‘Not far,’ said Angie, walking around to have a rummage in the chocolate tin.
Scott was watching Angie closely. She pounced on a green triangle. ‘Ooh, I love these.’ She held her prize aloft, but her happy smile slid away when she saw the look Scott was giving her. ‘They’re not vegan friendly, are they?’
‘I’m afraid not, darling,’ said Scott. Angie dropped the chocolate back in the tin and Lottie pulled it away from her mother, grinning broadly.
Angie jumped up. ‘We should go to Chipping Norton.’
‘We are not stalking some poor woman on Boxing Day because she looks a bit like the Duchess of … of …’ Lottie nodded at Zach.
‘Sussex,’ he said, on cue.
‘Anyway,’ said Lottie, checking the clock, ‘it’s time for the stocking game.’
Kill me now, thought Emily. This family had the weirdest traditions. She had thought that everyone’s Christmas was roughly the same: turkey, crackers, pudding, presents. But the Collins family took it to a whole new level. Why couldn’t they just eat chocolate and argue over TV like any normal family? She really liked Lottie and didn’t want to let her new friend down, so when she looked her way, Emily gave her a big smile. But she was already dreading the stocking game – whatever it was. Things were feeling weird between her and Zach. They’d not had a moment to themselves away from Jessie, so they hadn’t been able to discuss anything, and the second present he’d mentioned seemed to have been forgotten.
‘Are you up for the stocking game?’ Lottie asked her.
‘Joe and Jessie have taken Dave for a walk. Should we wait for them to get back?’ asked Emily.Anything to delay the stocking game, she thought.
‘Yeah, we should really,’ said Lottie. ‘Actually, do you want to give me a quick hand with something?’ she asked.
‘Sure.’ She felt a flutter of anticipation at Lottie having managed to get her another pregnancy test. And she followed her out to the kitchen.
Lottie shut the door. ‘I’m really sorry. I couldn’t get the test. The shop was full of locals and Mum came with me too.’
Emily’s shoulders sagged. ‘Don’t worry. Thanks for trying.’ She rubbed a hand over her face. She looked tired.
‘Are you sleeping okay?’
‘Not great.’ There seemed more hidden behind her words.
‘Is it the not knowing?’
Emily sighed slowly. ‘Last night Zach was muttering in his sleep. Most of it wasn’t audible, but he said “Melissa” a couple of times.’
Lottie wasn’t sure how to respond. ‘Ah. That’s unsettling.’
‘It is. Really unsettling. Here’s me wondering if I’m carrying his child, and his mind is full of the wife he loved. The perfect wife.’
‘Hmm.’ It was an involuntary noise, and it conveyed too much. Lottie regretted the sound as soon as she’d made it.
Emily cocked her head in a way not dissimilar to Dave. ‘What does that mean?’ There was hope in her voice. Lottie felt that familiar guilty sensation begin to weigh her down.
Emily was about to question further but the back door swung open. In came a bouncy Dave and a worn-out-looking Jessie. ‘We’ve walked miles and miles,’ she said, and she flopped onto the floor and began tugging at her wellies. Joe followed her in and shut out the biting cold. The sight of him made her stomach flip. It felt as if their kiss was still fresh on her lips.
‘Did you have fun?’ asked Emily, automatically crouching to help Jessie with her boots.
Jessie nodded. ‘I think Dave knows his name now, but Joe wouldn’t let him off the lead.’
Joe was shaking his head. ‘Best he doesn’t get lost before we find his owners.’
Jessie’s face dropped. ‘But I thought we were keeping him.’ She looked pleadingly at Emily.
‘It’s likely he has an owner somewhere. Maybe even a little girl like you who loves him.’
Jessie’s bottom lip was on the wobble. ‘But he lovesmenow.’
‘I know, sweetie.’
