Page 113 of Cooking Up a Christmas Storm
‘In Scotland? At this cookery school?’
‘Yeah.’ Jodie took up the peeler and set to work. ‘I made mash and tattie scones. I’m basically a potato expert now.’
‘Excellent. Well, you can start on the sprouts after this.’
Jodie almost giggled as her mother slid the bag of sprouts down the counter towards her. ‘You know you don’t need to cut crosses in the bottoms of them but loads of people do?’
‘I did know that. Yes.’
‘And you can fry or roast them with bacon.’ She picked up the bag. ‘Some people still think they should just end up in the bin though.’
Her mother laughed. ‘Like that guy on the internet.’ She started up a rough impersonation of Old Strachan. ‘Just put ’em in the bin…’
‘Where did you see that?’
Her mum shrugged. ‘Everywhere lately.’
‘I filmed that. In the kitchen at Lowbridge.’
‘Really?’ Her mother gasped in delight. ‘And then it went all viral?’
Jodie nodded. ‘It was supposed to be about imaginative things to do with sprouts though. So not really what we were aiming for.’
‘I bet it got a lot of people clicking on the cookery school account though? So that’s something.’
‘Yeah. Maybe it did.’
Christmas in Lowbridge this year was going to be a community affair. Pavel was sure his mum had a big hand in this plan, because when had anything happened without her agreement at the very least?
So on Christmas morning he found himself carrying a freshly made makowiec, as well as two carrier bags of wine from the shop and a Tupperware of his mum’s honey-glazed parsnips over the Low Bridge, closely followed by Netty, and her husband Gareth, and Anna and Hugh. ‘Flinty and Veronica were staying at the castle last night,’ Anna informed them.
‘Flinty’s probably already in the kitchen telling Bella what she’s doing wrong,’ Netty joked. ‘Is the reverend joining us?’ She directed the question at Pavel. ‘I mean, not that you’d know.’
‘It’s fine. And yes. She’s got a service in Lochcarron first but she’ll be here for lunch.’
Pavel filled the morning fetching and carrying, bringing drinks, carting chairs through into the small hall ready for lunch, which was massive. Everyone had contributed and Bella had catered for twice as many people as attended anyway.
‘Smile for the camera, Pav!’ Bella’s phone moved in front of him. ‘It’s for Insta.’
He nodded warily and watched her move on, filming the table and the mound of opened gifts and empty glasses. It was the aftermath of the perfect Christmas dinner. He was among friends and family. There was warmth and love and community. He’d opened a pair of ridiculous Christmas socks and eaten more food than he normally would in a month. He was exactly where he’d always belonged. He should be happy.
He really should, but Lowbridge, which had always been his home, felt empty now.
Later, after dinner, when the neighbours had gone home and her brother and his partner were dozing in front of the telly, Jodie made her way into the quiet garden at the back of the bungalow. She pulled a blanket around her and leaned back to look up at the stars. There weren’t as many here as at Lowbridge. The street lights damped down the view, but there were some, and they were still shining.
Her mum came out to join her. ‘Room for another under that blanket?’
‘Sure.’
Her mum snuggled in next to her. ‘So what’s next for you? Back to Scotland?’
Jodie shivered in the night air. Her parents wouldn’t want her around forever. Of course they wouldn’t. Returning to Lowbridge wasn’t an option. The problem now was that she couldn’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else. ‘I’m not sure. I won’t stay much longer though.’
‘You can stay as long as you like. You know that.’
‘I’ll find a job.’ Jodie had no idea how. For the first time in her life she’d had a job she actually enjoyed, and that it was possible she wasn’t awful at. She didn’t think Bella or Adam would be writing her a glowing reference any time soon though.
‘I’m sure you will. What’s wrong though?’
