‘All right, lovie, have a nice day,’ she says. ‘Love to Christopher!’
Haf hangs up and slinks back into the living room, collapsing back onto the couch. He barely winces when she shoves her feet back under his thighs.
‘There we go. Problem solved. I’ll come to your Christmas, get you through it with your family, and in return you’re giving me something to do that’s not just sitting here on my tod.’
‘You don’t need to do that, Haf.’
But it’s a soft kind of no, a wanting hidden inside. His blue eyes shimmer with hope.
‘I know. But you seem a bit like you need some help, and I’m officially the only person who can. So, it’s simple really.’
‘My family aren’t easy, Haf,’ he warns.
‘Whose family is? You heard mine. We can look after each other. How long do you go home for?’
‘Usually I stay until after Boxing Day. I was going to go on the twenty-first.’
‘Okay, well I could do the same. That’s like, what, six days? What’s six days? That’s not even a week. We can do that.’
‘Haf, we’ve only just met. Are you always this willing to help strangers?’
‘Only when they look as sad as you,’ she teases. ‘But really, I have nothing better to do – my parents are off to Madeira for a sun-soaked Christmas and I’m not invited, and I totally forgot about it so didn’t make a plan. And Ambrose’s going home to their family, and I don’t want to just impose there. At least your mum invited me, even if she thinks I’m her future daughter-in-law. Really, you’re doing me a favour.’
‘I’m not so sure about that,’ he says, staring into his cup as if looking for tea-leaf wisdom. He’s not going to find much, unless the Yorkshire Tea bag split.
‘Let me help. Come on, we got through Laurel thinking we’re dating pretty smoothly. What’s another few days of that?’
Christopher sighs and turns to Haf. He takes her hands in his, and for the first time this morning he looks content, happy almost.
‘Okay,’ he says.
Chapter Four
Seven days later, as agreed, Haf arrives at King’s Cross station, a little before lunchtime. Christmas music drifts through the air from some unknown source, and everything is lit in the glow of fairy lights strung across the balconies and doorways of shops. The roof is lit Santa red, which you think would be nudging towards horror-movie vibes, but it’s warming, cosy and womb-like.
The station is full of people; rushing for trains, scrolling through their phones as they wait, sipping at overpriced coffee like it is precious nectar.
So many people have those chic little suitcases that stand upright and wheel along like they’re gliding through the air. Haf watches them, transfixed, and very jealous.
Perhaps she should have bought something, or at least agreed to borrow Ambrose’s spare wheely suitcase. The enormous and very grubby backpack on her back is one she bought for a university field trip that last got used when she moved house. It is, to say the least, far too big for a six-day trip. She had whacked a couple of people when she boarded the train at York and is now on constant alert, lest she take out some tiny granny with it. Hopefully, her clothes aren’t too crumpled inside.
Nestled safely at the top is a gift box of all the best bits from Betty’s – you can’t really go wrong with Fat Rascal scones, and some nice tea and biscuits. Christopher had told her not to worryabout buying things, that he’d organise everything, but she still felt like she should turn up withsomething.
Haf:I made it.
Haf:London, I am in you, etc.
Christopher:Excellent. See you in about an hour? If you cross over the street to St Pancras, the cafes and shops are nice, and the toilets are free.
Haf:You’re speaking my language, Iphy
Christopher:Stop that
As he was already in town finishing up a few things at work, Christopher had agreed to meet her so they could travel back to Oxlea together. A huge relief to Haf. The last thing she wanted was to have to travel there alone. They haven’t hashed out all the details of their fake relationship, as both of them have been too caught up in finishing work for the holidays, but the train journey home should be more than enough time. How complicated can it be?
It’s a blue-sky bright sunny day outside. As she waits at the crossing, she nervously types out a message to Ambrose to tell them she arrived there safely.
All she gets back are two emojis – an earth and an asteroid.
