Page 57 of The Village Christmas Party

‘Go on, you first,’ says Gemma.

‘Okay.’ I take a deep breath. ‘Well, you know Kian, aka hot shop guy?’

‘Yes.’

‘He has asked me out.’

‘Has he?’ Gemma stirs the cream on the top of her drink.

‘That wasn’t quite the reaction I expected,’ I tell her, wondering why she isn’t excited for me, as she normally would be.

‘What, gosh no, I’m really pleased for you.’ She smiles then, but it feels like she is holding something back. ‘And lucky you, he really is a cutie. I told you he fancied you, didn’t I?’ she says, sounding like her usual bubbly self but I’m not quite convinced.

‘So, what’s your news?’ I turn the conversation to her, wondering why her reception to the news of my date with Kianwas so lukewarm. I will try and prise it from her once she has told me her news.

‘I’m thinking of leaving,’ she says as she takes a sip of her drink.

‘Leaving. What, you mean Bentham’s?’ I ask in surprise. Gemma has loved working there for as long as I can remember. She has always been in retail, and when she first joined the staff, she told me it was pretty much the best establishment she could hope to be employed by.

‘No, not just Bentham’s. Here, as in Fellview.’ She looks up at me.

‘Leaving?’ My hot coffee suddenly feels cold in my mouth, ‘But what’s brought this on? And where would you go?’ I can think of a dozen questions I want to ask.

‘I suppose it was over Christmas, spending time with my extended family,’ she explains. ‘One of my older cousins brought his friend along who would have been on his own over Christmas. Anyway, long story short, we hit it off.’

‘And you are thinking of moving to Wales?’ I ask, hoping it’s North Wales, which isn’t too bad a journey, but it turns out it’s mid-Wales, a three-hour drive away.

‘It could be worse,’ Gemma says. ‘South Wales is more like five hours.’

‘It is a long way,’ I say quietly. ‘Although if it’s what you really want, I support you. I don’t suppose you can be like Gavin and Stacey, can you? Commuting all that distance.’ I manage a smile.

‘Oh, it’s not about Brad, that’s his name, I barely know him. I am thinking about it though,’ she says. ‘I guess us all being together made me realise how much I miss my family, especially my young nephews, even though they do wear me out.’ She laughs. ‘My aunt said they have regular get-togethers, and I don’t know, I think I would like to be part of a big family. I hadn’trealised how much I missed that. Mum is seriously considering moving back to Wales, too.’

Gemma moved up here as a teenager when her dad took a job in the area. She’d protested and demanded to stay with her aunt in Wales at the time, before settling here and eventually being happy. Until now it seems. Her dad has passed away since, so I guess it makes sense for her mum, who lives a few miles away, to also want to be closer to her sister and extended family.

‘I can understand that,’ I tell her, even though my heart breaks at the thought of my best friend not being around anymore.

‘Anyway. As I said, I’m just thinking about it. I might be over it tomorrow. I’m always the same after a big family get-together.’ She laughs. ‘It will probably soon be business as usual. Talking of which, I should probably get going.’ She glances at her watch.

Gemma is on shift today, for the Boxing Day sales, starting work at twelve, finishing at eight, whilst I don’t return until tomorrow. It’s worked out well really, as I can look after Mum for an extra day, although I didn’t quite expect Dad to be around too.

‘We’ll chat more later. Still on for drinks when I finish work?’ she says, picking her bag up from the floor and looping it over her shoulder.

‘Yeah, sure. See you tonight.’ I smile.

The door opens and the family I saw earlier enter, the young boy placing his scooter in a corner near a coat stand. They find a nearby table, all of them red cheeked and smiling and I can’t help but smile myself. It’s a lovely place to raise a family, with the river walks and fells to climb, not to mention enjoying long walks and picnics in the summer months.

I order myself another drink, then mull over what Gemma has just told me. I can imagine her thriving amongst a huge family, and think of how different we are. Maybe I ought totake up more invitations, from some of the work gang, and explore more opportunities. Just before Christmas, they went on a canoeing day in Windermere and even though I was tempted to join them, I thought of all the things I needed to do that weekend, and declined in the end. Audrey is also a new friend I could spend more time with if I chose to. I love Gemma like a sister, but she must do what it takes to make her happy, I realise that. Life has to change if we are to grow.

Sipping my coffee and staring at the square outside, I also wonder why Gemma was less than thrilled when I told her that Kian had asked me out. But maybe I will ask her more about that later.

I am just finishing my second drink, glancing out of the window, when I notice Rose walking past with a lady around her own age. I tap on the window and she gives a little wave, so I head outside and say hello. She briefly introduces her sister, who smiles before walking inside a shop.

‘How are you, Rose?’ I ask.

‘I’m fine,’ she says a little stiffly. ‘You?’

‘Yes, fine. Sorry to hear about you and Dad.’ Despite their differences they did spend several years together. Before he met Rose, he frequented the local pub a lot, meeting friends, and probably drank too much beer.

---