Page 75 of Five Gold Rings

I grab his hand a little tighter and I smile at him silently. I know that feeling. That’s my mum all over. She came to a few of these evenings before she passed but she loved them, completely. She loved sitting with people and hearing their stories, she’d wear the brightest jumper and do her nails. I can picture little moments – seeing her sharing a kiss with my dad at the kitchen door, her arm over my shoulder as we sang along with the piano – moments that are so clear it’s like they were yesterday, and it makes my heart ache to remember them.

‘Kids?’ I ask Clarence.

‘I’m a little old for that now but we can try…’

I laugh loudly at his cheekiness.

‘So, I know I just proposed, but are you dating anyone?’ he asks.

Instinctively, I gaze over at Joe and Clarence follows my eyes.

‘Well, I’m not sure how I can compare,’ he tells me.

‘Oh, no. That’s nothing. He’s just a friend,’ I tell him. ‘I’m a single pringle this Christmas, all on my lonesome,’ I add without divulging too much about my recent heartbreak.

‘But not really, hey?’ he replies. I look around this room, glancing through to that kitchen, to all the people in here who’ll remind me of that fact. I look over at Joe placing a turkey dinner in front of an old lady and admiring her hair. He looks over at me and smiles. Not alone, not at all.

Joe

Is it bad that I forgot there was a whole turkey in the back of my car? A proper mega turkey in a fancy roasting pan, that probably would have remained in my car until New Year if I hadn’t earwigged into Eve’s conversation with her brother. I would have only realised a few days later when I started wondering where the smell was coming from.

‘You come with me straight through to the kitchen,’ Eve’s dad tells me. Now it’s gone from a stolen turkey to an almost forgotten turkey to one I’m gifting to her family in a restaurant where the most wholesome yet liveliest of parties seems to be taking place. There’s a girl singing at a piano. I say singing, she’s now sat on top of it encouraging everyone to sing along, dressed as a Christmas tree, flashing lights wrapped around her. This is what Eve does at Christmas, well, of course it is. She needs to stop revealing things like this to me, things that reveal her kindness and compassion, things that make it harder for me to break the habit of her.

I carry my turkey through the crowd of people and into the kitchen where there’s a bizarre mix of people who don’t seem to be chefs. People are dancing and chopping carrots haphazardly, stirring massive pots of gravy and drinking, picking at plates of nibbles.

‘Are you the DJ then?’ someone asks me from one side of the kitchen.

‘Oh no.’

‘He’s brought a turkey,’ Nick announces, and everyone cheers, coming over to inspect it. Now is maybe not the time to tell them I stole it. There’s a collective ‘ooh’ as I unwrap it on the counter to see it still bronzed and crisp, remnants of bacon rashers hanging off its legs. I’m glad my petty theft will feed the masses, this feels like good karma. Someone shakes my hand.

‘Is that bay and orange I smell?’

I nod. ‘I brine it beforehand to keep it succulent,’ I blag, trying to avoid saying the word ‘moist’ to a room full of people I don’t know.

‘Thank you so much. And who do I have to thank for this?’

‘I’m Joe.’

‘Well, snap. I’m Josie and this is everyone…’

I raise my hand at all of them, as someone takes the turkey away. ‘So how do you know Nick?’

I used to be and possibly might still be in love with his daughter?

‘Oh, we’ve just met. I’m mates with Eve.’ I point out towards the restaurant.

‘EVE’S HERE?’ Josie screams and runs out of the kitchen, and I look through the glass of the door to see her run up to her and embrace her tightly. I watch them closely as they chat and I realise Eve hasn’t just invited me into any party, many of them are people she loves and trusts, she’s brought me into her fold. Nick watches me as I look on.

‘That’s a quality bird,’ he tells me.

‘The turkey or Josie?’ I ask.

Luckily, he finds that funny though he doesn’t reply so I will assume both. We watch the interaction from the kitchen, but I can spot the moment when Chris is mentioned and the mood of Josie’s face changes. Be angry on her behalf please, I encourage it. I’m not sure what to do now. We’ve supplied the turkey. There’s one final ring to deliver. We should go. But I watch as Nick looks out towards Eve, with a look of protective pride but also awe, as if he’s surprised that she’s his daughter and she simply exists. I like that someone else looks at her like that. I guess we can stay for a moment.

‘So, I realise I don’t know you, mate, but give me the gist… Is she alright?’ he asks me.

‘She’s had a rough couple of days. She caught Chris in the act, but she’s dealing with it, possibly coming out the other side.’ He stops for a moment to take on his daughter’s pain, trying not to let his anger consume him. He turns and places two hands on a countertop.