‘No! You sit down,’ ordered Libby.
Julia raised an eyebrow. ‘Are you okay? You seem very on edge.’
‘Of course I’m okay! It’s Christmas! And I get to spend it with my family. You sit there, next to the fire, and I’ll get us a drink.’
Walking into the kitchen, Libby did her best to ignore the four people crouched behind the counter pulling faces at her to try and make her laugh. ‘Behave!’ she mouthed, before grabbing two glasses and a bottle of fizz.
‘I’ll let you warm up before I serve breakfast,’ she said to Julia. ‘I hope Flynn didn’t mind you coming across this morning?’
‘I have to say he’s been in a weird mood recently. He’s been disappearing left, right and centre. I keep catching him whispering on his phone. Something isn’t right, I can feel it. Honestly, the last two weeks I feel like I’ve had the plague. Everywhere I go people are acting strange. Eleni keeps disappearing from work and her excuses are lame, and I feel like Isla is avoiding me. Every time I suggest lunch, she makes an excuse, but when has Isla ever turned down a lunch date?’
‘I’m sure it’s all in your imagination,’ Libby said, humouring her.
There was a knock at the door.
‘Are we expecting company?’ asked Julia.
Libby shrugged nonchalantly. ‘Not to my knowledge.’
Opening the door Libby gave her brother a quick hug and pushed him ahead of her into the living room. ‘Look who it is.’
Julia looked up, puzzled. ‘I just left you. Why didn’t you say you were coming here?’
Flynn smiled. ‘Because I didn’t want you to know.’
‘You’ve lost me now. Your weirdness is getting weirder.’
‘I have to agree with you,’ replied Flynn, taking hold of Julia’s hand as she stood up. ‘You know, over a year ago I proposed to you and you said yes.’
‘Yes,’ she replied slowly, taking a sideward glance towards Libby, who had moved out of the way and was now leaning against the worktop in the kitchen.
‘You know how you’ve always wanted a winter wedding?’
‘Yes.’
‘Would you do me the honour of marrying me today?’ Flynn asked, his face beaming with hope.
Julia stood open-mouthed. ‘I don’t understand. We can’t get married today. What about the venue, the food, my outfit, the guests…’
‘What if I tell you everything is taken care of and all you have to do is say yes?’
Julia looked towards Libby once again. ‘Say yes!’ Libby urged. ‘Please say yes.’
‘Okay!’ she said, looking back at Flynn. ‘Yes!’
Flynn took her in his arms and kissed her on the lips. ‘I’m getting married! Today!’
Just at that moment the gang behind the worktop stood up and cheered, making Julia scream and put her hands on her heart. ‘I’m not sure I can take much more. What are you all doing here?’
‘Waiting for you to say yes!’ exclaimed Isla, rushing across to give Julia and Flynn a kiss and a hug. ‘There’s going to be a wedding! Three cheers for Flynn and Julia. Hip, hip, hooray!’
Everyone was hugging the happy couple. ‘Is this the reason everyone has been acting weird? Eleni, how did you keep this from me?’
‘With great difficulty!’ replied Eleni, pouring a glass of fizz. ‘And I didn’t think my excuses were lame.’ She grinned.
‘Am I actually getting married today?’
‘YES!’ everyone chorused.
