Page 74 of The Twelve Dates of Christmas
“Mmm,” Kate agreed.
But all she kept hearing in her head were the wordsIt’s time to move forward. What did he mean? Was he trying to tell her something? Was it code forI’m going to propose to Sarah? And why did she care?
“I need to go home,” said Kate.
“What? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” she said. And then, “I just feel a bit sick.”
“Oh,” said Matt. “Okay. Well, I’ll walk you home.”
“There’s no need,” said Kate. “I’m a big girl.”
“You know, sometimes I think you argue with me out of pure habit,” said Matt.
The village was asleep as they wandered home. Even the pub wasdark and quiet. The bright moon lit their way as they made their marks on the virgin snow. The air was still now, as if it had worn itself out and the accumulating snow made the village feel somehow insulated from the cold.
They walked side by side, and the similarity between this scene and the one Kate had witnessed the other night between Matt and Sarah was not lost on her. But they would not wrap their arms around each other or kiss tenderly under the moon because that was not what friends did.
They reached Kate’s house. It looked like a Christmas card. Her dad had placed two poinsettias in green clay pots on either side of the front door, protected by the gabled porch roof, white with a layer of gingerbread-house snow. Kate’s footprints from that morning had been completely covered over.
“Thanks for your help tonight,” said Matt. “I really appreciate it.”
“You’re welcome,” said Kate. “I had a nice time.”
“Me too,” said Matt. “I miss that sometimes... you and me, just larking about.”
“Me too,” said Kate.
“Well,” said Matt. “I’ll be off. Early start as usual.”
“Yep,” said Kate.
Matt put his arms out and pulled Kate into a bear hug. He kissed her on the top of her head and trudged back down the garden path, pulling her gate closed behind him. He turned back and waved once as he wandered back down the snowy road and disappeared into Potters Copse. Kate watched him go and stood there a good while after he’d disappeared from view.
Later, Kate lay in bed thinking. She was thinking about Matt and Sarah getting married. She was thinking that her feelings about such a happy imagining weren’t as joyful as they ought to be. Her phoneblipped and the thoughts dropped away into the abyss. It was a text from Drew:
Steven the Home Office hottie is a heartbreaker!it said.
Oh no!texted Kate.What happened?
He’s married, came the reply.To a woman.
Arsehole!Kate replied.
Totally.Drew responded.How about you?
Two great dates, two great kissers.Kate replied.
Slut!texted Drew, followed byI’m jealous! xxx
•••••
“I can’t believe it!” said Laura. “And you kissed both of them! Amazing! I’d have passed out from all the romance. I don’t have romance anymore. Ben’s idea of romance is not nodding off during sex.”
Laura was spoon-feeding mashed banana to Charley for his breakfast, but she was wearing most of it down her T-shirt. Laura and Ben lived in one of a row of cottages that used to house the married servants of Blexford Manor; Laura enjoyed the historical juxtaposition of her life with that of the previous tenants.
The television was playing the children’s channel; strange brightly colored creatures were singing nursery rhymes in a psychedelic woodland. Charley was transfixed. A gaudy Christmas tree, clearly decorated by Mina, dwarfed the tiny sitting room.
