Page 67 of A Brambleberry Manor Christmas
So that’s what Tavie was saying to Noah when I came backfrom the loo that time! I thought it was odd she should go over and say hello,especially since she so clearly disapproved of him, having seen us in a clinchthe night before…
‘It’s been great getting to know you.’ He lets go of myhands and walks away. ‘Take care, Jenny.’ At the door, he turns and smilessheepishly. ‘Professor Plum in the kitchen with the dagger. Killing everyonewith his corny lines.’
‘Oh…but Iamready,’ I call, suddenly knowing exactlywhat to say. ‘I’m over Harvey and I’m ready to move forward.’
But my words fall on deaf ears.
He’s already gone.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
On the drive home, Flo probes me for details of whathappened when she deliberately left Noah and me alone in the kitchen. But Ijust smile grimly and tell her she might as well not have bothered.
She can tell I don’t want to talk about it, and I leave herto come to her own conclusions. The fact is, I’m feeling so deflated by thewhole incident that I’m just not in the mood to analyse the conversation.
Noah liked me. He acknowledged the attraction between us.But because of what Tavie told him, he’s decided to back off instead ofpursuing it. And now, recalling her reaction when she saw me with Noah, I’mthinking that maybe it’s all for the best. Because why would I want to getcloser to him if it’s just going to drive Tavie and me further apart?
Instead, I turn the conversation to Christmas Day.
Flo has decided to spend Christmas alone – not because shewants to, but because she knows she’d find it hard to justify not having evenone glass of sherry with her children. So in the interests of staying sober,she’s decided it would be best to avoid it altogether.
‘Listen, why don’t you join Tavie and me on Christmas Day? Imean, we won’t be doing anything exciting. Just eating too much and lyingaround watching Christmas telly. But it would be lovely having you there.’
‘Really?’ She frowns. ‘I’d hate to intrude.’
‘You wouldn’t be. Honestly. I’m sure Tavie would think youwere cool. Or sick. Or whatever it is they say these days. And playing boardgames is much more fun if there’s more than two of you.’
She laughs. ‘Well, in that case, maybe I’ll take you up onthat. Although I’m warning you, I play a mean game of Scrabble.’
‘So is that a yes?’
She frowns. ‘Can I say it’s a “probably”?’
‘Of course. You can let me know when we meet up tomorrow.’We’ve already planned to swap Christmas presents over cake and coffee at theLittle Duck Pond Café the following morning.
‘Okay. Perfect.’
I drop her off and when I get back home, the house is indarkness, no music playing, and when I go upstairs and peer into Tavie’s room,she’s curled on her side, fast asleep. I tip-toe over and gaze down at her.Then I pull the duvet up a little to keep her snug.
My heart used to expand with love, looking down at hersleeping form when she was a little girl.
I smile to myself. It seems that nothing has changed…
*****
Next morning, I knock on her door soon after nine, havingheard her moving about. And when I ask her how she is, and I sit on her bed,she actually seems to want to talk to me.
She starts apologising again for going AWOL last night and worryingme half to death. But I tell her I’m just glad she’s okay.
‘If anything had happened to you, I don’t know what I wouldhave done,’ I confess, and tears spring to her eyes.
‘I’ve been so horrible to you, Jenny. But I didn’t realise…’She tails off miserably.
‘I know. You didn’t realise about your dad. If you had,you’d have known why I just couldn’t let you go to his funeral.’ I swallow,remembering. ‘Honestly, I had nightmares about some woman, who we didn’t know,walking up the aisle of the crematorium and sitting in the front pew, like shebelonged there. And you turning to me, demanding to know who she was.’ Ishudder. ‘It was such a horrible time, and I’m sorry you had to go through allthat. I thought I was protecting you. But maybe I should just have been totallyhonest with you, right from the start – like Madison said?’
Tavie frowns, thinking about this. ‘Maybe. I would have beenreally upset to find out about Dad’s other women at the funeral, though. It wasbad enough hearing it the other day. But when he’d just died, it would havebeen unbearable.’
I nod wearily. ‘I suppose that’s what I thought.’
