Christmas at the Log Fire Cabin

by Catherine Ferguson

  ‘You can do it, Tom,’ says Jed, and Gloria nods. ‘Go on, my son. I bet she says yes.’

  Ryan grins. ‘If she says no, you can always tell her it was just a dare in a game.’

  Clemmy leans over and digs him playfully in the ribs. ‘That’s typical of you, Ry. Always cagey when it comes to being truthful about – ooh! – feelings.’

  He throws a balled-up sweet-wrapper sideways and it bounces off her head.

  ‘I don’t have to do this, do I?’ Tom looks appealingly at Clemmy.

  She nods. ‘Yes,’ she tells him firmly. ‘Yes, you do, Tom. Be brave.’

  So he does, looking excruciatingly embarrassed, with everyone listening. He’s red as a beetroot and, after he’s asked the question, there’s a long stretch where Charlotte talks and he listens. When he hangs up, everyone is on the edges of their seats – well, apart from Ryan, who’s as laid-back as ever.

  Tom swallows. ‘She says she’s busy tomorrow night.’

  There’s a chorus of groans and ‘well, never mind, it’s her loss,’ and ‘at least you tried’.

  Poor Clemmy looks quite tearful, no doubt wishing she hadn’t urged him to accept the dare. ‘Never mind, Tom. You did it. And that’s what counts.’

  Erin is up next, and hers is a Truth.

  ‘When was the last time a boy did the dirty on you?’ blurts out Ruby, and everyone laughs.

  ‘What?’ Ruby demands, colouring up. ‘It’s a good question, isn’t it?’

  I glance anxiously at Erin. With such a dire romantic past, she’s got so many ‘boys’ to choose from.

  ‘It’s a great question, Ruby,’ Erin murmurs, attempting a smile. She looks around the room, pauses, then says softly, ‘I thought I’d found the perfect man for me. We were so happy together. But now I think I’m losing him and it’s killing me.’

  There’s a stunned silence, and it occurs to me that maybe Erin has been ‘testing’ the mulled wine rather too much while making it. Why else would she be revealing her most-personal feelings to people she doesn’t know that well?

  Ruby breaks the stunned silence. ‘So you think he’s about to dump you?’

  Erin nods miserably.

  ‘Well, you should chuck him before he chucks you,’ says Ruby. ‘You’re much too nice to put up with any crap, Erin!’

  ‘Language!’ Gloria points an admonishing finger at her daughter. In her alcoholic haze, she’s actually pointing at Jed, but we all get the drift.

  Erin laughs sadly. ‘Wish it was that easy.’

  Ruby starts chanting, ‘Dump him! Dump him! Dump him!’ Then everyone’s telling her to be quiet, although Erin seems to think it’s quite funny.

  Ryan, who’s sitting next to Erin, puts his arm around her and whispers something to her. It must be a compliment, because Erin smiles bashfully at him. I see Clemmy’s face fall as she watches them, and my heart goes out to her.

  ‘Can we go back in the hot tub?’ begs Ruby.

  ‘No, it’s Bob’s turn.’ Jed grins.

  He opts for a dare, and Ruby shrieks, ‘You’ve got to slide down the banister then sing ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ at the bottom.’ She springs up and starts unwinding some of the foliage and fairy lights from one side of the stairs.

  ‘Ry can play the piano!’ shouts Clemmy. ‘He can play while you sing, Bob!’

  Everyone looks at Ryan, who folds his arms and says flatly, ‘I don’t think so.’

  I feel sure the rather-reserved Bob will also flatly refuse but, to my surprise, he drains his whisky glass and gets to his feet. Walking rather unsteadily, to chants of ‘Go, Bob!’ from everyone, he gets to the top and slips one cheek onto the banister.

  ‘Careful, Bob!’ shouts Gloria.

  She needn’t have worried. Despite being very obviously pissed, Bob manages to slide to the bottom of the stairs in one piece, and even with a certain degree of elegance. He takes a bow then launches into a jolly rendition of ‘Rudolph’, and everyone else joins in when he starts forgetting the words.

  Clemmy nudges me and giggles. ‘I’ve never seen Bob so “relaxed”. What’s in that punch?’

  ‘It’s non-alcoholic. Basically, fruit, some spices and lots of fruit juice. We made it with Ruby in mind.’

  She snorts. ‘Well, Bob’s been on it all night and it looks a bit less harmless than that!’ She raises her glass of mulled wine. ‘Cheers, Bob!’

  He raises his glass in return and nearly over-balances. ‘Nice stuff, this. Any more?’

  ‘That’s the second batch,’ says Erin. ‘I’m afraid there’s no lemonade left. But there’s plenty of mulled wine.’

  Bob shakes his head. ‘I don’t drink.’

  ‘Could have fooled me,’ whispers Erin, grinning at me. ‘Ooh, it’s your big moment, Poppy. You’re up next!’ She points at Clemmy.

  ‘Right, Poppy. Truth or dare?’

  My head feels a little woozy and at first I don’t catch on. I’ve been on Erin’s hot spiced punch, like Bob. But, also like Bob, I’m feeling as if I’ve drunk half a bottle of wine, at least. Has the punch been spiked?

  Come to think of it, everyone seems pretty hammered. Even Ruby …

  I’m about to ask Erin. But Clemmy’s big smile looms in front of me. ‘Truth or chair?’ She explodes into giggles. ‘Sorry, dare!’

  ‘Um … truth!’

  Gloria and Ruby are arguing about mobile phones again. Clemmy clears her throat and shouts at them to pay attention. All eyes turn to me. Except Jed. He’s gazing down at his glass, a pensive expression on his face. Maybe he’s thinking about Katerina and wishing he were with her, instead of with us rowdy lot?

  Thinking about that makes me think of Harrison and a wave of emotion rolls over me. So when Clemmy says, ‘What’s the most exciting thing that’s ever happened to you?’, I barely hesitate.

  ‘My boyfriend has proposed and I’m going to marry him!’

  There’s a moment’s stunned silence. Then a lot of whooping and congratulations. Erin looks at me incredulously. ‘Is this true? Why didn’t you tell me?’

  Oh, God. Why did I let it slip out? I never meant to tell anyone till after New Year. No wonder Erin looks perplexed and a little hurt.

  I’m so painfully aware of Jed sitting opposite, as soon as he gets up, my gaze swivels in his direction. ‘I’m really pleased for you, Poppy,’ he says, fixing me with those green eyes. Except they seem darker somehow and closed off to me.

  ‘We need champagne to celebrate,’ he says softly, and goes out to the kitchen.

  I watch him leave, my stupid heart yearning to follow him. With that mane of chestnut hair, he’s like a glorious jungle animal prowling around his territory … oh God, I really am pissed! ‘Erin, did you put anything else in that punch?’

  She frowns. ‘No, just some lemonade I found in the cupboard.’

  Lemonade?

  Oh God, no. When we lost the cap for the vodka, I had to find another bottle to pour it into. A lemonade bottle.

  ‘Shit! Everyone, the hot spiced punch has vodka in it!’

  Ruby raises her glass. ‘Cheers, Poppy. It tastes brilliant!’

  Gloria gets up and snatches the glass from her hand, then downs it herself before Ruby can object. ‘My turn! I choose dare!’

  Her dare turns out to be dipping all ten toes in the lake for ten seconds.

  ‘But it’s freezing!’ protests Bob. ‘You can’t, Gloria.’

  She laughs. ‘Eeh, don’t worry, Bob. We’re tough, us Geordie lasses.’ She takes off her shoes and we all get up and follow her to the patio doors. She slithers over the snow-covered grass to the water’s edge, turns round, flings her arms in the air and yells, ‘Here goes!’ Next second, she loses her balance, staggers backwards and lands with a gigantic splash in the icy water.

  ‘Oh my God. Mum!’ Ruby tears down to the water in a panic and starts trying to heave Gloria out, but she’s a dead weight. She’s flailing around, gasping in the sub-zero temperatures. We’re all on our feet but Bob gets there
first. Acting amazingly quickly, considering he’s the worse for drink, he grabs a fleecy throw from the living room and runs after Ruby and, together, they finally manage to pull Gloria out of the water.

  She seems unharmed, except for the fact that her teeth won’t stop chattering, even when Bob wraps her up tightly in the throw.

  Bob seems overwhelmed with relief. ‘I was worried your heart might not stand the shock,’ he says, walking her back to the cabin. ‘Never do that again, Gloria. Promise?’

  ‘Never.’ She gives an extra-violent shiver as she steps back through the patio doors into the warmth.

  ‘I love you, Gloria.’

  ‘You do? Even after all the temper tantrums and the rows about mobile phones?’ She looks sharply at Ruby, who has the grace to look ashamed.

  ‘Especially after everything,’ smiles Bob. ‘Gloria, you have rocked my safe-but-boring world and it’s taken a bit of getting used to. But now I never want to be without you.’

  There’s a chorus of ‘aaahs’.

  ‘Oh, Bob.’ Gloria kisses him full on the lips. ‘Let’s keep on rocking into old age!’

  ‘I think I might be there already.’

  ‘No, you’re not. You came down that banister with the speed and suppleness of a man half your age.’

  ‘You flatter me, my love.’

  As they head for the stairs, Gloria giggles. ‘I’m sure we could find other ways of putting that suppleness to good use.’

  ‘Oh, puh-lease!’ groans Ruby, and everyone laughs.

  When Erin and I go into the kitchen to make Gloria some hot tea, we both instantly notice the ‘lemonade’ bottle standing empty on the counter.

  We’re laughing about this, when Jed comes into the kitchen. ‘Poppy, you’ve got a visitor.’

  ‘A visitor? Who?’

  He smiles, although I notice it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. ‘It’s Harrison.’

  Chapter 27

  Harrison?

  But he’s not meant to be flying back till New Year’s Eve!

  Cheeks flushed, heart beating fast, I brush past Jed, who’s holding the door open for me, and go out to the hallway.

  And there is Harrison.

  His blond wavy hair is ruffled and his dark-rimmed glasses are needing a wipe because they’re starting to steam up.

  ‘Wow! What are you doing here?’

  We hug and he says, ‘I’ve been trying to contact you all day, Puss, to let you know I was flying home early. But your phone must be switched off.’

  ‘Damn! I left it in the car. Sorry, I’ve been so busy.’ I shrug, smiling, happy to see him.

  ‘So your mum said.’ He grins. ‘I’ve got to hand it to you, Puss. This is some assignment you’ve landed. Not a bad start to your new career in catering.’

  ‘Thank you,’ I say modestly, delighted that he seems pleased. I thought he might disapprove, but apparently I was wrong. ‘I can’t believe you’re here. Why the early flight?’

  He frowns. ‘Mum’s been invited to join Rosa’s dad on his yacht in the Med.’

  ‘Oh.’ I stare at him, startled. Mrs Ford has a new man? ‘That’s fabulous. She’s definitely moving on, then. Good for her!’ I frown. ‘Erm, who’s Rosa?’

  A startled look crosses his face, as if he thought he’d already mentioned her. Then he smiles. ‘She’s our flamenco-dance teacher.’

  ‘Oh. Right.’ We’re still standing in the hallway, so I pull him through to the living room and say, ‘Everyone? This is my boyfriend, Harrison.’

  ‘Your fiancé, you mean?’ points out Ruby.

  I glance at Harrison, expecting him to smile, but to my surprise, he looks a little uncomfortable.

  ‘Drink, Harrison? We’ve got champagne?’ offers Clemmy.

  ‘Oh, no thanks. I – er – can’t stay.’

  I link his arm. ‘Not even for a little while?’ I’d like him to relax a bit and get to know everyone, but he’s standing there so stiffly; the arm I’m grasping still ramrod straight at his side. He must feel uncomfortable because he doesn’t know everyone like I do. My heart swells with love. I scan the room. Jed’s not there. For some reason, that’s very important in the light of what I’m about to say.

  ‘I’ve been thinking hard during our cooling-off period. And what I want to say is: Harrison Ford, I would love to be your wife!’ I grab his hand and beam at him.

  A beat later, Ruby giggles. ‘Harrison Ford? Isn’t he that ancient actor in those films? Indiana Jones? I’m hungry. Are there any more of those nibbles?’

  Everyone politely ignores her, except Erin, who mutters, ‘In the fridge.’ And as Harrison still seems welded to the spot with embarrassment, I throw my arms around him to put him at his ease, and bury my face in his chest.

  About five seconds later, I’m starting to realise it’s a bit of a one-sided embrace. His arms are still firmly by his sides. It’s a bit embarrassing, really, in front of all my new friends here who are pretending they haven’t noticed.

  I draw back and look him in the eye. ‘Harrison? Is something wrong?’

  He shakes his head. ‘Nothing’s wrong.’ Then he pulls me behind the baby grand piano and whispers, ‘It’s just I’ve been doing a lot of probability work, and the thing is, Puss, there’s really no easy way to tell you this, so I’ll just come right out and say it. I don’t think we’re going to make it.’

  There’s a stunned silence in the room.

  Harrison seems to think he’s being discreet, but his whispers are more like loud stage whispers. Everyone can hear.

  ‘Anyone else want a nibble?’ asks Ruby, holding out a plate. ‘Fridge Raiders of the Lost Ark?’

  Ryan sniggers and Clemmy nudges him.

  ‘Don’t get me wrong,’ says Harrison, in another urgent whisper, ‘It was all looking very promising, but then you resigned and started this extremely risky new venture. Do you know how many small businesses go to the wall in their first year? I can provide you with heaps of stats.’

  ‘No, no, it’s fine.’ My cheeks are scarlet. ‘Look, shall we talk about this at home?’

  A shifty look crosses his face. ‘I’m – um – not going home tonight.’

  ‘What?’ I feel sick. ‘So where are you going?’

  ‘I’m staying at The Pretty Flamingo tonight.’

  ‘Ha! Good one.’ He’s joking. He must be …

  Ruby emerges from the kitchen, chewing. ‘Did I miss anything?’ She glares at Harrison. ‘Don’t you want to marry our Poppy, then?’ she demands.

  Harrison reddens. ‘Well, I thought I did. But I’ve realised the odds are stacked against it.’ That smug look comes over his face. The one that tells me he’s limbering up for a quote. ‘As I always say, there’s no room for more than one ambitious person in a relationship!’

  I truly can’t believe I’m hearing all this.

  ‘Hold on, so you’re rejecting me because I want to make something of myself? Follow my dreams? Really, Harrison? Because that’s a pretty dodgy reason for withdrawing a proposal of marriage!’

  ‘Waaaaay!’ Ruby starts clapping and Gloria slaps at her hands.

  ‘It’s honest, though, isn’t it?’ says Harrison. ‘And surely honesty is the most important thing in a relationship?’

  The mention of honesty brings a guilty flush to my cheeks. I’m not really in a position to be too high and mighty over this. But I’m still hurt and angry.

  Ryan diplomatically puts some music on to drown out our discussion.

  ‘So, while I was little meek and mild Poppy who wouldn’t say boo to a goose and allowed herself to be walked all over, you were attracted to me? But now you’re not? That’s just perverse, Harrison.’

  He shrugs. ‘I’m still attracted to you, but …’

  ‘But I wouldn’t have time to be your woman in the background, supporting you in your meteoric rise to success, is that it? I might – God forbid! – be a success in my own right, and you couldn’t handle it?’

  He shrugs, as if to say, Sadly, you’
ve got it in one!

  I can’t believe I’m hearing this, although funnily enough, it doesn’t really surprise me. I think I always knew Harrison had a coldly selfish streak. I just didn’t want to see it.

  He clears his throat. ‘Rosa made a very good point. She said—’

  ‘Rosa.’ I glare at him.

  ‘The dance teacher.’

  ‘Yes. And is Rosa a mature lady in her seventies who, with the wisdom of age, can give you motherly advice?’

  He blinks rapidly. ‘No, she’s twenty-eight and a former catalogue model. But that’s beside the point.’

  I swallow hard. ‘Is it really? So you’ve been having discussions with a twenty-eight-year-old former catalogue model about our relationship?’

  ‘Please leave Rosa out of this.’

  I laugh bitterly. ‘Leave Rosa out of this?’ I yell, and everyone freezes.

  I’m so hurt and angry, I want to push him in the lake. How could he do this to me? To us?

  ‘Is this Rosa your new girlfriend, then, Harrison Ford?’ demands Ruby, and I’m secretly hoping Gloria won’t shush her because I’m actually quite glad of her support.

  Gloria doesn’t shush her.

  ‘Ooh, did she brave the jungle with you and help you find your precious gem?’

  ‘Ruby,’ Ryan interjects sternly.

  She frowns. ‘Sorry, but it’s not cool of him coming here to dump Poppy. Not when he’s already asked her to marry him. I’m just saying what everyone else is thinking.’

  ‘I know,’ says Ryan calmly. ‘I just meant you got it wrong. It wasn’t Raiders when she helps him find the gem. It was Temple of Doom.’

  ‘Oh.’

  Harrison’s face has flushed almost purple. He gets very tetchy when people make fun of his name like this. (I suggested he shorten it to Harry but he believes ‘Harrison’ has far more gravitas in the work arena.)

  ‘So, have you slept with this Rosa?’ I demand, not bothering to keep my voice down.

  He’s back to his shifty look.

  I sigh. ‘That’s a yes, then. And have you worked out the probability of you and Rosa staying together?’

  He shuffles his feet and stares at the ground. Then he says, ‘It’s looking quite good, yes.’