She didn’t look up at him. ‘I like tasks like this. It’s like a meditation of sorts, just one movement at a time.’
It was mesmerising to watch her as she worked. Occasionally she looked up at the door and then back to her task at hand.
‘Are you expecting someone?’ he teased.
‘No.’ She smiled at him but she still looked back at the door on occasion.
Hilditch had left them with a roast chicken for dinner and excellent roasted potatoes and a lovely salad and cheese plate.
Eve and Edward had drunk some wine and Flora was sitting happily under the tree, sorting through the ornaments.
The fire added a cosy warmth to the room and Edward had been sure to open a window so Eve could get some fresh air.
It was a lovely scene, something Edward had wished he had with Amber, but she would be drunk by now and screaming at Myles to get out of the way and Flora would have cried and the night would have been ruined.
‘Do you have a tree at your parents’ house?’ he asked.
‘We have many trees,’ she said.
‘Many trees? Like the queen?’
‘My mum does think she is the Queen of Leeds, so that would tickle her fancy no end.’ Eve laughed.
‘No, we have a main tree in the living room, and then a light-up tree on the front lawn and a blow-up tree on the roof, with a sleigh, Santa and his reindeers. We have another in the kitchen but a small plastic one and then a small one in the hallway that is from the pound shop, but it’s very nice and if you wind it up it plays “Jingle Bell Rock” and turns in a circle. And finally, a small one in the downstairs loo that is also an air freshener.’
She looked up at Edward and laughed at his face.
‘Are you serious?’
‘I told you Christmas is a big deal in our house. We have no Christmas shame. We aren’t one of those houses you see inHouse and Gardenwith the well-dressed tree in subtle decorations and a handmade wreath on the door. We go all out and we aren’t afraid of it. Wait here,’ she said and put the lights on his lap and ran from the room.
Edward looked at Flora who was happily talking to a small china snowman hanging by a red satin ribbon.
Within minutes Eve was back and she stood in front of him and waved a foot at him.
‘What on earth is that?’ he asked.
‘These are my slippers that I use for Christmas. They have light-up noses like Rudolph.’ He looked down at her feet and laughed.
‘I want some of those,’ said Flora.
‘I think we should all have some,’ Eve stated.
Edward shook his head. ‘I will never wear those in this lifetime.’
‘You will eventually – I tend to rub my Christmas energy off onto people,’ she said proudly taking the lights off his lap and settling down on the floor again.
‘You do have wonderful energy,’ he said. ‘It’s infectious.’
‘Thank you, I got it from my mum. She’s the best person I know,’ Eve said.
‘People with great mothers have a head start in life,’ he said.
Flora looked up from her collection of ornaments that she had made around her on the floor.
‘When is Mummy coming home?’ she asked.
Edward looked surprised at her question.
