Two Purple Gloves (A Pear Street Christmas #2)

CHAPTER TWENTY

“We have a large inflatable snowman.”

LISA

Roast potatoes. Saved just in time and looking golden and delicious.

Turkey. Resting.

Vegetables. All cooked and staying warm.

Pigs in blankets. Already on the table.

Kids. Eyeing up the pigs in blankets.

Champagne. On ice.

Christmas pudding. In the garage and ready to light on fire.

O ur dining table wasn’t designed for nineteen people. I guess not many people’s are. But with the two temporary tables and some impressive furniture rearranging, the Christmas dinner looks like a medieval banquet laid out along one long table. Everyone oohs and ahs when they come in to take their seats, sticking to the seating plan I came up with last night while I was feeding Mary, making sure to keep Mandy away from her parents. Her kids, Billie and Andy are sat with Lucas, Oscar, Margot, and Freddie, chatting away and entertaining the younger ones like they’ve always been a part of each other’s lives. Mary sits on her highchair between Harry and me and is now very loudly slamming her bamboo bowl down on the table in front of her, over and over again.

When everyone else in seated, Harry brings the turkey over to the table, much to the delight of everyone sat around it. There’s applause and enthusiastic praise directed at me, and I give a little curtsey in response. We dig in and conversation remains light as everyone enjoys their food. Dad makes a toast to family and friends, thanking Harry and me for hosting and the table all lift their glasses in cheers.

“We actually have some news we wanted to share with everyone,” Jake says when the noise dies down.

“We all know you’re engaged,” Rhiannon says dismissively, and he throws a pea at her.

“Something else.”

Pam gasps. “Nel’s pregnant?”

Harry nearly chokes on his champagne and Nel loses all colour from her cheeks as she stares wordlessly back at her future mother-in-law.

“How about you let me tell you rather than guessing?” Jake grumbles.

“You’re right, sorry. Please continue.” Pam gestures for him to do so and Jake looks to his fiancée, the two of them sharing an excited smile.

“So, you know we were looking for a house?”

“You needed somewhere closer to a train station for Nel to commute into London, isn’t that right?” Mandy asks.

“Yeah. Jake’s place is nice and really convenient for him to get to work but it’s a half hour drive to the station and another ninety minutes on the train, I can’t keep doing it.” Nel takes a large glug of her wine, maybe just to doubly prove she isn’t pregnant.

“Well, we found a place,” Jake says, a huge smile on his face.

“Oh, that’s great news,” Mandy says.

“Yes, it’s about time you own your own home.” Glenn doesn’t look up from his plate where he’s attacking a piece of turkey so ferociously, I’m worried about the snowflake pattern on the China.

“So, you two are staying firm on not having children?” Pam asks, disappointment obvious .

I look at Harry, he looks at me.

This is so awkward.

I know.

Are they always like this?

He tilts his head from side to side and I can’t quite interpret his answer.

Say something.

“So, where’s the place you’ve found?” Harry asks with an excited smile, encouraging the conversation back on track.

Nel and Jake share another smile, a joke we’re not in on, yet. “Well,” Nell says slowly. “We already tried the trains to and from London, it’s less than an hour to my studio. It’s picturesque, nice little two-bedroom house with parking.”

“Sounds great,” I say, genuinely excited for my friends.

“Yeah, but we’re just a little worried about the neighbours, seem a little rowdy.” Jake frowns, toying with a Brussel sprout.

“Ooh, drama,” Rhiannon says with a little excited wiggle in her seat. “Tell us more.”

“Really dodgy looking family right up the street, three delinquent kids.” Jake looks at Nel for confirmation and she nods with a serious face.

“They have a crazy eight-foot inflatable snowman out the front of their house,” Nel says, pulling a worried face.

I frown. “We have a large inflatable snowman.”

“And they sort of insinuated they expect us to babysit,” Jake says, screwing his face up.

Harry and I share confused expressions.

Dad chuckles. “You know, for two intelligent people, you two are quite slow on the uptake.”

“What?” Harry says, rather dumbly.

Something clicks and I sit back in my chair, wide eyed. “Oh my god!”

“What?” Harry asks even more confused.

“You’re moving here? ”

Harry’s head snaps to me and back to Jake. “You’re…? Is that true?”

“Yes, brother,” Jake laughs. “Our offer on 220 Pear Street was accepted three days ago and if all goes well, we should be moving in the spring.”

I can see the tears welling in Harry’s eyes as he stares at two of his favourite people as they smile back at him with love. My husband doesn’t like to get emotional in front of people, so I throw him a bone. “Harry,” I breathe with forced wonder. “We have babysitters for life.”

“And they have a second bedroom, we can send the kids to them,” he whispers back. “We can walk around our own house naked.”

I laugh, along with the rest of the table and Lucas and Oscar make fake heaving sounds. “Oh guys, we’re so happy for you.”

“Thanks,” Nel says. “We’re really excited.”

“I bet,” Mandy says. “New beginnings, they’re exciting.” I catch her eye and wink at her. She gives a grateful smile in response.

“How wonderful, you’ll all be so close,” Mum says.

“I can’t wait,” Lucas says with a bounce. “Uncle Jake has the good PlayStation games.”

“Sshh, bud,” Jake says out the side of his mouth and I shoot him an unimpressed glare.

“Have you been letting my babies play those violent shooting games?”

“No!” His voice says indignant, but his shifty eyes say we’re going to be bringing this up again later.

“Dude, you’re in so much trouble,” Harry mutters.

Dinner continues with jubilance and excited chatter before we’re all too stuffed to keep sitting next to all the uneaten food. The boys all tidy up while I usher the others into the lounge and Nel helps me fulfil everyone’s drinks orders. While we’re in the garage, I give her the biggest hug.

“I’m so excited you’re going to be living so close. ”

“Me too.” She squeezes me back. “I was always happy living in London and having a separate life from my family, but when Mum and Dad died, then Harry and I actually started talking to each other, I craved being closer. It’s been nice living with Jake these last few months but we’re both so looking forward to making a home together and being close to people who love us.”

I smile at my sweet sister-in-law. “And we do love you, you know?”

“I do.” She beams.

“And we were just joking about the babysitting,” I reassure her.

She lets out a little snort. “No, you weren’t.”

It’s a squeeze to get us all in the lounge but it’s time for family presents and all I can see are heads bobbing above a sea of discarded wrapping paper. My kids have been so thoroughly spoilt that I’m going to have to put in a little work to keep them humble.

Jake gives Nel a snow globe, just like he had last year, and she smiles sweetly at him with a small blush.

Harry bought me a gorgeous pair of amethyst earrings and I gave him the painting of a grey skied cliff edge dropping to stormy seas that he’d loved when we visited Cornwall last summer. He’d looked at me wide eyed as he read the label.

“Another gift?” he whispered to me but not quiet enough as my mother perked up.

“What else did you get, Harry?”

“Nothing,” he answered too quickly, making me roll my eyes at him.

Another gift box is passed my way, and the label is written in Harry’s surprisingly neat cursive .

I saw these and thought of you.

Purple always makes me think of you.

Love you forever, Angel.

Merry Christmas.

I pull at the ribbon and open the box, moving tissue paper aside to see a pair of beautiful, supple leather, purple gloves. They make me smile. Not quite the elbow length silk gloves he first noticed but enough of an homage to make my cheeks heat at the memory of our first Christmas.

“They’re beautiful, Harry.”

“Purple has always been my favourite colour on you,” he says softly and once again, we’re the only people in the world, his beautiful emerald eyes burning heat into my soul.

I love you.

I love you, Angel.