Unforgettable Embrace (24 page)

"I love Christmas so much," she said, helping herself to a mince pie dipped in brandy sauce. "It's the best time of the year," Liz agreed.

"Especially when you get to spend it with people you love," Jen smiled at her friends.

"These mince pies are sinfully delicious, Liz," Rachel said.

"Tell me about it," Liz grinned, stuffing her third pie into her mouth. "I must admit I cheated a bit. I didn't actually cook them myself. I bought them in Marks and Spencer and just heated them in the oven."

"You can't beat Marks and Spencer for food," Rachel agreed, "whenever I fancy something delicious I trot into Marks and Spencer and treat myself to one of their divine desserts or yum dinners. Their cottage pie is to die for."

"Feeling any warmer?" Liz asked her guests.

"I'm thoroughly thawed out now, thanks girl," Jen smiled.

"Your mulled wine is a superb anti-freeze cure," Rachel grinned.

A sudden loud bang and blaring music interrupted the girls’ pleasant soiree. They strained to hear the voices overhead, but the words were too muffled to understand.

"Noisy neighbours?" Jen asked.

"Something like that," Liz replied. "She moved in a few months ago but she never seems to sleep in her apartment. When school's on holidays I tend to be home quite a bit during the day, and she's always there racketing around. I've heard quite a few different men's voices and a lot of noise during the day but she's quiet as a mouse in the evenings.

I've only ever seen her once. She's a very attractive, rather overtly sexual type. She was wearing full makeup and clubbing clothes in the middle of the afternoon, when I bumped into her in the hall. I was at the residents' meeting a few times and there's a rumour she might be a call girl. It hasn't been confirmed, obviously, or she wouldn't be allowed to stay here, but that's the rumour."

"How exciting!" Jen said, "nothing like a bit of drama right under your nose."

"If it is true, then I feel sorry for her," Liz said, "but I don't appreciate it going on so close to where I live. If word got out then it could seriously devalue the price of my apartment."

"I wonder what makes someone turn to prostitution for a living?" Rachel pondered.

"I have no idea," Liz said, "but I'd rather clean the smelliest toilets for the rest of my life, than degrade myself by doing that."

"Let's change the subject, please, girls," Jen interrupted, "I'm not really in the mood for a heated debate on women's rights etc., especially when it's less than a week to Christmas and more importantly I have a wedding to plan."

"You're right," Rachel agreed, "let me get my lists and we'll see where we're at on the planning."

She dug around in her handbag and produced a slightly battered notebook. She thumbed through a few pages and started ticking th
ings off her checklist. "Church; check, wedding dress and shoes; double check. Hmm, three things done on a list of about three million," she sighed.

"I think we're doing really well," Jen said.

"We're getting there, slowly," Rachel said, "but read this and then tell me you don't feel a bit panicky."

"Ok, let's see," Jen and Liz pored over the list.

"I completely forgot about the bridesmaid dresses," Jen said.

"Never mind the bridesmaid dresses," Liz said, "who are you going to have for your bridesmaids?"

"You and Rachel of course," Jen said quickly, "if you'd do me the honour."

"Course we'll be your bridesmaids!" Rachel said.

"Only if you let us pick our own dresses," Liz said, "I've seen some hideous outfits on bridesmaids, brown dresses or big colourful meringues."

"I'll leave you to choose your dresses then," Jen conceded, "I trust your judgment." "What else is on the list?"

"I think we should divide the tasks between us," Rachel said, taking charge of the situation, "otherwise we'll never get it done."

"Good idea," Jen agreed.

"Ok, as chief self-appointed wedding planner, I will sort the photographer, the cars and the cake. Liz you're in charge of the bridesmaid dresses and accessories, the hair and makeup artist, if that's ok with you?"

"I look forward to the challenge," Liz looked up from her Filofax where she was furiously taking notes.

"Good woman, so Jen that leaves you to sort the reception, music and rings. They're quite personal so I think you and your fiancé should organise those things between you."

"Speaking of fiancés, when are we going to meet your beloved?" Liz asked.

"He's always away on some photo shoot somewhere, so it can be difficult to pin him down, but he's got a few days off between Christmas and New Year, so we should all get together then," Jen said.

"I can't wait to meet him," Rachel said.

"How's Batt?" Jen asked her friend curiously.

"He's ok I guess," Rachel said hesitantly, "we've exchanged a few texts and calls." "Are you still feeling weird about the whole situation?" Liz asked, Jen had filled her in on Rachel's latest romance.

"Yes, but I don't know why and I feel quite mean about the whole thing," Rachel replied, "I think I just need space. I never thought I'd say something like that, but I'm really enjoying my freedom and the thought of having a boyfriend and settling down again doesn't particularly appeal to me at the moment.

We had a lovely few days together, and it really was idyllic, which is why I feel unfair about trying to distance myself from him now."

"I bet he can't get enough of you," Jen said, "it's always the way, we can't get enough of what we can't have."

"He's such a sweet guy," Rachel said, "but I think I'd rather be friends than lovers."

"Then you need to sit him down and tell him," Liz said, "it's only fair."

"I know, I know," Rachel agreed, "I've never had a conversation with anyone like that before, so I'm not really looking forward to it."

"He'll have a lot more respect for you if you're honest with him," Jen said, "who knows, he might turn out to be a very good friend." "Maybe," Rachel didn't sound very convinced.

"Anyway, never mind me, are we all clear on our wedding tasks?"

"Yes, sir, Rachel, sir," Liz said, standing theatrically to attention.

"We've got a lot to do, girl, and I've elected myself chief wedding planner, so I apologise in advance for being bossy, but someone's got to take control."

"It'll be fun," Liz said, perusing her dream wedding album, scanning the pictures for dress ideas. "You know I'd be happy to do the hair and makeup on the day," Liz offered.

"Really?" Jen exclaimed, "I was thinking about asking you but I didn't want to put you under too much pressure on the day."

"I'd love to do it," Liz said smiling. "You know me, hair and makeup are to me what shoes are to Rachel."

Jen and Rachel laughed. Liz was so obsessed with hair and beauty products that she'd had to ban herself from entering Boots chemist for three months. She just couldn't resist the temptation when she browsed the chemist. The special offers and myriad array of products simply overwhelmed her. It was like Disneyland for her. She was known to lose track of time when she entered the front doors of the shop, often not reemerging for hours.

She counted the number of shampoo and conditioners she had in her bathroom once. She owned ten bottles of shampoo and fifteen unopened bottles of conditioner. There was shampoo and conditioner for blonde hair, highlighted hair, dry hair, long hair, frizzy hair.

The funny thing was that she owned at least three of the same type of product. She had eighteen different lipstick
s and five identical unopened foundations. So she'd banned herself from shopping for hair and beauty products until she'd used up or given away what she already owned. Her friends often joked that she could open her own beauty shop.

"My idea of heaven," Liz had said dreamily.

Whenever her friends had any hair or beauty issues their first stop for advice was Liz, who invariably would have the perfect solution. Jen knew she would do an amazing job of the hair and makeup on her wedding day, already Liz had started sketching hairstyles in her Filofax.

"Oh my God, girls!" Liz suddenly exclaimed. "What about the hen party?"

"Honestly, girls, something small with just us and maybe a few girls from work, is fine with me," Jen said.

"Don't be daft," Rachel said, "I've already got a few ideas I'm working on for your hen party, nothing too raucous but definitely something fun.

"Leave it with me and Liz," Rachel said, "we'll take care of everything."

Chapter 33

"Twinkle, twinkle little star," Mia, Rachel's little niece suddenly started singing.

"You are so unbelievably cute!" Rachel said as she held the ladder while her sister, Holly, put the golden Christmas star on top of the tree.

"She's absolutely devastating," Holly agreed, smiling at her daughter, "aren't you gorgeous girl?"

Mia smiled her gummy smile at her mother. It was Christmas Eve and Rachel was staying with her sister for a few days.

"I can't believe you're putting up the tree so late," Rachel said.

"I know, I know, it's just been a manic few weeks," Holly explained. "I've been up to my eyeballs. Will's mother broke her leg last month and I've been up and down to her house most days to help her shower and make sure she's eating. She gets lonely rattling around that old house all by herself and seeing Mia and Simon really cheers her up. She's on the mend now and has finally gotten the hang of her crutches. She'll be around tomorrow for Christmas dinner." "It'll be a full house then," Rachel said.

"A mad house," Holly laughed. “My philosophy is the more the merrier, and we will be merry. It's the only way to get through the madness that is Christmas Day. I've stocked up on wine and I've asked all my guests to bring a bottle too, so we won't run out."

"A girl after my own heart," Rachel grinned, "and anyway I'll be here to help you."

"Me too, auntie," Simon piped up from the couch, where he'd been sitting for the last hour, absorbed in cartoons.

"Of course you too, Si," his mother said, "you're going to help me with the mince pies, remember?"

"Yes, mom."

"You're baking mince pies?" Rachel asked her sister incredulously.

"Not a hope. I'm taking them from the box and shoving them in the oven to heat them up and that's about the extent of my mince pie baking," Holly replied.

"Good thinking," her sister agreed.

"Stand back everybody, it's time to switch on the lights." Holly hit the switch and the whole room was bathed in the soft, twinkling fairy lights.

"Wow," Mia said, her big brown eyes shining.

"So cool, mom," Simon said.

"Thank goodness for that," Holly said in relief, "I don't know what I would have done if they'd blown a fuse at this late stage in the proceedings."

"I have a surprise," Rachel said, digging around in her handbag, "I brought the "Polar Express" film for us to watch."

"Yey! Thanks
Auntie," Simon grabbed the DVD and popped it in the machine.

"Wait five minutes," Rachel said, "nobody move."

She soon emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray of hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows on top.

"Divine," Holly sighed contentedly, taking a mug from the tray and within minutes they were all curled up together on the couch.

“
This is my all-time favourite Christmas film,” Rachel sighed, after the children were tucked up in bed, and she and Holly were sipping mull
ed wine on the couch, cosy under a blanket together.

Simon was so excited about Santa that he took himself off to bed before seven o' clock.

“
I bought this film because Simon was starting to have doubts about the existence of Santa. An older boy in school, who is obviously too old to still believe in him, told Simon and a few of his little friends that there's no such thing as Santa Claus,” Holly said.

“
That was so mean,” Rachel exclaimed.

“
Simon was very upset, but I think this film has made him believe again,” Holly smiled.

“
I remember a girl at school told me that Santa wasn't real and I told the teacher on her,” Rachel grinned to herself at the memory.

“
Good for you,” Holly laughed.

****

"Santa's left you lots of presents, auntie, wake up!"

Rachel was startled out of her cosy sleep by Simon roughly shaking her. "Ok, darling, I'll be downstairs in a minute," she said, while her nephew ran back downstairs to the living room.

She had to fight the urge to pull the duvet up over her head and go back to sleep. She hauled herself out of bed and onto the floor, shoving her feet into her warm wooly slippers.

"Auntie's up!" Simon shrieked when she arrived into the living room.