by Lucy Coleman
Winding my arms around his neck, I draw him even closer.
‘When they say, “expect the unexpected” I doubt either of us would have envisioned this, would we?’ I muse, attempting to lift our spirits.
Rona is settled into the very tired spare bedroom in Lock Keeper’s Cottage after all, despite our best-laid plans. I thank my lucky stars at least I had a new set of bedding to make it feel a little bit special for her. Valerie and Liam have the two spare bedrooms here, so it’s full houses all round.
‘Everyone has a comfortable bed and we have plenty of food. I wish we’d had time to pop up and check on Abe and Ethel. And I’m assuming Kurt, Sarah and the girls eventually got away. I’m sure Martin will text me at some point, as he’ll know I’ll be concerned. That just leaves Fisher, Bernie and Yvonne. Tollie hasn’t heard anything from either of the guys since this morning. What a mess this is all turning out to be.’
Gray chuckles softly and the bed starts to shake.
‘How can you laugh about this?’ I ask miserably. ‘I wanted everything to be perfect. But the only thing that is are the decorations. The turkey... well, I can only hope it looks better once it’s cooked and I don’t let down Valerie and Rona’s time slaving away in the kitchen. Those two were amazing today, taking over the rest of the food preparation while I sorted the sleeping arrangements.’
Even in the partial light from the unnaturally bright grey sky, I can see the fleeting smile pass over Gray’s face. ‘Be honest, you were relieved to hand it all over. It’s not a criticism, as I wouldn’t have had a clue about where to start, but a little experience goes a long way.’
Yes, and most people have a grandmother or a mother at their elbow for times like this. How I wish I’d taken more of an interest in what went on in the kitchen, rather than sitting back and just enjoying the results.
I give him a look of uncertainty, wondering what everyone will think when they see what I’ve done to the turkey. It’s supposed to arrive at the table full of a generous helping of stuffing and looking golden brown from having been lovingly basted – as Sarah’s bird did. Mine is going to look as if it’s been run over by a car and someone threw the pieces into an oven tray to save wasting it.
‘Well, maybe. But you have the most gorgeous New York baked cheesecake waiting for you in the fridge. I might not be a great cook, but that’s the one thing I could never mess up. Then again, I have made a few since we first met.’
‘You won’t hear me complaining.’
As I lean over Gray to plant a soft kiss on his cheek, it’s obvious sleep is beckoning him. He must be feeling exhausted from the stressful drive, let alone all that walking.
‘In a couple of days Mum and I will be in LA. I can’t even imagine that right now – it’s surreal. I can only hope that the snow will have cleared by then, or our trip will be postponed. Mum’s on edge and we need to get it over with.’
The lift in his voice at the end of his sentence tells me he’s not upset about it, but he’s anxious for her. Last night I was lying here stressing over a bad dream; tonight, I’m lying here too exhausted to even think about tomorrow. And then as I glance at the bedside clock, I realise it’s here already.
‘Sweet dreams, my lovely man, and happy Christmas. Thank you for being my rock. It was such fun, seeing everyone joining in and making do. And as for the karaoke session this evening… oh my, that was so funny! I swear I haven’t laughed as much since I was a six-year-old and the cat pooed in the middle of Grandma’s best rug.’
Whether Gray heard me, I don’t know, but I prop myself up on my elbow and watch him sleeping for a few minutes before I lie back down.
Gray never complains. And he always rises to a challenge. He has this knack of knowing exactly what to do to keep everyone’s spirits up, whenever the need arises. He is a natural entertainer because that’s the way his mind works. I asked him once what went on inside his head whenever he hummed away, and he said it was like living in a commercial. But each day it was a different one and, even though he tried his best to keep a record of every little tune, so much ended up being lost because some thoughts slip away as quickly as they come. That’s when I knew he was special and life with him would never be boring.
Softly, very softly, I find myself singing the words to ‘Silent Night’. Grandma always sang that to me at Christmas and hearing the words as they wrap around me makes me feel she’s close. I feel proud that I’ve chosen a man who is so caring and respectful of others. It isn’t just my vocal cords that are singing, but also my heart.
It’s early morning when I hear a noise downstairs. Rolling over onto my back, I hold my breath, waiting to see if I can hear it again. Gray is oblivious, snoring softly as I ease myself off the bed and grab my dressing gown. Descending the stairs, I hear the sound again, but this time it’s a little louder and even through the obscure glass in the front door I can see a dim shadow.
The next knock is more insistent and very gingerly I turn the handle to peer outside.
‘Immi, it’s me – Kurt.’ His voice is low.
I swing the door open wide and he steps inside. If it weren’t for the sound of his voice, it could be anyone, as all I can see are his eyes, staring at me from behind one of those ski-mask-type balaclavas.
‘Everyone is still asleep. I thought you left yesterday,’ I whisper as he follows me on through and I shut the internal door noiselessly behind us.
‘Jeez, it’s flipping freezing out there.’ Kurt’s nose, when he pulls his thick navy-blue mask up over his face, is glowing a ghastly shade of reddish pink. He slips off his boots and it seems to take an inordinate amount of time. He must be frozen to the core. ‘Oh, merry Christmas, Immi, although it doesn’t feel very merry right now. It’s lovely and warm in here, though.’
‘The heating kicked in about an hour ago. Slip off your coat and take a seat. I’m just shocked to see you’re still here.’
Glancing at the clock, I see it’s just after six a.m. so I know something is very wrong. Kurt looks totally wiped out and simply lowers his hands, letting his thick padded jacket fall to the floor before sinking down with a sigh onto the sofa.
‘Shortly before we were due to leave yesterday, we discovered one of the pipes on the ground floor had burst. It’s my fault. The outside tap for watering the plants surrounding the car park spurs off the downstairs disabled cloakroom. I usually cover it up with lagging for the winter, but I forgot.’
‘And it’s next to the kitchen. Oh, Kurt, how bad is it?’
‘Well, it didn’t breach the steps up into the dining room, so that’s something. The electrics shorted, but we can’t tell what damage there might be until everything is dried out. It’s unlikely we’ll be able to get an electrician in to check it out until the roads are clear. That’s assuming we’re even lucky enough to find someone working between Christmas and New Year. I linked up a small generator to pump out the water through the night, but, with no heat and waking up to a freeze this morning, it’s going to dry out very slowly indeed.’
He looks as gutted as he sounds.
‘How are Sarah and the girls managing? What can we do to help?’
Kurt runs his hands over his eyes, and I look away, giving him a moment to compose himself.
‘No one died and we have insurance. Sarah and the girls spent the night with Ethel on The Merry Robin. Abe gave me a hand, but I insisted he head back shortly after two this morning to get some sleep. I haven’t spoken to any of them yet. I hope they’re all asleep still, but space is tight onboard, and it probably meant sleeping bags on the floor. It would at least have been warm, and thank goodness for pot-bellied stoves, but it’s not fair on Abe and Ethel. It’s a four-berth, so trying to squeeze in six isn’t going to be easy.’
‘Well, you’ll all come here, of course you will! These two sofas make up into double beds and the fridge and freezer are jam-packed with food, so there’s plenty to go around. Put your feet up for a bit and I’ll make you a coffee.’
&
nbsp; He’s so exhausted he can’t even answer, and I move around as quietly as I can, placing the mug next to him on a side table before creeping back upstairs. It won’t be long until his exhausted state drags him down into a deep sleep.
After closing the bedroom door quietly behind me, I tip-toe across the room.
‘Gray, are you awake?’ I know he isn’t, but we’re in need of an action plan.
‘Mmm… morning, Immi. You look lovely.’
He rolls over onto his back, stretching out his shoulders even though he’s still half asleep, and lets out a satisfied groan.
‘Kurt is downstairs on the sofa and I left him snoring away. Sarah and the girls spent the night on The Merry Robin.’
‘They what? Why are they still in Aysbury?’
‘A pipe burst at The Bullrush and when they went downstairs the kitchen and cloakrooms were flooded. Kurt worked all day yesterday and through the night. He hasn’t been to bed. Abe helped him until the early hours. As soon as Sarah and the girls are awake, we need to bring them here and get them settled. I’ll clear out the large cupboard in the utility for them to store some clothes and sort out some bedding for the sofa beds ready for tonight.’
Gray eases himself upright, a deep frown creasing his forehead as the information sinks in.
‘Okay. I’ll text Fisher. He was coming straight here about nine, but I’ll throw on some clothes as I bet Tollie is awake and the three of us can meet up at The Merry Robin.’
‘Should I wake Kurt? Unfortunately, I need to get the turkey in the oven and that’s going to involve making a bit of noise. I daren’t leave it until later in case anything goes wrong. I’m going to part-cook as much as I can in advance. The roast potatoes and the Yorkshire puddings alone will take up both shelves, so I figure I can reheat the rest in Tollie’s oven. This is so stressful – I just wish my first attempt at pulling this off didn’t put so many people’s Christmas dinner in jeopardy!’
Gray gives me a reassuring smile.
‘They’ll understand, Immi. If Kurt sleeps through you moving around then leave him be. Sarah will probably have a set of keys for The Bullrush and they can pack a few things to tide them over. Well, it looks like the temperature dropped overnight, which isn’t exactly going to help matters, but I really don’t like the look of that sky. We’ll know we’re in trouble if it starts to warm up a little, as that could mean even more snow. But first thing the snow on the ground is going to be solid underfoot and slippery, so if anyone goes outside tell them to be careful. Anyway, I’d best jump in the shower and then alert Tollie and Fisher. Good luck in the kitchen, my Christmas chef. Guess we won’t be doing presents until later.’
‘At this rate, much later.’
22
Breakfast Is Served
Gently covering Kurt with a blanket, I move around as noiselessly as I can. Valerie is the first to surface and, thankfully, her entrance doesn’t disturb him at all. I fill her in on what’s happened and her face falls. We decide it’s best to handle breakfast over in Tollie’s kitchen, while I creep around organising the trays of veggies, in between basting duties.
‘Rona will give me a hand,’ she whispers. ‘We still have the red cabbage and cauliflower cheese to sort out, but that’s it. Anything else I can help with after cooking breakfast?’
Valerie is such a gem.
‘No, thanks. I think I have everything under control here. Maybe we can ask Liam, when he’s awake, if he can take some of the spare china and cutlery across to the cottage. At some point we’ll have to figure out how we’re going to accommodate everyone for lunch. The table just isn’t going to be big enough to seat us all, as it’s already a squash. I’m hoping to have everything ready for three o’clock, so there’s plenty of time. I’m sure we can come up with a solution.’
Valerie stares down at her hands, interlacing her fingers.
‘Thank you, Immi, for accommodating Liam. It’s so typical for that son of mine to just turn up unannounced like that. He’s a nomad really, and that’s the lifestyle that suits him best as he gets bored very easily. Well, until he meets someone and falls in love, hopefully. He might consider putting down roots, then. The timing couldn’t have been worse, though, and I feel bad that you and Gray are the ones who have been inconvenienced on your special day.’
She gives me an apologetic look, but I can tell from her demeanour that she’s also pleased that Liam made the effort.
‘After all the help you’ve given me, he’s more than welcome, Valerie, and I mean that. I’m so glad for your sake, that he’s here. It’s a good sign.’
‘I thought so, too,’ she agrees. ‘To be very honest with you it helps having other people around, as when he arrived it was awkward making conversation. We’re starting to feel a little more at ease with each other, but mainly because we have no choice but to agree to disagree on a few things.’
‘I haven’t really had a chance to speak to him yet, but he seems like a very gentle man.’
Her expression softens as she nods her head, rather sadly.
‘In many respects he is, but he’s also a firm champion of the underdog. Sometimes he gets it a little out of perspective, I’m afraid, and he can’t accept that things happen for a reason. As soon as the lane is safe, he’ll be on his way and goodness knows when our paths will cross again, but it’s good to see him looking so well. And happy.’
The door into the hallway swings open and Valerie suddenly springs across the kitchen in three or four strides to usher whoever it is back out. Before she exits, she leans around the door, her voice hushed.
‘I’ll put a sign on it, so that no one disturbs Kurt.’
I give her a wave of thanks, but the poor man hasn’t stirred at all.
Grabbing a large bag of carrots and two hefty swedes, I start peeling. My head is still trying to process what’s happened and I gaze across at the beautifully laid-out table. To squeeze a place-setting for ten into a standard six-seater was difficult enough and we’ll be using some of the garden chairs. But to add another five is a real headache.
You can’t have a jolly Christmas lunch if everyone won’t fit around the same table. The open-plan arrangement means there’s plenty of floor space, but this is going to take some organising.
Glancing at the clock, I see it’s already time to do the first basting of the turkey. As I pull the tray out of the oven, I take great care as it’s so heavy. Even heaving it up onto the stainless-steel trivet takes all my muscle power. But I’m grateful, as if I hadn’t ordered such a monster of a bird, we wouldn’t be able to feed everyone.
Without warning, out of the side of my eye I notice the door easing open very slowly and Liam slips inside, gently closing it behind him. He walks almost noiselessly across to me, the look on his face priceless as he keeps turning to check he isn’t disturbing Kurt.
He comes very close, his voice a whisper.
‘I carried one of those boxes over to the cottage. Mum said you could do with a hand in here. It’s the least I can do as I feel bad that I’ve added to your workload. Timing has never been one of my strong points.’ His grin is sheepish.
‘Thank you, that’s very kind. This lot will need slicing once it’s all peeled, but I’m worried about the noise it’s going to make.’
Liam gives me a thumbs-up. ‘I got this,’ he says softly, pulling out his phone. He stabs at the screen a few times and I prepare myself for an onslaught of sound, while continuing to baste.
Surprisingly, the volume is on low and the very soft and relaxing sound of pan pipes carries on the air. He takes it up another notch, looking at me for approval.
‘It’s a meditation track,’ he confirms in a hushed tone.
I give him a thumbs-up back and as I begin to pull on the oven gloves, he holds out his hands, indicating that he’ll do it for me.
‘Thank you,’ I mouth at him.
My phone pings, and I grab it up, instantly muting it. It’s a text from Martin to say happy Christmas and he hopes
we’re all fine. Well, at least he arrived safely at his in-laws and I quickly text back to let him know the lane is impassable. I promise I’ll keep him updated, then wish them all a very merry Christmas and hope they have a great time.
Liam and I work in silence for a while and decide to up the volume a little before the chopping begins in earnest. In between, Liam makes us both a cup of coffee and I can’t help wondering why he fell out with Valerie. They are both quiet people by nature, although Liam’s natural reaction to strangers is to be very at ease, not aloof like his mother. I guess travelling around you have no choice but to strike up easy conversations with people from all backgrounds and beliefs. People whose paths you many never cross again.
‘Are you hungry?’ I put down the knife and place the palms of my hands on the island counter, my stomach starting to growl.
Liam shrugs. ‘Hunger doesn’t bother me; I often skip breakfast. I eat when there’s food available.’
His casual attitude to everything is rather calming, that together with the soft music, which makes me want to curl up and relax on the sofa.
‘I’ll be back shortly. Merry Christmas, Liam. It’s lovely that you could be here for your mum. I know she appreciates it.’
I turn on my heel, hoping he takes that in the spirit in which I meant it. Creeping out, I yank on my padded jacket and slip my feet into my snow boots; it’s time to begin the trek across to the cottage. Everything is glistening and crunchy. The sun has already disappeared behind rolling white clouds, and it’s bitingly cold. As I open the door to Tollie’s kitchen what hits me first is the noise. There are people everywhere, milling around chatting, laughing and eating. The small kitchen is overflowing, and the sitting-room door is open. Looking through, I can see Jude and Jade sitting on the floor opening presents.
‘Immi! How’s it going? Is Liam making himself useful?’ Valerie walks away from the hob, where she’s turning sausages, to come across and give me a hug. ‘I forgot to wish you a merry Christmas.’
