Page 121 of The Twelve Dates of Christmas
Drew smiled wickedly and lowered his voice so that his date—who was feigning nonchalance but clearly straining to eavesdrop—wouldn’t hear.
“Actually,” he said. “I think I have. Only not on the Twelve Dates. I met him at the dry cleaners, of all places. They’d mixed up our dinner jackets. His name is Archie.”
“Wow,” said Kate. “That’s great, Drew, I’m really pleased for you.”
Drew sucked his cheeks in and tilted his head, looking smug.
“Anyway,” he said, looking over at his date, who was beginning to tap his foot impatiently. “I’d better get back. But I will seeyouon the twenty-third for outdoor movie and chill.”
Chillwas the word! The final date was being held in Fitzwilliam Park on the edge of Great Blexley. It was an outdoor Christmas movie night—though how they would manage to prevent the participants from getting hypothermia was beyond Kate—and all the people from all the different dates were going to be there; hence the need to hire out a park. The film showing wasIt’s a Wonderful Life, one of Kate’s favorites, and she was looking forward to seeing it on the big screen.
But before that, Kate had to get through the wine-tasting date tomorrow with Thomas, the twice-divorced carpenter. And before that, she had to win her best friend back with brownies and booze.
Kate went back the way she had come and found Laura seated in a carved wooden throne, beneath a portrait of a portly, ruddy-faced man wearing velvet britches and a ruffled shirt beneath his matching coat. She was engrossed in the papers she held, running her finger down a list and stopping every now and again to mark a spot on the page with her pen.
“Hello,” said Kate. Her voice sounded as small and pathetic as she felt in the big pompous room.
Laura looked up. She didn’t speak. She just looked at Kate. And Kate looked back.
“I’m so sorry,” said Kate. “You did absolutely the right thing for me and I was an ungrateful cow. I’ve brought hazelnut brownies and plonk as a peace offering.”
Laura burst unceremoniously into tears. She held her papers up over her face, but it didn’t hide her sobs. Kate crossed the room and knelt down beside the throne. She was crying too now.
“I’m really sorry,” said Kate. “I know you were doing what you thought was best.”
“I’m sorry toooooo,” sobbed Laura. “If I’d told you sooner... It just kills me to think that you might be unhappy because of me.”
Kate knelt up and put her arms around Laura’s neck.
“I’m not unhappy!” said Kate. “I mean, yeah, I’m unhappily in love with Matt. But I’m not unhappy with the way my life turned out. I love my life!”
“I’ve been so worried you’d never want to speak to me again!” said Laura.
“That would never happen,” said Kate. She leaned back onto her knees and took Laura’s hands.
Michael walked into the room, saw the two friends crying and holding hands, and walked back out again scratching his head. Kate and Laura started laughing.
They sat themselves down on the floor, leaning up against the wall, and shared a large chunk of brownie. They left the wine in the bag, since Laura was still officially at work.
It was barely four o’clock, but the windows showed only dark outside.
Laura flapped her papers.
“I’ve got twelve live pheasants, thirty-six partridges, and two peacocks being delivered on the twenty-third, so the Lord and Lady can have live birds wandering around outside on Christmas Day,” said Laura.
“Bloody hell!” said Kate. “You’d better tell Matt to steer clear of the manor for a while!”
“God only knows how we’re supposed to stop them from flying away,” Laura replied.
“It does seem extravagant,” said Kate.
“This is the compromise!” said Laura. “They’d wanted flocks of geese and swans and a pack of wild boar let into the woods, but the groundsman said they were liable to attack the guests when they went out for their constitutionals.”
Kate laughed. Laura wiped her brow.
“They like the juxtaposition between what they’re eating and their live counterparts outside the window,” Laura went on.
“Sickos.”
