promotion for the show started." He carefully caressed her cheek with his knuckles, keeping eye contact with her. "So, unfortunately - and completely incidentally, of course -, on the day of the photo shooting, my Australian client held me up a bit. He's been having problems again with his wife and decided to get a divorce, after all…"

"Oh," Charlotte said. "That's not good news."

"No, but… err, on the other hand… you know that he's my best client, and with the time difference, communication is not always that easy… so it was a long day at work, and I was very late for the shooting. When I finally arrived, they had proceeded with a stand-in and then let Photoshop do the rest of the job."

"Thank the Lord for your Australian client."

"Indeed. - Eliza threw a tantrum, but the production company liked the idea of a bit of suspense about her partner, and besides, Eliza's tantrum was just the kind of action they were after."

"Is there anything at all real in that show?" Charlotte asked. Sidney shrugged his shoulders.

"Not much, I'm afraid. The hotel is real. And the red Hulk. He was very real. - Still feels very real," he added, pointing at the bruise.

"So in the end, Eliza, the great schemer, was being manipulated by the production team, and she probably didn't even notice."

"I suppose you're right, yes."

"It is very often nothing but our own vanity that deceives us," she quoted. "I'm nearly feeling sorry for her. It's good to know that at least someone loves her, even if it's a red Hulk."

Sidney took her hand. "You're very kind, Charlotte. Especially since I believe she would never repay your kindness. – Now. What do you think? Are we ready?"

"Ready for what?"

"Ready to face the Parker family? Ready to return… home?"

"Yes," Charlotte smiled, entwining her fingers with his. "I am ready."

x

They walked back hand in hand. It was a very time-consuming walk, though, as every few steps, they had to stop, smile, cuddle and kiss. However, they were in no hurry. Somewhere on the cliff trail, Charlotte's phone started ringing, but she silenced it after a quick look at the display.

"Who was that?" Sidney asked.

"My sister. Alison. I'll call her back later, but… would you mind a selfie?"

"A selfie?"

"A couple-selfie," Charlotte specified. "I think Alison deserves a quick update." Sidney agreed. Given the temperature, there was not much to see on the photo apart from red noses, caps, scarfs, turned up collars and the beak of a wooden seagull peeping out of Charlotte's jacket, but nevertheless, a reply pinged in very quickly: Oh my God, Charlotte! I'm so happy for you! What a… nose! Do his brothers look anything like him?

Charlotte smiled. Better stick with James. And thank you, Alison.

They had reached the parking lot. She stopped and looked up at the hotel, Mr Parker's white swan of Sanditon, that white castle afar from the world that had become her destiny: a place of adventure, of experience, of self-discovery… and love. Sidney was pressing her hand.

"Welcome home, Admiral Heywood."

The old herring gull had followed them and was now landing on the Aston Martin's cowling, marching up and down as if it wanted to say: You know what I'm going to do if you disappoint, Sidney Parker.

"Seems I've lost my car to a bird and my heart to a siren," Sidney said with a chuckle, opening the hotel door and allowing Charlotte to walk in first.

The atmosphere was unchanged: the morning light that filled the lobby, the Reception, the staircase with the family gallery, the ancient lift, the smell of bacon and waffles coming from the Conservatory's breakfast buffet.

There were some changes though: one of the glass cabinets had been replaced by a stand displaying mrscampion's handbags. And the reception desk was decorated with a miniature purple Christmas tree with blinking lights and tiny purple baubles.

Charlotte had not made two steps into the lobby when all hell broke loose: Kamila, who had been collecting housekeeping lists from Reception, dropped all her papers with a cry, flew around Charlotte's neck and sang: "You are back, you are back!", followed by Julia, who gave both Charlotte and Kamila an extra-tight hug, adding: "This one's from Philly."

"Thank you." Charlotte gasped for air and squinted over to Sidney who had stepped aside, smiling but leaving the scene to her: this was her happy moment. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the lift doors open, and the very next second, something came hurling towards her, pushing Kamila and Julia aside.

"Charlotte! You sly girl!" It was Gigi, twirling her around in a victory dance. "Where have you been? I was going to look for you… I told Daddy… oh – Daddy…" She turned around and taking Charlotte by her hand, led her to a man who looked like a bespectacled and tanned version of Father Christmas. "Daddy. Here's the best Charlotte Heywood."

"I'm pleased to meet you at last, Charlotte," Mr Lambe said, extending his hand to her. "And I want to thank you for being such a good friend to my daughter. And to Sidney."

"Oh," Charlotte murmured, slightly abashed and feeling very safely that as this man was going to save the Sanditon Grand Hotel, it was actually she who should be thanking him. Behind Mr Lambe, a good-looking Asian woman stepped forward.

"This is my… err…" Gigi started. "My…" She stopped again, collected herself, took one deep breath and continued without further difficulties: "This is Deki. My new mother."

"I'm so pleased for you, Gigi," Charlotte said.

"Mind you. I only said new mother. I never said new friend." Charlotte shared a smile with Mrs Lambe and decided that a woman who had managed to survive five months on a boat with Gigi well deserved any honorary title available.

Gigi's father walked over to shake Sidney's hand and pat him on the back. "I did not expect you to complete your task so quickly, my boy."

"It turns out I had a little help by my friends," Sidney smiled.

"Then we can get to work." Mr Lambe said. "I'm looking forward to it. Really looking forward to it, my boy."

Behind him, the lift doors opened again, spilling out some people from the production team and their equipment. "Ah, Sid!" Sam cried. "Great to catch you before we're leaving. Have you had a thought about my suggestions? I've been thinking Charney – A Cinderella Quest. "

"Thank you, but apparently, Cinderella has found me." Sidney smiled at Charlotte. Sam followed his gaze.

"Oh! That's you! Great to meet you, Charlotte. I'm Sam from Mars Productions. Listen… can I convince you to give us a short statement on how everything's turned out?"

"No," Charlotte said firmly. "You can't."

"Pity. Well. – Anytime you change your mind, here's my card."

A cold gush came through the entrance as the production workers blocked the door open to carry their equipment outside.

"Right," Sidney said. "Shall we go to breakfast, perhaps?" – but as it turned out, breakfast was coming to them. Manoel stormed from the Conservatory towards the reception desk, wielding some papers. "Julia, the breakfast list is a mess again. How many times have I told you to… - oh." He stopped dead. His mouth twitched for a split second; then he was back to his usual cool self. "Heywood. Finally reporting for duty? You're really late this time."

With a broad smile, Charlotte stepped into his opened arms. In fact, she looked very much forward to working with him again. "Glad you're back, Heywood," Manoel said and added in a whisper: "And for the party on New Year's Eve, I don't want to see you in a black service uniform. I want to see you in a dazzling dress with that handsome man of yours by your side, enjoying the party of your lifetime."

"Thank you," Charlotte whispered back as the F&B manager released her. When she looked up, she saw that Sidney had been joined by Esther, who was a bit pale, and Babington who was grinning as if he had turned into a human-sized Cheshire Cat. Before Charlotte could exchange more with them than a happy smile, there was a bustle at the open entrance door, followed by a sneeze and the unpleasant noise of metal hitting the ground.

"Now be careful with your camera stuff!" Crowe glared at the production workers as he walked into the lobby, followed by a cheerful Fred Robinson. "Ah! Admiral Heywood! There you are! Re-united with Captain Parker? We feared you might have jumped ship."

"Never," Charlotte said, and Sidney, embracing his friend, added: "I don't know how to thank you, Crowe."

"Oh, don't get sentimental, old man. It was nothing but a quick road trip… a gentleman's pursuit."

"Just for the record, it was all Babington's idea, it was James who talked her round, and it was actually Charlotte who told me how to change the tyre," Fred added, shaking Sidney's hand. "Otherwise we'd still be stuck in a snowdrift in St. Andrew Something."

"And it's a pity that we aren't," Crowe explained. "I don't know about you, but I would have loved to see Parker Boy coming to rescue his Dimple from a cold death in Oxfordshire."

"That would make a great scene for the show," Sam said. "Actually, Charlotte, Sid…"

"No," Charlotte and Sidney said at the same time.

"Let's go and have breakfast together, everyone," Sidney suggested again, but before anyone could move anywhere, there was a turmoil on the staircase and excited shouts of "Uncle Sinney! Uncle Sinney!" and "Charlotte!" – "Charlotte is back!"- "I saw her first!"- "No, I did!"- "I did!"-"You're a boy, and she is our friend!"

With a smile, Charlotte got down on her knees to hug the youngest Parker generation. They all fitted nicely into her arms, Henry placing a wet and sticky kiss on left her cheek, Jenny placing a less wet and sticky kiss on her right cheek, and Alicia stroking her hand. "You are like a Christmas present, Charlotte," Henry stated solemnly, and for once, his sisters agreed with him.

"Yep," Crowe was heard saying somewhere in the background. "And no need to film her unwrapping five times."

Charlotte just enjoyed the blissful moment, the children's happy faces, their honest and unconditional affection. Three bright and carefree little Parkers, allowed to live a unique childhood at their family's hotel, like so many generations of Parker children before them. And as far as she knew their Uncle Sidney, he would never want them to find out that it was him to whom they owed that privilege.

"Will you watch Finding Nemo with us?" Alicia asked.

"I will watch Finding Nemo with you, and Ice Age, The Lion King, Walking with Dinosaurs and whatever else you want." Charlotte wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Are you crying?" Jenny asked.

"Just a little bit."

"Uncle Sinney was crying when you were gone," Henry informed her and his audience.

"I'm crying tears of joy now," Charlotte said. "That's the best tears you can cry." She gave the children another hug before letting them go and returning to her feet, taking Sidney's hand as she did so. In the meantime, the children's parents had arrived, Diana and Arthur in tow. Diana and Mary simply hugged her and told her how lovely it was to have her back, and Arthur merrily told her about the baking show that was being proposed to him.

Mr Parker was standing a few steps aside, waiting for his turn. He looked a little rough around the edges, the lines in his face deepened, some greying whisps of hair around his temples, his expression more solemn than joyful, and all the wiry energy that was usually radiating from him driven down to a low level. The events of the year had definitely taken a toll on him, even though his financial and personal circumstances were much better now than six months ago. Charlotte prepared herself for another catalogue speech, but all he did was take her hand, breath a kiss on it just as his Regency-ancestor would have done, and say: "Welcome back to Sanditon, my dear."

Everything else, his eyes told her, would be said later and with a less numerous audience.

"Right," Sidney said, clapping his hands. "Shall we go for break…" His voice trailed away as the lift doors opened once more.

mrscampion was never one to concede a defeat, and if she had to leave the Sanditon Grand Hotel, she would do so in her own personal style and with a maximum of attention ensured. For her final appearance, she had chosen skinny white jeans, a coat apparently made of white teddy bears, her trademark handbag and the dangerously high high-heels that months ago had prompted the lovely postcard lady to say that if Sidney ran away from her, mrscampion would not be able to follow him. Most of her face was hidden behind oversized vintage sunglasses.

Accompanied by a camera team, she was standing in the middle of the lobby now, scanning the merry assembly, her mouth twitching. "Oh," she finally said, lifting the sunglasses. "I see. A gathering of the nerdy trainee's fan base."

There were certainly enough shining knights around, all of them eager to defend Charlotte's honour. However, before one of them had decided what course of action to take – pull mrscampion's ugly handbag over her head or simply shout at her to shut up and leave – a soft tap… tap… on the floor announced the final guest.

Charlotte's herring gull came walking in through the open entrance door into the lobby. Unabashed and as if it was on holiday, it marched towards Reception, flapped its wings and landed on the desk's writing pad, bending its head to one side as if it wanted to ask for a room.

Poor Julia Beaufort, who had little experience with guests in general and next to none with herring gulls wishing to check-in, took a step back. But the bird was not interested in her. It spread its wings, wiping the miniature purple tree off the desk in the process, took to the air and circled once around the lobby before it landed on mrscampion's handbag stand.

"Shush," Mr Parker said somehow half-heartedly and probably assuming that if everyone else was just staring at the bird, he, as the proprietor of the Sanditon Grand Hotel, had to take action.

The herring gull was not impressed anyway. Maybe it knew that Tom Parker's days as the hotel's manager were numbered. Flapping its wings again while rocking back and forth, it took to the air the very moment the handbag stand toppled over. mrscampion dropped her sunglasses and screeched when she saw her precious darlings scattered all over the floor, but she screeched even more when the bird aimed for its final destination: her head.

It landed on the parting of her hair, tapped once or twice from one foot to another, then simply nestled down and gave two satisfied squawks as if it wanted to say: Mine! Mine!

With some imagination, mrscampion now looked like an ancient Egyptian goddess wearing a bird for a crown. However, with less imagination, she looked like a woman wearing too many false eyelashes and a silly teddy-bear-coat combined with absolutely inappropriate footwear. A woman who was close to panicking because of the giant herring gull cleaning its feathers on her head. She did not even move, she just remained petrified in the middle of the lobby, her fingers so numb that she dropped her handbag.

"Shush," Mr Parker said, again somewhat half-heartedly and without leaving any lasting impression on his latest guest.

"That bird becomes you, Mrs Campion," Crowe commented, pulling out his phone. "Mind if I take a picture?"

"I can see now why they call you Mrs Influencer," Gigi added, pulling out her phone too.

"Now that's a shot for the family gallery, isn't it, Mr Parker?" Fred asked. Out of the corner of her eye, Charlotte saw Julia and Kamila handle their phones as well.

"Brilliant," Sam said, looking at the scene in rapture and nodding at his cameraman. "Couldn't have scripted it any better."

Charlotte let go of Sidney's hand and stepped forward. It was her instinct to do so. However horrible mrscampion was: she was also a human being, and at this point, a human being clearly in distress, and just a click away from total humiliation.

So Charlotte stepped forward, and when she stood in front of mrscampion, the woman's large blue eyes met hers. Charlotte saw fear, simple fear. Fear of much more than the gull on her head: fear of the world she would meet when she stepped outside the hotel, fear of a reality beyond her Instagram account. Fear of being mrscampion no longer, fear of facing who she really was.

With that fear, Charlotte decided, she could not help Eliza. But with the herring gull, she could. She lifted her hands and gently dislodged the bird from her hair. It did not resist, quite on the contrary, it hid its beak under a wing and nestled into Charlotte's arms, its white and silver plumage soft against her fingers, its little bird heart beating heavily in her hand.

She carried it outside and set it down on the engine cowling of the Aston Martin, gently touching its ruffled plumage. The herring gull spread its wings, bent its head as if it wanted to take a bow, and took off towards the sea, drawing circles in the winter sky.

When Charlotte turned around, she found Sidney standing on the hotel entrance stairs, smiling at her with a beautiful expression of love and amusement. "You cannot help it, Charlotte, can you?"

"Cannot help what?" she asked, walking up to him.

"Be a good person? Even to someone who would feed you to the crocodiles if she could."

"This is the south of England. There are no crocodiles around. Not even a giant sea serpent."

"No." He shook his head. "Fortunately not."

"I think I better wash my hands now," she said, looking at her fingers.

"Yes. But before that… Charlotte, can I just say something?"

"Of course."

He gently took her by the shoulders, making sure she was facing him. Yet, where else would she want to look? There was no better place to lose oneself in than in the softness of Sidney Parker's eyes. I'm yours, those eyes told her.

"Charlotte Heywood," Sidney said, "you are the most amazing and the most beautiful woman I've ever met. And I love you very, very much. – That is all."

She leaned against his shoulders, looking up to him. "I love you too, Sidney Parker," she whispered, just as his lips came down to touch hers. – That was not all, but for the moment, it had to suffice: she had to wash her hands, and they had a family breakfast to attend.

Notes:

With the next chapter, it's time to check out from the Sanditon Grand Hotel. I hope you enjoyed your stay - I certainly enjoyed mine.