Page 37 of Christmas at the Home Farm Vets
‘Thanks, Pippa.’ Erin wasn’t expecting Raf to walk beside her into the dining room and everyone soon followed, tucking into gammon roasted with cider, apples and celery, perfectly crisp roast potatoes and red cabbage braised with blackberries. Dessert was an indulgent and utterly delicious chocolate orange trifle, thick Baileys custard layered over orange and dark chocolate and smothered in a generous cream topping. Most people drifted back to the kitchen to eat, and when they were done, Gil called for quiet once Alfie had turned down the music.
‘Thanks everyone. I’m not going to drone on like the office bore but I have got a couple of official duties to perform and something to share with you. So firstly, we’ll announce the winner of the mince pie tasting competition.’
Elaine handed Gil an envelope. ‘It’s like the Oscars, only more secretive. Thanks, Elaine.’ He tore open the envelope and grinned. ‘Okay, so the winner is… Entry number five.’
Everybody was looking at everyone else and Erin beamed as she stepped forward. Joyce’s recipes never let her down. ‘That’s me. It’s my nan’s recipe, with her homemade mincemeat.’
‘Well, it worked. You and your nan came out on top, it seems everyone loves a traditional mince pie. Congratulations.’
‘Thank you. And thanks for voting for them, my nan will be chuffed.’
‘Elaine did ask me to sort out a prize and I forgot, so see me on Monday and I’ll arrange something.’ Gil put the envelope down. ‘Anytime you feel like making them again, we won’t say no.’
‘I’d love to.’ It would be a good excuse to bake again before Christmas. Joyce had promised Erin a small cake of her own, seeing as she wouldn’t be around to share theirs.
‘So now, Secret Santa.’ He rattled a bowl with folded up pieces of paper inside. ‘If everyone can take one, and obviously please don’t share who you’ve picked. The budget is ten pounds max, and we’ll exchange gifts on the twenty-third.’
The staff helped themselves and Erin unwrapped hers. She slipped it in her bag, happy with her choice.
‘Great, that’s sorted.’ Gil held out a hand to Pippa; she made her way to his side and he slid an arm around her. ‘And I want to say thank you, to each and every one of you. It’s been a challenging year for sure, but we’ve already come a long way since taking on the practice in the summer. We’re a great team and I couldn’t be happier to be working alongside you all. And even though he’s not here I must thank Jonny too, because without his generosity in remembering my dad and giving me a chance to keep the farm and grow the practice, none of us would be here.’
‘Hear, hear,’ Elaine called, and there was a lull as everyone raised their glasses to Pippa’s dad.
‘But.’ Gil was looking at Pippa, and she reached up to kiss his cheek. ‘None of this would have happened if I hadn’t met Pippa, and much as I want to keep the practice going, I couldn’t do it without this incredible woman at my side. I still can’t believe she’s taken me on and maybe one day I’ll deserve the faith and trust she’s put in me.’ He offered a toast to Pippa, and she laughed as the glasses were raised again, and he kissed her.
‘So that brings me to our news.’ He ran a triumphant gaze over the staff. ‘We heard yesterday that we’ve been granted planning permission to redevelop the barns and extend the practice. To say I’m delighted is an understatement, and I’m very much looking forward to building a future here with you all. It’s going to bring a lot of new challenges, but I hope you’ll meet them with me, and we’ll work together to keep the practice here in Hartfell. So here’s to us, Home Farm Vets, and the future.’
‘Yay,’ Jess yelled, and everyone laughed as Gil raised his glass again.
‘Home Farm Vets,’ they chorused, raising their own glasses.
Erin’s three-month review was due, and she really hoped it would be a formality. The practice was adapting as it grew and she wanted to be at the heart of it, to fix her future to Hartfell. Her eyes sought Oli, talking with Elaine, and she was sharply reminded that they might never work together again once he’d gone. He was already becoming a part of this place, had slotted so well into the team. And yet he was leaving in less than two weeks, moving on to somewhere new, never standing still. She was scared of admitting, even to herself, that she was already wondering how her life would look when he was no longer in it. She checked her phone, a wave of despair following to see no more from Jason.
‘Dancing. You promised.’
Erin started as Jess grabbed her hand, jolted from her uncomfortable thoughts. ‘Jess, there’s barely room to swing a cat!’
‘Don’t care. This is the only staff party I’m going to get this year and we’re dancing.’
Erin abandoned her glass, happy to be distracted from her humiliation by a Cher Christmas party track and soon she and Jess weren’t alone. Raf was on the decks with Harriet, and he grinned when he caught Erin’s eye. Three glasses of mulled cider and several tracks later, she was dancing like no one was watching and it felt so good to release some of the tension she’d been unconsciously carrying all evening.
She leaned towards Jess to shout over the music. ‘I’m going to check on Marnie.’
Outside the night was bitter as she crossed the courtyard and she shivered, wishing she’d thought to put her coat on. Apart from the embarrassment of Jason standing her up, she was having a wonderful time. It was his lack of courtesy she minded the most, but then what could she seriously expect, given that everything so far between them had been pretty casual.
The practice was eerily dark, and she switched on a light in reception after letting herself in. Marnie, still in her isolation kennel, seemed happy to see her and Erin was busy chatting to her as she topped up the water bowl and offered her some food.
‘Are you okay?’
Erin shrieked, and the packet of food she’d been holding splattered on the floor. She spun around to find Oli leaning against the open door, and dragged in a breath.
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you jump.’
‘What are you doing here?’
‘I just came to see if you and Marnie are okay.’
‘I’m fine.’ She grabbed a paper towel to wipe up the mess. ‘Thanks for asking. Marnie’s doing well, I definitely think she can come home on Monday.’
