“I’m officially worried. I’m worried about Beth, worried about Hannah, and now I’m worried about you.” She paused to have a coughing fit that almost launched her from the bed. “You won’t be able to cope with all this on your own. There’s so much to do before Jason and the girls arrive.”
“Beth and Hannah can look after themselves, and we still have a few days until Melly and Ruby arrive. Gives us plenty of time. There is no reason at all to panic.”
“I so badly wanted it to be a perfect Christmas for everyone.”
“And it is going to be a perfect Christmas.”
Perfect disaster, more like.
The doorbell went and Posy straightened her mother’s sheets. “I need to answer that. It’s probably the delivery of yarn you’re expecting.”
Beth reached the door before her, and Posy heard a gasp of shock followed by a chorus of familiar voices. She peered downstairs.
It was Jason and the girls, together with enough luggage to fill an entire plane.
Posy sat down heavily on the top stair and put her head in her hands.
There was definitely a reason to panic.
16
Beth
The last thing Beth had expected was that Jason and the girls would show up early.
She should have been annoyed that he’d disturbed her private time, but she’d never been more relieved to see anyone in her life.
“We wanted to surprise you.” Jason hovered by the front door, as if unsure of his welcome. “Did you need more time on your own? I wanted to be spontaneous.”
Melly tugged at his coat. “Now, Daddy.”
“You think so?”
“Now.”
Jason pulled his hand from behind his back and produced a bunch of white tulips.
Beth gasped. “Where did you find those?”
“We asked the cabdriver to take a detour.”
Beth adored flowers, and right now she also adored her husband. “Thank you. They’re beautiful.”
“I told you she’d like those best,” Melly whispered, and Jason winked at her.
“Great advice, Mel.”
His hair was messy, his coat was rumpled and he hadn’t shaved, but Beth had never loved him more. Even now, after so many years together, seeing him lifted her mood.
The feeling of euphoria lasted until she remembered that they hadn’t parted on good terms and that none of their issues had been solved.
She stepped forward and kissed him. His cheek was cold under her lips, his jaw roughened by stubble. “You need to shave.”
“I know, but shaving requires time alone in the bathroom.”
“Mommy!” Having waited long enough, Ruby pushed him aside to get to Beth and Melly followed, their noisy presence reminding her there was going to be no chance of a serious adult conversation for some time.
Beth closed the front door, put the flowers on the console table her father had made himself from reclaimed wood, and dropped into a crouch so that she could hug the girls properly.