Page 109 of One More Day
‘Jude’s mum made that,’ she whispers. ‘They were supposed to join us but send their apologies. I did do the rest.’
‘Ahem,’ says Dad from his perch at the top of the table.
We’re all a bit squashed, but Charlie and Helena haven’t stopped smiling since they got here, and I don’t think I have words to describe how high I feel having them with us. And then there’s Evelyn, who is quiet beside me, but who smiles every time I catch her eye.
‘OK, Dad did the turkey,’ Sarah announces. ‘Isn’t he the best!’
Everyone gives a cheer.
‘And the stuffing!’ he declares proudly. ‘Don’t forget the stuffing,’
‘The stuffing is my favourite,’ says Helena, giving my dad a playful nudge. They seem to have hit it off from the get-go, with Helena’s lack of filter matching my dad’s for once.They’ve provided us with plenty of laugh out loud moments already.
The conversation flows, with Sarah’s husband Jude intrigued by Charlie’s job, and my little niece Ada can’t take her eyes off Helena’s blue and black streaked hair. Her younger brother Jack refuses to sit at the table, too busy having fun with Max and George on the floor, and with the Amazon Alexa being thrown demands every few minutes to crack out a special request, the atmosphere is crazy and busy, just as I’d hoped it would be.
‘The gravy isverytasty,’ I say to Mum, knowing it was the one thing she managed to contribute to today’s feast. She reaches across to me and whispers, ‘Charlie is quite tasty too,’ nowhere near quietly enough. Sarah rolls her eyes.
‘Don’t let Dad hear you say that or he’ll get jealous.’
Even Evelyn joins in and has a chuckle.
‘There’s nothing wrong with looking at the menu,’ she says. ‘It doesn’t mean you have to order.’
Mum and I exchange glances and my heart glows at her cheeky grin, and when I see her scan the room with the widest smile, I know I’m so lucky to be able to spend this precious day with her and my father. Having Evelyn here is a bonus I could never have dreamed of.
‘Do you mind if I take a quick photo for Rebecca?’ Charlie asks me under his breath. ‘Don’t be afraid to say no, but I told her earlier I’d let her see us all together.’
‘Of course,’ I reply, with my mouth full of deliciousness. ‘Didn’t you say she wanted to see the dogs wearing Christmas hats? Here, let’s pull a cracker and get that sorted.’
I lift a cracker, recalling how just days ago I feared I’d never get to do something so simple again, yet now I’m surrounded by so many willing participants. Charlie and I tug and wait for it to snap. Then we do it again, so that Max and George have a paper hat each. Young Jack, who is still on the floor, takes great pleasure in fitting them with the hats, after a brief discussion on who would suit red and who would suit green. I think my George is definitely a green. Thankfully Jack agrees.
Everyone is relaxed, the mood is light and there’s no pressure to sit still or perform. We are drinking, we are eating and we are very merry.
I turn around and hold the phone camera up high, calling everyone for attention.
‘Jack, look this way, honey! Max and George, you two scallywags too! Evelyn, Mum, Helena, Dad, everyone, say “Happy Christmas, Rebecca!”’
‘Happy Christmas, Rebecca!’ we all shout together, and when Charlie takes the phone to send the picture to his daughter, I can’t help but notice that he has tears in his eyes.
‘She’ll be delighted,’ he says, swallowing back the emotion. ‘She won’t believe it when she sees so many people around the same table at the same time. This is so special, Rose. Thank you for having us here. It really does mean the whole world.’
I rest my head on his arm for just a second, and Helena catches the moment in a photo of the two of us, our first photograph together. When she shows me it, my eyes are half closed, Charlie is blinking too and has his mouth openas if he’s catching flies. It’s horrible, but it’s perfect. Soon, everyone is posing for pictures and I don’t think I’ve felt this much joy in a very long time.
I send Carlos a few snaps to keep him posted and he replies instantly with a photo of himself and his dad, new crystal glasses in hand making a cheers gesture across a busy Scrabble board.
They both look very happy.It’s the simple things.
‘Rose for a song,’ Dad calls out and everyone erupts into laughter.
‘Oh, I don’t think we’re quite ready for that,’ quips Evelyn, and I glow as it sounds like something Michael would have said. I close my eyes for just a second, and all I can see is his smiling face.
‘Let’s raise a glass to absent friends,’ I suggest, and with happy tears in our eyes, our glasses clink in the air as we remember loved ones who are no longer with us at the table, but who are watching over us all this Christmas. Michael, his dad, Charlie’s parents, and everyone who should be with us in body but who are very much with us in spirit.
‘Thank you,’ I whisper into Evelyn’s ear. ‘Thank you for reminding me that love lives on.’
‘It’s so good to see you happy,’ she whispers. ‘That makes me and Michael happy too.’
I put my arm around her and squeeze her delicate shoulders.
