They got out of the car and the freezing December wind whistled across the vast carpark, greeting them like it had missed them and was desperate to connect again. It crept around exposed skin on faces and necks, making eyes water and noses sting.
‘It’s so cold!’ Rosie said, teeth chattering, as they hurried towards the automatic doors of the shop and dashed inside.
The interior wasn’t much warmer than outside, with its high ceiling and puny heating fans. Thora stuffed her gloved hands deep into her coat pockets and hunched her shoulders forwards.
‘OK then, we should split into teams,’ Finn said. ‘Rosie and Reggie, come with me, and Thora you go with Lucas.’
Thora flashed Finn a look that could kill, and he sniggered behind his hand. He’d clearly planned this all in advance.
‘Do you have the list?’ Finn asked.
‘For the millionth time, yes, I have the list.’ Thora crossed her arms over her chest.
‘Right well, if we both get trollies, then we can load up and meet at the tills in about forty-five minutes.’ Finn looked at his smartwatch as if to confirm the timing.
The shop was basically a warehouse filled with lots of different products, and Thora realised it could easily take them that long to work their way around it.
‘See you soon!’ Lucas said. He went to get a trolley then brought it to Thora and asked, ‘Where’s Barry?’
‘With his grandparents. I thought it would be too cold here for him and he likes to have some time with Mum and Dad. They spoil him rotten.’
‘I bet they do.’ Lucas laughed. ‘Shall I push?’ he gestured at the trolley.
‘Sure.’ She smiled.
‘So what’s first on our list?’ Lucas asked.
‘Crepe paper.’ Thora scanned the signs hanging from the ceiling. ‘Art and craft supplies are over that way.’
‘Then that’s where we head first.’ Lucas pushed the trolley, and she trotted along next to him.
Tinny speakers played Christmas hits above their heads, the sound scratchy yet cheerful as it bounced off the metal rafters while harsh strip lights buzzed, bleaching everything with their cold, artificial light. Finn and the twins had already gone to the opposite end of the shop, leaving her alone with Lucas. It was a Friday evening and fairly quiet, but then she guessed most people would be at home having their dinner and relaxing in front of the TV now, not freezing their backsides off as they tried to find what Finn wanted for his grand proposal.
‘It’s a great idea, isn’t it?’ Lucas asked.
‘What is?’
‘Finn’s proposal.’
‘Oh! Yes. It’s brilliant. It should be a lot of fun. This is far more adventurous than when he proposed to me.’
‘How did he do it?’
‘We were watchingFour Weddings and a Funeralon TV after stuffing our faces with pizza and Finn just said, “Do you think we should get married?”. I thought about it then said yes. It wasn’t grandly romantic, glamorous or adventurous, but I’d given up on being swept off my feet by that point and so it seemed fine.’
They’d reached the arts and crafts aisle and so Thora looked around for crepe paper.
‘I’m sorry,’ Lucas said.
‘What for?’
‘Well … you should have had a romantic proposal that swept you off your feet.’
Thora glanced at him, not trusting herself to meet his eyes for long. She could feel the magnetic force pulling her to step into his embrace and kiss him hard, and she had to fight it because this was not the right time or place.
‘It was fine. It summed up our relationship, really: good friends who were comfortable together. If he’d gone all out for me, I’d have felt weird about it.’
Lucas scuffed the toe of one of his boots against the tiled floor. ‘It’s not good enough for you, though.’
