‘Yeah.’ Theo grins up at her. ‘So when are we getting therealpresents?’
She laughs tightly and turns away, and after a flurry of dishwasher loading she pulls on wellies and FaceTimes Joel in the garden.
‘Happy Christmas, darling!’ He beams at her.
‘Happy Christmas, honey. I’m missing you all…’
‘Missing you too,’ he says. ‘So how are things up there?’
‘Actually pretty good,’ she says. ‘It’s not what we planned but we’re still having fun…’
‘I’m so glad to hear that,’ he enthuses.
She smiles. He’s in the kitchen and, as with their last call, she finds herself having to adjust to his newfound buoyancy. ‘So the turkey’s in the oven? You remembered to get up early?—’
‘I’ll have you know I was up at seven to put it in,’ he teases, radiating pride.
Shelley studies his face on the screen, bright eyed and flushed, presumably from the morning’s exertions. He looks different, she decides. And he’s wearing a black polo neck sweater that she doesn’t remember seeing before. Joel isn’t a polo neck kind of guy. ‘So I guess your mum and dad’ll be arriving soon?’ she remarks.
‘Yep, they’re on their way.’
‘Great. Well, I hope the kids are helping,’ she adds.
‘Yeah, they’ve been brilliant so far. Peeling, chopping, making pigs in blankets…’
‘Wow! That’s… amazing.’ Shelley is stunned by this. It’s great, of course it is. But why can’t Martha and Fin be willing and eager when she’s around?
‘I know,’ Joel agrees. ‘They’ve been really, really amazing. Marth peeled tons of potatoes…’
‘Have you drugged them?’ Shelley exclaims, laughing now.
‘Haha, no. They’re just high on life, I guess. High on Christmas!’
She blinks at him. She hasn’t seen him this happy and excited since he won a design award in 2015. ‘I’m so glad to hear that,’ she says. ‘So you haven’t done presents yet?’
‘Actually, we have,’ Joel admits with a small wince of discomfort.
‘Oh, really? Why’s that?’ The tradition is that they always wait until Joel’s parents arrive before opening presents. Every year, it’s a sticking point with the kids:Why do we have to wait? No one else does!But that’s how things were done when Joel was growing up. Presents sat under the tree, not to be touched until his aunts and uncles arrived. Shelley knows Joel’s parents will be disappointed that the great unwrapping has happened, without them being there to witness it.
‘Just thought we’d change things up a bit this year.’ Joel seems to have developed a twitch in his jaw. He tugs at the polo neck.
‘Right,’ Shelley remarks, ‘so I’m out of the picture and everything’s different!’
‘Haha, yeah…’ He laughs uncomfortably.
‘I wonder what else you’ve been up to while I’ve been away?’ she teases, and his cheeks blaze.
‘Nothing!’
‘Joel,’ she exclaims. ‘I’mjoking, okay? And it’s up to you how you manage the day. It’s your parents who’ll be horrified that the best part’s already over?—’
‘D’you think they will be?’ Now he looks positively frightened.
‘Idon’t know.’ She smiles. ‘And to be honest, I don’t blame the kids for wanting to tear into their presents first thing. I always thought it was a bit…’ She wants to say ‘joyless’ but holds back. ‘Anyway,’ she adds, ‘sounds like it’s all going great, so?—’
‘It is. It’s really, really great. And thanks for the guitar amp, honey. Honestly, what a present! You shouldn’t have…’
‘You’re welcome.’ Shelley brushes off the fact that he chose it and sent her the link.
