Hubble Bubble (37 page)

‘Noooooo!!!!!’ Lu shrieked, clapping her hand over his mouth. ‘No, there isn’t! Look, wait here a minute! Don’t move!’

Dragging a perplexed Shay behind her, she barged through the scrum of guests, stumbling on the stiletto-heels. Where was the bloody vicar? Oh, God, surely he hadn’t stayed in the church to get on with the Carol Service had he?
Surely he’d have joined them in the pub for an hour at least? Rumour had it he was pretty keen on the communion wine.

‘Ah! Got him!’

‘What?’ Shay blinked. ‘Lu, sweetheart, what the hell are you doing?’

‘Me? I’m not doing anything. My Mum’s magic is doing it! As always …’ She grabbed the vicar’s sleeve. ‘Excuse me, could I have a word?’

The vicar, twinkly eyed and ruddy cheeked, had clearly downed a copious amount of Merlot.

‘Would you like me to make it a double? Fit in a second Blessings wedding?’

‘No thank you. Or at least, not just yet.’ Lu smiled sweetly. ‘We wanted to ask, is Honeysuckle House still vacant?’

The vicar nodded. ‘Well, yes. As you know, I always look for suitable tenants and after the – er – problems with the Worthys I have to be very careful.’

‘Would a paramedic and an RSPCA officer be considered suitable?’

‘Eminently so,’ the vicar nodded. ‘Oh, absolutely – why? Do you know of such a couple?’

‘You’re looking at them.’

‘Really?’ The vicar’s dissolute blue eyes sparkled. ‘Oh, how perfectly wonderful. Yes, Lulu and – er—’

‘Shay Donovan.’ Shay held out his hand.

‘Mr Donovan,’ the vicar pumped his hand up and down. ‘Well, yes, of course. I’d be delighted to have you as tenants – and the sooner the better. Do you want to have a viewing?’

‘No, well, yes – but we’ll take it. Now. Oh, and we’ll have animals. Rescued puppies. Is that okay?’

‘Perfectly,’ the vicar beamed some more. ‘I love all God’s creatures. Not a sparrow falls and all that. Couldn’t be more pleased. And you could move in, when?’

‘Straight after Christmas,’ Lu rocked on her stilt heels and kissed the vicar. ‘You’re a star. Thanks a million.’

‘I hope you’ll be very happy there.’

‘Oh, we will,’ Shay said dazedly as once again Lu dragged him through the partying crowd.

They found Lav and Lob lustily singing ‘Oliver’s Army’ by the food table.

‘Have you had loads to eat?’ Lulu squeezed in beside them. ‘And are you nice and warm?’

‘Yes to both,’ Lavender nodded. ‘This is super. And what about you two?’

‘We’re fine. Lovely wedding wasn’t it?’

‘Beautiful. We cried all through it,’ Lobelia sniffed happily.

‘What we wanted to tell you,’ Lu leaned towards them, ‘is that we might have solved some of your financial problems.’

‘Really!’ The Bandings clapped their mittens. ‘Oh, how wonderful that would be! But how?’

Quickly, Lulu explained that she and Shay would be renting Honeysuckle House from the vicar, but that they knew two paramedics – both girls – who’d love to share Shay’s old room.

‘So you see, you could have double the rent. Two people sharing the one room. And it would be all right because they’re both girls, wouldn’t it?’

‘Double the rent!’ the Bandings eyes widened in bliss at the thought of being able to afford food and heat. ‘And two young gels in the house! Oh, what fun! But we’ll miss you.’

‘We’ll only be on the village green,’ Shay said reassuringly. ‘You’ll still see us every day. And you can come for your tea all the time. So is it all right? Shall I send Carmel and Augusta over?’

‘Yes, please,’ the Bandings chorused. ‘Oh, this is the happiest day of our lives!’

‘And mine,’ Lulu grinned, as Shay’s fingers circled lasciviously on her wrist.

*

The evening roared on. Those with young children and
Christmas Eve stockings to fill, had left. The remainder danced and sang and talked and laughed. It was, everyone said, the most magical night Hazy Hassocks had ever seen.

As all Granny Westward’s delicacies had disappeared, Mitzi proudly felt that she might be more than slightly responsible for that.

She watched everyone partying, and felt suddenly lonely. Stupid. How could she be lonely among all these people? All her friends and family? But everyone had
someone.

Then Doll and Brett, seemingly unable to prise themselves apart, had hugged her, and Doll had whispered that maybe there was something in the Dreaming Creams and the Wishes Come True Pie after all; and Lulu had skipped up, her braids all tangled and her dress covered in snow, and said she and Shay had been celebrating outside.

‘The snow’s nearly a foot deep already and still coming down. It’s magical,’ she’d beamed from ear to ear. ‘Simply magical. And Doll’s wedding has been perfect, and me and Shay and the puppies have got Honeysuckle House. Oh, this is just the best day ever! Not that it’s any surprise. After all, we both know it’s
really
magic, don’t we? And as me and Doll have had our wishes come true, it’s your turn now.’

‘I’ve got mine, too,’ Mitzi had said. ‘I wished for this to be the happiest day of all our lives. And it is.’

Lulu had wrinkled her nose. ‘Nah. Not that one. The other one. Your special wish last night. The one you didn’t say out loud.’

Mitzi had watched Lu and Shay disappear through the gyrating crowd, and frowned slightly. How on earth had Lu known about that one? How could she possibly have known?

Nursing her champagne flute, Mitzi wandered to the window and gazed out through the leaded lights. The snow showed no sign of letting up. The wind had increased, whipping the storm into a cloud of white that swirled and eddied from every direction. There were already massive
drifts in the car park and the cars themselves were all completely covered under several inches.

All except one.

Mitzi watched as the new arrival’s headlights dimmed and went out, and then as the door opened and the driver stepped out into the blizzard.

‘Brave,’ she said to herself, ‘coming out tonight in this … oh, my God!’

Joel stopped for a moment under The Faery Glen’s illuminated sign and looked at the pub. Mitzi was sure her heart had stopped beating. Was she dreaming? Had she conjured him up? She blinked. No, he was still there. The odd thing was, she realised, was that she was absolutely delighted to see him – but not entirely surprised.

Forcing her way through the manic crowd, including Trilby Man and all the Baby Boomers, who were now doing the ‘Time Warp’, Mitzi dragged open The Faery Glen’s door.

Joel, who had obviously had his hand on the latch, almost toppled on top of her.

They stared at one another.

‘You look wonderful,’ he said.

‘ You look like a snowman.’

They smiled.

‘Before we say anything else, would it be okay if I got warm? Thawed out a bit?’ Joel indicated the log fire. The wind was howling down the chimney, making the flames leap and dance. ‘I’ve had a hell of a journey.’

‘You grab a seat. I’ll get you a drink. And food.’

Within a few minutes they were knee to knee beside the fire, filled glasses and plates and another bottle of champagne on the table. Mitzi wanted to touch him, hold his hand, kiss him, feel his arms around her.

She managed merely to lean forward and look enquiring. ‘I thought you were in Manchester?’

‘I was. I came back.’

‘Was it that bad?’

‘Not at all. My parents were delighted to see me and my ex and my brother were holidaying in the Maldives.’

‘So, why—’

‘I have absolutely no idea. Except that last night, within minutes of arriving, I felt that I had to come back here.
Had to.’
He emphasised the words. ‘Like there was some weird force telling me that I should be in Hazy Hassocks. Not in Manchester. It was bloody spooky.’

‘Fancy that …’

‘I’ve missed you so much.’

‘I’ve missed you, too. It’s been hell. I’m so sorry about—’

He leaned forward and placed his fingers on her lips. They were icy cold. They felt like fire. ‘Don’t. Not now. We’ll do all the explanations and apologies later. I’ve been such a prat.’

‘Two prats together, then.’ Mitzi felt herself unravelling with love and happiness.

Joel drained his glass and filled them both again. ‘Here’s to Doll and Brett. And us.’

‘Doll and Brett. And us. It was a shame you missed the wedding.’

Joel looked round the packed pub with everyone still whooping it up like billy-o. ‘It was – but it looks as though I’m in plenty of time for the best bit.’

‘We always save the best for last in Hazy Hassocks.’

Joel grinned. ‘I saw you on stage in
Hair.’

Mitzi felt the shame wash over her. ‘I know. Please don’t. I looked awful. Terrible …’

‘You looked adorable.’ Joel took the glass from her and put it on the table. Then he held her hands in his, his fingers stroking hers. ‘You looked wonderful. Sexy, pretty, happy, absolutely bloody perfect.’

‘But you left.’

‘Of course I did. I was hurting so much because we’d finished. It was just bloody torture watching you, seeing you, loving you, wanting you – and knowing … thinking
– that you didn’t want me. I’m a dentist. If I want torture I’ll do my own root canals without anaesthetic.’

Mitzi sighed. ‘I’ve been such a fool.’

‘No fool like an old fool – ouch! – oh …’ Joel’s eyes met hers, and the wanting was mutual. He kissed her. Mitzi, melting with lust and longing and love, kissed him back.

‘I love you.’

‘I love you, too.’

He laughed. ‘Not very original, are we?’

‘Sod originality,’ Mitzi giggled. ‘I’m a traditionalist.’

Aware that Doll and Lulu had noticed Joel’s arrival and the kiss and were nudging each other delightedly, laughing across the pub, Mitzi waved to them. They waved back.

‘Do I have to wave?’ Joel pulled her even closer.

‘No. Just kiss me.’

He did and Mitzi sighed with total happiness. It was, without doubt, the happiest day of her life … she’d got exactly what she’d wished for … God bless Granny Westward.

The music suddenly stopped. The dancers didn’t.

‘Ladies and gentlemen,’ Otto barked down the microphone. ‘Just a little word. The police have phoned us. The roads are now impassable. The snow has drifted and they’re expecting more. The good news is that we’ve definitely got a White Christmas. The bad news is that I’m afraid you’re all going to have spend the night here.’

The cheers and whoops and screams of delight were deafening.

Boris took over the microphone. ‘We’ll keep the fire stoked up and we’ve got pillows and blankets for when you’re ready to call it a day – or night. There’s plenty of food and drink – so I hope you’re all good friends because you’re all going to be spending the night together!’

The screams of delight were even louder.

Joel grinned at her. ‘This is sheer magic. It’s all been magic since I met you. You’ve put a spell on me.’

‘Moi?’ Mitzi smiled blissfully. ‘Not guilty.’

‘But if were staying all night, what about Richard and Judy? Shall I see if I can get through the drifts?’

Mitzi wanted to kiss him to death. ‘They’ll be fine – more than fine. We all put down food before we left for the church. And the heating’s on. They’ll probably have a far more comfortable night than we will. But thank you for thinking about them.’

‘I’ve grown – er – rather attached to them actually. And I didn’t want you to worry.’

‘I’m not worrying – about anything. So where were we?’

‘About here, I think …’ Joel kissed her. ‘And – um – this isn’t quite how I imagined we’d be spending our first night together.’

‘Nor me,’ Mitzi said softly. ‘Which is a whole other story. Still, we’ll have loads of time to do it properly, won’t we?’

‘We will.’ Joel nodded. ‘Loads of time. All the time in the world, in fact. Maybe even for ever and ever.’

‘Happily ever after?’ Mitzi snuggled against him. ‘ Sounds like a proper fairytale ending to me …’

Boris turned the music on again. There was a moment’s silence, then, magically, The Faery Glen was flooded with the haunting strains of ‘Witchcraft’.

Epilogue

Mitzi opened her eyes and stretched luxuriously amid the glorious cosiness of tangled white sheets, two blankets and a quilted eiderdown. For a fleeting, frightening moment she wondered where she was. Then she remembered and smiled.

There was no sound. Everywhere was eerily silent: a cushioned, uncanny, muffled silence. The unfamiliar room was filled with a muted white light. The heavy plum velvet curtains, not quite meeting, allowed a pale shaft to slide across the polished floorboards.

A strand of light across a bedroom floor.

She turned her head and smiled sleepily into the huge feather pillow. It was Christmas morning, it was snowing, and she wasn’t at home, or alone.

Tentatively she inched her foot across the vast bed until it made contact with Joel’s naked leg. Reaching out to touch another’s skin.

Mitzi sighed with pure happiness.

Joel slept bedside her. She allowed herself the luxury of watching him breathing, naturally ravishing in sleep as so few people are after childhood. Breathing out as she was breathing in.

If this first love could be my last …

It was, and had been, everything – absolutely everything – she’d dreamed of. ‘Amoureuse’ to the last, sensual, haunting word.

Carefully, not wanting to wake Joel, she slid out of bed and waited to be frozen. Surprisingly, the room was blissfully warm, so she padded naked to the window and pulled back a corner of the thick curtain.

Overnight Hazy Hassocks had turned into Winter Wonderland. It was breathtakingly beautiful. Dawn was just breaking, a heavy yellow light over the hillocky whiteness, the snowflakes still falling slowly in a gentle haphazard way to rest on the drifts. Icicles, huge stalactites, hung from every one of The Faery Glen’s windowsills, and the northerly wind still blew sub-zero temperatures across the village.

Downstairs, no doubt, all her friends and family were still sleeping under the piles of blankets and duvets provided by Otto and Boris. It probably wasn’t the way Doll and Brett had expected to be spending their wedding night. Still, she knew they’d been offered a room on account of the special occasion and the pregnancy but they’d turned it down and carried on partying into the early hours with everyone else.