Page 61 of The Perfect Gift

‘Let’s all go through,’ Issy suggested. ‘We’ve got food as well.’

They all trooped into the kitchen to find Rachel wearing a white apron over a sparkly pink top and smart black trousers. Her cheeks were red and strands of hair were already escaping the messy bun she’d tied on top of her head. The room was hot apart from a blast of freezing air from one of the windows over the sink, which had already been opened. The smell of roasted meat filled the air and Frankie felt her tummy rumble in anticipation.

‘Merry Christmas, Mum!’ Rick made a beeline straight for the fridge and put the trifle in a space on the top shelf.

‘Merry Christmas!’ Rachel smiled around at everyone. ‘Oh, you’re all here, how lovely.’

Frankie hung back as one by one the others approached to kiss Rachel’s cheek and wish her well. She greeted them each with a hug and a happy exclamation as one after another they presented the food they’d brought with them. ‘These will be fine out of the fridge for now,’ Harry said as he placed his and Kat’s trays on the glass top of the oven. ‘They’ll need to go in about ten minutes before drinks to heat through,’ he added. He lifted the corner of a large piece of foil covering a baking tray to reveal a beautifully, bronzed turkey. ‘You’ve done it already?’ he asked, raising his eyebrows at his mum. ‘What time did you get up this morning?’

‘Don’t ask! The beef’s in now and will be ready in’ – Rachel checked her watch – ‘about an hour and a half. I’ve set the timer so we can look at it halfway through and see how it’s getting on.’

‘Sounds good. What else needs doing?’

Rachel shook her head. ‘Nothing for now. I’ll need a hand with veg prep, but not until we’ve had drinks and nibbles and opened our pressies.’ She checked her watch again. ‘Hopefully, Helen, Ryan and the kids will be here soon and then we can get started.’

‘We’ve got drinks covered,’ Ed said, taking off the backpack he was carrying to remove the three bottles of champagne they’d brought with them.

‘It’s only enough for a glass each, probably,’ Frankie added. ‘But I couldn’t turn up empty-handed.’ She looked around for somewhere to the put the carrier bags she was holding but every surface was covered. In the end she had no choice but to offer the one with the food in it to Rachel. ‘There are a few treats in here, but those aren’t for today. They’re a gift from me to you and Jago. It’s all edible and I don’t want them getting mixed up with everything else.’

‘That’s very thoughtful of you, but you needn’t have bothered.’ Rachel took the bag and peeked inside. To Frankie’s relief her eyes lit up. ‘Oh, you’ve been to the farm shop at Dillons!’ She closed the bag again and reached out to draw Frankie into a one-armed hug. ‘Honestly, they do the best food. If I ever won the lottery, I’d do all my food shopping there!’

‘You’d have to do the lottery to win it,’ Liam pointed out with a wry grin.

His mum laughed. ‘Good point!’ She held out the bag Frankie had just given her to Liam. ‘Put these out in the utility room for me, please, before they get scoffed.’

Liam opened it and took a peek inside. ‘You’re not going to share them with us?’

‘Absolutely not! They’re my special gift from Frankie and far too good for you.’ She smiled at Frankie, who returned it, relieved she’d got one thing right so far. ‘Okay, you lot,’ Rachel continued. ‘Out of my kitchen, please.’ She made a shooing motion towards the door.

Ed took Frankie’s hand and led her into the hall, where they shed their coats.

‘I’m glad your mum likes her gift,’ Frankie said as they stepped aside to let everyone hang up their things. The hooks were already full so Rick loaded everyone’s coats into his arms and carried them upstairs to put out of the way while they entered the room where the rest of the family were waiting for them.

Frankie’s fears about where they were all going to fit were immediately alleviated when she took in the size of the room. It was a large, open-plan lounge that had been extended to the side into a garden room where an enormous Christmas tree stood in the corner. A substantial pile of presents sat under the tree and Freya was on her knees in front of them. Anya perched on the edge of a chair beside the tree, holding out a parcel to her daughter. ‘Careful with this one,’ she cautioned.

Freya nodded and placed it on top of the nearest pile. Something caught her eye and she crawled forward. ‘This one’s got my name on it! And this one,’ Freya said, pointing to two parcels wrapped in jolly Santa paper.

‘This one has too,’ Frankie said, kneeling beside her and pulling the crocheted teddy hat she’d wrapped for Freya out of her bag.

‘For me?’ The little girl’s eyes went wide.

Frankie nodded and held it out to her. ‘Do you want to put it under the tree with the rest of your presents?’ Freya took the gift like she’d been handed a great treasure and placed it carefully under the tree.

‘What do we say?’ Anya asked in a firm but gentle voice.

‘Thank you!’ Freya chorused to Frankie.

‘You are very welcome. You did such a great job with that,’ Frankie told her. ‘Will you help me put these out as well?’

One by one she handed the gifts she had brought to Freya, who placed each one under the tree. ‘There’s one here for you, Mummy!’ Freya announced when she spotted Anya’s name on a label.

‘Lucky me!’ her mother replied, directing a smile at Frankie.

‘It’s just a little something to say how much I appreciate your friendship these past weeks.’

Anya’s smile turned a little misty. ‘There might be something under there with your name on it too.’ She patted the seat beside her. ‘Have you worked out when you’re leaving yet?’

Frankie nodded. ‘I had a look online and there’s a decent service on the second and third. I just need to book a ticket.’