‘I thought this was supposed to be a huge family Christmas?’
He lowers his voice. ‘Best not to talk about it unless your mother brings up the subject. She gets a little emotional. So, we’ve agreed not to discuss it before he gets here.’
‘That suits me,’ I say. ‘I don’t want to have to cope with tears and dramatic scenes before I have to.’
I stretch out my toes luxuriously towards the blaze. ‘It must have been cold out there on the course today.’
‘Not too bad,’ he says. ‘Has your mother told you that Alex is home for Christmas.’
‘She mentioned it. Somehow or other, I’d picked up the idea that he was going elsewhere this year.’
Somehow or other? I may have glanced at Alex’s Facebook page once or twice over the past couple of years, but that’s nothing. Everyone checks social media occasionally to see what people from their past are up to.
‘He was supposed to be going away,’ says Dad. ‘But he agreed to come home at the last minute because –’
The door flies open, and Mum comes in carrying a tray. She arranges the coffee cups on a side table. ‘Have you told her the news about Alex?’
My heart plummets into my stomach in one sickening swoop. So, that’s the reason he’s here. He’s getting married, and he’s brought his new fiancée home to spend Christmas with his parents.
Well, good for him! Not so good for his fiancée, of course. Anything involving Alex Fielding is bound to end in tears sooner or later. But there’s no point in anyone telling her that. She’ll have to work it out for herself. Just as Suzy did. Just as I did.
I force my voice to remain steady. ‘News? About Alex?’
Mum pours me a cup of coffee. ‘Not about Alex, silly. About Robert and Elaine. It’s all terribly exciting. They’re getting married!’
‘I thought they were already married,’ I say. ‘They both have the same surname.’
‘Remarried, then!’ she says impatiently.
‘Do you mean they got divorced?’
She clicks her tongue in exasperation. ‘Don’t be so silly! Of course, they didn’t get divorced. They’re renewing their vows. Isn’t that romantic?’
‘Renewing their vows?’ I say blankly. ‘But why?’
‘That’s exactly what I asked when it was first mentioned,’ says Dad. ‘I thought that people only renewed their vows after one of them had an affair. But your mother assures me that isn’t the case.’
‘Of course, it isn’t!’ says Mum. ‘I don’t know where you get these daft ideas from.’
‘Why are they renewing their vows?’ I ask again.
‘It’s their ruby wedding anniversary in June,’ says Mum.
‘So, why aren’t they doing it then?’
‘They’re going out to Hong Kong to see Caitlin,’ she says. ‘But they wanted Alex to be there for the vow renewal, and apparently he’s busy over the summer.’
‘Is Caitlin back for Christmas too?’
Mum shakes her head. ‘She couldn’t make it. But they’re seeing her over the summer,’ she adds as if that makes everything clear.
‘When is it happening?’ I ask without much interest.
She looks even more pleased. ‘Christmas Eve.’
‘Christmas Eve?’ I say, startled.
‘Yes, it’s in two days’ time. And we’re all going.’