Page 27 of Christmas Joy at the Cornish Bakery

‘Thanks.’ Jasper did the exact same movements with the stick as Robyn had done and other people before her.

‘Nope, lad. Still, nope.’ Uncle Bernie rubbed his hands together as he took the walking stick again.

‘Go on, then. Show us again, Uncle Bernie.’ Jasper passed him the walking stick.

‘Okay, watch carefully this time.’ Holding the stick in his hand, Uncle Bernie tapped it on the carpet three times before drawing a star in the plush carpet. Once he’d finished, he leaned back, another one of his coughing fits erupting from his throat.

‘Oooh.’ Jasper raised his eyebrows at his uncle.

Grinning, Uncle Bernie pointed the stick at him. ‘If you think you’ve cracked it, keep quiet until it’s your turn, lad.’

‘I will.’ Nodding, Jasper tapped his index finger against the side of his nose.

‘Good lad.’ Uncle Bernie passed the walking stick to Charlotte, who was sitting next to him, wearing an expression of confusion.

Robyn watched as the walking stick was passed around the circle once more, people turning to each other once they’d had a go and been told they hadn’t got it right, shrugging and chatting amongst themselves. She smiled as she wrapped her arms around her knees. Ever since she’d walked into the house, there hadn’t been a moment when someone wasn’t laughing or joking, chatting or retelling a story. And it all seemed genuine, from the smiles to the grins to the laughter and the hugs. Every single one of the guests, Jasper’s family, neighbours, friends, were enjoying themselves, were happy. And it seemed genuine. As much as she studied their faces, their expressions, she couldn’t catch them out. They appeared to be enjoying themselves in each other’s company.

Jasper reached out and laid his hand on her forearm. ‘Your turn, Robyn.’

Crossing her legs again, Robyn took the walking stick from Finn and tapped it on the floor three times before drawing a star, making sure she copied the same shape and angles of the points as Uncle Bernie had.

‘Nope.’ Uncle Bernie shook his head as he had done to everyone else before her. ‘Next!’

Passing the walking stick to Jasper, she smiled as their fingers brushed, his skin warm against hers. ‘Good luck.’

‘Thanks, but I don’t think I’ll need it.’ He grinned as he stretched his arms out in front of him as though he were warming up for the gym. Picking up the walking stick, he did exactly as Robyn and everyone else had before him. Three taps, one star drawn in the carpet. As soon as he’d finished the star, he began to cough.

‘Are you okay?’ Robyn patted him on the back, concern rising inside her.

‘Here, have a drink, Jasper, son.’ Jasper’s dad strode across the circle and held out a glass to him.

Still, Jasper continued to cough. Taking the glass, Robyn held it next to him.

And as quickly as the coughing episode had begun, Jasper stopped and grinned, looking pointedly at his uncle.

Rocking back in his chair, Uncle Bernie roared with laughter and clapped his hands together. ‘You’ve got it, lad. You’ve won!’

‘What? How?’ Sitting back down, Jasper’s dad raised his eyebrows.

‘Yeah, he did exactly what we’ve all been doing.’ Finn chuckled beside her.

‘No, he didn’t. Tell ‘em what it was you did differently, lad.’ Uncle Bernie instructed between roars of laughter.

Jasper shrugged as he looked around the group. ‘I coughed.’

‘Nooo!’ Charlotte slapped her leg. ‘It was the cough. That was part of the sequence we had to copy. We should have known it’d be something like that, coming from you, Uncle Bernie.’

Joining in the laughter, Robyn once again realised that everyone in this room was being genuine. They were getting along. There were no awkward undercurrents, no unsaid words.

‘Right, time for some Christmas cake before another game.’ Charlotte stood up, looking around the living room. ‘Everyone want a slice?’

‘Not for me, thanks. I should get back to the bakery.’ Robyn spoke up amid the nods and ‘yes please’s.

‘Ah yes, time for work again for me too. I need to set the stall up on the beach for after the lantern parade.’ Jasper stood up and held out his hands for Robyn, pulling her up next to him.

‘I’ll give you a hand, son.’ Jasper’s dad stood up.

‘Nope, I’ve got this.’ Jasper grinned at his dad. ‘Besides, this is your first year of retirement, the first time you get to stay at the party without thinking about work.’

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