Unforgettable Embrace (25 page)

"Anybody would think he hadn't seen me in years," Rachel laughed.

"He's gone a bit hyper from all the excitement," Holly smiled at her sister, suddenly giving her a hug, "merry Christmas, sis."

"Merry Christmas," Rachel hugged her back.

Simon and Mia came running over to them to join in the hugs. They spent a very happy morning opening presents and playing with the children's new toys. Mia was having more fun messing with the gift wrap than playing with her toys. They could barely see her little head of curls for the amount of paper entangling her.

"Time to get the show on the road," Holly said.

"Are you coming with us to church, aunt?"

"Umm, I hadn't planned on it," Rachel replied slowly.

"Please auntie, you have to come with us. I'm singing in the choir," Simon begged.

"I didn't know you were singing Si," she said, "I'm definitely going so."

Rachel hadn't been to a church in years. She'd been raised a strict Catholic and had even attended an all-girls Catholic school. She still believed in God, just not in the traditional sense. She felt a little guilty and hypocritical only going to church at Christmas, which is why she'd paused when her sister had invited her to join them.

It wasn't long until they were all bundled up in their winter coats and scarves and on their way to the church of Saints Peter and Paul. A thick layer of frost lay blanketed on the grass and the winter sun was trying to break through the clouds. They passed several people as they walked and everyone called "happy Christmas" to each other.

"It's the most wonderful time of the year," Holly said.

"That's like the song, mom," Simon smiled, "oh look, there's Jackson."

He ran off into the church to catch up with his friend.

They made their way to the top of the church so they could get a good view of Simon singing in the choir. Rachel was overcome with a sense of peace as she took her seat in the pew. The church was decorated in seasonal colours of red and gold, with wreaths of holly and ivy on the altar. Rachel enjoyed the mass and Simon's singing with his school friends. Afterwards, they visited the manager, and Mia tried to struggle out of her mother's arms to play with the baby Jesus. "Baby, baby," she kept pointing at the little statue of Jesus in his crib. They left the church quickly, before Mia decided to scream the place down in her attempts to get into the manger.

Chapter 34

"I think I'm about to explode," Rachel groaned, undoing the top button on her jeans.

"You should have worn your joggers like me," Joe, her brother, said, patting his round stomach.

"Some of us like to make an effort," Colette, Rachel's younger sister said, in disgust.

"You don't need joggers anyway, Colette," Holly said, enviously eyeing her sister's flat stomach.

"She never eats anything," Joe teased her, "too worried about her acting career."

"It's all part of being an actress," Colette explained, "everyone says the camera adds at least ten pounds. None of us actresses are bigger than a size eight, and I certainly don't plan on reaching a size ten anytime soon."

"Heaven forbid, a size ten," Holly grinned.

"I think the last time I was a size eight, I was aged eight," Rachel laughed.

"We'll have no squabbling now kids," Angel
a, their mother, interrupted. “It's Christmas Day." "Exactly," Will agreed, "a time for peace and goodwill to all men."

"Put a sock in it you," Holly threw a cushion at her husband.

"Let's just see what's on TV, shall we?" Joe suggested, grabbing the remote controls and channel surfing.

The usual films were on the box, so they all settled down to watch Indiana Jones, much to Simon's delight, who loved any action film. Little Mia was sound asleep, tucked upstairs in her cot, having her afternoon nap, completely panned out from all the excitement of Santa and presents.

Christmas dinner had been less stressful than Holly and Rachel had originally anticipated. Holly was a firm believer in delegating and had been clever enough to have each of her guests bring an item to contribute towards the dinner. She'd been up bright and early that morning with Simon, who'd woken the whole house at six o' clock.

She'd popped the turkey in the oven, and she'd spent the morning cooking the stuffing, whilst keeping a close on the turkey and basting it at regular intervals. Rachel was in charge of the vegetables and had discovered the most divine sauce for Brussels sprouts, which went down a treat with everyone. The girls' mother brought her bread sauce, made with her own secret recipe. Colette brought Christmas cake and pudding with brandy butter, which she barely touched. Joe just brought himself, but in his defence he did volunteer to do all the washing up afterwards.

The whole family spent the afternoon watching television, nibbling on sweets and dozing in their armchairs. Rachel reflected back on the past year, something she always liked to do at Christmas. I've achieved a lot, she thought, feeling quite proud of herself. I got out of my comfort zone and took a leap into the unknown. I've experienced new places, met lots of people and broke out of my shell. I wonder what the year ahead has in store for me, she mused.

Her mind wandered to Batt, and she felt guilty. He'd been texting her quite a bit, but she only really found herself responding out of politeness. She wished, in a way, that he'd stop contacting her, but part of her didn't want to lose him completely either. This is a new departure for me, she sighed to herself, a man's chasing me and I'm not that interested. Make your mind up, woman, she scolded herself. She'd invited him to come out with her and her friend's for New Year's Eve. Well, he'd sort of invited himself really. He'd hinted very heavily that he didn't have any plans so she'd felt obliged to ask him to come out with her. He said he'd stay at a hotel in the city. Of course her friends couldn't wait to meet him. Rachel had told them all about him and they thought he sounded fascinating.

St. Stephen's Day was spent hunting for bargains in the shop sales. Rachel wasn't in the mood for shopping. She was still feeling bloated from the previous day’s festivities and indulgences, but Holly had insisted on dragging her around the shops, despite her protests. It was complete and utter insanity in the shops.

"You'd think it was a life and death situation the way people are behaving," Rachel complained, after she'd been shoved and elbowed for the umpteenth time.

"It's all good fun," Holly smiled, up to her elbows in the bargain underwear section in Debenham's department store.

She'd made a killing in the sales already, having bought new winter coats for herself and the children at seventy per cent discount. She'd found a gorgeous pair of black ankle boots for herself and Egyptian cotton sheets at half price. All in all she was absolutely thrilled with her purchases.

Rachel bought a black fur-lined gilet and a camel coloured jacket, which apparently was all the rage that season. She was on the look-out for an outfit for New Year's Eve, but hadn't managed to find anything just yet. She didn't particularly feel like trying on clothes, given that her stomach was swollen to twice its usual size. Serious dieting for the next week, she promised herself, looking at her reflection in the full-length mirrors of the changing rooms, which were unforgiving, to say the least. She bought herself some miracle control underwear, just in case the dieting didn't work. I'll need a bloody miracle to flatten this stomach, she thought to herself, sucking it in won't work this time, it's gone beyond that.

Eventually, she left the shops with a very flattering black lace back tunic with a ruffle detail on the front. Hopefully the ruffles will distract from my chubby tummy, she thought. She bought some black, open foot leggings and a pair of sky-high animal print platform shoes. She was going to get her hair restyled and highlighted the following day, so she'd be glamorous for New Year's Eve. Jen had been given free VIP tickets to the New Year's Eve party at Scott's and had insisted on Rachel and Liz going out with her. Batt was coming along too and so was Jen's fiancé. Rachel was dreading the party already, but she'd put on a brave face for Jen, who was very excited at the prospect.

Chapter 35

"What time is the taxi picking us up, Jen?" Liz asked, as she put the finishing touches to her makeup.

"I booked it for quarter to eight, so twenty minutes til the party starts, girls," Jen said.

"I think the party has well and truly started," Rachel chuckled, "I feel quite tipsy already." Rachel and Liz had descended on Jen's house in the early afternoon, and the girls had been nibbling on snacks and sipping cocktails for the past few hours.

"These concoctions of yours are lethal," Liz said, feeling a bit light
-headed herself.

“
T
hey taste so refreshing, like fruit juice, but they are just a teeny tiny tad stronger."

She hiccupped, as if to prove her point, and the girls collapsed into fits of giggles.

"It's New Year's Eve, girls," Jen said, "if we can't let our hair down and get trolleyed tonight, of all nights, then when can we
get tipsy? Besides, I'm soon to be a sensible married woman, and who knows what condition I'll be in this time next year."

"You'll never hang up your party shoes, whether you're married or single," Rachel laughed. "You'd be surprised," Jen continued, "Vic and I have been talking about planning a family together, so I might be pregnant next New Year's Eve, then there'll be no drinking or VIP nightclubs for me for a while."

"So we better party hearty tonight, girlfriends," Liz said, clinking her glass shakily in cheers with her friends. I'm looking forward to meeting your respective boyfriends. I'll feel like a bit of a gooseberry hanging out with you two without a boyfriend of my own."

"Batt isn't my boyfriend," Rachel said defensively, "I only invited him tonight cos I felt guilty for not contacting him much, plus he said he didn't have any plans for tonight, and I felt sorry for him being alone. We're friends, nothing more, nothing less."

"I'm sure Batt doesn't think so," said Jen.

"Well, he can think whatever he wants, I'm not on the market for a full-time steady boyfriend at the moment," Rachel said.

"Just a part-time, sometimes sleep over boyfriend," Liz said, her eyebrows raised.

Rachel blushed then, "I didn't plan for us to sleep together, it just happened, and it's not like he exactly suffered. We haven't had a serious chat about going out with each other. I should probably clear the air when I see him again
later. He's a really nice guy. It's just the wrong time for me."

"Ok, ok, enough of the heavy stuff ladies, our taxi's here, so let's get the show on the road," Jen said, shooing her friends out the door.

"What
about Vic?" Rachel asked, "I thought we were meeting him tonight?"

"He had a last minute job to do this afternoon. He said he'll meet us at Scott's around nine. Now come on, let's go, the taxi driver's going mad waiting for us."

Fifteen minutes later and they were joining the mad crowds queuing outside Scott's.

"Follow me, girls," Jen strode confidently to the front of the queue. "VIPs," she smiled sweetly at
the security staff who were guarding the entrance, and flashed them her passes.

"Welcome, ladies, have a great night," the bouncer opened the door for them and they were whisked inside the warmth and music. The place was buzzing.

The hostess greeted them at the door and led them to the VIP section.

"Champagne will be with you shortly, ladies," she smiled, hurrying away on impossibly high heels.

"How does she walk so fast in those shoes?" Rachel asked, in amazement.

"Practice, my dear, practice," the hostess arrived back, making the girls jump.

"She's like Wonder Woman," Liz said as she sped away.

"You two are so drunk already," Jen laughed, pouring the champagne into their flutes.

"Moet, very posh," Rachel said.

"VIPs darling, VIPs, only the very best for us tonight," Jen said in her haughtiest voice.

"Oh rather lah di da, quite frightfully so," Liz said, knocking back her glass of bubbly in just a few gulps.

"Steady on girl," Rachel said, "we better start pacing ourselves or we'll be on the floor in an hour."

"Anyone fancy a boogie," Jen jumped to her feet, "I love this song!"

She grabbed her friends' hands and they all made their way to the dance floor. They danced and sang along to the next three songs, then they were so thirsty they had to stop for a drink. There was a cute guy sitting in their section, with a big smile on his face. Jen ran to him and flung her arms around him, hugging him tightly and planting a very big kiss on his lips. Liz and Rachel stood together, awkwardly looking on.

"Girls, this is Vic, Vic these are my girls, Rachel and Liz," Jen disentangled herself from Vic and remembered her manners.

"Very pleased to meet you, ladies," Vic stood up and shook hands with Liz and Rachel, pecking them both on the cheek.