I dig up my sleeve, pull out a tissue and scrape it over my eyes. ‘Thanks Rory, but I’m good. I’ve already had two slices.’
If that’s a disappointed shrug, he soon turns it into a grin as he whisks the plate away. ‘I’ll take care of the cake, then. I’m sorry, Panda Eyes, if I’d known you were having crises with Christmas, I’d never have mentioned spruce of any colour. Especially not blue.’
It takes a second to sink in. ‘My eyeliner’s run?’
He’s laughing. ‘Only a bit, it’s nothing to worry about.’ Which obviously means it is.
Although, what’s needling me more is him being observant enough to know exactly the words that had set me off. ‘I thought we’d agreed before that youcouldn’tsee into my head?’
He purses his lips. ‘Mostly not. This must have been an exceptionally transparent exception.’ He lifts his eyebrows. ‘Anyway, enough about you, Berry. This is way more important. I’ve found a way to stop Teddie screaming when he has his nappy changed. At least, it worked just before.’
Immie’s straight in there. ‘Never. This I must see.’
Poppy’s laughing. ‘Are you sure it’s not just a fluke?’
‘A one-off accident, perhaps. I was flicking through my YouTube favourites earlier.’ Rory looks supremely confident as he slides his iPad out of his windcheater pocket. ‘Dad’s Rock blog talks about babies having sweet spots. And Teddie’s just happens to be Rufus Hound dancing to Cheryl Cole’sFight For This Love. Remember the one … Red Nose Day, 2010?’
Now I’m the one frowning. ‘That big guy with splits in his trousers taking the mick out of our Cheryl’s soldier dance? Why isthatin your favourites list?’ This guy never ceases to amaze me.
‘Because it’s funny?’ Rory has the decency to look mildly ashamed. ‘Teddie’s obviously inherited my sense of humour, even if you don’t share it.’
‘Let’s see then…’ Any way of moving on from spruce blues and wet screwed-up hankies, I’ll take it.
‘Okay.’ Rory’s holding his iPad in front of Teddie in his bouncing chair. As the first bars strike up and Cheryl begins to sing, there’s no reaction at all from Teddie.
Immie’s leaning in. ‘A bearded guy with lipstick, a red jacket with braid and buttons … and army boots with a thong sticking out of the top of his low slung trousers? And girls dressed as boys?’ She sounds mystified. ‘There’s a lot of mixed gender messages there.’
Poppy joins her. ‘There’s plenty of stamping and gyrating and flashing spotlights. From the roaring, the Red Nose crowd like it, even if Teddie’s not sure.’
I’m dancing at the side, singing along. ‘We’re gonna fight, fight, fight, fight, fight for this love, we’re gonna fight, fight …’ I catch Rory’s smirk. ‘What? It’s one of my girlie tunes, okay. I’m kind of with Teddie on this. It’s just a pity he isn’t …’ I’m about to say ‘joining in…’ when Teddie gives a yell.
The next moment, he begins to kick. His eyes have gone all starry and big, and he’s holding both hands out towards the iPad, opening and closing his fingers.
Poppy and Immie stand back in awe and watch. Meanwhile never being one to sit on the sidelines and miss out on this track, I’m dancing and smiling down at Teddie. As I hold a hand out to Gracie, she carefully puts the top on her felt tip. Then she slips down from the chair, comes and holds my hand and dances too.
Then the music comes to an abrupt stop. In the sudden silence we all stare at each other, surprised smiles on our faces.
‘How amazing was that?’ Poppy laughs.
‘Could two minutes, twenty two seconds of respite be any sweeter?’ Rory couldn’t be looking more pleased if Bad Ass Santa beer had won a medal for best Christmas ale of the decade. ‘That’s long enough for anyone to change a baby – even me.’
Immie’s puzzling. ‘Fascinating to see a baby being so impressed by the tribal beat and warlike imagery.’
We all turn to stare at her together. ‘What?’
As Gracie tilts her head at me, her expression is solemn. ‘Why have you got black on your eyes?’
‘Damn.’ I’d almost forgotten. I’m rubbing my lashes, opening my mouth to explain, when Rory gives a shout.
‘Everyone ready? One more time!’ And then he presses play and a second later we’re all dancing again.
Chapter 25
Friday 15th December
At Brides by the Sea: Fur coats and twinkly surprises
‘Breakfast, eaten … batteries, cameras, memory cards, packed … whistle and bells at the ready?’ Rory’s standing by the desk in the White Room, ticking items off on his fingers. It’s the morning of the double wedding, and if he’s eager to be off, it’s because he’s got to run me over to the Manor, then come back to St Aidan to catch up with the groom’s party, who are having breakfast down at the Surf Shack. Since I met Sophie and Saffy yesterday when they came in to pick up their dresses, I’m actually more worried than ever. Ordinary would be easier to cope with. Two gorgeous blondes, with more swishy hair than on the L’Oréal advert, and the longest legs on the beach would be scary at the best of times. When you’ve got to take their pictures of them both getting married, it’s mind blowing.
