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‘Sounds good. I might win a spa day or one of those head massage things.’ He pointed to the prizes stacked on the table. ‘Or, look, a retro radio. Now, that’s cool.’
‘For Kerry?’
‘Yep. Why not?’
‘Would she appreciate that?’ Poppy frowned. Was he really going from being willing to spend an extortionate amount on one small bag to trying to win a prize for a pound to give her?
‘Maybe not the radio, but yes, I’m sure she’d appreciate something else. Come on.’ Cupping her elbow, he led her through the throngs of people milling around the stall until they got to the front. ‘One ticket, please?’
‘Certainly. Thank you.’ The man took Mack’s pound and held out a plastic bucket full of folded paper. ‘Good luck. Would you like one, miss?’
‘No thanks.’ Poppy shook her head, she couldn’t imagine either Aunt Flora or Susan would relish the idea of a spa day and although it had always been something Poppy herself had wanted to experience, it wouldn’t end up being without cost – she’d have to invest in a new swimming costume and a floaty wrap or something.
‘Yes!’ Mack grinned as he held up his ticket. ‘Number seventeen! The electric deep tissue massager. That’s Kerry’s gift sorted.’
Poppy waited as the man behind the stall congratulated Mack and passed him across his prize before turning to him and lowering her voice. ‘Are you really going to give her something you’ve just won after spending a pound?’
‘Of course. Why not?’
‘It’s just not very thoughtful, that’s all, and you’ve only spent a pound on her, someone who I’m assuming left her old job to follow you to your new surgery and presumably works super long hours.’
‘But it’s a deep tissue massager. She’ll love that. She’s always had a problem with her shoulders.’
Poppy grimaced. It just didn’t seem right. If he was struggling financially – not in the lucrative position he was in now – then, yes, she’d have been congratulating him on his luck, but it just didn’t sit well with her. Just a few moments ago he’d been willing to spend loads on her and now… ‘But I’m guessing she usually buys you a gift?’
‘Yes.’ Mack nodded slowly.
‘And she, presumably, won’t be giving you something she’s just won in a raffle?’
‘I don’t know. Probably not.’
‘Then don’t you feel guilty? She’s going to be spending more on you than you have on her, despite the fact I’m guessing you bring home a considerable amount more than she does.’
‘So? That’s her choice. I’m not expecting her to buy me a present. It’s not in her terms of employment that she has to or anything.’
‘No, but you’re guessing she probably will do. And, say she spends, I don’t know, ten pounds or fifteen pounds on your gift and you give her this…’ she waved her hand towards the box he was now carrying under his arm ‘… she’s going to assume that you’ve spent loads on her, so next Christmas, or birthday if you exchange birthday gifts, she’ll spend more to make up for the fact that she thought you spent more than she did.’
‘I don’t understand what you’re trying to say. It’s her choice as to what she spends on me and my choice what I spend on her. Besides, it’s not about the money spent, it’s about the gift. If I bought one of those make-up bags it would have cost a lot. Presumably a similar amount to what this would cost me if I’d bought it in a shop.’ He patted the box.
‘Right.’ Poppy looked ahead. He clearly didn’t understand what she was trying to say. Not that it was any of her business, anyway.
10
‘Come on, it’ll be fun.’ Mack touched her arm and pointed ahead.
‘What? No.’ Poppy looked across to the Christmas display at the back of the hall next to the tables and chairs. A basket of elf hats and fabric reindeer antler headbands stood next to a large chalkboard saying,Pop on a hat & take a Christmas pic to treasure!
‘Go on. Look.’ Lowering the massager onto the table, he pulled on a bright green elf hat and jingled the gold bell on its tip.
‘I don’t know.’ She glanced behind her hoping someone else was waiting to take a photo, any reason why she could excuse herself from the situation.
He rummaged through the basket, pulled out an antler headband and leaned forward, sliding it onto her head. ‘Now this one would look good on you.’
‘Urgh.’ Rolling her eyes, Poppy placed the bag of hand-blown glass baubles she’d bought for Aunt Flora and the pawprint-covered tea towel and oven glove combo she’d bought for Susan on the table and repositioned the headband. ‘Ouch.’
‘Sorry, did I catch you?’
‘No, you just pierced my skull, that’s all.’ She scrunched her nose up in an attempt to look moody. Not that she was. After their disagreement earlier it had been quite fun looking around the craft fayre. And she had to admit, he could pull off the elf hat quite well.
