Eve hugged her mum again. ‘I am so lucky to have such a great mum.’
‘Thank you, darling.’
Donna and Eve went inside the house where Myles was larking with Gabe and Nick while Flora was sitting patiently on the floor next to the presents.
‘Eve?’ Flora asked.
‘Yes?’ Eve set down her bag and coat on the coat stand.
‘Do we open the presents before or after lunch?’ she asked.
Her dad laughed. ‘Sounds like you as a little one, Evie.’ He turned to Edward. ‘She would be straight up in the morning to start opening the Christmas presents without taking a breath, even though she’d spent the night before opening birthday presents.’
Edward bent down to Flora. ‘It’s rude to ask about the presents,’ he said. ‘We will open them when the Pilkins family is ready.’
‘No it’s totally fine,’ said Donna. ‘Why don’t we open the birthday presents and then Flora and Myles can open one Christmas present each before lunch.’
Flora gave a little fist pump into the air with a quiet but impassioned, ‘Yes.’
‘Drink, Edward? Donna’s made mimosas.’
Edward shook his head. ‘No I won’t, maybe just the orange juice and less of the bubbles? I will have to drive home later and day drinking makes me tired.’
‘Mummy liked to day drink bubbly drinks,’ announced Flora.
The room was silent. Eve looked at Edward who appeared shocked.
‘Okay, so let’s do presents,’ said Eve quickly. ‘Flora, would you be my helper for the presents?’
Flora jumped up quickly. ‘Yes please.’
Eve handed her a box. ‘This is for Gabe from you and Myles.’
Flora walked solemnly over to him and put the box on his lap.
‘Happy birthday. I hope you like it, even though I don’t know what it is.’
The tenseness in the room from the mention of Amber dissipated as Gabe tore into the paper.
‘Oh wicked, a mini synth for the keyboard.’ He lifted the box up for the room to see.
Flora handed Nick his present who opened it as fast as Gabe.
‘What in the world is this?’ he asked turning the box over in his hands.
‘It’s a rhythm watch, with a headphone port, so you can be the most in-time drummer in Leeds.’ She smiled.
‘That’s amazing,’ said Nick and she knew he meant it. ‘Thank you.’
Eve shook her head. ‘I didn’t choose it; Myles did all the work and research. He really believes in your talent.’
Myles looked pleased but embarrassed at Eve’s words.
‘Yeah, well done,’ Nick said. ‘Good choices, mate.’
Eve opened her presents from the twins, which were an assortment of sweets, notebooks, a tote bag with Penguin classic books printed on the fabric.
‘I love all of these,’ she said.
