A Roast on Sunday

by Robinson, Tammy

  “There you go again.”

  “What?”

  “Confusing me. For someone who keeps banging on about keeping things uncomplicated you sure do know how to mess with a girls head.”

  Jack looked at her in astonishment. “What on earth are you on about now?”

  “Eyes on the road please, my father has already survived one vehicular accident today, let’s not put him through a second.”

  He looked back at the road. “Only if you explain what you meant by that last statement, and quickly.”

  “Today at your office, you said we should leave each other alone so as not to complicate things. But just now you act as if you’re still interested.”

  “That’s because I am still interested.”

  “Then what was all that stuff you said today?”

  “I knew you weren’t listening. What I said was that we should just take a step backwards and slow things down a little, so as not to confuse things for your family and friends.”

  “They are not confused. The only person confused is me.”

  “When I said no to spending Christmas day with you Maggie it wasn’t because I didn’t want to, I can think of nowhere else I’d rather spend it.”

  “Then why?”

  “I was thinking of you. At your ex-husbands wake I heard your mother telling you that people were gossiping – the curse of small towns like I told you when we first met by the way – about us. I didn’t want anyone thinking bad things about you so I thought we should just cool it for awhile until the dust settles.”

  “You were just trying to protect me from this town’s idle minds?”

  He nodded.

  “And that’s the only reason you said all that stuff about us not seeing each other?”

  He looked over at her again, his face serious. “Maggie I don’t know how many times I can tell you this or how much clearer I can make it. I like you. I mean, I really, really like you. You fascinate the hell out of me and have done since the day you pointed a shotgun at my head.”

  Maggie flushed, she had forgotten all about that.

  “I want to know everything there is to know about you,” he continued. “Give me half a chance and I’ll show you just how much I want to be with you.”

  “I thought you’d gone off me.”

  “Oh I tried,” he joked and she slapped his arm. “But the thing with you Maggie, is that you’re like a parasite. You’ve wormed your way right under my skin, and I have the suspicion that nothing I do is going to get you back out of there again.”

  “Wow, that’s one of the most romantic things anyone has ever said to me.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Of course not. It’s disgusting.”

  He laughed.

  “But I get where you’re coming from,” she admitted, “because for some reason I can’t get you out of my head, even though you irritate the hell out of me.”

  “My pleasure.”

  “You know, I had you two pegged as fairly intelligent. But the way you’ve been acting lately I’m beginning to rethink.”

  Maggie swivelled around in her seat to look down at her father. “I thought you were asleep.”

  “Oh I’d much rather be, believe me, but you two kept yakking.”

  “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry, just sort your crap out. I can’t keep up with you.”

  “Dad!”

  “Well honestly, you’re like one of those soap operas on the telly. One minute you like each other, the next minute you’re spitting tacks. Well you are anyway,” he pointed at Maggie. Then he turned the finger on Jack. “You seem a little more balanced.”

  Maggie turned back to Jack, embarrassed. “Sorry about him.”

  “He’s kind of right though isn’t he. I mean, we have been fairly annoying.”

  “Don’t tell him that, he’ll never shut up.”

  “I hate to break this moving talk up, lovebirds,” Ray piped up from the backseat, “but you’ve just driven right past the hospital.”

  As it turned out, Ray was incredibly lucky not to do himself any great injury in his accident, coming out of it with only a mildly sprained ankle.

  “You’ve been incredibly lucky,” the doctor told him sternly. “If the ground hadn’t been so muddy from the rain which helped cushion your fall, I could be zipping you into a body bag right now.”

  Ray hung his head in repentance.

  “And fancy putting your daughter through the fright of her life like that,” the doctor continued with the lecture “I’ve a good mind to give Dot a call when she gets home and let her know just what you’ve been up to.”

  Ray had looked up again quickly. “Aw no, please doc, there’s no call for that. I’ve learnt my lesson. I won’t ride the bike into town anymore.” He gave the boy scouts salute with a flourish, regardless of the fact he’d never been to a meeting in his life.

  “You won’t get the chance,” Maggie said, standing at the side of the bed while the doctor finished his examination. “First thing in the new year I’ll be selling whatever’s left of that damn thing.”

  Ray opened his mouth to protest but Maggie gave him a fierce look. “It’s either that or I let the doc here call mum and she’ll probably shove it off a cliff with you tied to it. At least my way you might get some money out of it.”

  Ray shut his mouth again and sighed deeply. He knew when he was beat.

  The storm had blown out as quickly as it had blown in, and the sun was just blazing up over the horizon as Jack dropped them back at the house. He and Maggie hadn’t had a chance to continue their conversation but he could see that it would have to wait. She was exhausted by the night’s events. He helped her assist Ray up the steps and onto the couch then he hovered, unsure.

  “Dad, aren’t you going to say thanks?” Maggie prompted.

  “Thanks,” Ray said. He was still smarting over the plans for his bike.

  Maggie rolled her eyes. “He’s grateful really.” She walked Jack to the door. “We both are. And mum would be too, if she knew.”

  “You’re not going to tell her, are you love? You promised.” Ray’s head popped up over the back of the couch.

  Maggie frowned at him. “I promised no such thing. And funny how you heard that from all the way over there but you can’t hear when I ask you to help with the dishes.” Ray sank back down onto the couch, out of sight.

  Jack grinned at Maggie. “I bet you can’t stay mad at him for long.”

  Maggie sighed. “No you’re probably right, but he doesn’t have to know that.”

  “Are you going to tell your mother what happened?”

  “Are you kidding? No way.”

  He looked over her shoulder, “Where is your mother by the way? And Willow?”

  “It’s a long story, but the short version is they’re in a cave in the hills.”

  “Fine, don’t tell me then.”

  “No seriously, they’re in a cave somewhere up in the hills around the lake. With three of my mother’s friends who also happen to be aged in their seventies but who, just like her, refuse to grow up.”

  “See,” Jack said, “just when I think your family couldn’t possibly get any more interesting, you go and tell me something like that. You must tell me more about this cave.”

  Maggie put her hand to her mouth to cover a yawn. “Another time. I just want to get my head down on my pillow and sleep for a few hours.”

  “Of course, I shouldn’t be keeping you up.” Jack leant forward and kissed her on the forehead lightly, “Is that invitation for Christmas day still open?”

  “Hmm,” Maggie pretended to consider it, then she smiled. “Of course it is.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow then. Sleep tight beautiful Maggie Tanner.”

  Then he left. Maggie watched him drive off down the driveway. His hand extended out of the window and waved as he turned out the end, and she waved back then shut the door. She yawned again and wandered over to check on her father. He was sound asl
eep, snoring lightly. Watching him for a few minutes she reflected on Jack’s words; yes, her family might be as crazy as a box of feral cats, but they were her family. And despite their varying eccentricities she wouldn’t trade them for anything.

  Chapter twenty four

  “Mum! Mum!” Maggie’s eyes flew open when she heard Willow calling. She rolled over and looked at the clock, eleven. Only a few short hours since she had closed her eyes, but the sleep had done its job and she felt marginally more human.

  “I’m in here baby,” she called, stretching.

  The door flew open with a crash and Maggie winced.

  “What are you still doing in bed lazy bones?” Willow asked, puzzled.

  “Never mind that, come over here and tell me all about your night. Did you have fun?”

  Willow skipped across the room and jumped up onto the bed beside her mother.

  “Ouuf,” Maggie said, as she got an inadvertent knee in the stomach.

  “Sorry.”

  Willow snuggled in beside her mother, on top of the covers. “I missed you,” she admitted.

  “I missed you too baby girl,” Maggie pulled her in and kissed her daughters face in a series of fluttery kisses until Willow pushed her away, laughing.

  “Stop, it tickles,” she protested.

  “So how was your night?”

  “It was really cool mum. I know why Gran likes going there now; it was so much fun, like camping, but cooler.”

  “Did you get wet in the storm?”

  “Nope, we were nice and dry inside the cave. Lois lit a fire so we were really warm.”

  “And what did you get up to?”

  “Mum, you know as well as I do that what happens in the cave, stays in the cave. Gran told me you went when you were little and that you had to take the secret oath as well.”

  “Oh right,” Maggie bit her lip to stop from grinning, “the secret oath. Yes I remember that. Ok I’ll let you off from telling me anything. As long as you’re ok and you had fun I’m happy with that.”

  “I did, and I’m fine. Although – ” she pulled a face.

  “What?”

  “Well listening to Hazel sing was a bit like torture. She’s terrible, almost as bad as you.”

  “Hey! You take that back.” Maggie tickled Willow hard on her ribs until giggling, she apologised.

  “Is it safe to come in?” a voice asked from out of sight around the door.

  “Yes mum,” Maggie said, “you can come in.”

  Dot entered the room, looking rueful. “You’re not angry with me?”

  “No I’m not angry, I’m furious. And if you ever take my daughter away again without first consulting me I will move out of this house and you will never see her again, are we clear?” But there was no real venom behind Maggie’s words, they were more token as she reasserted her motherly authority.

  “Crystal,” Dot nodded with relief. “Why are you still in bed? And why is your father asleep on the couch?”

  “It’s a long story.”

  “Do I want to hear it?”

  “No, it’s probably best you don’t.”

  Dot nodded. “I’ll take your word for it.”

  “Right, time for you to get up, sleepyhead.” Willow crawled off the bed and peeled the covers off Maggie. “Tomorrow is Christmas,” Willow continued, “and you have so much to do.”

  “Like what?”

  “Duh, like wrap lots of presents. There’s only a couple under the tree and that can’t be right.”

  “Cheeky,” Dot swotted her. “Go and wake your grandfather up.” She watched fondly as Willow ran from the room.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t ask you,” she apologised again to Maggie. “I was afraid you would say no and after everything she’s been through lately with the discovery of Jon and the funeral, I just figured she could do with a special little getaway.”

  “It’s fine mum. I was pissed off at first but I know your intentions were good. Just promise to never take her away again without talking to me.” Maggie’s face became very serious. “That girl is everything to me. I don’t know what I’d do if anything ever happened to her.”

  “Nothing is going to happen Maggie, she’s fine and she’s got all of us looking out for her. You’re a wonderful mother, you really are.”

  “Thanks, it’s nice to have it validated once in a while.”

  Mother and daughter shared a tender smile, then Dot checked her watch. “Willow is right, it’s time to get out of bed. We have things to prepare for tomorrow.” She was almost out the door when Maggie called after her.

  “Mum?”

  “Yes?”

  “We have an extra guest for Christmas, I hope that’s ok.”

  “Of course it is, the more the merrier. Anyone I know?”

  Maggie looked down at the bedspread and fiddled with a loose string. “Jack,” she said quietly.

  “Sorry, I couldn’t quite catch that, who?”

  “I said Jack and you heard me perfectly. You’re just making me repeat it to be mean.”

  A glint appeared in Dot’s eye. “Oh wonderful,” she said. “I take it things are back on track?”

  “We’re friends again, yes, if that’s what you mean.”

  “Friends?”

  “Yes, friends.”

  “That’s it?”

  “That’s it.”

  “Nothing more on the cards?”

  “Well now, I didn’t say that exactly.”

  “I’ll just watch this space then shall I?”

  “You do that.”

  The rest of the day passed in a flurry of present wrapping, food preparation and house tidying. The scents of cinnamon and nutmeg mingled with the scent of pine from the tree. Last night’s storm was a distant memory and the land, washed clean, basked in the heat from a hot, summer sun. Willow vanished as soon as she knew there were chores to be done, and did not return until the sun was going down on Christmas Eve. The four of them ate salad and cold chicken on the porch, and then went inside to enjoy a drink and watch The Grinch who stole Christmas. It was cosy and soul warming and Maggie felt like she might burst open from the happiness that swelled up inside.

  Chapter twenty five

  Christmas morning, as if in an effort to make up for its failure the day of the storm, the sun turned the heat on early and by eight the road was blurry with a heat haze hovering just above the surface and the smell of hot tarmac had started to pervade the air. Maggie knew this because she had looked down the driveway towards the road at least twelve times since rising. Each time on the pretence of doing something else, like throwing a tea towel in the laundry hamper, or fetching the mail, despite the fact the mailman almost never delivered before one in the afternoon and certainly never at all on holidays.

  “What?” she asked defensively when her mother and father exchanged glances upon her return to the house.

  “Nothing,” they both chorused.

  The four of them exchanged presents and drank a glass of bubbly wine with breakfast, which consisted of bacon and eggs, hash browns and French toast.

  “Oh hell,” Ray groaned afterwards, holding the sides of his stomach, “and it’s only just begun.”

  Finally, at just after eleven, the sound of tyres crunching over gravel could be heard and Maggie came flying out from her room where she had been checking her outfit, also for the twelfth time that morning. She came to a halt when she saw her family watching her.

  “I think Jack might be here,” she said, trying to sound casual.

  “Well you’d best go check then, hadn’t you?” said Ray.

  “You know, just to be polite and hospitable,” Dot added.

  “After all,” Ray said, “he may have forgotten where the door is.”

  They grinned at each other again like they were the funniest people on the planet.

  “I’m going to bang your heads together if you two keep grinning at each other like that,” Maggie warned.

  “Like what?” Dot proteste
d innocently. “Can we help it if we’re happy? It’s Christmas after all.”

  “You know exactly what. And you’d better not say anything stupid in front of Jack. Not unless you want secrets to start popping up out of the woodwork.” She looked meaningfully at Ray when she said it. His face blanched.

  “I’ll behave,” he said.

  “Secrets? What secrets?” Dot asked. “What’s she on about?”

  But Maggie had already left the room, walking at a more normal pace out onto the porch to greet Jack. She waited at the top of the stairs while he parked under the shade of the Magnolia tree. Willow and Nick were taking turns to push each other on the tyre swing, although from what Maggie had observed that morning it seemed to be Nick who was doing most of the pushing. Nick’s family weren’t overly into Christmas. They did the present thing and ate a big breakfast and then that was them done for the day. She saw Jack get out of the truck and exchange words with Willow and Nick, though she couldn’t hear what from where she was standing. She saw Willow roll her eyes and shake her head as if Jack had said something lame. Jack opened the door wider and Rufus bounded out and over to Willow, jumping up to place his paws on her shoulders and lick her face. Maggie could hear Willow giggling from where she stood and the sound warmed her heart. Jack looked up and saw Maggie watching and waved. She waved back and tried to ignore the fact that her heart had started beating a whole lot faster.

  God he was good looking. She didn’t know how she had ever thought otherwise. She pretended she was picking splinters out of the wood on the railing while he walked over.

  “Merry Christmas,” he smiled, coming up to stand beside her.

  “Merry Christmas to you too,” she said back, although she didn’t turn to look at him, watching Willow and Nick instead. She felt both nervous and excited to see him again.

  “Get anything good?” he asked.

  She struggled to remember, the now familiar smell of him standing so close had made her feel light headed.

  “A book from mum and dad and a pretty photo frame from Willow. You?”

  “Oh Rufus presented me with an old sock in bed this morning.”

  “Oh that’s, um, lovely. Very thoughtful of him.”