by Rebecca Pugh
‘I don’t know,’ Mia replied with a shrug. ‘Shall we do it now or wait until after dinner?’
‘I’m not fussed,’ offered Cal, leaning back into the sofa with his arm draped around Mia’s shoulder comfortably, tugging her a little bit closer into his side.
‘Same here,’ said Marco as he patted Laurie’s knee.
‘Fine, spoilsports. I guess we’ll wait until after dinner then.’ Everybody laughed at her childish pout then returned to sipping their champagne happily as they compared their Christmases when they’d been kids. The smell of the turkey and roast potatoes was almost unbearable and Laurie’s stomach rumbled noisily. She inhaled and caught Mia’s eye, cuddled up into Cal’s side.
‘So,’ Mia began. ‘Who’s for a few board games while we wait for dinner?’
‘Yes!’ Laurie shouted excitedly with a clap of her hands. ‘I’ll go and see what’s in the cupboard!’
Cal and Marco groaned but threw each other amused smirks. ‘Come on then, ladies. Let’s do this.’
***
‘So, how are you both feeling about heading home tomorrow? Nervous?’ Cal glanced Laurie’s way as he moved a forkful of turkey towards his mouth. Christmas dinner was well underway. They’d pulled the crackers and were now sitting wearing the Christmas party hats that had tumbled out from within.
Laurie shrugged but smiled gratefully at Mia. ‘It won’t be too bad, seeing as I’ll have Mia with me. But, to be honest, after having so much time to get my head straight and think things through, I’m ready for whatever our mother has to throw at me. Mia and I have our own questions to ask, too, so it’ll be interesting to see how it all plays out. Dad will, as ever, be the middle man. He only ever wants calm and quiet. Not one for confrontation, our old man.’
Mia laughed. ‘You’re right there. Mum used to walk all over him, didn’t she? She probably still does if I’m going to be honest. Our mother could scare even the most hardened of warriors.’ She broke into a fit of giggles and Laurie couldn’t help but join in.
‘How’s everyone’s dinner?’ She glanced around at the plates, delighted to find they were all almost empty.
Marco nodded with enthusiasm as he popped a forkful of stuffing into his mouth. ‘Divine,’ he said through the food, licking every last bit from around his mouth. Splodges of gravy hung at the edges of his lips for a second, until his tongue dipped out and licked them away. ‘Best dinner I’ve had in a long time.’ He sat back in the chair and allowed extra room for his now full stomach, patting it happily.
Mia grinned as she nodded in agreement. ‘I have to agree, Laurie. It’s gorgeous. I’ve never been a huge fan of turkey but this is lovely. Hey, did you know, we get to eat two Christmas dinners this year?’
‘Lucky us,’ Laurie smirked, but the thought of the impending Boxing Day dinner dimmed her happy Christmas glow. She shifted on the chair and forced a cheerful smile onto her face. She didn’t want to ruin what had so far been a fantastic day. ‘Although,’ she began overly brightly, ‘I’ll say it now. I much prefer this one, and the people around this table.’ She smiled at each of them in turn and forced her thoughts away from their mother. Enjoy the moment, she told herself, especially while it lasts.
‘Me too.’ Laurie and Mia smiled across the table at each other, then continued to eat, their knives and forks scraping noisily against the plates as the last morsels of food were gobbled up in record time. Clumps of broccoli were dipped into the puddles of gravy then swallowed quickly, followed by the last fluff of the roast potatoes and their golden skins.
Later, when everybody sat back in their chairs to nurse their full stomachs, Mia offered to wash up and Laurie decided to dry to help her out. There were a ton of waiting pots and pans soaking in the sink that needed sorting immediately, and now the pile of gravy-stained dinner plates was waiting beside the sink in a pile, too. Mia turned the hot tap on and added an overeager splurge of washing-up liquid to the tub.
‘Do you guys want to go through to the living room? Laurie and I can sort things in here; we won’t be long.’ Mia smiled over her shoulder at Cal and Marco. They both stood and went through into the other room, laughing and joking about something or other.
‘Well,’ Laurie began as she arrived beside Mia with a tea towel at the ready. ‘I’d say that was a great success.’
‘Definitely! It really was a gorgeous dinner. I feel like a stuffed turkey myself now. I might have to undo the top button on my jeans to give a little space. Pretty sure I have a food baby forming as we speak.’ With a tinkling laugh, Mia patted her food-baby stomach, then got to work with the pots, pans and dishes. Small bubbles floated up from the sink as Mia scrubbed away enthusiastically, and Laurie dried each item just as quickly as it was passed over to her. Just the simple act of standing side by side at the sink and working together as Mia washed and she dried filled Laurie with a sense of belonging and warmth. It was the most ridiculous thing but she loved it. Each time Mia passed a washed item across to her, they’d smile before Laurie dried and put it away in one of the cupboards. They didn’t speak but rather worked quietly to get the job done, and it was perfectly perfect.
It didn’t take long, with their teamwork, to clear the sink, and once everything was washed, dried and put away, the two of them joined Marco and Cal in the lounge. Mia snuggled into the side of Cal while Laurie plonked herself carelessly onto Marco’s lap, emitting an ‘Oof!’ as he managed to catch her just in time.
‘So, what now?’ Laurie slung her arm around Marco’s neck and nuzzled into him. ‘Anyone for another game?’
With a groan, Mia shook her head. ‘No. Please, no! Cal likes to reign supreme and I really can’t be bothered to listen to him for another game. How about a game of …’ Mia’s lips pursed as she tried to remember the games that lay within the cottage.
Everyone agreed to play and it wasn’t long before the game was set up in the middle of the table. Cushions were pulled from the surrounding chairs and placed beneath knees as they readied themselves to begin. Cal rubbed his hands together challengingly, a dangerous, playful glint in his eyes. Marco chuckled at the expression Cal wore and shook his head good-naturedly.
‘Now, now, Cal. Remember, it’s just a game. No blood needs to be shed. Okay?’ Mia giggled and delivered a playful slap to his shoulder.
Laurie watched with pleasure as Mia and Cal sent secret smiles each other’s way. Her little sister looked incredibly happy and it was a delightful sight, one that made her feel that, despite her absence from Mia’s life, Mia hadn’t done so bad for herself. She ran the diner smoothly and efficiently, she had the man of her dreams and everything was pretty much perfect. Then she glanced across at Marco and struggled to hide her own secret smile. She, too, had found a man who made her light up like the twinkling fairy lights around the tree and, despite the trip of doom back home the next day, here in Sunset Bay everything felt as if it had turned out beautifully, as if this had been exactly what she’d needed. She was certain Sunset Bay had helped fix her and the thought of going back to London made her worry she’d crumble again once faced with the grey concrete and towering office blocks. There was a part of her that would have happily stayed where she was and not go back at all, but she knew it needed to be done, not only to figure out the truth behind the diner but also to face the music. She also knew she couldn’t let Brian down. He’d been incredibly generous in allowing her the time off, so she had no choice but to return.
She returned her focus to the game and to the smiling faces surrounding her. Glasses were refilled with the last half of the bottle and cheeks grew red from mirth and Christmas cheer. They remained there, sitting around the table, for the rest of the day, until well after midnight. Then, Mia and Cal climbed the stairs together to her bedroom, and Marco and Laurie snuggled up together on the sofa because neither one of them could be bothered to climb the stairs. The sofa was tiny and they didn’t have enough room to stretch their legs out to their full length, but Laurie felt as comfortable as ever
, and after such a brilliant day in the best kind of company, she fell to sleep quickly and enjoyed the most peaceful of slumbers lying on Marco’s rising and falling chest.
Chapter Twenty-One
Boxing Day morning, Mia closed the door of Honeysuckle Cottage and followed Laurie down the path to the car. They were off home for their second Christmas dinner, but the tension coming from Laurie was palpable.
‘Ready?’ asked Mia, buckling her seat belt. Laurie slid into the driver’s seat.
‘Yep, readier than I’ll ever be.’ The car skidded a little on the icy road but it wasn’t long before they were leaving Sunset Bay behind, heading down the motorway, towards their childhood home. ‘Did you pack the presents?’ Laurie asked, glancing across at Mia who was fiddling with her phone, no doubt texting Cal.
‘All packed. In the boot. Ready to be handed over.’
Laurie nodded. ‘Good. That’s good.’
‘Are you okay?’
‘I’m fine, just a little nervous. Not sure how events will unfold. I’m torn between wanting to bring it back up, and not wanting to because of ruining the day.’
‘You have a right to know why Mum did what she did. We both do. Just don’t go in there like a bull in a China shop, okay? It’s Boxing Day. Everyone’s supposed to be happy and cheerful and full of festive joy.’
Laurie huffed out a laugh in response. ‘No pressure then?’
Mia grinned. ‘None at all, dear sister.’
***
‘Girls. There you are. Better late than never, I suppose.’
Laurie bit back a remark and smiled. ‘Sorry for the delay. Christmas traffic, you know how it is. People travelling home, etc.’ She went to the boot and grabbed their things while Mia hugged their mother in greeting. ‘Mia, your case?’
Mia turned. ‘Oh, yeah, sorry.’
Once they had their things, Marnie hurried them inside, complaining of the cold. ‘Your father’s in there,’ she nodded towards the lounge. ‘The fire’s on. Go on in. Dinner shouldn’t be too long now. I’ll go and make tea.’
Laurie watched her mother disappear into the kitchen. She turned to Mia. ‘Of course. Because tea solves everything.’
Mia raised her eyebrows in warning, so Laurie sighed and followed Mia into the lounge.
‘Hi, Dad!’ Mia was the one to alert their father to their presence. ‘We’re here at last.’
‘Well, hello, my beautiful girls.’ He dropped the newspaper he was holding and shot up out of his favourite armchair. ‘How are you both? How does it feel to be home?’
‘Lovely,’ said Mia. ‘It’s nice and toasty in here with the fire on, isn’t it?’
‘It is. Your mother said it was too cold not to use it, so I was on my hands and knees this morning, poking at the logs.’ He chuckled, then turned to Laurie. ‘And how are you, Laurie?’
‘Fine,’ she said with a smile. She allowed herself to be enveloped in his thick, warm arms then took a step back. ‘Has Mum said anything since you dropped by?’
‘Not a thing,’ their father said, ‘but I’m sure she knows that you’re after some more answers. Maybe wait until after dinner?’
She nodded. ‘Okay. I can do that.’
‘Here we are,’ Marnie said. She stepped into the room and paused when she saw the three of them standing together. ‘Come along, you need to be warmed up.’ She seemed nervous, jumpy even.
They settled down and accepted the cups of tea, but quickly fell into a heavy silence. It remained that way until Marnie announced dinner was ready and they went through to the dining room.
‘Wow, Mum,’ said Mia, clearly impressed, as everyone took a seat. ‘This looks gorgeous.’
Laurie glanced at the table decorations and, despite herself, had to agree. Marnie had covered the oak with a deep, red tablecloth, snowflakes glittering on the material. Thick, red candles lined the centre of the table, which Marnie lit before bringing in the plates, piled high with food. The scent of stuffing and turkey filled the room immediately.
As they ate, they chatted about what Christmas movies had been on the television, and Marnie spoke about the Christmas flowers which she’d arranged at the church, one of her favourite pastimes. Mia dropped compliments about the food here and there, but Laurie couldn’t bring herself to join in. While the conversation flowed around her, she found herself willing the dinner to hurry along so that she could ask their mother her questions. But it seemed Marnie was intent on dragging everything out, making their time in the dining room last an age as she refilled glasses and served pudding, achingly slowly, Laurie felt.
Finally, once they were finished, they returned to the lounge with their drinks and settled down on the chairs. Marnie was about to dive into a photo album, something she enjoyed doing whenever she had the chance, but Laurie couldn’t take it any more.
‘Mum,’ she said, gently taking the album from out of their mother’s hands. ‘We need to talk.’
Marnie watched the photo album be placed on the coffee table. She glanced into her lap. ‘Yes, I suppose we do, don’t we?’ She let out a heavy sigh, and Laurie was surprised to see the always so forceful and bossy Marnie Chapman disappear right in front of her. She suddenly seemed weak somehow, and it was a strange sight.
‘About the diner,’ said Laurie, wanting to get straight to the point. ‘I know you told me you wanted the best for me, when you came to the diner, but I don’t feel like I know the whole story, so I’d like to hear it all, from you, today. Just so I don’t feel so confused about it any more. I want to know everything. I need you to tell me why you did what you did.’
‘Okay.’ Marnie nodded, glanced across at their father, and then looked back into her lap. ‘When I was younger and lived in Sunset Bay with your grandma, I wasn’t happy. I stared out at the sea every day and hated that the town seemed so small. There were no opportunities, everybody knew everyone else, and my future was dismal to say the least. I needed to get out, wanted to explore what else was out there, and couldn’t stand the thought of staying there, so as soon as I could leave, I did. And it was the best thing I ever did.’ She looked up. ‘In fact, it was your father who gave me the option to do that. Without sounding like I wanted him for his money, he offered me a chance at freedom, and I took it without a second glance.’
Their father nodded and smiled at Marnie.
‘But the thing was, your grandma didn’t want me to leave Sunset Bay. She wanted me to stay, to be there to take care of the diner when she needed me to, but I couldn’t do it. I knew how much the diner meant to your grandma, but I wasn’t interested in it, and she couldn’t understand why. She wanted me to fall in love with it, to work in there alongside her and spend the rest of my life serving fried food and coffee, but I wanted to do other things with my life, and she didn’t like that. So when I left, I refused to think about the diner and Sunset Bay any longer. I didn’t want my life to be ruled or dictated in that way. Of course, when I had you girls, she had a right to see you, but she didn’t talk about the diner to me again. When you first stepped foot in that diner, Mia, you fell in love with it, and I couldn’t do anything to change your mind about it. But you, Laurie, always held such promise. I knew you’d be able to go far in life and achieve anything you wanted to achieve. I had to keep you away from that diner. I couldn’t have you wasting your life in that town, working day after day, never exploring the world for yourself, so I did what I thought was best and kept the news of the diner hidden from you.’ She took a deep breath. ‘I know now that I was wrong. After we had that chat in the diner, I realised I’d gone about it all the wrong way. I had done to you what I hadn’t wanted Grandma to do to me – dictate and control my life. I just hadn’t realised until that point.’
Laurie swallowed. ‘I wish you’d told me, Mum. My life could have been so different. I could have been happy.’
‘I didn’t know you were so unhappy, Laurie. But now I do, and it hurts like hell. I thought your life was perfect, what with having such a smashing
career and Neil spoiling you to death. I thought that’s what you wanted. I thought I’d done a good job.’ Marnie sniffed and wiped away a tear. ‘I was so wrong in thinking that. I should have paid more attention. Should have listened more closely to the things that you weren’t saying. I’ve been such a horrid mother, turned into exactly what I didn’t want to be.’
With a glance Mia’s way, Laurie sighed sadly and took Marnie’s hand in her own. ‘You weren’t that bad. You just wanted what was best for me. That’s what mothers do, isn’t it?’
Marnie looked up and nodded. ‘I suppose it is. I have so many regrets. I wish I could turn back time and do it all differently. You should have been happy, but you weren’t, and that was my fault. I’m so sorry, Laurie. I really and truly am. It was never supposed to be like this.’
‘I forgive you,’ Laurie said, squeezing Marnie’s hand. ‘I do. I forgive you. Do you want to know why?’
Marnie smiled. ‘Tell me.’
‘Because if these six months away from my life have taught me anything, it’s that life is too short to be angry, and too short to hold on to the past. It’s to be lived and loved. We all make mistakes. I made mine.’
‘Me too,’ said Mia, raising her hand.
‘Me three,’ Marnie said with a light laugh. ‘Boy, did I make mistakes.’
‘But that’s it, isn’t it?’ Laurie continued. ‘We’ve all made mistakes, but we can’t regret them. They’re what brought us to where we are today, right here and right now. Forgiveness is important, Mum. We need to move on.’
Marnie’s eyes filled with tears. She pulled Laurie into her arms and held on to her tightly. ‘We do. We do need to move on. All of us.’
‘I just need you to forgive me one thing,’ Laurie said as she pulled away.
Marnie nodded. ‘Anything. Go on, what is it?’
‘Well, I’ve made a decision, and I’m not sure how you’ll feel about it.’
