Page 50 of Escape for Christmas
‘I suspect it will. In fact I’m pretty certain of it. We must have had three inches of snow here; it’s still coming down fast and there are drifts lying around.’
‘Poor Tegan. She must be so disappointed.’
‘Well, let’s wait and see, but if need be, we can postpone everything until Boxing Day.’
‘What am I disappointed about?’ Tegan asked, walking into the kitchen.
Brody braced himself. ‘It’s Mum,’ he said, holding up the phone. ‘She was asking how you are.’
Tegan nestled next to Brody, so that she could squeeze into the shot. She waved and went straight into acting the perfect daughter-in-law-to-be. ‘Hello, Louise. It looks like we’re going to be stuck here tomorrow. It’s getting bad out there.’
‘I’m sorry to hear you’ll miss the big day, but can you postpone?’
‘I just called Mum and Dad. They’re gutted of course, but they don’t want us making any dangerous journeys. Hopefully there will be a thaw by tomorrow night, so we can do everything on Boxing Day.’
‘Oh no, I’m sorry your plans have had to change,’ Louise said sympathetically. ‘I guess the only consolation is that you two lovebirds get to spend a cosy Christmas Day together.’
Brody felt queasy, but Tegan played her part, without missing a beat. ‘There is that,’ she said brightly, threading her arm through Brody’s. ‘What will you do tomorrow, now we can’t all go to my parents’?’
‘I’ll be fine,’ Louise said. ‘To be honest, we’ve all been talking about the weather at the neighbour’s and they’ve invited me round, as Plan B. So I might join them for lunch and then crash out here in front of theStrictlyChristmas Special.’
‘I’m sorry we won’t see you,’ Tegan said.
Brody could tell his mother was putting on a brave face and would probably much miss seeing him and Tegan. She was a very practical mum, he thought, and was pretending she was fine, for their sakes. Once again he thought of howshe must have coped in those first Christmases after his father had died. They’d gone to his auntie’s in Norfolk, and he’d spent most of it walking their dog or hiding in his room with a Game Boy. He wondered quite how many people actually had a ‘perfect’ Christmas?
After a few more minutes of conversation about Louise’s plans, the call ended.
‘That wasn’t too bad, was it?’ Tegan said. ‘And your mum’s right. We do get to spend time together – and not just for appearance’s sake. Perhaps it will do us both good to have some time to talk.’
‘What about?’ Brody asked, more briskly than he meant to sound. ‘Sorry. I mean, there’s nothing to discuss, as far as “us” is concerned. We’ve both accepted it’s over, haven’t we?’
Tegan looked shocked. ‘I guess we have,’ she muttered, then added, ‘I think I’m going to have an early night. I’m sorry I haven’t got your presents to give you in the morning. They’re at my parents’ house.’
‘I didn’t think we were giving presents …’
‘Well, wehaveto, Brody. What would everyone think if we didn’t?’
He nodded.
‘Did you think of that yourself?’ she said. ‘Please tell me you did.’
‘I – er – wasn’t sure,’ Brody said. ‘So I got you something, just in case. I didn’t want to admit it, in case you hadn’t.’ It was true. He’d agonised over a gift that he didn’t have the heart to buy. Jewellery was far too personal; books felt tooimpersonal. In the end he’d bought a hand-made and very beautiful cosmetic bag from Carl’s shop and had filled it with luxurious organic potions from the posh cosmetics shop next door.
Tegan picked up his hand and looked into his eyes. ‘Brody, remember that, in the eyes of the world, everything is the same as it was.’
Brody heard her walking up the stairs, which creaked as they had for as long as he could remember.
But nothing was the same as it always was.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Amber glared at Suzanne, who seemed to shrink back under the cat blanket for protection. ‘Well, whatareyou doing here?’ she demanded.
Suzanne finally snapped into action. ‘I could say the same about you. Are you stalking me?’
‘Stalking you?’ Amber sneered. ‘As if I’d want anything to do with your family.’
Suzanne got up, the cat blanket falling onto the floor. In her knee-high boots she was almost a foot taller than her adversary.
