I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day - Milly Johnson Page 0,94

told Jack I was handing in my notice.’

‘Yes, well, that was obvious.’

‘Was it?’ Mary’s horror was refreshed.

‘Of course, but that’s because I know what’s going on in your head,’ Bridge replied. ‘So why were you dreaming about telling Jack you were handing in your notice is the big question.’

‘Because… that’s what I’m going to do in real life,’ said Mary. She might have been well past tipsy, but on this she was clear. ‘I’ll lose all self-respect if I stay. It would be so much easier if I could winkle him out of here’ – she patted the part of her breast where her heart lay – ‘but I can’t. I’ve tried, and it’s pathetic how sad I feel when one of his leggy girlfriends turns up and how elated I get when office gossip tells me she’s off the scene. So no more. I’m leaving.’

‘You should. Come and work for me. Whatever he’s paying you, I’ll more than match it,’ said Bridge. She might have been well past tipsy, but she meant every word.

Mary took a deep breath. ‘Yes, I accept.’

Bridge nodded, smiled. ‘I’m delighted, Mary.’

‘It’s started to hurt me to be around him.’

‘Then it really is time to leave,’ said Bridge.

* * *

‘Robin, are you awake?’ Charlie asked in a hushed voice.

‘No, I’ve been asleep for half an hour,’ came the weary reply

‘I’ve thought of something for you to give to Jack and Luke as a present. I’m going to write down my instructions and put them in my suitcase.’

‘As if I won’t have enough things to do,’ said Robin with a groan. ‘All you’ve done at me for over thirty years is bark instructions. Robin, drive me here; Robin, arrange for Securicor to deliver that necklace to Lady blah-blah; Robin, book us two tickets for Vegas.’

‘Would you have had it any other way?’ asked Charlie softly.

‘No. Now get some sleep,’ said Robin, and tumbled back into the dream he had temporarily vacated.

Boxing Day

Christmas is a holiday so powerful

that it requires another one, Boxing

Day, to be observed right after it

Chapter 28

‘Well it’s stopped snowing… oh hang on, no it hasn’t, but it’s very fine.’

Robin stood by the window, curtain pulled back, looking out. ‘I doubt Aviemore in its prime could give us this much snow. It’ll be interesting to…’ His voice trailed off as he turned back to Charlie and noticed how still he was.

‘Charlie?’

Charlie was lying on his back, a faint smile on his lips. Still. Charlie was never still.

‘Charlie?’

Nothing.

Robin crept over to the bed, his heart increasing in tempo with every step.

‘Charlie, wake up.’ Robin shook him rudely by the shoulders and Charlie’s eyelids sprang open.

‘What? What’s the matter?’

Robin sat on the bed, his spine seemed to collapse.

‘Thank God, I thought you’d shuffled off.’

Charlie closed his eyes again.

‘Would it be such a bad thing to have gone in my sleep?’

‘Yes. I’m not ready for you to go.’

‘If you think I’d have gone and missed that marvellous-sounding Boxing Day breakfast, then you don’t know me at all.’

‘I do know you, you stupid old bugger.’

‘I had planned to croak on a ski-slope in Aviemore doing a black run slalom.’

Robin allowed himself to smile at that. ‘I should have known you wouldn’t miss any food. I’m half-expecting you to turn up for the buffet at your wake.’

‘If you promise to put on creamed asparagus vol au vents, I’ll be there like a shot. And I want loads of mince pies. Add that to your notes.’

‘There will be Gregg’s sausage rolls and not much else.’

‘Ooh, I love a Gregg’s sausage roll,’ said Charlie, squeezing himself with glee.

Robin looked at him with open-mouthed shock. ‘When have you had a Gregg’s sausage roll?’

‘Dotty brings me a secret one every Tuesday morning when you’re out washing the car.’

Robin’s jaw snapped shut. ‘Does she indeed?’ he said then. ‘I’ll be having words with her when we get home.’

Charlie stretched. ‘This bed is so comfortable, Robin, I haven’t slept as well for months.’

Neither of them had slept well for months, that was for sure. Charlie’s sleep had been disturbed by dull aches, Robin’s by bad dreams. Sleep quality was even worse in the overnight hospital stays, as plush as the private suite was. Charlie had called a halt to all that; he said he wasn’t going to spend another night away from home, apart from the hotel in Aviemore. When they got back after this trip, their bedroom would start looking more like a hospital though. The palliative care team would be coming to assess