Page 72 of Merrily Ever After
‘Cheers!’ Cole and I chorused together.
Fred chuckled, ‘Sorry, I’m turning into a bore with my new language skills.’
‘Never,mein Bärchen,’ Astrid protested, stroking his cheek. ‘You could never bore us.’
We all sat down again, and Cole and I exchanged furtive grins; we could never decide what we liked most: Astrid’s terms of endearment for Fred or the coy and adoring expression he wore whenever she used them.
‘Anyone for seconds?’ I asked, peering into the casserole dish.
‘Remember to leave room for a slice of mybundt kuchen,’ Astrid warned.
Astrid never arrived empty-handed, and tonight’s gift was a magnificent apple and honey bundt cake glazed with cinnamon icing and studded with pieces of walnut. We turned to marvel at it sitting majestically on the worktop.
‘Pudding goes into a different part of my stomach,’ Fred replied. ‘But as I’ve got a new pair of trousers for the wedding and I want to be able to fit into them, I’ll leave it at two helpings. Even though that mashed potato was delicious.’
‘I added extra butter and cream into it, as it’s Christmas,’ I said, setting the cake on the table and handing Astrid aknife. ‘Which was the least I could do, seeing as I’ve failed to provide my only employee with a Christmas party.’
‘Oh, don’t worry about that.’ Fred gave an awkward laugh as Astrid shot him a meaningful look. ‘Erm … while we’re on the subject of my employment, I’ve got some news.’
‘You’ve been headhunted by Yankee Candle and you’re leaving me, I knew it,’ I teased, pressing a hand dramatically to my forehead. Fred had been with me for a year, and although only part-time, I couldn’t manage without him.
‘No, dear, I wouldn’t want to work for anyone else.’ He coughed politely. ‘But I’ve decided to retire.’
‘You’re already retired,’ said Cole.
‘Properly this time,’ said Astrid, sliding pieces of cake towards us all.
‘My second and final retirement.’ He gave me an apologetic smile. ‘I’ve loved working for Merry and Bright, but I’m getting old and tired, and you need someone with more energy and who can be there full-time.’
‘Oh Fred,’ I stood up and gave my future father-in-law a hug. ‘I’m pleased for you and very grateful to have had you with me for the last year, but I’m devastated for myself.’
‘Thank you for that.’ Fred hugged me back. ‘But you’ll be fine without me and if you do get stuck, I won’t be far away.’
Astrid coughed. ‘Unless of course wearefar away.’
‘I’m sorry to tell you now, especially as you’ve got such a lot on your plate,’ Fred said, ‘but I would like to have a clear diary for the New Year.’
‘Of course,’ I replied, my brain spinning. This was terrible news. Fred was indispensable. Irreplaceable.
‘Oh, darling,’ Astrid covered my hand in hers. ‘I can see the little clogs in your mind working. Don’t make any fast decisions tonight.’
‘Cogs,’ Fred whispered.
I smiled, imagining tiny feet tapping furiously in my head. ‘I like clogs better. And no, don’t worry, I won’t.’
‘Seeing how quickly my friend Maude has faded away has made us both think,’ said Astrid, taking Fred’s hand. ‘We want to seize life, make the most of our health, and each other.’
Maude had been a neighbour of Astrid’s and they had become good friends over the years. But gradually her dementia had become too severe for her to continue living on her own without help and she’d moved to a specialist care home earlier this year.
‘Very sensible,’ said Cole. ‘You never know how much time you have left.’
Fred covered his son’s hand with his; I knew they were both thinking of Cole’s mum, who had died from a stroke several years ago.
‘We think so,’ Fred agreed. ‘Which is why we’ve decided to travel to India.’
‘India?’ Cole and I burst out simultaneously.
‘We’ve seen a documentary on television about it,’ said Astrid. ‘We’re going to cross the continent by train.’
