‘I’m not sure, darling. I’ll call her tonight and find out.’
Flora looked sceptical but said nothing else.
He wished he had a different answer for his daughter but the truth was Amber hadn’t been answering her phone or replying to text messages. He could see she was still partying from the photos she was uploading on Instagram. It would be nice if she put the same focus on her children, but you can’t force people to parent, he reminded himself.
‘We could make your mummy a Christmas card,’ said Eve to Flora.
‘Could we?’ Flora looked ecstatic at this opportunity to connect with her mother, however remote she was from her daughter’s life.
‘Of course we can. We can decorate it with sparkles and glitter and cut out pictures from a magazine of all the things you and she like. It’s called a collage. We can get some big poster paper if you like.’
‘Can we do it now?’ Flora asked.
‘Let’s do it tomorrow. I saw a craft shop in town. We can visit it and get everything we need.’
Edward looked at Eve as she spoke to Flora, incredulous at her ease with Flora and knowing what she needed. How was it so simple with her? Life at Cranberry Cross felt uncomplicated with Eve under its roof.
‘The lights are done,’ she announced as she got to her feet. ‘We start with the lights and then we can put everything else on. Is that okay with you?’
Edward threw his hands up. ‘You’re the Queen of Christmas; we are simply your subjects. Go forth and make your magic.’
Eve laughed. ‘Then you need to come and help me. I’m not tall enough to get these lights to the top, which is where we need to start.’
Edward stood up and held the lights as she pointed to where she wanted them. She only came up to his shoulder so he could see her struggle was real, but in truth he liked helping and he liked being told where to place the lights.
‘You’re very demanding,’ he teased.
‘Am I?’ Her pretty face looked worried as she looked at him.
‘I’m teasing. I like that about you.’
She gave him a slight smile as she unwound the lights for him to drape around the tree.
‘I just like what I like,’ she said.
‘Me too,’ he said as he finally wound the last of the lights to the bottom branches of the tree.
Edward stepped back and looked at his work while Eve turned on the lights.
‘Looks pretty good, but I need to lift that side up,’ he said pointing to one part of the tree.
Eve lifted the lights. ‘Up here?’
Edward looked at her, the soft light enhancing her face, which was slightly flushed. With Flora sitting at Eve’s feet and the smell of pine in the room, he wondered when he had last felt this content.
If only Myles was here also, he thought. He loved the boy and the boy hated him. He hated everyone but he seemed to loathe Edward. Disdainful and rude, and sometimes cruel to Flora.
The news that Eve had managed to see him again and show him some things she had bought him in town was a surprise and while he was happy, he was also envious of the ease at which she had been able to break through to him a little.
Eve and Flora started to adorn the tree with the ornaments and were in deep discussion of the placement of the precious items.
‘My mummy gave me this.’ Flora held up a glass angel, the light capturing the bevelled wings and shooting a rainbow across the room.
‘Oh a rainbow, how gorgeous,’ Eve said showing Flora who spun the ornament in her hand so the rainbow moved around the room.
Edward’s eyes followed the rainbow until he saw it stop at the door and Flora dropped the angel noiselessly onto the rug.
‘Myles,’ he said casually, his heart in his throat. ‘Come and join us. I need some support with these two Christmas enthusiasts who are very exacting on the placement of the decorations.’
