Another knock on the front door. Coralie swung it open, expecting Tom.
“Dad!” Hannah said.
But Hannah’s dad was looking out toward Wilton Way, where Tom was carrying a drowsy Rup and frowning. “Oh look, it’s Mr. Brexit!” Hannah’s dad said. “Boris’s boy in Camden. I hope you’re proud of yourself.”
“Politely,” Tom said rudely, “give me a break.”
“You giveusa break.” Anne popped out of the sitting room. “You should be ashamed of what you’ve done.”
“What, exactly?” Tom said. “I didn’t vote for Brexit, but the majority of people did; certainly, some fifty-seven percent of Eastbourne. It’s called democracy.”
At least three people made a disgusted sound: Anne, Adam, and Hannah’s dad.
“You voted for it this time,” Anne said. “Waving through the withdrawal agreement…Shameful, Tom. Why are you in this con man’s government? No one forced you to be an MP.”
“She’s not wrong.” Marina was on the doorstep. “Hi, Jonathan.”
Hannah’s dad raised his hand in greeting. “Hannah? Time to go, sweetheart. We’ll leave these guys to their important Christmas ritual of having a huge argument.”
“We’renothaving an argument,” Tom said stiffly.
“All righty!” Jonathan gave another little wave. “Hannah, say ‘Thanks for having me.’ ”
“Thanks for having me,” Hannah said in a robot voice.
Rup had wriggled to the ground and slipped into the front hall. Marina and Tom were still shivering on the doorstep. “It would be great if you could come inside,” Coralie said. “Our central heating’s not very good.”
Marina swept in and sat in front of Zora on the stairs.
“Wrennie, Rupey.” Sally led them back toward the kitchen. “Shall we cut up some carrots for the reindeer?”
Adam sat down on the step behind Zora. “Sweetheart, what’s going on?”
Zora laid her head on his knee and burst into tears. “I don’t wantto go to Sevenoaks; it’ssofar, andsoboring, and I can’t even walk to the shops. Tom’s dad makes me call him Mr. Dunlop, like we’re people from the olden days! They use the same cutting board and serving spoons for my food and the meat. And last time I went, Tom said we were going to move there!”
Everyone turned to stare at Tom. “I said I wouldn’t mind sending Rup to school there,” he said. “For secondary! He’s only just started primary!”
“We would never make you leave school or move,” Marina said firmly.
“I’m always moving,” Zora sobbed. “I’ve always got a bag packed.Got your bag, poppet?I’m sick of it! I want to be in charge of who I’m with and where I go.”
“But we all want you,” Coralie said. “We’d all keep you with us all the time, if we could.”
“It’s true,” Marina said. “We share you so it’s fair.”
“Fair foryou,” Zora said. “Anyway, you don’t want me! You all have new children, your real children, and I’m just boring old leftovers in the fridge.”
Marina and Adam closed over Zora like a clamshell.
Coralie looked at Tom. “Let’s have a cup of tea.”
•••
In the playpen,Florence and Rup wriggled on their backs, pretending to be babies. Tom slumped at the kitchen table.
“Has it been very tiring in the Parliament?” Sally asked.
“He’s been an MP again for two weeks,” Anne scoffed.
