The Perfect Christmas (5 page)

***

The women ate their dinner and laughed a lot. They reminisced, retelling hilarious stories and catching up on gossip about people in the industry. They talked about silly things and Holly and Jack, but they didn’t discuss Will or Elliot. Tonight was for fun, not heartache.

Close to ten-thirty, they got ready for their mission. Maggie pulled on her trench coat and gloves and made a face at Zoe. ‘If I get pneumonia but they get together, at least I will die happy.’

‘Let’s go,’ said Zoe, and they left the envelope and Maggie’s new cashmere coat in plain view on the table.

***

Downstairs, they saw Jack chatting to a valet and Holly pretending to flick through some paperwork at her position near the front desk while she watched Jack. Maggie and Zoe quickly slipped out onto the front steps and the doorman hailed them a black cab.

‘St Paul’s, please,’ said Maggie.

The cab pulled out and Maggie and Zoe sat back, trying to relax but each more nervous than the other.

‘We should be there in half an hour, so that will make it eleven. We’ll ring Holly for the coat just after, she’ll give the letter to Jack and then leave the hotel. She’ll get here just before midnight.’

‘And hopefully Jack will follow,’ said Zoe, crossing her fingers.

The cab pulled up at the front of the cathedral.

‘There are so many people,’ said Maggie.

‘It’s very popular,’ said the driver. ‘If you don’t have seats, you have to stand up the back, that’s if you can get in.’

Zoe was already out of the car. ‘Wait here,’ she said to Maggie and she walked into the magnificent cathedral, light flooding out of its huge doors.

Ten minutes later, Zoe was back and she opened Maggie’s side door.

‘Come on then, I got us the best seats in the house.’

‘I thought Holly got us those,’ said Maggie in amazement.

‘She’s an amateur,’ said Zoe jokingly. ‘Call Holly and let’s get this mission underway.’

Maggie pulled out her phone and, with slightly shaking hands, dialed Holly’s number. She waited for her to answer.

‘Oh, Holly, I’ve left my coat behind at the hotel and its freezing. Could you possibly bring it to me? There’s also a note for Jack, if you can hand it to him on your way out? Thanks a million, Holly.’

She put her phone away and made a face at Zoe. ‘Christ, I hope this works.’

‘You can ask him yourself when you’re inside,’ said Zoe, grabbing Maggie’s hand and pulling her through Security and up the aisle.

‘Where are we going?’ Maggie hissed to Zoe as a man in long, elaborate white robes came towards them.

‘How lovely to meet you, Ms Hall,’ the man gushed. ‘My wife is such a fan and I must admit I am also.’

‘Maggie, this is the archbishop, he’s going to let us sing up the back with the choir.’

‘Are you serious?’ Maggie spluttered.

‘Your manager said it was a dream of yours, and Christmas is all about miracles, isn’t it?’ He beamed and Maggie smiled in shock and embarrassment.

‘Okay then, let’s do this!’ she said excitedly.

The archbishop walked them to the back of the church and out to an antechamber, where a woman handed them two white robes. ‘This is for the general choir, the boys wear the red ones,’ she explained to them. Maggie and Zoe pulled them over their heads and giggled at each other. Songbooks were pressed into their hands.

‘Just mouth the words if you don’t know the tune,’ said the woman. ‘The congregation will be very loud. They really get into the sprit of it all.’

Zoe smoothed down her robe. ‘Okay. God, I’m nervous, Jesus, I have to stop taking the Lord’s name in vain.’

‘Yeah, you better or you’ll be smote with a huge bolt of lightening by the third carol,’ said Maggie as the choir began to assemble in their pews.

‘Smote, how do you even know that word?’ Zoe whispered.

‘I know lots of words you don’t know about,’ whispered Maggie in return.

They had a perfect view of the church and the congregation and Maggie glanced to where Jack and Holly’s seats were. They were still empty, of course, but there were still a few other empty ones around. Then she saw Jack walk into the church.

‘He’s here,’ she said to Zoe. ‘How can he have got here before Holly?’

They watched as he looked at his ticket and walked up the aisle and to the seats. He glanced around and then sat down, smoothing his hair down and adjusting his tie.

‘He’s nervous,’ whispered Zoe.

‘I thought Holly would be here first,’ said Maggie with a frown. The rest of the seats were filling up and more people stood around the outside and at the back.

The organ started to play and the choirmaster motioned for the choir to stand.

‘She’s not coming, she knows it’s a set-up,’ whispered Maggie, eyes fixed on the empty seat next to Jack.

Before Zoe could say anything, the choir burst into ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’ and the rest of the congregation joined in with spirit. The sound was joyful and Maggie felt her eyes prick with tears at the sound and the energy in the church, and then she felt Zoe grab her hand.

There was Holly, clutching Maggie’s coat, standing in the aisle, staring in shock at Jack. He reached out his hand and guided her to his side and, taking the coat, he placed it around her shoulders, opened the songbook and pointed at the page.

Maggie thought she might burst from happiness at the sight. She decided that their tender awkwardness was the most beautiful sight she had seen since she had arrived in London. She wiped away a tear discreetly, then turned to Zoe, who was also dabbing her eyes with a tissue.

‘God, we’re hopeless,’ Zoe whispered as the last words of the hymn faded away.

Watching Holly and Jack glance at each other as they sat down, their bodies close, the archbishop beginning his welcome address, Maggie was reminded of Will for a moment. God how she missed being looked at like that.

Holly leaned over the songbook, her dark hair falling across her face. Jack tenderly tucked it behind her ear. Maggie felt Zoe squeeze her hand again.

‘I think I’m going to die, this is like the best job ever; we have the robes and choir and everything.’

Maggie started to giggle and then couldn’t stop. She gave an enormous snort.

‘Shhh!’ said Zoe but it was too late. Holly and Jack looked up and recognition flooded their faces.

Maggie gave a tiny wave and saw their faces burst into smiles.

For the rest of the carols, Zoe and Maggie sang loudly and what they lacked in tune, they made up for with spirit.

And, after the prayers, where Zoe prayed her laptop was in one piece and Maggie asked for Elliot, the crowd slowly drifted away as Big Ben struck midnight across the city.

‘Merry Christmas, Maggie Hall,’ said Zoe as she hugged her friend. ‘I’ve had the best night of my life. Thank you for reminding me how to have fun and how an adventure with you is like nothing else.’

Maggie pulled her friend in close. ‘Merry Christmas Zo. You’re the smartest, most loyal chick, thanks for putting up with my crazy schemes.’

‘Hey, those schemes have worked out okay for us so far,’ said Zoe.

‘Maggie?’ Holly’s voice interrupted them and Maggie turned to see Jack and Holly holding hands.

‘Oh, you two! Merry Christmas!’ exclaimed Maggie.

‘You did all of this for us?’ asked Jack, looking in awe at them.

‘Yep,’ said Zoe proudly.

‘But we’re the ones who are supposed to do things for you,’ said Holly, her eyes bright. ‘That’s our job.’

Maggie took Holly’s free hand. ‘It’s everyone’s job to do good things for each other, no matter the time of year.’

‘Thank you,’ said Jack. Ladies, can I hail a cab for you? Would you like to go back to the hotel?’

‘We’re fine thanks, Jack. Please, enjoy your evening,’ smiled Maggie.

‘If you’re sure?’ Jack turned to Holly,’ Shall we go?’

Holly nodded and they started to walk away. Then Holly turned back. ‘I have your coat,’ she said, starting to take it off.

‘No, you keep it. Merry Christmas!’ said Maggie. ‘I’m kind of into this robe now, I might wear it all the time.’

Holly and Zoe laughed.

‘I’ll bring it to the hotel tomorrow then,’ said Holly.

‘No, I don’t want it, it’s too hot for LA and I’m leaving on Boxing Day. Please, wear it and enjoy it.’

Holly went back to Jack, who was waiting patiently, and they waved as they left the magnificent building. Maggie and Zoe reluctantly returned their robes, then Maggie signed autographs and posed for pictures with a few choir members.

‘You done?’ asked Zoe.

‘Yep, let’s go,’ said Maggie. Tiredness washed over her and she pulled on her trench coat.

‘Bet you wish you had your coat now, Mrs Claus,’ quipped Zoe as they stepped outside.

But Maggie looked ahead and saw Holly and Jack by the beautiful Christmas tree outside the Church.

He was holding her so close, their arms wrapped around each other, their faces were nearly touching.

‘Look, Maggie!’ Zoe tugged her sleeve. ‘Your wish came true, it’s snowing.’

Maggie watched as Holly tipped her face up to Jack and she saw their lips touch.

‘It did come true,’ Maggie said aloud. She knew that in the next chapter of her life, she would be alone until she had exactly what she saw in front of her tonight – true love.

Read on for an exclusive extract of Kate Forster’s new novel,

Picture Perfect

released in April 2015.

Prologue

West Virginia

11 May 1996

The girl shivered and hugged her new baby closer to her chest. It had been a restless night in the hospital room; and her friend shifting uncomfortably in the hard plastic chair, while the baby snuffling in the little crib beside her bed.

The last time she had been in a hospital was when her Grammy had died, and she had trusted that stupid social worker. Social workers couldn’t be trusted, no matter how much they pretended they cared.

She felt sick, but she wanted it done. Every second she was with the baby was another second that might change her mind.

Her friend sat watching her, her slim legs in skintight jeans, chewing gum and drinking Mountain Dew from the vending machine down the hall. She was swinging one foot while she spoke, a habit that her friend knew came from nerves, not restlessness.

‘She’s gonna have a real nice life,’ her friend said for the millionth time.

‘I know,’ she answered numbly.

‘Better than anything
we
ever had.’

The baby stirred and she felt her breasts ache. She was bottle-feeding, as they had all agreed, but her body yearned for the feel of her baby on her skin.

Skin hungry, she thought, her mind blurred as she picked up the baby from the crib.

Was this what love felt like, she wondered, and then she felt the let down of her milk, soaking her one good T-shirt.

‘Goddammit,’ she said and stood up from the bed. ‘Take her, I have to dry this,’ and she handed the warm bundle over.

Her friend took the baby with the confidence of someone who had grown up around younger children.

‘Hush now, little one,’ she said to the babe, and started singing about Jesus.

All her songs were about Jesus, thought the girl as she went into the bathroom and plugged in the hairdryer from the cupboard under the sink. This was a real nice hospital, with fancy toiletries and hairdryers and little dryers in each room. Better than the apartment she shared with her friend. She waved the hot air over her milk-stained T-shirt. She saw the milk had left a shadow of two eyes on her front.

Proverbs 15, 3, she thought.
The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.

What was he thinking as he watched her now?

A knock at the door made her jump and drop the hairdryer.

‘Give her to me,’ she said, rushing out and snatching the baby back.
Time is precious, don’t waste a moment,
she heard the preacher say in her head.

Her friend walked to the door and opened it. ‘Hi there,’ she said, like she was about to serve them at the Pick ‘n’ Mix candy store.

She heard the woman’s breathless voice answering and she walked to the window and stared out unseeingly at the parking lot.

If the Lord was watching her, and he knew how she was feeling, then he would have found another way, wouldn’t he?

‘Sweetheart?’

Turning slowly, she saw the woman who was about to become her baby’s new mother.

The first time she met the woman she had been a tired, scared teenager, heavy with this child. Everything had ached,

Now everything ached for a different reason.

She didn’t look at her, just at the beautiful baby in her arms.

‘How is she doing today?’ asked the woman, lines of worry and age on her face.

Too old to adopt, the agencies had said.

And here was she, too young to keep the baby without family support.

Who was anyone to say this woman shouldn’t have a baby just because she was older? It was unfair, but then the girl had always known life was unfair.

The woman didn’t dress like anyone she knew. No one in her life wore smart suits or a scarf, not even in church.

The baby mewed. Though the girl’s breasts still yearned for the sweet mouth of the baby, she held her out to the woman.

‘Do you want to hold her?’ she asked shyly.

The woman pounced on the baby and cooed and clucked her tongue at the child.

‘She’s perfect,’ she said, looking up with tears in her eyes as she took her form the girls arms.

‘Nobody’s perfect,’ she said quietly. ‘Not even a teeny, tiny baby.’

But the woman didn’t seem to notice anything but the baby.

‘You got the money?’ asked her friend and the girl frowned at her bluntness, but then her friend had always been able to separate money and emotion. It was business, she had said to her when she balked at the amount her friend suggested for the baby.

The woman reached into her black leather handbag and handed a yellow envelope to the girl.

Her friend took a sip of Mountain Dew and opened the envelope. ‘I need to count it.’ She set to work carefully counting the money.