Fireside Romance Book 1: First Flames (12 page)

“Not if we have company,” I said.

“Rubbish, it’ll be a scream. We might even start a trend.”

We both laughed while I put our shoes and socks back on.

“Anyway, the dinner’s ready now,” I said, getting up from the floor.

We had decided not to have a starter as the turkey, two kinds of stuffing, cranberry jelly, chipolata sausages, mashed potatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots and gravy, with Christmas pudding and brandy butter to follow, was quite sufficient.

To say we were stuffed after eating that lot would be a gross understatement.

“I don’t think I can move,” Mark shifted on his stool.

“Me neither. Oh, bugger the washing up. I’ll do it later,” I said.

Mark laughed, groaned, then brought his bandaged hands to his belly. “Don’t. It’s too painful.”

We did manage to move, but only as far as the sofa.

“Are you enjoying the day so far, love?”

Mark looked at me, a huge smile on his face. “It’s been the best Christmas ever. Because I’ve got the best present I could ever have wished for.”

I looked at him quizzically.

His response consisted of a single word. “You!”

I gave him the biggest, wettest kiss I could. “Thanks, angel. That means the world to me.”

We settled back against each other.

“All that food has made me sleepy,” Mark said.

“So sleep.”

“I don’t think I could make it upstairs.”

“Sleep here.”

Mark stretched out on the sofa with his head in my lap. He fell asleep with his face pointing towards me. I couldn’t help gazing once again into my boyfriend’s face. He’d had such a troubled past couple of years. It amazed me he was still the kind, sweet and trusting person he was. If I’d gone through what he had, I think I’d have ended up being bitter and cynical.

I gently ran my index finger along the bridge of his nose and traced along the line of his lips. I couldn’t help shedding a silent tear of joy that somehow I’d miraculously captured the heart of this angel.

The ringing of the phone shattered the silence of the room. Mark jerked awake. I was a bit annoyed that the outside world had intruded on our little piece of heaven.

I got up; the muscles in my legs had grown stiff from being in the same position for an extended period. I stretched them backwards slightly to work out the stiffness.

“Hello?”

“
Simon
, sorry to bother you on Christmas Day, but I just couldn’t wait any longer to find out if you two were having a good time.”

“Hi, Mary. Mark and I were just relaxing after overeating at dinner.”

“Sorry I’ve disturbed you.”

“Anyone else and I’d be upset, but I’m so glad to talk to you. Hang on a sec.” I covered the mouthpiece and asked Mark if I could tell her our news.

Mark smiled, got up from the sofa and approached. “We’ll tell her together.”

We agreed on a form of words, and I uncovered the mouthpiece. “Mary, Mark and I have something to tell you.”

“Oh?”

I held the phone between us, and we both said, “We love each other.”

I had to move the phone away as Mary’s screeches of joy would have burst our eardrums.

Once Mary’s excitement had died down, she said, “When did you tell each other? No, on second thoughts I’m inviting myself round. You can feed me later, too.”

“Cheeky madam,” I said. “Is it okay to leave your family today of all days?”

“God, yes. Auntie Margaret and Uncle Jim are snoring their heads off in front of the telly, and Mum and Dad look like they’ll be joining them soon.”

I laughed. “Okay then. The roads aren’t too dangerous with the snow are they?”

“No, we only got a light dusting. Haven’t you been out today?”

“We were too busy with other things,” Mark said.

We all laughed.

“I’ll see you in a few minutes,” I told her.

“Get the sherry out.”

“We will,” Mark said.

We said goodbye and I hung up.

* * * *

As promised, Mary arrived within ten minutes. Once inside she held us both in a three-way hug.

“Thank heavens both of you have found each other at last.”

“We’ve been living together for less than a week!” Mark protested.

“Yes, but you’ve known each other for months. When
Simon
here told me about when you two first met, well, I have to say, I was a bit shocked. But it couldn’t have worked out better for you two.”

We both thanked her.

“I’m sorry, Mark, about your hands, but do you think you’d have got together as soon if it wasn’t for the accident?”

“No, I think you’re right, we wouldn’t,” he admitted.

“Well, just goes to show, every cloud has a silver lining.”

“And what a lining,” I said as I embraced Mark.

“You can stop all that now I’m here.” Mary wagged her finger at us.

“Sod off, I’ve only just found him. I have to touch him at least every five minutes just to make sure he’s still mine,” I said.

“God help us,” Mary said, rolling her eyes.

“Let us cast our minds back,” I began. “We were eating hamburgers after going to the cinema—”

“All right, all right, but I’m sitting on the couch between you two lovebirds. I’m going to soak up a bit of your love, and hopefully it’ll last me until Jerry gets back.”

“Aw. Are we missing our man?” Mark asked as we sat as Mary had directed.

“Yes we are. He managed to ring this afternoon. Goodness knows how much those calls are costing him, but it was great to hear his voice.”

“Get the violin out, Mark,” I said. “Ouch!” Mary had hit me.

“Serves you right,” Mark and Mary said together. We all laughed.

“Are you sure you two aren’t related?” I asked.

“Daft sod.” Mary shook her head. “Anyway, some hosts you two are. I’ve been here at least five minutes, and I haven’t been offered a drink yet.”

“Don’t look at me. No hands,” Mark said, lifting his arms.

“Between you two, I’ve really got my work cut out, haven’t I?” I asked.

“Yes,” they chorused.

I rolled my eyes, and walked toward the kitchen. Remembering Mark hadn’t asked for any painkillers today I asked if he would join us in having sherry.

“Yes, I’ll just have a small one. It’s Christmas after all.”

I smiled and entered the kitchen. Popping my head back around the door I told Mary, “You’re only having a small one, too ‘cause you’re driving,” I reached for the bottle of sherry.

“Unless you want to sleep with us,” I heard Mark say.

“She’s having a small one,” I called out. With feeling I continued, “I’m the only one you’re ever going to sleep with from now on, mister!”

“Damned right,” I heard Mark say.

Leaving the sherry, I came back into the living room, walked back to Mark and knelt by him on the sofa, put my arms around him and kissed him tenderly on the lips.

“Oh, you two,” Mary said. Mark and I kissed for another 30 seconds or so, then Mary piped up, “Am I ever going to get that bloody drink?”

“Sorry,” I said.

I went back into the kitchen and soon returned with three sherries and gave one to Mary. “You’ll have to budge up. I’m going to give my man his drink.”

“No, I’ll do it,” she said.

“Okay then.” I gave her the second glass.

I must admit, she made a pretty good job of giving Mark the drink. I thought about using a straw and putting the glass on the table, but a sherry glass is so small, and I thought it would be nicer for him to drink out of a glass for a change.

“Any idea when those bandages can come off?” she asked.

“The nurse is having a look on Monday. Might be lucky then,” Mark said.

“Fingers crossed,” I said.

“Not with these on!” Mark said, holding up his hands.

We chatted for a while, until the phone rang.

“Hello?” I said into the instrument.

“Merry Christmas.”

“Gran! Merry Christmas to you, too.”

“How’s my favourite grandson?”

I smiled into the receiver. “You’ve only got the one grandson, and he’s the happiest man in the world.”

“I ought to call more often if I have such a strong effect on you.”

I laughed. “How are you and the old ladies?” Gran always called the other residents of the bungalows and flats around her the ‘old ladies,’ even though quite a number of them were younger than she was.

“They’re all fine. Mrs Draper at number twenty-six didn’t want to come to the lunch at the centre, but I told her she was going and I banged on her door till she came out.”

Gran was the unofficial social secretary of their little community. She would organise trips to the seaside during the summer and parties at Christmas, New Year, and any other time she could persuade the other residents to let their hair down.

“Now, tell your old Gran what’s got you so happy this Christmas. Did Father Christmas put something nice in your stocking?”

“Very nice.” I put my hand over the mouthpiece and told Mark who was calling. “Can I tell her about us?”

He nodded.

“Gran, me again, sorry for that.” I let out a breath. “I’m in love with the most perfect man.”

I could see Mary rolling her eyes, and Mark hid his face.

“That’s wonderful!”

“Yes.” I couldn’t help my silly grin. “I knew I was in love with him last week, and we told each other this morning as we unwrapped our presents.”

“Wonderful. What’s his name? I want to talk to him.”

“Mark. He’s called Mark. Just a second.” I covered the mouthpiece. “Mark, Gran would like a word with you. I deliberately took my hand away from the mouthpiece. “Don’t be embarrassed by what she tells you. The old girl’s got a mind like a sewer!”

I could hear her protests, even though the receiver wasn’t next to my ear. When she quieted, I held the phone against Mark’s ear.

“Hello Mrs err, sorry, Gran…Yes…Yes…Really?…He didn’t!…No.” He laughed, then became serious. “Yes, Gran, I love him. With all my heart. I know, he’s very precious to me, too.”

There was a long pause as Gran told him something.

“Yes, he told me about him coming out to you…I laughed when he told me.”

Gran talked for about a minute.

“No, I’m the lucky one
…
I hurt my hands, and they’re in bandages.
Simon
has done everything for me, and he hasn’t complained once
…
Yes, everything.” Mark reddened at this point.

I knew what she’d just asked.

“It’s been nice talking to you, too, Gran. I’m looking forward to meeting you, too. Yes. I’ll put him on.”

I moved the phone back to my ear. “Have you been embarrassing my boyfriend?” I couldn’t believe how wonderful it was to say the words ‘my boyfriend’ to another person.

“Would I?” Gran asked.

“Do you really want me to answer that?”

Gran laughed. “He sounds like a very nice young man. You’ll have to bring him down to see me in the New Year.”

“Yes, Gran, I will. Believe me, I want to show him off.” I looked at Mark, and he went red again. “I’ll let you go. No doubt you’re planning to bully some more defenceless old ladies into another knee’s up.”

“How did you guess?”

We laughed, then said our goodbyes and hung up.

“She’s wonderful,” Mark said.

“Yeah, she’s pretty special,” I admitted.

“I’ve never met anyone so full of beans,” Mary smiled.

We chatted for a while longer, then Mary asked Mark, “So, what did Simon get you for Christmas?”

“A book.”

Mary laughed. “Bloody typical. I swear, he eats, drinks, and breathes books.”

“No, honestly, it’s perfect. Would you show it to Mary?” Mark asked me.

I passed the book to her.

She read the inscription. “Aw, nice.
Simon,
why don’t you read something from it?”

I took the book and leafed through it for a while, then began to read aloud:

‘You’ll want all day to-morrow, I suppose?’ said Scrooge.

‘If quite convenient, sir.’

‘It’s not convenient,’ said Scrooge, ‘and it’s not fair. If I was to stop half-a-crown for it, you’d think yourself ill-used, I’ll be bound?’

The clerk smiled faintly.

‘And yet,’ said Scrooge, ‘you don’t think me ill-used, when I pay a day’s wages for no work.’

The clerk observed that it was only once a year.

Mary laughed. “Sounds just like our bosses at the Town Hall.”

All three of us looked through the book and read out passages. Mary turned the pages for Mark.

After about an hour, she asked, “Am I going to get fed here or what?”

“Are you actually hungry? I’d have thought you’d have stuffed yourself at dinner?”

“I did, but I’ve got a couple of empty corners now.”

“Would you like something, angel?” I knew my gaze was besotted, but I didn’t care.

“Just a little, please.”

“Turkey sandwiches?” I asked the pair.

Both agreed.

* * * *

“Well, I hope you like turkey, Mark, because you’ll be having it for days yet,” I said as I emerged from the kitchen, a tray of sandwiches in hand.

Mary laughed. “It’ll be just the same at our place.”

“I’ll freeze some tonight, so we won’t have as much to face in one go.”

“Good idea,” Mark said.

A short while later Mary announced she had to go. “Mum and I are going into Leeds tomorrow for the Boxing Day sales. Want to come?”

“Hell, no!” Mark and I exclaimed.

“I’ve seen enough shops for at least a month,” I said.

“Me, too,” Mark added.

“You two! You don’t know what you’re missing.”

“We do: endless queuing, pushing and shoving, not to mention the bruises when you get between someone and the bargain of the century,” Mark said.

“You’re both wimps.”

“I don’t care. Mark and I are going to spend the day together quietly. We might go for a walk if the weather’s decent.”

“Just like an old married couple,” Mary sighed.

“What’s wrong with that?” Mark asked.

“Absolutely nothing.”

“Anyway, be gone woman. I want to make love with my man here.” I put my arm around a reddening Mark.