Short Stack - Lily Morton Page 0,48

up and goes to the mantlepiece where two envelopes are set. “These are for you,” he says, handing them to Amos and Peggy. “They’re just a very small token of how much we appreciate you both. We couldn’t do anything without you.”

It makes me smile inside to hear him saying “we.”

Peggy opens her envelope and immediately squeals. “Oh, Asa! You and Jude shouldn’t have done this, love.”

“Yes, we should.”

“But it must have cost a fortune.”

“What have you got?” Billy asks, climbing onto my lap.

“It’s a trip on the Orient Express travelling through Europe.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s a lovely train.”

“Like Thomas the Tank Engine?”

“It’s a train for grown-ups, Bill,” I reply.

“Oh, that’s lovely,” he says stalwartly. It’s obvious that it doesn’t compare to his garage which had been greeted with rapturous delight. “Who are you going to take with you?” he asks curiously.

“My sister Penny.”

“I like her. She has plastic flowers in her bathroom.”

I blink. “Why would you remember that?”

He shrugs. “You never have to throw them away, Jude. She just puts them in the dishwasher every week.”

Peggy hugs her envelope to her chest. “I’m so happy,” she says softly.

“It was Jude’s suggestion,” Asa offers, leaning down to accept her hug.

I grin at her. “Thought it might appeal. You’ve seen more Hercule Poirot films than David Suchet.”

Amos opens his own envelope. “Oh, Asa and Jude, how marvellous,” he says dolefully. “A ticket for Canada.”

“We thought you could go and see your sister,” Asa offers. “But we’ve paid for a nice hotel too.”

“It would be lovely to see her.” He pauses. “Providing she’s fortunate enough to still be alive when I visit.”

There’s a stunned silence, and I bury my face in Billy’s curls to avoid anyone seeing how I’m trying not to laugh.

“Well, let’s hope for the best,” Asa finally says, a thread of slight hysteria seeming to run through his voice.

“I suppose so,” Amos replies doubtfully.

Asa turns to me. “Now, you.” He looks slightly nervous. “I know you said you didn’t want anything, but I couldn’t go along with that.”

I smile at him. “Hopefully it’s something small, then. We haven’t got room for an elephant or whatever you’ve bought me in a fit of extravagance.”

Billy sighs. “It isn’t an elephant, Jude,” he says sadly. “I wish I’d thought of that.”

“It’s not exactly small either,” Asa says.

“Hope it fits in the house, then,” I say, mystified.

“Not exactly a problem,” he mutters. He shifts from foot to foot and then grabs an A4 envelope from a side table and gives it to me. “Don’t shout at me.”

“That is not exactly something you hear a lot before people open their presents.” I stare at him as I open the envelope. Then I look down at the contents and go still. “Oh, my God. Oh my God, Asa.”

“Yes,” he says quickly. “I know it’s a bit of a strange present, but you went on and on about Bluebell Wood and how you’d played there as a kid and how evil the developer is who’s going to bulldozer it and build a housing estate.”

“So you bought me the wood?” I say slowly.

“Because I’m a very supportive partner?” he offers cautiously.

“Most people would have just signed the petition.”

“I’m not most people.”

I grin widely. “This is the most epic present I have ever had.”

“Even if someone gave you an elephant?” Billy asks.

“Even then.”

“You really like it?” Asa asks. “I mean it’s not something you can have at the house and look at, and I was worried that you…”

“Oh my God, I’m so going to the pub tomorrow, and I’m going to tell them that they can ceremonially burn that petition and then I’m going to tell Bob Fenchly that he can stick his shitty executive houses where the sun doesn’t shine, and then I’m going to roll naked in the bluebells in spring and then…”

“And of course you like it,” Asa mutters. “You can hell-raise and run your mouth off to your heart’s content.”

“I love it,” I shout and hug him. “I can’t believe you’ve saved Bluebell Wood, Asa. You’re epic. Like a very fit Fantastic Mr Fox.”

“You’re going to take off your clothes and roll in some flowers?” Billy says in a scandalised tone. “You’ll get chilblains.”

“It was just a joke,” Asa says quickly.

Billy looks like he has a lot more to say, so I wink at him. “Okay, my turn. You coming to help me, Bill?”

He jumps up happily, and we go into the dining room which I banned Asa from two days ago. His present is resting