Page 7 of I’m Dreaming of a New York Christmas

‘To surprise you!’ Anneka replied, stretching out her long legs on the sofa.

Anneka looked over at Mum conspiratorially.

‘Consider me surprised,’ I said, my heart rate increasing against my will.

‘We haven’t even told you anything yet!’ Mum said.

That was the moment I knew something untoward was about to kick off.

‘Wait. You’re saying that you being here isn’t the surprise?’

‘Lol, no. That would be a shit surprise,’ Anneka said.

‘So, what is the surprise?’

‘Isn’t that the million-dollar question?’ Mum said, with an over-the-top air of mystery.

‘Emphasis on “dollar”,’ Anneka added, causing them both to giggle. I couldn’t help but view their in-joke as exclusionary and mean, as if they were Cinderella’s step-sisters forcing me to sweep up non-existent dust while they sipped champagne.

You’re projecting, Flora.

The words of my student counsellor, whom Will had suggested I chat to during my first year of university, echoed in my mind. She’d helped me to understand that Mum and Anneka’s intensely close relationship wasn’t a reflection of my worth, simply a manifestation of our differences, and what they’d been through together before I’d even been born. Still, the ease of their bond had always jarred, and no doubt always would.

‘Come on, then, tell me what’s going on.’ I was getting more than a little bit fed up.

‘Shall we tell her?’ Mum directed the question at her partner-in-crime.

‘Just a little bit,’ Anneka replied.

‘Okay. Right then, Flo-wo. We know you’ve had a hard year, sweetheart. So we’ve been saving up so we could take you on a very special trip.’

Oh, God.

‘“Trip” as in day trip or “trip” as in… an overnight stay?’ I asked, the trepidation surely audible in my voice.

Please be a day trip.

‘Oh, very much the latter,’ Anneka said, with a smirk. She knew how much the lack of detail would be torturing me.

Fuck.

‘Riiiight. And when do we leave for this overnight trip?’

Mum looked at her watch. ‘We’ve got an hour or so before we need to get going.’

‘WHAT?’

‘Calm down, that’s plenty of time.’

I took a deep breath – or at least I tried to, but the oxygen was struggling to travel far enough down my windpipe for my lungs to distribute it as quickly as I needed them to.

‘Please, can we hold off until the new year? I’m shattered and have got a speech to write and—’

Mum cut me off. ‘Sorry, love, no can do. It’s all non-refundable.’

‘And we promise you you’re gonna love it,’ Anneka added.

‘But, but… my work…?’