Page 73 of Last Christmas in London

‘Oh, so now I’m just a tea boy?’ Bob grumbled.

‘Yes,’ Denise and I answered in unison.

She settled onto the sofa, eyes twinkling. ‘So Alex and Megan are not back together. But they are together, if you catch my drift.’

‘Sort of.’ That sounded more realistic. ‘So are they talking again?’

‘I’d hope so. He drove her back, so I imagine that would have been one long drive on the M20 if they weren’t.’

I could already picture Megan sitting in the back seat with Alfie, her headphones on, listening to some TedTalk from a guru that didn’t like to be described as a motivational speaker – but was exactly that.

‘Well, so long as they’re not arguing, I suppose.’

‘He apologised for how he’d behaved,’ Denise said, stretching with a yawn. ‘I need a nap. She didn’t apologise for how she’d behaved, though, but then she is stubborn. She gets that from her father.’

She said it as if it explained everything. As if stubbornness was some kind of cute family trait. But it wasn’t cute. It was the thing that made Megan leave without a word and made me feel like an outsider for worrying.

A distant, muffled ‘I heard that!’ came from the kitchen.

Denise blinked and softened. ‘Look, you know our Megan. She’s a drama queen, bless her, and sometimes she needs a bit of parental TLC to reset. Now she’s calmer, she and Alex can chat things through like adults and come to a decision. Whatever decision that is, mind, we’ll support her no matter what. I think she’s feeling a little neglected, but then so’s he. So who knows!’ She exhaled sharply as if bored with the conversation – which she probably was if Megan had been staying with her for a few days. ‘Anyway, you’re welcome to some TLC too, you know, whenever you want it.’

She meant it with warmth, but it landed oddly, like being offered a jumper you didn’t ask for. It didn’t quite fit, and I wasn’t sure it ever would.

I forced a smile, even as my face ached from the effort.

Denise studied me for a beat too long. ‘How are you? How’s Pim?’

‘Pim’s…’ I trailed off, my mind still on Megan and Alex. I didn’t really want to change the subject just yet, I wanted to know how Megan was, how the drive with Alex went and what’s happened since she got back to Catford – without informing me she was back. Was she okay? Was it over between her and Alex? Did I need to set fire to his belongings? Or help her move out? A dozen questions fought for space in my head, making it hard to focus on Denise or notice the concern creeping into her expression. ‘Erm, she’s fine. It’s been busy, though. Really busy.’

‘You’re worrying,’ she said. Not a question – just a fact. There was a finality to the statement that felt close to the bone.

‘Yeah.’ I shrugged. ‘I guess. This whole event is quite a big undertaking, and what with the new job and now this big Michael Holland blow-up…’ I heard a guffaw in the background and Denise turned around and tutted.

‘Honestly.’ She slapped something off-screen, probably Bob’s thigh.

‘He had it coming. The tosser.’ Bob continued to laugh.

‘What have you got against Michael Holland?’ I asked the body off-screen and suddenly Bob’s face appeared at the corner of the screen, upside down, looking comically like a Minion from Despicable Me with only one eye visible.

‘He said there was no difference between Manchester United and Man City on one of his old morning programmes. I’ll never forgive him.’

‘Christ, do you have to make every conversation about football!’ Denise batted him out of frame, and he continued to chuckle to himself. ‘I’m guessing the publicity fallout wasn’t the most fun experience for you.’

I shook my head, but it wasn’t worth going into detail over. ‘Just tabloid fodder; I think we’re over the worst. And it least the event sold out as a result.’

‘No such thing as bad publicity,’ Denise said warmly.

I cleared my throat. ‘Actually, apart from checking in on Megan – which I guess I need to do by calling her, if she’ll answer me—’

‘I’ll tell her to answer you,’ Denise interrupted.

‘We’ll see.’ I wasn’t convinced her mum telling her to do anything was going to be enough to get Megan to answer my call in this situation. I’d have to figure out another way of getting to her. ‘I was actually calling to ask a bit of a favour.’

‘The answer’s yes!’ I heard Bob call from off-screen. Denise smirked at him.

‘Well, I hope so,’ I laughed. ‘I spoke to Josh today.’

‘How is he?’ Denise asked.