I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day - Milly Johnson Page 0,111
shelter and warmth and fed us and kept us safe.’
She wanted to buy this place. She was going to make a serious effort to do so in the new year.
Charlie cleared his mouth of turkey sandwich to speak.
‘Robin’s psychic, you know. He feels things.’
‘I bet he does,’ said Luke, which made Charlie snort.
‘There’s definitely a presence in this place,’ said Robin with absolute certainty. ‘Benign. It enjoys company. I hope we’ve given it a good Christmas as well, a jolly one.’
‘Will you go on to Scotland in search of more snow?’ Bridge asked Charlie and Robin.
‘No, we’re heading home for a quiet, restful new year,’ said Robin. ‘How could we hope to better what we’ve had here?’
‘What about you, Jack?’ asked Bridge.
‘Back to work for me,’ he said.
‘Minus your right hand,’ said Bridge, giving him the chance to fight for Mary.
‘What’s this?’ asked Robin.
‘Mary’s coming to work for me,’ said Bridge. ‘In sunny Derbyshire.’
‘You’re going to work for Bridge?’ said Jack, sounding as if he’d just been thumped; he hadn’t realised Mary had been poached from right under his nose.
‘Oh, it’s beautiful there,’ said Charlie.
‘You’re welcome any time,’ Bridge returned.
‘Thank you,’ he replied. ‘But why the change, Mary?’ Charlie hadn’t been expecting that at all. What was Jack doing letting her go?
‘New year, new opportunity,’ she said, avoiding Jack’s eyes. ‘It feels like the right thing to do.’
‘Goodness,’ said Robin, as stunned as his partner. It was a good job he’d persuaded Charlie not to say anything. He hadn’t seen that coming. Maybe Mary wasn’t as keen on him as they’d imagined.
‘Many people will be back at work tomorrow,’ said Radio Brian, taking the conversation away from Mary’s new life, ‘so I don’t think I’ll have my listeners during the day any more. But, don’t fret, I’ll be here as usual just in case. I hope you’ve enjoyed listening to me over Christmas and that I’ve brought you some cheer as well as up-to-date weather bulletins. Cath hasn’t been too great recently so we’re hoping to bring in the new year in Whitby. If you can’t listen to me again, well, I hope you all have a happy, healthy, smashing new year and it brings you everything you dreamed of. For now, I’ll say goodnight and leave you with the magic voice of Peggy Lee and “The Christmas Spell”. Goodbye, everybody.’
Bridge thought she was the only one who felt choked up at that, until she heard Robin sniff.
‘Well that wasn’t emotional at all was it?’ he said.
‘Poor old sod,’ said Charlie and blew a kiss at the radio. ‘Thank you Radio Brian, you are truly a master of your craft. We have appreciated your every word and tune.’
‘It wouldn’t have been the same without you, Brian… and Cath… and even Malcolm,’ added Mary, a wobble audible in her voice.
‘God bless him and his gums,’ said Luke, blinking hard.
Jack stood up to clear the plates.
‘I’ll go and make some coffees,’ he said, hoping no one had noticed that his eyes were every bit as glassy as everyone else’s.
* * *
The fresh air, jollity and food had exhausted them. Yawns ripped around the room and not even Jack’s supply of robust coffee could keep their eyelids propped up for much longer. They sat in a companionable near silence in front of the dying fire, enjoying the last of its heat. There were no more logs left in the basket.
‘We’ll all meet for breakfast though, won’t we?’ Bridge asked.
‘Of course,’ said Charlie. ‘There must be something we haven’t yet eaten in the kitchen.’
‘Right, I’ll say goodnight,’ said Bridge. Mary got up from her chair at the same time.
‘Me too,’ said Luke. ‘I want to be fresh for my drive tomorrow. Sleep well, ladies.’
‘And you.’
Bridge and Mary went upstairs, Jack and Luke followed after they’d washed up the mugs. When they had gone, Charlie wrote his number on the pad, left it on the bar counter with a note for the landlord.
‘We’ll clear all the bill, whatever it costs,’ he said.
‘Cheap at half the price,’ said Robin, turning off the radio and the Christmas tree lights. He noticed the branches were almost bare now, the puddle of needles underneath on the carpet.
At the bottom of the stairs, Charlie turned back to the bar lounge. ‘Thank you, Figgy Hollow Inn,’ he whispered into the dark. ‘You’ve given me everything I wanted this Christmas and more.’ He blew a kiss then switched off the light.