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‘Don’t you even think about it.’ Laughing, Susan held up her hand.
‘Oh, I do love you lot.’ Flora chuckled and tucked her hands under the blanket over her knees.
‘Can you take this end, Mack?’ Standing on her tiptoes, Poppy took the end of the fairy lights and held them up to Mack, who was standing on the stepladder.
‘Wow, it certainly does look festive.’ Flora grinned. ‘Come and take a look, lovelies.’
Poppy, Mack, Alex, Ginny, Percy, Sally and Susan all gathered around Flora and looked back at the tree.
‘It certainly does.’ Mack wrapped his arm around Poppy’s waist, drawing her towards him and kissing the top of her head.
Smiling, Poppy closed her eyes. With the Christmas music playing from the radio and the Christmas tree in front of them, she almost felt festive herself.
‘Oh, I’ve got an idea! Why don’t we have Christmas carols around the tree? We could invite the public and serve hot chocolate? I can make some mince pies, too!’ Susan clapped her hands.
‘Oh, I love that idea.’ Flora smiled.
‘Yes, I can ask Darryl to pop something in the paper. When shall we do it?’
‘How about Christmas Eve? That’ll make sure there’re a couple of days for word to get out and us to get organised with the supplies.’ Percy stroked his beard.
‘Good idea. That’s decided then. Christmas carols and hot chocolate around the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve.’ Flora beamed.
Poppy watched as everyone else hurried back inside to begin planning for the Christmas carol event and hung back, waiting for her aunt.
‘Are you okay, love?’ Standing up, Flora slipped her arms through the crutches.
‘Yes.’ Poppy picked up the chair Aunt Flora had been sitting on before looking across at her. ‘I know you don’t want to talk about it, but have you thought any more about letting me help out with the debts? I spoke to my friend Melissa earlier and Ben is moving Davina in with him.’
‘I’m so sorry, lovely.’ Flora paused.
‘Oh no, it’s a good thing. It means I can accept his offer and because she’s buying the other half and she doesn’t have a house to sell, I should get my half of the equity pretty soon, hopefully. We can be debt free.’
Aunt Flora set her jaw and looked ahead. ‘I’m still not taking your money, Poppy, lovely. It’s so very kind of you to offer but I haven’t changed my mind. And I won’t.’
Poppy sighed as they began walking towards the reception area again. ‘But what’s the alternative? You give up your home? I won’t stand by and let that happen, Aunt Flora. I just won’t. I’m happy to give you the money. I don’t see the problem.’
‘You have a good heart, my lovely. But it would be wrong of me to take it. If I remortgage I can cover the mortgage repayments with Arthur’s pension. I will be just fine.’
‘Umm.’ Poppy shook her head. She wouldn’t get her aunt to change her mind, but she could be there to help if things didn’t work out the way her aunt hoped they would. She could keep hold of her money. Just in case.
‘And don’t you go taking some silly low offer just so you get the money quicker.’ Flora nodded towards her. ‘You insist on going by the estate agent’s evaluation. You owe neither of them any favours and you have yourself to look out for. Your future, my lovely.’
‘I won’t.’ Poppy swapped the chair to the other hand. Her aunt was right. She shouldn’t accept Ben’s silly low offer. She’d put as much into that house as he had.
34
Poppy placed another huge tub of hot chocolate powder next to the two hot water urns Darryl had borrowed from the newspaper office. ‘That should be enough, shouldn’t it?’
‘Yes, I should think so.’ Susan unwrapped a large tray full of mince pies.
‘Wow, you’ve been busy.’ Poppy grinned.
‘Luckily, Malcolm offered to bake some too or else I’d only have half as much.’ Susan unwrapped another tray.
‘Is he coming tonight?’
‘Malcom? Oh, yes.’ She smiled. ‘Is Mack still coming?’
