Page 115 of Emma
Vanessa exhaled a deep breath and nodded. “You’re annoyingly right.”
“I usually am.” Emma pressed a kiss to her cheek before standing. “Now, go and top up the Bucks Fizz. Supervise. Be glamorous like you usually are. Leave the chaos tome.”
Vanessa watched her wife roll up her sleeves and move through the kitchen with that effortless mix of determination and control that had always undone her. She was calm while Vanessa spiralled. She was solid when Vanessa wavered. God, she loved her.
“Emma Hughes,” Vanessa called out, half laughing and half tearful with the relief of not doing this alone. “If you pull this off, I’ll never doubt you again.”
Emma glanced over her shoulder and winked. “Better put that promise in writing.”
Sitting back while she watched Emma get to work, Vanessa felt the tension ease for the first time all morning. Maybe it didn’t matter if the parsnips were a little too dark or the sprouts were a little too soft, Freya probably didn’t like either of them anyway…what mattered was that this was their first Christmas with Freya, and it was going to be just perfect.
By the timethe clock nudged past noon, the house felt like it was finally coming together. The turkey was golden and resting, Emma had the roasties timed to perfection, and Vanessa hadcontinued to be banished to ‘supervision only.’ She’d fussed with the tablecloth, lined up the crackers with military precision, lit candles until the whole thing glowed…and then fussed some more until Emma threatened to confiscate her Bucks Fizz.
It hadn’t stopped the nerves, though. Vanessa was on her fourth circuit between the window and the hallway when she finally heard it. The crunch of tyres on frost, the slam of car doors, and muffled voices through the crisp December air.
“They’re here,” Vanessa said as she threw up her hands. “Does everything look okay? DoIlook okay?”
“Yes, and yes. You look as good as you always do.” Emma was suddenly beside her, a tea towel still slung over her shoulder and her cheeks flushed from the heat of the kitchen. Their eyes met…and then the knock came. “You ready, babe?”
Vanessa nodded, stepped towards the front door, and opened it.
Carmen stood there in a wool coat, her scarf looped with precision at her neck, Tupperware filled with bright red cabbage in one hand. Ben loomed comfortably at her side, with a foil-wrapped dish in his grip. And between them, shifting from foot to foot like she couldn’t bear to wait another second, was Freya.
“Merry Christmas!” Freya blurted out, her eyes bright with excitement.
Vanessa grinned. “Merry Christmas, Freya.”
Emma stepped forward, taking the Tupperware from Carmen and regarding her with a smile bigger than Vanessa had ever seen. “Come in, all of you. Please.”
They filed inside, stamping frost from their boots, laughter already softening the air. Ben handed over the dish with a sheepish grin. “Gravy. Don’t judge me if it’s not up to your usual standard.”
Emma laughed and shook her head. “If it’s edible, you’re already ahead of me.”
“Don’t let her fool you,” Vanessa added. “She’s been managing this kitchen since nine this morning. You have no idea what you’re in for.”
Ben chuckled as he unzipped his coat. “Sounds like heaven to me.”
Carmen lingered in the hallway, her shoulders relaxed as she watched it all play out in front of her. Vanessa loved the chaos of Christmas when she wasn’t so hellbent on getting timings right, and she hoped this would become a regular thing between them all.
“It smells incredible,” Carmen said with a bright smile. “Thank you for having us over, Vanessa.”
“You’re very welcome.”
Freya freed herself of her coat and boots and darted towards the living room, her eyes wide. “You’ve got loads of presents under the tree!” she gasped. “Oh my gosh! Look at the fairy lights, mum! They go all the way round the living room!”
Vanessa stood back as Carmen entered the living room. Emma had mentioned weeks ago that Freya was considering calling Carmen and Ben her parents, but today had been the first time Vanessa had heard it for herself.
“Um, excuse me!” Emma blocked Freya’s path as she tried to whizz through to the kitchen. “Don’t I even get a Christmas hug?”
Freya grinned and wrapped her arms around Emma. “Merry Christmas, sis.”
“Merry Christmas, kiddo.”
Carmen watched Freya and Emma embracing, then turned her attention back to Vanessa. “She hasn’t stopped talking about this for days,” she said quietly. “She’s really happy to be here.”
Vanessa laid a gentle hand on Carmen’s shoulder. “So are we. And that goes for you and Ben, too.”
Ben slid his hands into his pockets and smiled. “Thanks so much for this. It’s nice to be with good people at Christmas.”
