Married This Christmas

by Tracey Pedersen

  “Are you mothering me?”

  “Just a little. You have that effect on me, although I have no idea why.” She sat opposite him and watched him dive into the meal she’d prepared earlier with his mother’s guidance. “Your mum gave me her secret recipe.”

  “Oh, I wondered. It’s my absolute favourite meal.”

  “The most ridiculous amount of cream goes into it. I had my doubts, but she assured me it would turn out great, and she was right.”

  He shovelled a huge mouthful in before chewing and swallowing. “You said she called you earlier. How did she have your number or even know who you are?”

  “You must have left your paperwork lying around. She read it and was in a bit of a panic, wanting to know if you were leaving her to work overseas.”

  Fish dropped his fork and stared at her. “Oh, man. That’s bad.”

  “Why didn’t you answer your phone today? Your mum and I both tried, but it kept going to voicemail.”

  He frowned, pulled out his phone, and stared at the screen. “Oh, crap! It’s on ‘Do Not Disturb.’” His finger scrolled across the screen. “Twenty-four missed calls. Mrs. French, Mum, and you.”

  “Don’t worry. I told her the numbers on the paperwork were made up and that you were getting information in case you needed a lawyer one day. She accepted that, but then I asked her about the nurse and realised she was alone. I made up a story about a volunteer service where we check on elderly people, and she let me come take care of her.”

  “Thank you again. I’m so sorry you had to do that.”

  “I was glad to come, and look where it got me.” She stood and squeezed his shoulder before opening the fridge. “Can I get you a drink? Your mum said your favourite beer was in here. I resisted the urge to tell her you gave up drinking.”

  “Oh, you’re wicked.” He grinned and picked up his fork again. “I will have a beer, thanks.”

  She placed it on the table. “I should go.”

  “Can you stay for a bit? Maybe we can watch a movie?” His eyes held a certain warmth she was fast becoming addicted to. He glanced down at his food and said, “Only if you want to.”

  “I’ve had a sleep, so I can probably make it to the end of a movie. You, I’m not so sure about.”

  He laughed and finished his pasta, then rose to put his plate in the sink. “I’ll take that challenge. Come on, we have lots of choices because Mum loves movies.”

  He took her hand and pulled her back through the doorway. They sat on the couch together and Lori bit her lip as his leg pressed against hers. When they’d chosen and the movie had started, he startled her by wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her close.

  The credits hadn’t even finished when he whispered into her hair, “Thank you so much for being here tonight. I’ve been thinking about you all day.”

  Chapter 12

  Fish unpacked his equipment with an unfamiliar heavy heart. Usually when he was setting up, he felt light-headed and excited. He spent a lot of time matching the music to the event, and watching guests enjoy themselves always lifted his spirits. Today, however, he couldn’t make himself feel even a remote amount of excitement at the prospect of all the happy faces. Working on Christmas Day hadn’t bothered him for the last two years, but the thought that he could have spent it with Lori this year had dampened any holiday spirit he might have felt. Even when he considered the huge amount of money he’d invoiced for working today, he didn’t feel better.

  His time with Lori over the past few weeks had him thinking about her as a permanent addition to his life. Before they met, he’d been on the verge of becoming a workaholic. He’d spent too much time working or planning how to make the next leap in his career. A tiny voice whispered that his time with his mum could be limited, too. Did he want to be the person who regretted the time he’d spent working once she was gone?

  Working and planning for the future were fine, but not at the expense of the relationships that mattered. He had plans with Lori tomorrow, but right now, that seemed a long way off.

  With a sigh, he kicked the legs out on the tables he’d brought with him. They clicked into place, and he hauled the mixers and amplifier up onto them. He opened his laptop and made sure he had power to all of his equipment. He’d already set up the speakers, and soon he’d complete his sound check and make sure everything was working. He’d then grab a bite to eat, check on his mum, call Lori, and change into his suit. Christmas was a big deal for the casino, and they insisted he dress the part.

  “Would you like some tinsel for your table?” A blonde woman dressed completely in red with a tulle and organza skirt poking out at right angles from her body offered him red garland. “We have extra.”

  He smiled and held out his hand. “Thanks. I can definitely use that. Do you have any other spare decorations? I have some in the car, but it’s a long hike to get them.”

  “I think I could rustle some up. Give me a minute and I’ll be back.” She moved toward the kitchen, and he returned to unpacking his boxes. When he pulled the next one open, a small puff of glitter and confetti fell onto his shoe.

  The wedding.

  The last time he had a private gig had been Henry Baxter’s wedding a few weeks ago. That night, Lori had been everywhere. She’d insisted on helping him set up, giggled over their gifts being the same, and forced him to dance when Henry insisted he take a break. Even though he’d given her plenty of signals to back off, she’d persisted in the couple of weeks since that day. Now, he was pretty sure he was lost.

  You’re not pretty sure. When you see her, you get butterflies. That’s more than sure.

  “Hey there, handsome. Did you want this box of goodies?” a voice spoke behind him. He whirled around to see Lori standing there with a smile. She was dressed as a Christmas elf, complete with striped tights and bells sewn onto her costume. She held out the box of decorations, and he took them without a word. “Cat got your tongue?” She stepped past him and plopped herself onto a chair behind his table.

  “I—what are you doing here?” The shock was evident on his face.

  “No one should have to spend Christmas Day without at least one loved one. So, I’m here to keep you company.”

  “Oh. I’m not sure I’m allowed to have a visitor.” He looked around for the manager, but Lori’s words had him focussing on her again.

  “I’m not a visitor, I’m your assistant. Look.” She held up a pass pinned to her shirt. “I’m official.”

  He leaned forward, squinting to read the tiny writing on the pass that matched his own. “How did you get that?”

  “I have my ways.” She jumped up, and before he could stop her, she wrapped her arms around his neck and planted a kiss on his lips. He responded to her immediately by slipping his hands around her and pulling her closer. When they finally broke apart, she rested her head on his chin. “Glad to see me?”

  “More than you know. Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

  “It was a surprise. I didn’t get you a Christmas present, so I thought this was the next best thing: the gift of me.”

  “I’d like this gift every year.”

  “Every year?”

  “Yep, every year.” He looked around again before grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the thick curtains behind his sound equipment. He located the gap and dragged her through. The area was dark, like he’d hoped, and he spent the next fifteen minutes showing her just how happy he was to see her. When they finally emerged, hand in hand, Lori thanked her lucky stars that she’d decided to surprise him today.

  A flickering of the lights… then… darkness!

  A hush fell on the dining room as the lights went out and the music stopped mid-song. The total silence that comes in the wake of a blackout settled over the guests as someone at the rear of the room coughed.

  “What the hell happened?” Luke turned toward the kitchen, where the chefs on duty entered the restaurant one by one.

  “The power is out, I
guess. Give it a minute—they’re bound to have their own power supply.”

  “Man, we haven’t even had lunch, yet.”

  “Don’t panic. It will come back on. How about a toast?” Jordan raised her glass and her eyebrows to encourage the others to join in.

  “Cheers!”

  “Merry Christmas!”

  They each raised their glasses and reached across the table to clink them with everyone else. Silence followed as they drank, and then the manager appeared in front of the DJ equipment. “Can I have everyone’s attention, please? I’m so sorry about the power. I’ve been advised that it’s not an area problem, but rather a problem here at the casino. There’s a wiring issue, and it appears there has been a small fire. It’s nothing to worry about, though, and we’re waiting to hear about when the backup power can kick in. I’m sure it won’t be more than a few minutes.

  “While we wait for the lights to come on, please let us know if we can refill your drinks or if you need assistance in any other way. If you need to use the restrooms, please make sure you have a light on your phone, or you can collect a flashlight from the front desk.” The man headed for the kitchen, stopping occasionally to apologise to various diners.

  The mood had dropped significantly, but the chatter slowly increased as people waited to see what would happen.

  “Should we exchange presents?” Andrea nudged the big gift bag she’d settled between her feet. “It could be a good way to pass the time.”

  “Oh, I wanted to do that at the end of dinner. Can we wait to see what’s going to happen?” Emily asked.

  “Sure, but if they’re going to kick us out, we’ll be doing presents in the carpark!” Andrea laughed and reached for her glass of wine.

  “Isn’t it weird without music or the background noise of the kitchen? It’s eerie, almost.” Emily said.

  “It sure is. Look, poor Fish doesn’t know what to do with himself.” Luke raised his hand to wave at the DJ. “Fish! Lori! Come sit with us,” he called. For a moment, it seemed the DJ would shake his head and stay where he was, but then he took Lori’s hand and pulled her toward their table.

  “Well, this is inconvenient,” he said as he shook hands with Luke. “Not what you want on the busiest day of the year.”

  “I thought you might have shorted the power, for a second.”

  “Ha! Me too! It is something I have to be careful about, but I promise it wasn’t me.” He turned to Lori, “Let me grab our chairs. The manager doesn’t look like he’s coming back any time soon.” He quickly moved the two spare chairs behind the DJ equipment to the table. After settling Lori into her seat, he slipped in beside her. “What happens if they can’t get power?”

  “It’s a disaster,” Henry answered, “for them and for us. Without power, they can’t cook, and there are a lot of people here. It’s not like pulling out the barbecue, cooking for a dozen guests, and having a laugh about it. Right now, the manager is considering resigning, so he doesn’t have to work another Christmas Day, I guarantee it. Not to mention the loss of revenue. Imagine the refunds and all the food that’ll go to waste.”

  “What will we do if there’s no lunch?” Shelley frowned and looked around the table.

  “I guess we’ll go home. Maybe get some sausage rolls and pies from a service station, if we can find one that’s open.” Boyd laughed as Shelley punched him on the shoulder. “What? You don’t want two-dollar junk food for Christmas lunch? We might be able to get a chocolate muffin for dessert if we’re lucky.” He laughed again as his wife rolled her eyes.

  “I’m suddenly missing my mother and her amazing cooking.” Jordan turned to Luke, “Please remind me to tell her when she gets home.”

  “Oh, look at you, getting all sentimental.” He leaned in to kiss her ear. “I’ll remind you. I want you to do it in person, though—I can’t wait to see her face.”

  “Let’s not panic, yet.” Henry raised his glass again, “I’m pretty sure my restaurant could deliver us a meal, if we get desperate.”

  “Your place in the city? Is it open today?” Cooper asked.

  “Nope, but I am the owner, so I can do what I want. It helps that I’m a chef. Finally, I can play the hero just by cooking.” They all laughed. “We’ll raid the supplies and I’ll make us something nice.” He wrapped his arm around Rachel’s shoulder and gave the group a mischievous smile. “Rachel can be my assistant in the kitchen.”

  “Oh, you’re funny. I’ll help you, and Rachel can relax and serve the wine.” Lori laughed as her friend looked at her with relief.

  She laughed harder as Rachel mouthed, “Thank you.”

  “Sounds like a plan. How about we have a few drinks on the casino in the meantime? If they’re gonna refund us, it makes these free!” Boyd looked pleased with himself as Jordan nudged him with her shoulder.

  “This is your dream situation, Boyd: no need for you to pay for a round of drinks.”

  “Jordan—my buddy, my rival—social outings would not be the same without you. I’m glad we can spar like this. It makes my life interesting.” They clinked their drinks as they grinned at each other. Shelley rolled her eyes and then shushed them as the manager returned to the front of the restaurant.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m very sorry to have to tell you we won’t be getting our power on any time soon. We’ve had a catastrophic failure of our wiring, and there’s no way we’ll be able to provide the service we’ve promised you.” An unhappy murmur skittered through the crowd, and he raised his hands. “Here’s what we will do for you. We’re going to move outside to the pool area, where we have gas-powered barbecue facilities and daylight. Our major problem is refrigeration, so we will ask you to please eat in courses. We’ll serve the seafood first and then the hot food. We’re going to keep the dessert fridges closed tight until it’s time to serve, and then we’ll bring them out.”

  He dropped his hands, since the crowd had quieted. “There’s just one problem.” A groan went around the room. “We can’t accommodate everyone this way. It’s a big job and we don’t want to ruin anyone’s Christmas, so we’re proposing to offer refunds to anyone who would prefer to leave. You’ll also receive a voucher for a free meal at the time of your choosing. For those who have no other options and are up for a little bit of adventure this afternoon, we’d be thrilled if you stayed with us.”

  A smattering of applause moved around the room as the guests discussed their options. Henry looked around the table as Fish got up and followed the manager. “Well, guys, what do we want to do?”

  “Most of us have plans for dinner, don’t we? That’s why we booked to come here for lunch.” They all nodded in agreement as Jordan spoke. “I feel a bit responsible for this disaster—it was my idea to book.”

  “It’s not your fault. This is a restaurant’s worst nightmare, and we just happened to be here when it hit.” Henry smiled at Jordan before glancing at his watch. “If we’ve all got plans for dinner, how about we go to the restaurant and I’ll cook? It’s not even twelve, so we have plenty of time.”

  “I’m game,” Andrea answered before picking up her phone as it started vibrating on the table.

  “Yep, count us in.” Luke turned as Fish reappeared. “How about you guys?”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t want to gatecrash,” Fish answered.

  “Do you have to stay here?” Lori inclined her head.

  “Nope. The manager says they can’t run the equipment outside with such short notice, so I’m free to go.”

  “Perfect! Come with us, then.”

  “I still have to pack up my stuff.”

  “We’ll help.” Luke jumped up from the table.

  “I need to be home by six.” Fish glanced at Lori, “I have dinner plans with Mum.”

  “She can leave the house, right?”

  “Sure. We just don’t do it much.”

  Lori turned to Henry. “Does your restaurant have wheelchair access?” When he nodded, she turned back to Fish. “How about we pick h
er up once we’re done here? We can let the nurse go early and then we can all relax together. Would your mum want to come?”

  Fish sniffed and looked down suddenly. He swiped at his eyes before answering, his gaze still on the floor. “She’d love it.”

  “It’s settled, then.” Luke pushed his chair in. “Between all of us, we can get you packed up quickly—except for you, Henry.” He turned his head, “You need to get started on our festive, last-minute feast. A feast for twelve, now.”

  “Actually,” Andrea clicked her phone off and dropped it into her handbag, “could we make it a feast for a lucky thirteen? My girl is going to make it, after all.”

  Henry laughed as he stood. “That’s awesome, thirteen it is. I’m the hero and I don’t have to lift a thing! This day gets better and better.” Everyone laughed, and suddenly they were picking up their bags and the gifts they’d brought along. Jordan went to the front desk to get their refund and the boys moved toward the DJ equipment and waited for Fish to instruct them.

  “It sucks your gig got cancelled, man,” Luke said as he carefully unplugged a speaker. “It’s not even like you can replace it at this late date. It’s a bust.”

  Fish grinned as he rolled an extension cord around his elbow and hand. “It’s not a complete bust, actually. I get to bring Mum out for a nice lunch and the casino paid me in advance!”

  “It was kind of you to suggest including Mum.” Fish pulled the car up outside his house and switched off the ignition. “She was thrilled when I called her.”

  “I meant what I said about us making this work. You don’t have to struggle on alone, and you don’t have to split your time between home and work. You’re allowed to go out. You’re allowed to take your mum places and enjoy yourself. If I have my way, you’ll even manage some alone time now and then.”

  Fish smiled and squeezed her hand. “This is the best Christmas I’ve had in a long time.”