She nodded and her lip was going too. “Yeah, that’s ok… that’s really ok…” Her cool facade burst open and she wrapped her arms around my waist. “Thanks, Mum.”
“Don’t thank me,” I said, and my voice was wobbly. “Your dad was the one who proposed.”
I showed them the ring, and Tonya crammed in, too.
“Beautiful.” Ruby grinned. “Like a princess ring!”
“That’s really beautiful, Mum,” Mia said.
“Wow, Jo, that’s really something,” Tonya said.
I took a breath, smiled at Darren. “Yes, it really is.”
I reached for his hand and he squeezed right back. Took hold of Ruby’s with his other and I took hold of Mia’s. She took hold of Tonya’s and I laughed, started the walk over to the fireworks.
Ruby started waffling on and it made my heart soar.
We can watch Top Gear, Dad! And you’ll have to watch Question King with Nanna, too. We all watch it! You’ll read me a bedtime story, won’t you? Can I come to the garage with you before school? Will Mum be Mrs Trent now? Can I be a bridesmaid? We have fish and chips on a Thursday, you can have them too if you like!
I was enjoying the monologue when a flash of expensive highlights appeared in the crowd in front of us.
Darren saw them too. His fingers crushed mine.
“Shall we turn back?” he whispered.
I shook my head. “When have you ever turned away from a confrontation in your life, Darren Trent?” I smirked and kept on walking.
Lorraine’s jaw dropped right open when she saw us, she turned to face me, and plastered a huge fake grin on her face.
“Jodie!” she said. “I’ve been trying to get hold of you, I just wanted to say…”
I flashed her a smile, one of my finest, and then I gave the bitch the fucking finger.
“Stay away from my family you skanky arsed hoe,” I said. “You can go fuck yourself.”
I brushed past her as she gawped and Darren was laughing. He dropped my hand long enough to light up a cigarette, and Ruby was right there staring up at me, her mouth was open as we watched Lorraine make an exit.
“Mum! You just used garage talk! I think you went and butt-hurt her! You butt-hurt Lorraine! Real bad, too!”
I ruffled her hair and smiled at Darren, and then I sighed.
“Sometimes people get butt-hurt,” I said. “And that’s ok. Sometimes in life you’ve just got to give people the finger and tell them they can go fuck themselves.” I smiled at her. “Just not too bloody often, Ruby, and not at school. Deal?”
She grinned her freckly face off.
“Deal!” she said.
The fireworks were the best I’d ever fucking seen.
It was still dark when the door creaked open. The patter of Ruby feet sounded across the carpet, and then I felt her, her bony knees clambering up the bed, digging into my legs through the covers. She flung herself onto her back between Darren and me. I pretended to be asleep when I felt him move, just to hear their conversation.
I love listening to those two.
“Dadddd!” she whispered. “I think Father Christmas has been!”
“You think, Rubes?”
“Yessss!” She giggled. “I crept downstairs and there’s presents everywhere. Shhh! Don’t tell Mum. She said no sneaking! Said to stay in bed in the morning until the sun comes up or the shit will fly!”
“She said that, did she?”
“No, but that’s what she meant…”
I tried to hold back a laugh.
“I think your mum can hear you well enough, Rubes. I think you’re well and truly busted.” He tickled her until she squealed.
“Little Ruby Sneaky-pants,” I groaned. I pulled her close and her hair was a bird’s nest, crazy curls against my cheek. I reached out for Darren, gave his arm a squeeze. “What time is it?”
He turned the alarm clock to face me. “Not even six.”
“Bloody hell, Ruby. The sun’s not even close to coming up.” I yawned and flicked on the lamp.
“But he’s beeeeeeen!” Ruby protested. “I heard him!”
Darren raised an eyebrow, brushed a curl from her forehead. “You heard him, did you? That right?”
She nodded. “And his reindeers. I heard them, too!”
“Good job you didn’t catch him,” I said. I flashed Darren a cheeky smile. “He’d have been embarrassed if you’d have caught him drinking your dad’s beer.”
Her eyes widened. “He drank your beer, Dad?!”
He nodded, pulled a fake scowl. “He did, liberty-taking asshole. He drank it all last night and left me none. Gonna tell that chubby prick what I think of him if he comes back round here again.”
I couldn’t stop smiling. “He had quite a party, I think. Made quite a racket.”
“I think he bloody well did,” Darren said. He reached out and brushed a thumb across my cheek. I took his hand, kissed his knuckles.
Christmas.
Family Christmas. All of us.
I’d dreamed of this for so long.
“So?” Ruby demanded. “Can I go get my presents now? Mia’s awake too, she’s just pretending to be all grown up and asleep, just because she’s a teenager now.”