Kirsty seized on the opportunity to help Judy, who was passing by with a pile of plates far higher than seemed safe without a tray to spread the load.
April’s comments had left Kirsty feeling a little discombobulated. She had enjoyed singing those soppy duets with Ben. She’d enjoyed singing with him far more than she ought to and it had obviously showed. What if Jon had noticed the same dynamic at rehearsals? Was that the real reason why he had seemed so spiky lately? Was that why he hadn’t wanted her to go to London?
Kirsty would have to tone it down. Apart from anything else, Cinderella wasn’t supposed to have a thing for Buttons. Buttons was just a friend. She should only have eyes for the prince.
Just then, Kirsty realised that she had been gazing in Ben’s general direction and now he was looking back at her, an uncertain smile on his lips. Oh, no. He’d spent ages talking to April earlier that afternoon. What had the old lady been saying to him? Had she remarked on their chemistry to Ben too? It was just stage chemistry. Wasn’t it?
Kirsty stepped out of the way of another resident who was trying to get by with one of those walking frames. The woman paused and placed her hand on Kirsty’s arm to get her attention.
‘You were very good, dear. Especially with the duets. We’re so glad Ben has found a nice young lady like you.’
‘I’m not—’ Kirsty began, but the woman was on her way again.
Kirsty told herself it didn’t matter. So, a bunch of people she had never met before thought that she and Ben might make a good match. They’d been singing love songs. It was the sort of conclusion she might have jumped to herself had she been in the audience. It made a nice story. Why else would Kirsty have volunteered to spend the last Saturday before Christmas here, when she could be shopping, if it wasn’t because Ben was her sweetheart?
All she had to do was make sure that no one back at the NEWTS came to the same conclusion. Especially Jon. And avoid the mistletoe on the way out of the Bella Vista.
But Kirsty was not about to be allowed to go home and get out of the danger zone.
‘You’ve got to come back to our house,’ said Thea. ‘We’re going to do the Christmas tree.’
‘I’m sure Kirsty’s got something planned for the rest of the afternoon,’ said Ben.
‘Have you?’ Thea asked bluntly. ‘Earlier you said you were free all day.’
Children. You can’t get much past them. Before Kirsty could come up with an excuse, Judy chipped in.
‘You’d be very welcome. We certainly need help finishing off these mince pies.’
Kirsty looked to Ben for confirmation that it was all right with him.
‘If you’re really sure you want to,’ he said, making it sound as though it was some kind of chore.
‘She does want to,’ said Thea. And her smile was so appealing. And Kirsty was growing so fond of her.
‘I’d love to,’ said Kirsty to the little girl. ‘Decorating Christmas trees is one of my favourite things. I’m not promising I’m any good at it, though.’
So they all drove back to Judy and Ben’s house – via Kirsty’s – so that she could change out of her pretty dress into her jeans.
Kirsty felt a rush of guilt as she stood in front of her wardrobe, choosing between her grey sweatshirt – which was most suitable for tree decorating – and the blue sweater, which brought out the colour in her eyes. Oh, and showed her bust off to its best advantage. She chose the blue. When she got back into the car and Thea commented that she liked the blue, Kirsty’s eyes momentarily met Ben’s in the rear-view mirror.
She felt a quick stab of guilt. But there was nothing wrong with spending the afternoon with friends, was there?
Chapter Forty-Seven
‘What a great tree,’ said Kirsty.
Ben and Thea had picked a good one. It was more than six feet in height and beautifully full all over. It was the perfect size for the bay window overlooking Judy’s beautiful garden.
Now that she was no longer in her best dress, Kirsty was able to help Ben wrestle the tree into the tub and trim a few stray branches so it fitted neatly into its space. Thea hopped from foot to foot while Ben strung lights from top to bottom. She couldn’t wait to start the best bit – hanging up the baubles, of which there seemed to be hundreds.
Kirsty noticed that many of the baubles had place names on them.
‘We used to pick one up whenever we went somewhere on holiday,’ Judy explained. ‘Starting when Ben was small. And Ben’s done the same for Thea,’ she added.
‘We got this one at Disneyland,’ said Thea, handing Kirsty a bauble decorated with Minnie Mouse. ‘That was our first holiday after Mummy died.’
‘Oh,’ said Kirsty. Thankfully, Thea kept on talking. She was utterly matter of fact as she talked about the Disney trip and how Jo had actually planned it with them, though she knew she wouldn’t be going. And Kirsty knew, from her own experience, that losing someone you loved didn’t mean you wanted to stop talking about them. Just as you would talk about good times with an old friend you hadn’t seen in a while, why shouldn’t you talk about the people you would never see again?
‘This was Mummy’s favourite bauble,’ said Thea, showing one from Barcelona. ‘Have you been there?’
‘Yes,’ said Kirsty. ‘When I was working on a cruise ship. I had a couple of days off in Orlando.’
‘That sounds like the best job in the world.’
‘It’s where she met Jon,’ said Ben.
‘Yes. That’s right,’ said Kirsty, slightly taken aback by how abruptly he’d brought that up.
‘So why aren’t you still on the ship?’ Thea asked.
‘Because Jon gets chronic seasickness.’
Kirsty was sure she heard Ben snort.
It took an hour to put up all the baubles. The size of the tree meant that it was only really possible to see how things were progressing by taking a step back from time to time. Then you would notice the big bare patches. Since Thea was small but very fast with her hanging, the bottom branches of the tree were soon overloaded with those beautiful baubles that really deserved a better setting – not to mention to be hung safely out of the way of Buster’s busy tail. Whenever Thea wasn’t looking, when she was raking through the box of baubles for a particularly special one, Judy, Ben and Kirsty would do a little redistribution.
As they worked, they listened to Christmas music. Judy put on an album by Pink Martini, which was a little different and hipper than the usual festive fare. She also warmed up a bottle of M & S ready-mixed mulled wine on the hob. The smell of that, sticky and spicy, mixed with the aroma of an orange-scented candle, really helped to set the atmosphere. The music, the smell, the fairy lights reflected in the glittering baubles, turned Judy and Ben’s sitting room into a set from a Hollywood movie about the Christmas season. Even Buster got into the spirit of things, allowing Thea to fasten tinsel to his collar.
While Thea, Kirsty and Ben put the finishing touches to the decorations, Judy disappeared into the kitchen to warm some more of the many mince pies left over from that afternoon. When she returned, she was brandishing an envelope.
‘Oh, gosh!’ Judy said, pulling out the envelope’s contents. ‘I can’t believe I almost forgot. I won the Christmas raffle at my Zumba club last week.’
‘Well done,’ said Ben. ‘What did you get?’
‘Well, that’s the thing. I got a voucher for dinner for two at an Indian restaurant in town. Bit of a disappointment for me really since I’m not a fan of Indian food. Can’t eat anything too spicy any more. Gastric reflux,’ she elaborated for Kirsty’s benefit. ‘And it has to be used by the end of this week. I think the woman who ran the raffle must have been given the voucher months ago and used it as one of the prizes because she doesn’t eat curry either.’
‘That’s a pity,’ said Kirsty.
‘But you two could still use it. You could go tonight!’
‘I thought you were cooking something,’ Ben said.
‘It wil
l keep until tomorrow lunchtime. Thea and I can go down to the chip shop on the corner instead. We’ve all had a busy day. The last thing I really feel like doing is any cooking.’
‘Chips!’ Thea was delighted at that prospect.
‘Go on,’ said Judy. ‘The voucher is for fifty pounds. It would be a terrible shame if it just went to waste.’
‘The restaurant have already got their money,’ Ben pointed out. ‘They won’t care if the voucher’s used or not.’
‘Oh, Ben,’ said Judy. ‘You are a spoilsport. Kirsty, do you like Indian food?’
‘Love it,’ said Kirsty.
‘There you go then. Ben, Kirsty would like to use the voucher.’
‘If you don’t go, Dad, I won’t be able to have chips,’ said Thea.
That was the clincher.
Chapter Forty-Eight
‘I hope you don’t mind,’ said Ben, as they found themselves on the High Street half an hour later. ‘I don’t think Mum is actually trying to set us up, but she is always trying to make sure I get a night out from time to time.’
‘It’s very kind of her,’ said Kirsty. ‘I’m just pleased to have the chance to eat curry. Jon doesn’t like anything spicy.’
Jon. There he was again. Ben was disappointed to hear his name, but he made an effort to appear interested in his old rival’s gastric preferences.
‘How’s he getting on in London?’ Ben asked.
Kirsty waggled her iPhone as if that might get a text to come through. ‘I have no idea. I haven’t heard from him since this morning. I’m assuming that no news is good news.’
‘He’s interviewing for a job in Dubai, right? Elaine mentioned it the other day.’
‘Yes,’ said Kirsty. She forced herself to smile. ‘It sounds really exciting. It’s a great opportunity. The money is fantastic. I really hope he gets it.’
Ben was not convinced.
‘At least he won’t get seasick there,’ he said.
‘There is that.’
The restaurant – called The Great India Tandoori – was buzzing. Though it was unprepossessing from the outside, inside it was standing room only. Four people were already at the bar, waiting for a table to become clear. Ben and Kirsty joined them and ordered a couple of pints of lager.
‘I shouldn’t be having this. I’m supposed to be on a fast day,’ said Kirsty, as they chinked their glasses.
‘Eh?’ Ben – lucky fellow – wasn’t familiar with the 5:2.
‘It’s a diet thing. I can eat what I want all week but on Saturdays and Sundays, I’m only allowed five hundred calories.’
‘That sounds miserable.’
‘You have no idea how miserable until you’ve worked out how many Snickers bars add up to five hundred.’
‘How many?’
‘About one and a half.’
‘You’re kidding. That is awful. But why are you doing it anyway? You don’t need to lose any weight.’
Kirsty sighed. Ben was just being kind, she was sure.
‘Thanks for saying that,’ she told him.
‘I’m not just—’
Kirsty raised a finger that was meant to say ‘stop there’.
‘If we talk about diets for a second longer, it’ll put me off my food. Let’s have another toast. To your mum, for letting us have her voucher.’
‘To Mum.’
A table became available.
‘Most romantic table in the house,’ the waiter assured them.
‘We’re not—’ Ben began.
‘Lovely,’ said Kirsty. ‘Thank you.’
They sat down.
‘Do you think this is the most romantic table because it puts you in such close proximity with the table next door?’ Kirsty whispered as she watched Ben try to find a position where he wouldn’t be bumping elbows with the man on the table to his left. ‘You’ll be sitting in his lap next.’
The waiter returned with menus, which he placed on the table with a flourish.
‘How will you know which one of these curries takes you up to five hundred?’ Ben asked Kirsty.
‘I’m not even going to think about it. I’ve been having a great day and I don’t intend to spoil it now.’
‘Excellent,’ said Ben. ‘What will you have?’
‘Hmmm. I think I’ll go for a chicken madras.’
Ben nodded his approval.
‘Or maybe even a phall.’
‘Whoah,’ said Ben. ‘That’s hot.’
‘Don’t tell me you had me down for a korma kind of girl,’ said Kirsty.
‘Well, that’s what I’m going to have,’ said Ben.
‘Lightweight,’ Kirsty pronounced. ‘Still, not as lightweight as Jon. He can’t take spicy food at all. So I haven’t had a curry since British Curry Night at the twenty-four-hour buffet on ship. Jon stayed in his cabin. There was a force two.’
‘Is that a strong wind?’ Ben asked.
‘Not particularly.’ Kirsty struggled to keep a naughty smile off her lips. ‘I think the definition of a force two is “rustles the leaves”. But, to be fair to Jon, he really was suffering.’
Jon couldn’t sail. He couldn’t eat curry … Ben was glad the waiter reappeared before Kirsty could carry on.
The restaurant was having a very busy night. The ambient noise level forced everyone to talk more loudly and lean more closely to hear what their dining companions were saying. Ben did his best to keep his eyes on Kirsty’s face when she leaned over the table to tell him something about life on a cruise ship.
‘Do I look all pink?’ she asked, when she’d finished eating her super-hot curry.
‘You look lovely,’ said Ben.
‘What?’
She hadn’t heard him.
‘You look fine,’ he edited.
‘I love hot food but it makes me go completely beetroot. Jon tells me I ought to avoid it or risk ending up with bright-red cheeks like a drunk.’
Does Jon ever tell you you’re beautiful too? Ben wondered to himself.
Kirsty dabbed at her forehead with her napkin and smiled shyly.
‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘I know I’m being really gross.’
Even being gross, she was lovelier than any other woman in the room, thought Ben.
They moved on to discussing that day’s gig at the old people’s home.
‘I had a great time today,’ Kirsty said. ‘Thank you for asking me along.’
‘Thank you for singing.’
‘Oh, it was my pleasure. It’s always fun when you’ve got a responsive audience like that. I hope they enjoyed it.’
‘I think so. Mum has already got us pencilled in for next year.’
‘We’ll have to learn some new songs,’ said Kirsty.
Ben was secretly pleased she hadn’t said she wouldn’t be around then.
‘I don’t suppose half the audience will remember what we did this time around,’ Ben joked.
‘I’m not sure about that. April’s sharp,’ Kirsty commented.
‘She doesn’t miss a thing,’ Ben agreed. ‘Not a thing.’
They both suspected they’d had the same speech. They held eye contact over the table, breaking it only when a waiter leaned in to place some dessert menus in front of them.
‘Your mum is very proud of you and Thea,’ Kirsty observed. ‘She’s really behind your foray into the theatre. I can’t believe you haven’t done it before. Especially since you’re every bit as good as Jon said you were.’
Ben shrugged. He didn’t want to tell her that he wouldn’t have gone within a mile of Jon Manley’s theatre group if it weren’t for her. He definitely didn’t want to tell her that Jon Manley was the cause of the twelve-year hiatus since he had last been on stage.
‘It’s good to have something that Thea and I can do together,’ was what he said instead.
‘I agree.’
‘But what about your family?’ Ben asked.
Kirsty had already shown Ben a couple of photographs of India on her iPhone. She was full o
f pride for her pretty little sister with her quirky style and her youthful enthusiasm. Ben agreed that the teenager had style.
‘Will they come to the pantomime? They must be very proud of you.’
Kirsty snorted. ‘Not exactly.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Dad didn’t want me to go into the theatre. He thought it was a mistake to leave my office job.’
‘But he must think differently now.’
Kirsty shook her head.
‘I don’t think so.’
Then she found herself telling Ben all about the awful evening at her dad’s house and the argument between Stu and India that had escalated until Stu inadvertently revealed how he really felt about Kirsty’s performing career.
‘No Helen Mirren.’
As she said the words and let them hang in the air, Ben’s face hardened. It was as though he was hearing the words straight from her father’s mouth.
‘That’s what he said. He told me I’m no Helen Mirren.’
This time, Kirsty used her napkin to dab at her eyes.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Ben was surprised to feel so upset on Kirsty’s behalf. No Helen Mirren? How could her father have been so unkind?
‘I can’t believe he said that.’
‘He did,’ Kirsty assured him.
‘But what did he mean by it anyway?’
‘He meant I’m never going to be a great actress. And he’s right. I’m not. Look at me. I’m just playing Cinderella in an am-dram performance in a little seaside town.’
‘For the moment,’ said Ben. ‘But so what? Everyone at the NEWTS knows you could easily be doing something bigger. And you will. You hold the show together.’
Kirsty shook her head.
‘I mean it,’ Ben persisted. ‘And it’s not just the fact that you could sing and act the rest of us right off the stage. You have a way of making the show complete.’
‘I just get up on stage and say my lines.’
‘Don’t be so modest. Some of the lines you have to say are awful.’
Kirsty didn’t disagree with that.
‘But you make them sound sincere. And when you share a scene with someone, you don’t just act your own heart out, you find a way to make them shine too.’
A Fairy Tale for Christmas Page 19
