the hanger. She came back out and Daisy was already dressed and waiting for her.
‘Are you getting the red one?’
Daisy pulled a face. ‘I’ve already spent all my pocket money on the green one.’
‘Well, let me treat you to that one. It’s loads cheaper than the silver dress and then you have a choice come Christmas Eve.’
‘No, I can’t let you buy it for me.’
‘Consider it your Christmas present. Come on, we need to get back home so we can pick up the freezer van before the ice carving workshop.’
‘Are you getting the silver dress?’
‘No, I have a lovely little black dress which I wear every year to the ball. I have some new shoes to go with it, that’ll have to do.’
Penny paid and they left the shop. She smiled when Daisy linked arms with her. They had spent a wonderful morning together, wandering between the shops, chatting, stopping for Christmas cake in Linda’s bakery. They just sort of clicked and Penny genuinely loved spending time with her.
‘Oh look, there’s Anna,’ Daisy pointed out and ran over to give her aunt a hug. Penny hesitated and reluctantly walked over. Bea was with her and presumably baby Oliver was asleep in the pram.
Bea waved hugely at her when she saw her and Penny bent down to talk to her so she wouldn’t have to talk to Anna.
‘Hello Bea.’
‘Hi Penny,’ Bea said and Penny was aware of Anna and Daisy stopping talking above her head.
‘Are you looking forward to Christmas?’
Bea nodded. ‘Can you teach me how to say “Happy Christmas” with my hands?’
‘With sign language? Yes I can.’ She carefully signed the two words and Bea copied her. ‘That’s it. Now you can tell Tilly in the bakery what your name is and wish her a happy Christmas.’
‘Thank you. Will you teach me more words?’
‘I tell you what, every time I see you, I’ll teach you something new. Do you want another one before you go?’
Bea nodded keenly.
Penny signed a word slowly and Bea copied her again, getting the hang of it very quickly.
‘What does that mean?’
‘Chocolate.’
Bea giggled.
‘Tell you what, Bea,’ Anna said. ‘Daisy can take you to the bakery and if Tilly is in there you can ask for some chocolate cake,’ Anna said, signing the word for cake.
Bea nodded enthusiastically and Anna gave Daisy some money and Daisy scooped Bea up and ran across the road to the shop, leaving Penny and Anna alone.
Penny stood up so Anna wasn’t towering over her. She was tall like her brother, obviously inheriting those genes too.
‘I’ve been watching you and Daisy for the last hour,’ Anna said.
‘You’ve been following us?’ Penny was incredulous.
‘Spying would be a more accurate description,’ Anna half smiled. ‘She loves you and I can see you genuinely like having her around. I have to remember she is a brilliant judge of character. She didn’t like any of Henry’s girlfriends even when we all thought they were lovely and they turned out to be terrible, so if she likes you then maybe I should trust her too.’
‘Is that your version of an apology?’
Anna sighed, obviously finding it hard to say. ‘I love her. I love them both and I don’t want to see them getting hurt, especially Daisy and especially after what happened last time with Emily. So I’m sorry if I overreacted. It came from the right place, even though I know that doesn’t excuse it.’
Penny smiled. ‘Apology accepted. And I’m sorry for kicking you out of the house.’
Anna shrugged as she turned to walk up the road alongside Penny. ‘I totally deserved it. When will you tell Daisy?’
‘Soon I hope, she wants us to get together too so I hope Henry tells her soon, maybe after Christmas. It’s been a pain in the arse hiding it.’
Anna laughed. ‘I can imagine. Henry is rubbish at keeping secrets too, he always was as a child, so I imagine it’s causing him all sorts of headaches.’
‘Did you two get on as children?’
‘Yes. Well not always, we used to have the best time playing together, but we’d fight like cat and dog too. Still do actually, although we get on really well most of the time.’
‘Is it true that you still have food fights?’
‘Ha, yes we do, but only when he annoys me. It’s hardly a good example for the children though, is it?’
‘I don’t know, it’s certainly one way to sort out any disagreements without resorting to violence and swearing and shouting.’
They turned to wait for Daisy and Bea and