Page 73 of Five Gold Rings

‘Did you steal him from a hotel concierge?’ Noel asks, eyeing him curiously.

‘No, don’t be rude.’

‘Please tell me you’ve done some harm to Chris on my sister’s behalf?’ Noel asks Joe.

Joe shrugs. ‘I haven’t. She did that pretty well all on her own.’

Noel beams at me and hugs me again.

‘I also come bearing gifts,’ I tell them, opening the door, and putting the seat forward to show them the turkey still resplendent in his foil jacket, sitting on the back seat.

‘That’s my Christmas gift?’ my dad bellows. ‘I’m more of a Toblerone man.’ His laugh echoes down this quiet street. ‘Bloody glad to see it. Where on earth did you get this?’ he asks me.

‘Don’t ask,’ I say, winking at Joe. Joe helps deliver it to the kitchen with my dad as I follow into the restaurant, the doors opening and the familiarity of that place hitting me all at once. Inside there are dozens of people, some I know, some I don’t, all in different states of inebriation and merriment: Mr Callaghan, masterful on a piano in a corner, his daughter, Lucy, belting out some Christmas tunes. The restaurant has a wonderful line in foil garlands, and a glowing LED tree, everyone in various states of Christmas fancy dress. I was right, Joe’s jingly shorts would have gone down a treat here.

‘How’s it gone today?’ I ask Noel.

‘A treat – the U3A put the word out so a few extra faces. Everyone’s just been asking about you. You’ve been missed.’

‘I missed it,’ I say, watching as Lucy gets everyone in that room to sing along. This is why we make sure Lucy’s here, that and she also flirts with all the old men and makes their year. I think about previous years, sometimes dragging Chris along against his will after his family do, memories of him sulking in a corner with his phone being absolutely useless, and suddenly it feels good to know I can ride this party solo and can stay for as long as the fun times continue. That’s a good feeling. Another familiar face bounds out of the kitchen and runs towards me. Josie.

'ABOUT BLOODY TIME! Come here, you big lemon!’ She wraps her arms around me. I met Josie at university and ever since I found out her family do this sometimes at Christmas, I’ve joined in and made it our family thing, too. It’s always warmed the cockles to spread some festive love and it’s become a highlight of the season so despite all that’s happened with Chris, I’m glad I’m here. For all I’ve lost, I’m glad I get to submerge myself in all this joy, amongst all these people I love and trust so dearly.

‘I have to be quick because there’s a turkey to carve but first things first, who is the turkey boy? And second, Chris is a wanker. Humungo wanker of serious proportions. I officially hate him.’

I turn to Noel who obviously spread the word for me. I don’t know whether to be grateful that I don’t have to re-tell that story again.

‘Heisa wanker. The turkey boy is Joe.’

'You moved on fast?’ she says, her wide eyes telling me she’s also been indulging in a Christmas tipple in that kitchen.

‘He’s a work colleague. Where is he?’

‘I left him with your dad. They’re chatting now.’ She points towards the kitchen where I see them both sharing a joke through the glass panels of the door. ‘I have to go but I want a drink later, yes?’ she says, running off in her holly headband. ‘Tell Lucy to stop sitting on people’s laps, too.’

She runs back to the kitchen as Noel and I stand here to take all of it in for a moment: the music, the lighting, the low-level party chatter that makes a room come to life.

‘I’m glad you’re here,’ Noel says, perching his head on my shoulder. I turn and embrace him tightly. ‘I’m sorry I was mean to you when I thought you weren’t coming today,’ he tells me.

‘Well, now you know why. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you at the time. It’d just happened, I was all over the place.’

He winces and shakes his head. ‘So do Dad and I have you for the rest of Christmas?’ he asks me.

I nod, swaying with him to the music. ‘Almost. I have one more ring to deliver and then I’m all yours.’ And suddenly I love the idea of a quiet Christmas with Noel and Dad, huddled inside our family home, seeing out the season with TV and copious amounts of cheese. That will be all the healing I need. Noel does a little happy dance and I grab his cheeks, kissing him on the forehead. ‘I was worried for a while that strong jawline was going to steal you away,’ he teases, looking across at Joe. I’m not sure why but someone in the kitchen has him on service duty. Some much for a quick pop-in.

‘His name is Joe. Behave. He’s just a friend,’ I remark.

Noel raises an eyebrow. ‘I don’t have friends like that. What’s happening there, by the way?’ he asks, his twin senses tingling. ‘I’ve never seen trousers fall so well on a man.’

‘I don’t quite know,’ I mumble.

‘So you’ve spent the last few days together. You’ve stayed at his place. This is interesting,’ he tells me.

I pull him close. ‘We kissed yesterday,’ I say out of the side of my mouth.

‘WHAT?’ he cries.

I elbow him in the ribs to remind him to watch his volume. ‘Shush yourself! It was mistletoe, it was mandatory kissing. And there was a drunken kiss, but he quickly put a stop to that.’