Clara's Last Christmas (Clara Andrews Series - Book 9)

by Lacey London

‘We are going to get matching tattoos, but you can’t tell him that you know! It’s supposed to be a secret.’

  ‘Well, it won’t be a secret for long.’ I scoff, reaching into my handbag for my hand sanitizer. ‘People are going to see it sooner or later…’

  ‘Not where he’s planning on getting it they won’t!’ My mum throws back her head and laughs as her cheeks flush pink.

  The world has gone mad. The world has actually gone insane. Not being able to erase the image of my father getting a tattoo on his backside from my mind, I sip my latte and try to change the subject.

  ‘What are your plans for Christmas?’ I mumble, not being able to look her in the eye. ‘Did you and Dad want to come to us?’

  She nods in response and fiddles with the strap of her watch. ‘We would love to! Once I heard that Janie was coming over for Christmas, I knew it wouldn’t be long before you reached out to us too.’

  I pause with my cup to my lips and try to work out what she’s talking about. Clearly sensing my confusion, she pulls out her phone and brings up a series of emails. Taking the handset from her, I frown at the screen and try to take in the words in front of me.

  ‘Oliver has got some serious explaining to do…’ I hiss, annoyance bubbling in my stomach.

  ‘You didn’t know?’ My mum gasps, letting a giggle escape her lips and trying to disguise it with her cup.

  ‘No, I most certainly did not!’

  I don’t believe this! I’ve only just got rid of Oliver’s crazy mother! Just a few months ago Janie and I came close to killing one another, so the idea of having her back already doesn’t exactly fill me with joy.

  ‘Well, I am really looking forward to seeing Janie.’ My mum smiles and leans back in her seat. ‘It was wonderful having her in the UK…’

  ‘Wonderful for you! She was an absolute nightmare!’

  ‘Clara!’ She scolds, in that way only mothers can do. ‘That’s a little harsh.’

  Choosing to ignore her, I take a napkin and tackle a streak on the window that has been bothering me since I arrived.

  ‘Do you want another?’ Draining the contents of her paper cup, my mum points to the menu.

  Not wanting to stay in this place for a second longer than I have to, I shake my head and reach for my coat.

  ‘What about something to eat?’ Pulling a neon pink scarf from her handbag, she smiles encouragingly. ‘We could always go somewhere else if you would prefer?’

  I give her a look that says I most definitely would want to go somewhere else and stand to my feet. As my mum says her goodbyes to the waitress that she ever so vaguely knows, I push my way out onto the street.

  Kicking up a pile of sleet with the tip of my UGGs, I wander along the roadside and stop outside a quirky boutique. The unique designs on the mannequins immediately catch my eye, but I can’t help noticing that the price tags sitting next to them are most certainly not purse friendly.

  ‘That would look great on you!’ My mum breathes, coming to a stop behind me and nodding approvingly. ‘That’s just your colour.’

  I take a step closer to the window and smile as I take in the display in more detail. The striking blue jumper is adorned with sequined reindeer antlers and couldn’t be more my kind of thing if it tried. My gaze lands on the price tag before being drawn back to the jumper.

  ‘It’s pretty expensive.’ I mumble, feeling torn between my desire for the jumper and my desire not to part with a hundred quid.

  ‘Oh, come on! It’s Christmas!’ She trills, pushing me towards the entrance. ‘I’ll buy it for you, if you want? It can be a gift from your dad and I.’

  ‘That’s actually not a bad idea.’ A frisson of excitement runs through me as I reach out and release the handle. ‘Maybe I should try it on first. You never know, I might be a terrible fit.’

  Stepping inside the unusual boutique, I offer the pretty sales assistant a smile as I make a beeline for the jumper. Flicking through the rail, I have a mini panic attack when I realise that they don’t have my size.

  ‘We have more in the back.’ The sales assistant chirps happily and slips out from behind the counter. ‘Which size are you after?’

  Plucking the jumper from the display, I run my fingers over the fabric before passing it over.

  ‘Medium, please.’ I shoot her a grateful smile and turn my attention back to the rail of stunning clothes.

  ‘Don’t you think a large would be better?’ My mum asks, taking a jumper from the rack and frowning.

  ‘Mum!’ I exclaim, my cheeks flushing violently. ‘A medium will be fine, thank you very much!’

  ‘What?’ She protests. ‘They look a little on the small side, that’s all.’

  Great. I haven’t even had a mince pie yet and she’s already making fat jibes.

  ‘Just bring both.’ I grumble, not being able to look the assistant in the eye. ‘Thank you.’

  Waiting until she disappears into the back, I turn to my mum and give her daggers.

  ‘Could you not make comments about my weight?’ I hiss, trying to keep my voice down so that the old lady who is obviously eavesdropping can’t hear.

  ‘I did no such thing. I made a comment about the jumper!’ Pursing her lips, she turns her attention to a handmade jewellery stand.

  ‘Alright. Here are the two that you asked for.’ The assistant reappears and passes me two hangers. ‘I also brought them in red, you know, just in case.’

  Accepting the additional jumpers from her, my heart skips a beat as I run my fingers over the soft fabric.

  ‘The changing rooms are just over there.’ With a quick wink, she floats back to her counter and flicks on the radio.

  Leaving my mum to admire the tribal earrings, I slip behind the curtain and whip off my coat. The delicate cashmere feels like heaven against my cold skin as I tug the first jumper over my head. It fits like a glove! Standing back, I spin around to admire my reflection in the mirror. Things never fit me like this, ever. It hugs my waist, skims over my hips and shows just the right amount of cleavage. It’s perfect and would be absolutely ideal to wear on Christmas Day.

  Straining my neck to read the label, I let out a silent cheer as I realise that it’s the size medium. The price tag shines up at me under the bright lights of the fitting room and I visibly wince. I can’t let my mum spend that amount on a couple of jumpers. It would be ridiculous. My mind flits to the mountain of presents I purchased the other day and I wonder if buying a gift for yourself is accepted these days.

  Just as I am picturing myself wrapping them up in glittering paper, my phone pings loudly from the depths of my handbag. Quickly swapping the claret jumper for the blue one, I grab the handset and take in the three words on the screen.

  Call me. Oliver.

  I am about to press dial when my mum’s voice rings though the dressing room.

  ‘How is it?’ She sings, popping her head behind the curtain. ‘Oh, Clara! It’s beautiful! Look how slim it makes you look!’

  ‘I know!’ I give her a twirl and straighten out the hemline. ‘Isn’t it gorgeous? They have it in red too!’

  Taking the other jumper from the hook on the wall, she holds it up against her body and nods appreciatively. ‘They’re both fabulous! Which one are you going to get?’

  I smile regrettably and take another look in the mirror. ‘I think I should leave them both. They’re very expensive.’

  Taking a step towards me, she places her hands on my shoulders. ‘Clara, how much money have you spent buying gifts for other people?’

  ‘Hundreds!’ I tear off the jumper and place it carefully back on its hanger. ‘Probably thousands, actually.’

  ‘Exactly and when did you last spend a penny on yourself?’

  She does have a point. I actually can’t remember the last time I treated myself to something that wasn’t a kitchen essential or a bathroom must-have.

  ‘Go on! You deserve it.’ Patting me on the back, she grabs both jumpers and waits for me to get my bel
ongings.

  My phone bleeps for a second time and I pause for a second before making a snap decision.

  ‘You know what, I’m taking both. Merry Christmas to me…’

  Take time to chase the snowflakes…

  Chapter 7

  ‘Do you think they’re too much?’ Eve asks, screwing up her button nose as she holds the diamante encrusted dummies up to the light. ‘I kind of love them.’

  Exchanging unconvinced glances with Dawn, I shrug my shoulders and turn my attention back to the rota. ‘As long as you like them, that’s all that matters.’

  ‘I’ll take that as a no then…’ Eve places the blinged-up dummies back into their box and slips it beneath the counter. ‘You know, I was thinking of ordering those monogrammed car seats for the Bentley.’

  ‘Haven’t you already bought car seats?’ Scrubbing Dawn’s name out and exchanging it for mine, I look up and frown.

  Eve turns a roll of ribbon over in her hands and places it back on the shelf. ‘Well, I have, but those are for the Maserati.’

  ‘You need to slow down!’ Dawn laughs and waves goodbye to her last customer of the day. ‘You won’t have any room left for the babies at this rate.’

  Letting out a giggle, Eve looks down at her bump and rubs it fondly. ‘We have a pretty big nursery. I’m sure we’ll manage.’

  ‘She does have a point.’ I follow Dawn’s customer to the door and flip around the sign to show closed. ‘I bought so much when I was expecting Noah that I had to give most of it to charity. I know it’s hard to believe right now, but they literally grow out of things week by week.’

  Eve raises her eyebrows unconvinced and wipes a mound of soil from the worktop. ‘To be honest, I think I’ve got the clothing side of things covered. Owen actually banned me from buying anything else when he saw the haul I bought from Ted Baker.’

  ‘I’m not surprised.’ Dawn disappears into the workshop and returns with a stack of bridal magazines. ‘Those babies already have more clothes than the Kardashians.’

  ‘I think that might be a slight exaggeration.’ Eve laughs and holds her bump as she wanders over to the window. ‘Wow! It’s really coming down out there.’

  Abandoning her magazine, Dawn walks over to join her and I can’t stop myself from tagging along. Huge snowflakes tumble past the window and the three of us watch in a mesmerised silence as they pile up on the ground. What is it about snow that makes the world seem that little bit more magical? It’s like it wraps everything in a shimmering blanket that makes even the impossible seem possible.

  ‘I hope it snows on my wedding day…’ Dawn muses, pressing her nose up against the glass and looking up at the dark sky. ‘That would be just amazing, wouldn’t it?’

  I nod in agreement and give her arm a squeeze. ‘Isn’t it funny how most people dream of sunshine on their wedding day and you’re wishing for snow?’

  ‘I know.’ Dawn lets out an excited squeal as she looks down at her engagement ring. ‘I guess I always pictured myself having a beach wedding.’ She closes her eyes as she speaks, smiling brightly. ‘Somewhere hot and sunny with steel drums. A December wedding isn’t something that ever crossed my mind, but it’s perfect.’

  ‘I think it’s wonderful.’ Eve gushes, heading for the till and taking out the cash tray. ‘Winter weddings are going to be the new thing. I read it in Cosmo.’

  ‘Do you feel nervous yet?’ I ask, gathering the left-over flowers and discarding them in the recycling bin.

  ‘Not at all.’ Dawn sighs and shakes her head. ‘Is that weird?’

  ‘It’s certainly unusual. I only knew about my wedding for an hour before it happened and I was still shaking like a leaf when I walked down the aisle.’ A wave of emotion washes over me as I remember my own wedding day.

  ‘You don’t feel nervous about it because it’s meant to be…’ Eve sings, flicking off the light and disposing of her apron on the rack. ‘I knew you two were the real deal from the start. I’m always right about these things. I get this warm, fuzzy feeling whenever I hear you talk about it.’

  ‘Oh, please!’ I tug on my coat and follow Dawn to the door. ‘You get a fuzzy feeling watching Andrex adverts!’

  Eve laughs and hits me on the back as she pushes me out onto the busy street. Fumbling with my zip, I automatically dive into my handbag in search of my scarf and gloves. As Eve brings down the shutters, I jump up and down on the spot, not wanting to stand still for too long for fear of turning into a snowman.

  ‘I better get going. There’s a mountain of laundry waiting for me at home.’ Dawn mutters from behind her ridiculously long scarf as she tugs on her bobble hat. ‘Have a lovely evening, guys!’

  Reaching out, she gives me a kiss on the cheek and adjusts her backpack. After turning her attention to Eve, Dawn pulls her coat tightly around her and trudges off through the crowd of frantic Christmas shoppers. Transfixed by the fairy lights that are dancing against the black sky, I almost don’t realise that Eve has left without me.

  ‘Hey! Wait up!’ I yell after her, keeping my eyes fixed firmly on her pink parka coat to ensure that I don’t lose her in the scrum. ‘What are you doing?’ I manage, blowing snowflakes out of my face. ‘Why the rush?’

  ‘I need to pee!’ She hisses, picking up her pace and marching along the street.

  ‘Why didn’t you go at the florist?’ Struggling to keep up with her, I dodge a pile of slush and link my arm through hers.

  ‘I did go at the florist!’ Eve’s little legs move like crazy as she races back to the apartment block. ‘It’s getting ridiculous now. I get the urge to pee and thirty seconds later I feel like my bladder is going to burst.’

  A smile springs to my cold face as I recall my pregnancy with Noah. ‘I remember that feeling…’

  ‘Well, double it and then you have half an idea of what it’s like to be carrying twins.’ Resorting to doing a little jog, Eve practically throws me across the carpark and into the building.

  As luck would have it, the queue for the lift is twice as long as it usually is, meaning that we either have to take the stairs or…

  ‘Excuse me!’ Eve puffs, squeezing past the line of waiting people. ‘I’m so sorry! I’m pregnant and I am going to burst. I don’t think I can hold it in much longer…’

  Hushed whispers echo around the room as the crowd disperse and usher Eve into the lift, obviously perturbed by the thought of her going into labour in the foyer. Women gasp and wish her good luck and men hide behind their briefcases for fear of seeing an impromptu episode of One Born Every Minute. Too mortified to move, I stand frozen to the spot until the sound of Eve’s voice brings me out of my statuesque state.

  ‘Clara!’ She hisses, sticking her handbag out of the door to hold the lift. ‘Come on!’

  Not being able to look anyone in the eye, I keep my gaze fixed firmly on the floor and will the ground to swallow me up. These people are our neighbours! They’re going to notice when she doesn’t have two wailing babies the next time they see her. Waiting until the doors slam shut, I turn to face her and pull down my hood.

  ‘Eve! I can’t believe you just did that!’ Despite my attempts to stop it, the corners of my mouth twitch into a smile.

  ‘I never said I was going into labour. I said I was going to burst, they shouldn’t jump to conclusions!’ Tapping her foot to distract herself from her bulging bladder, she watches the numbers increasing on the screen above.

  The lift suddenly jolts and comes to a sudden stop as the doors swing open. Not missing a beat, Eve jumps out into the lobby and dashes over to her door.

  ‘See you tomorrow!’ I yell after her as I am fired up to the next level. ‘I hope you make it in time!’

  Poor Eve. She’s only just hit the three-month mark and already she’s being put through her paces. These twins seem to be double trouble before they have even left the womb. Stepping out onto my floor, I chuckle to myself as I picture the havoc that Harper and Harley Lake are going to inflict on the world.


  Taking my keys out of my handbag, I dust the snow off my shoulders and turn the lock. No sooner than I have stepped into the apartment, Pumpkin dives down from the couch and greets me a with a wag of the tail.

  ‘Hello!’ Crouching down to her level, I run my fingers through her golden fur and plant a kiss on her head. ‘Have you been a good girl?’

  A quick lick of the hand confirms to me that she has and I dash over to her treat drawer. Dropping some biscuits into her bowl, I give her a final stroke before heading off in search of Oliver. The apartment is eerily quiet, but I know from the shoes and briefcase by the door that he’s definitely here. Noticing that the whiskey has been taken from its resting place on the kitchen island, I start to feel a little anxious.

  ‘Oliver?’ I holler, pushing open the door to Noah’s room and frowning when I realise that it’s empty. ‘Oliver, where are you?’

  Suddenly remembering that I didn’t return his call earlier, I walk back to my handbag and grab my phone. Jabbing at the screen, I press the handset to my ear and feel my spirits rise when I hear his familiar ringtone coming from our bedroom. Thinking that he must have fallen asleep, I dash across the living room and push open the door.

  Quickly spotting him perched on the edge of my dressing table, I abandon my shopping and pad across the thick carpet. The room is in total darkness, the only strip of light coming from the moon that is shining brightly through the window. Just as I am about to throw my arms around him, my eyes land on the empty bottle of Jack by the bed. Stepping over his jacket and tie, which have been carelessly thrown on the floor, I tap him gently on the shoulder.

  ‘Oliver?’ I mumble, feeling rather uneasy. ‘Where’s Noah?’

  Not looking up from his place by the window, he takes a deep slug from his glass and exhales loudly. ‘I asked Gina to keep him a while longer.’

  ‘OK…’ I mumble, concern running through my veins. ‘What’s going on?’

  ‘I asked you to call me…’ He manages, swirling the remaining whiskey around his glass.