I smiled at Vanessa. ‘Thank you.’
On his way out Darren gave me a huge hug. ‘I can’t thank you enough, Rachel. I was struggling this morning. Did my two cause much havoc upstairs?’
I shook my head. ‘It was all sorted. Give my love to Abi.’
He nodded. ‘She called me to say she never got to taste your wonderful food.’
I steered Darren and his twins to one side. ‘Wait there.’
Racing over to the buffet food, I grabbed a plastic box and filled it up with sausage rolls, a few sandwiches, and some nibbles. Darren grinned as I returned. ‘You are too kind. I will give her these when she comes home tomorrow.’
Ben, Layla, and Aunty Bev were tidying up in the kitchen and were unaware of the drama unfolding with Frank. The kitchen was in a state. One side had the remnants of the buffet and the other side plus the island were covered in empty plates and glasses. If Frank saw the kitchen he would explode. I tried to beat him to the kitchen, but I was too late.
‘What a bloody mess. Time to go home,’ Frank shouted.
Layla cast me a worried look and I mouthed, ‘It will be okay.’
Grandpa turned around and saw Frank. ‘What the hell are you doing here?’
Frank shook his head. ‘Sorting out this circus, Eric.’
‘Where’s Maddie?’ Aunty Bev asked, sticking her head up from the dishwasher.
‘She came home two days ago,’ I said, beating Frank to it.
Aunty Bev shook her head. ‘Well, we’ve not seen her.’
Frank stared at Aunty Bev. ‘Who invited you, Beverly? I bet this was all your doing. You love chaos. If Maddie had told me you were coming I would have said no.’
Aunty Bev scowled at him. ‘Merry Christmas to you too, Frank. It was Janice’s idea if you must know. Why don’t you go crawl under the stone you came from.’
He muttered something under his breath and turned his attention to Layla. ‘You’re fired now I am back. I will be getting a new cleaner.’
She nodded and carried on clearing plates.
I turned to Frank. ‘Layla is staying here until she finds a new place to live.’
Frank turned to me, incredulous. ‘I am not a charity, Rachel. She leaves. Today.’
I could feel the anger rising inside of me. ‘You can’t throw a woman out with a child on Christmas Day, Frank.’
‘I can do what I want, Rachel. I hate to remind you, but this is my house you’ve–’
Humphrey began to bark and a voice from behind us made him stop. ‘Back off, Frank.’
We all turned to see Maddie and behind her was Josh.
‘Frank, we need to sort things out.’
I couldn’t help but notice Maddie was holding Josh’s hand. Aunty Bev, who is the most observant relative I have, must have seen the hand holding too. ‘Well, I’ll be damned…’ she muttered as Frank turned around to see Maddie.
CHAPTERFORTY
Everyone left the kitchen, until it was just me, Maddie, and Frank at the table. Aunty Bev had wanted to stay but Maddie urged her to look after an emotional Grandpa.
Maddie, with Humphrey at her feet, was sat next to me, and we both faced Frank’s stoney expression.
The power had come back on in a twist of fate shortly after Maddie appeared. We had the lights on in the kitchen as it was almost dark outside.
