Maddy’s Christmas Wedding (Little Duck Pond Cafe #37)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Next morning, still snuggled in bed, I FaceTimed Rob as I’d promised him I would.

It felt so indulgent being able to relax like this in pure white Egyptian cotton bed linen, propped up against four of the softest, fluffiest pillows ever.

I knew Rob would probably take a while to answer, so I was reading my book at the same time. Finland was two hours ahead of the UK, so it would be almost seven o’clock in the morning over there. The twins would have been up for at least an hour and would likely be demanding juice and their special cereal round about now. In fact, I felt a bit guilty phoning. Rob would probably be flying around trying to stop Liam and Lottie jumping off things or killing each other. While I was tucked up snugly in bed without a care in the world . . .

‘Fen?’

‘Oh, hi!’ I dropped my book in surprise. He’d answered almost immediately. And there they were, the three of them, sitting in a row on the sofa, Rob in the middle.

‘Mummy!’ shouted Liam, jumping temporarily out of the crook of Rob’s arm.

‘Hi, darling. Gosh, you’re all dressed.’ I grinned. ‘Well done, Daddy.’

‘Not just a pretty face, you know,’ Rob joked. ‘So how was the journey?’

‘Long. But it was worth it. This place is amazing. We’ve got lots of snow here, Lottie, for making snowmen. And for sledging, Liam. And next time, you’re all going to come with me to meet Santa Claus. Would you like that?’

Lottie, looking so cute snuggled up to Rob, merely nodded. She was sucking her thumb sleepily, looking as if she’d just woken up.

‘Santa!’ shouted Liam, raising an arm in excitement and almost knocking Rob out.

I smiled. ‘Yes. Santa’s coming soon.’

‘Is he coming now?’

Rob chuckled. ‘No. We have to buy carrots for the reindeer first, remember?’

Lottie removed her thumb from her mouth to announce, ‘I like carrots,’ and then popped it straight back in again.

My heart felt full. I just wanted to be there so I could give them all a big hug. I smiled. ‘Are you missing me, Liam?’

‘No!’ He laughed and jumped off the sofa and started doing a strange hip-swivelling dance, presumably for my benefit.

‘Oh, you’re such a good dancer!’

Lottie, not to be out done by her brother, scrambled to get off the sofa and ended up in a heap on the floor.

‘Are you all right?’ I called anxiously. It was so weird, not being there to help.

‘Of course she is,’ grinned Rob, helping her up. ‘Come on, Lottie, let’s see you dance as well.’

So then they were racing around the room, whooping, and only coming into view for very brief glimpses. Rob, also fully dressed (which amazed me; I was usually still in my pyjamas at this time) was laughing and telling them to be careful.

‘You’re not missing me at all, are you?’ I joked (well, half-joked).

‘Of course we are. Aren’t we, kids? We want Mummy to come back very soon, don’t we? With presents from the elves.’

‘Presents!’ I heard Liam shout. Then Lottie grabbed the phone from Rob’s hand and everything went a bit weird until I realised she was kissing the screen.

Laughing, Rob wrestled the phone back and said he’d better go before someone did themselves a mischief. He said he’d take them to the park a bit later but they were going to watch a movie first.

I smiled. ‘Good luck with getting an agreement on which one.’

‘Oh, they’ve already decided. It’s Winnie the Pooh.’

‘Oh, wow!’ Normally, I had a battle on my hands getting them to decide.

‘Yup. Bit of luck I might get some peace to make a few phone calls.’

‘Hey, you’re on holiday, remember? Business can wait.’

‘Call this a holiday?’ He did a funny grimace, although he didn’t look too bothered, really.

We agreed to Facetime again the following morning, and I came off the call, feeling a mix of emotions. Love, of course, because I was missing them already, and happiness at the funny little exchange. Relief as well, knowing they were all okay. But I was aware of another niggling feeling that wasn’t quite so positive.

I wasn’t disgruntled exactly. That would be too harsh a word.

No, I was a little peeved.

It was a funny old-fashioned word but it summed up perfectly how ‘put-out’ I was feeling. I suppose I’d expected to be confronted with a scene of chaos with the twins acting up and Rob looking red-faced, half-dressed and unusually harassed. But things had been calm and organised. Rob seemed to have everything under control.

All in all, they seemed to be having a great time without me . . .