She opens the door and my breath leaves my body. Her eyes are enormous, warmth pouring out of them although her smile is tentative, a little scared and she reminds me again of a little fox.
She is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful and I lose the ability to speak.
Belle.
Lunch has been lovely, a great big bowl of comforting stew and hunks of crusty bread and real butter.
‘I can’t believe you’re Nick Wilde’s daughter. Fancy. I would have had something more ooh-la-la prepared had I known that. Although to be honest, I didn’t make this. Rory did. He is such a good boy.’
‘Oh my God. I’m thirty-one,’ Rory says, faux rolling his eyes and completely sending up his teenage response. I can’t help but laugh.
‘And you’ll always be my boy. It’s so good to have you home, especially as you can celebrate Christmas with us.’
‘I can indeed. You know Belle is as potty over Christmas as you are. I’d even go as far as saying she may be worse!’
‘I do love Christmas. All the sparkle and anticipation and joy of being able to take time out to celebrate the love you have for the people in your life,’ I say.
‘Yes! Yes! Exactly that. You must come to our pub’s festive quiz, it’s a couple of days after Christmas and is all about the season itself.’
‘She’ll smash it,’ Rory says.
‘I would love that.’ I grin, this family is so cute. ‘Something extra to look forward to. Are you all ready for Christmas? Is there anything I can help with whilst I’m here?’
‘Oh my goodness, aren’t you a love? Truth is, Belle, I’ve been in a bit of a state today…’
‘I’m not surprised, tomorrow is a big day.’
‘I know. But it’s not that. Obviously, I’m nervous aboutthat, but it’s all out of my hands. I have no choice there but to go along with things, that’s the sensible thing to do, I’ve got the best surgeon in Bristol, so all I have to do is turn up and pray that they’re on the ball first thing on a Monday morning.’
‘Of course they will be.’ Rory leans over and rubs her shoulder. She turns her head and smiles at him. The love between the two shines. This is what family should be. She turns back to me. ‘No, my thing is a silly thing…’
‘Oh love, we’ve talked about this,’ Dave says at the same time Rory says, ‘Mum, you need to let it go.’
‘Right. Out, the both of you! Go sit in Dave’s shed and do whatever it is men do in sheds,’ Alison says firmly.
Without thinking it through I waggle my eyebrows at Rory and giggle before backing his mum up and saying, ‘Yes, out!’
Mortification kicks in. I’ve just ordered him and his step-dad out of their own house. On my first visit. What is wrong with me? No wonder my own parents never take me anywhere.
Rory smirks at me, thank the Lord, before he turns to his mum again.
‘I’m not sure that’s a good idea.’
‘No. I love you, Rory, but of course you don’t. You’ve not brought a girl home since Jessica, and yes, I will mention her name, because she wouldn’t have wanted you living in this self-imposed purgatory, and I want to get to know Belle a bit, not have you stepping in and controlling everything. So do as you’re told.’
Savage. I can’t meet Rory’s eyes. That’s a lot to unpack. Alison doesn’t take prisoners. And whilst Jessica probably would want Rory to move on I’m not convinced she’d be happy thatIam sitting at the kitchen table. And that aside, I definitely am not here in any capacity other than friend. Maybe I need to make sure Alison knows that. Although I sort of wish Rory would take that burden of responsibility from me.
‘Mum, I—’
‘Love, you don’t have to take the whole world and all its machinations on your shoulders so…’ She makes a shooing gesture.
‘They are nice shoulders though.’ The words just fall out of my mouth as memories of Rory playing football topless at uni and him dancing at Ashton Court festival one baking hot summer day kaleidoscope through my mind.
‘They are.’ Alison nods in agreement. ‘Really lovely. He’s got great legs as well.’
‘Oh my God!’ Rory exclaims as Dave laughs.
‘Shed now! Both of you. Go!’ The men turn and leave, both shaking their heads – one chuckling, one mortified, and I wish with all my being that I’d been born into a family like this. A family that laugh and tease each other, that are honest in the things they say, that speak out of love and respect.
