The doorbell rang. “Hannah!” she called.
But when she opened the door, she found Tom. “Bit early, sorry! Rup was asleep in the car, so we just packed up and left. Zora!”
“Come in,” Coralie said. “She’s got Hannah over.”
“Thanks, it’s okay. We’re in a rush.”
“I’ll shut the door at least.”
Tom stepped inside. “Sorry, yes.”
“It’s freezing. Adam! Tom’s here for Zora.”
“Get Brexit done,” Daniel boomed from the kitchen.
“Well, indeed.” Tom was once again an MP, having run for Eastbourne again a few weeks earlier and unexpectedly won, swept in on a tide of Boris.
“Tom, you’re too early,” Anne called from the sitting room.
“Oh, hello, Tom,” Sally said sweetly.
“Hello toyou, Sally. Merry Christmas. Hello, Hannah—Merry Christmas.”
Hannah was carrying her things down the stairs. “Oh, I thought it was my dad. We don’t do Christmas! But thanks.”
“Happy Holidays,” Tom said in an American accent. “Zora!”
“I’m not coming!” Zora shouted.
Tom pretended he hadn’t heard. “Mum and Rup are in the car. We’re alittlebit worried about traffic.”
“Well, I’m a little bitnot coming.” Zora sat on the stairs with a bump. Hannah glanced back and sat down too.
“I see,” Tom said. “We shall, we shall not be moved. Extinction Rebellion in the house. Gluing yourself to the banister.”
“But seriously,” Daniel said. “Tom? Zora’s got a performance to do on the keyboard.”
It was “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X. She’d taught herself to play it from a YouTube tutorial. Only Daniel and Barbie had seen itso far. Coralie had heard her singing in the shower in a surprisingly clear and tuneful voice.
“Tom doesn’t give a shit,” Zora said.
“Zora!” At the top of the stairs, Adam’s legs appeared.
“Don’t worry, I can handle it, I’m a big boy,” Tom said. “Happy birthday, Adam. Look, Zora, I’m really sorry about being early. Do you want me to get Rup in from the car, and Marina? We can all watch your song.”
“I’m not doing my stupid song!” Zora’s lip was trembling. It was a tantrum she never threw as a child. “I don’t want to go to stupid Sevenoaks!”
Holding Sally’s hand in the hall, Florence gazed up at Zora in surprise.
“I see.” Tom realized the limit of his authority. “I’ll fetch Marina.”
The hall filled with frigid air as Tom opened the door, then slammed it.
“Zora, sweetheart,” Coralie began.
Upstairs, there was a long wail. Max had woken up. “Thanks, Tom,” Adam muttered.
“I’ll get him.” Daniel slipped up past the girls toward the bedroom. He didn’t like to be around conflict, even of a restrained and English kind.
