Page 75 of The Village Christmas Party

‘Pleased to hear it. I was thinking of having a little gathering here,’ I tell him.

‘Sounds wonderful,’ he says, kissing my neck, and making me forget what I am about to say next.

‘So I was thinking,’ I say, gently pushing him away. ‘I ought to make a few phone calls. Only a small party, including my parents. What do you think?’

‘I think it sounds lovely.’ He smiles. ‘But I have Bella New Year’s Eve. Mum and Dad are going to a party at Dad’s golf club.’

I vaguely remember Sue telling me that her and Barry were having their granddaughter over on New Year’s Eve this year, so I decide to give her a call first.

‘Hold that thought,’ I tell him, retrieving my phone from my bag, and running upstairs to change, instructing Kian to pop the kettle on.

Five minutes later, I join him in the lounge where there are mugs of tea on the coffee table.

‘So, what are you up to?’ he asks.

‘It looks like the party is on.’ I smile. ‘Mum and Dad are thrilled, as is Audrey, who asked if her mum could come too, and of course Gemma and Mike will come,’ I say excitedly. ‘And the best news is Sue and Barry are going to bring their granddaughter, who it turns out is the same age as Bella. She said she will bring her Barbie Dreamhouse, so they can play together.’

‘That’s wonderful.’ Kian is smiling at me, and slowly shaking his head.

‘What?’

‘You’re amazing,’ he says. ‘You think of everything.’

‘I’m just practical.’ I shrug.

‘You’re more than that. You’re kind and thoughtful. Not to mention beautiful.’

There are no more words then as he kisses me.

FORTY

The house looks beautiful, strung with fairy lights across the windows and a thick holly wreath adorns the fireplace, dotted with chunky cream and red candles.

Bentham’s food hall provided the finest of nibbles which are laid out on the kitchen table, and I have a chilli simmering away in my giant slow cooker. I have also baked my popular red velvet cake, along with cupcakes, and stocked up on soft drinks for the children.

I am pouring some crisps into a bowl, when the doorbell rings and it’s Bella and Kian.

‘Oh wow. Just look at you. You look beautiful,’ I say to Bella, who is wearing a pretty silky blue dress, with a tutu-style skirt. ‘And you don’t scrub up too badly either.’ I turn to Kian, who looks gorgeous in a light-grey suit and dark shirt, without a tie.

‘Thanks,’ he says, handing me a bottle of champagne. ‘And it goes without saying that you look amazing.’ He kisses me on the cheek. ‘The scarf really suits you, I knew it would.’

I’m wearing a sleeveless black dress, the beautiful red scarf setting it off perfectly.

A couple of minutes later, Sue and Barry arrive with their granddaughter. When the little girl takes her coat off, she andBella burst out laughing as they are wearing exactly the same dress.

‘Do you want to play Barbie?’ asks Chloe and Bella’s eyes light up when Barry, having nipped to the car, returns with an enormous Barbie house that he places in the corner of the room close to the Christmas tree.

‘They would be mortified about wearing the same dress to a party if they were ten years older,’ Sue says laughing as she accepts a glass of white wine from me, whilst Kian is in the kitchen, finding Barry a beer. ‘And thanks for asking us over.’ She smiles. ‘Much as we love having Chloe, I’m sure she would much rather be playing with someone her own age on New Year’s Eve, than us pretending to be interested in all things Barbie and Disney.’ She laughs again. ‘Although we have been building a snowman in the garden. Well, when I say we, I mean Barry mainly. I think he might have nodded off in the chair about nine o’clock if we had stayed home.’

An hour later, all of the guests have arrived, and introductions are made, although most people know each other, apart from a new couple who have not long moved in across the road, and were delighted to be asked over. We chat so easily to them that I think they could become good friends.

I’m delighted Audrey’s mum agreed to accompany her here tonight, and Audrey tells me she has been getting out and about a little more.

‘I think the Christmas party really gave her a confidence boost,’ she tells me when we are in the kitchen eating a bowl of chilli.

‘I’m pleased to hear it. Sometimes people just need that little bit of encouragement.’

Gemma and Mike arrive just after nine having been to the pub for an hour and Gemma immediately gets the party in full swing with some upbeat music. We laugh as Gemma and Suestart dancing in the lounge and are joined by Barry, who does some dad dancing, which mainly involves pointing at things, and has us all laughing.

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