Lisa heard Felicity bellow for Pete, followed by her hastily instructing him on the finishingtouches to be done to the mince pies before they went in the oven.
‘Right, I’m in the lounge, and the door is shut. I’m here.’
‘Really, I was just saying hello.’
‘No, your timing is great; we were about to egg wash and “stab” the pastry as Alice is insisting on calling it, and that won’t be pretty.’
‘Oh, poor Pete!’
‘Oh, he’ll be fine. Now how’s France?’
Having been on an emotional trip to the crematorium with Felicity – the two of them laying flowers for Flick’s mum and Lisa’s Granny Blake – before she came away, Lisa felt aware that Christmas must be a difficult time of year for Felicity. So while she was honest about how good it was to see her mum, dad and Luke, she quickly moved on to telling Felicity about Luke’s tattoo and her parent’sfantastic place. Adding, as the realisation dawned on her, that it would be ideal for them all to go together for a weekend, perhaps to celebrate their thirtieth birthdays in the coming year, as a bit of that travelling they had spoken about before.
‘That would be bloody marvellous!’ Flick wowed. ‘If I survive Christmas, that is.’
‘A bit full on, is it?’
‘It has been, butI’m just about done now I think; pressies wrapped, mince pies in the oven – hopefully. Pete has to go in to work later, which is a shame, but I’ll get the kids to bed early ready for tomorrow.’
‘You and Pete are sorted though, right?’ Lisa bit her lip as soon as she said it, Felicity didn’t know about the secret Pete was keeping, whatever that was, or that Lisa knew they had been testingout aphrodisiacs.
‘Hold on, Lisa, Pete’s yelling something.’
Lisa could only hear muffled sounds as Felicity covered the phone.
‘Sorry, he was only asking if Fred could eat the leftovers; honestly, it’s raw bloody pastry!’
Lisa had no idea if raw pastry was bad for you, but assumed from Felicity’s tone it wasn’t something you should let your children eat.
‘Right, sorry. Yes. Me and Pete. We haven’t got each other presents.’
Lisa didn’t know whether to be relieved that Felicity had misunderstood her or concerned that she and Pete hadn’t got each other presents. ‘Oh, really?’
‘Yes, we’re putting the money towards something for the house in the sales instead.’
‘Oh!’ Lisa thought how unromantic that sounded.
‘But, derder derrrrrrr… Pete’s been hiding something.’
Lisa felt her stomach twist.
‘I’ve been nagging him to tell me what it is, but he says he has an announcement to make on Boxing Day, when his mother is here! God knows why it’s got to be while she’s here, but, hey, he’s not giving anything else away.’
‘Oh, OK.’ Lisa didn’t know what to say.
‘I’m hoping for fewer hoursat the bar – that would make my Christmas. Oh, you don’t think it’s more hours, do you?’
Lisa really hoped for Flick’s sake, that Pete’s announcement would be something so innocent.
With her phone call on her mind, Lisa went to find a glass of wine. She found her mum in the kitchen, poured them both a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and made herself comfortable on a stool at the breakfastbar. Watching her mum cook reminded her of being young. She thought about Felicity cooking with her children and about her own little Pip. This would have been her baby’s first Christmas. It was hard to assimilate her feelings about the loss of her baby with the realisation she now had about the reality of her relationship with Ben. She rubbed her forehead.
Lisa’s mum picked up her wineand took a breath. ‘So, when is it you are going to tell me why you’re here?’
Lisa looked at her mum. ‘To see you, Dad and Luke. It’s Christmas.’
‘And that’s lovely, Lord knows it’s been too long, but—’
‘I’m sorry I left it so long, Mum, I really am.’ Lisa took a drink of her wine. ‘Life in London… I don’t know where to start really; it all seems so far removed now. Iwasn’t myself for a bit.’
