Guess Who's Coming to Christmas Dinner (9 page)

Chapter
Fifteen

It was a very quiet Christmas Eve. Sophie pondered as she sat by herself in her living room, now restored to its usual calm. She’d made hot chocolate for Bella, and spent a long time going through the Flower Fairy book, marvelling as if anew to her the sweet and meticulous illustrations. Bella loved Bryony best as it was a ‘B’ for Bella, but conceded that the Strawberry fairy for ‘S’ was quite good too. Sophie had hung a pillow case ready for Father Christmas, and had wiped a moustache of hot chocolate away from Bella’s kissable mouth.

“Daddy
gone?” Bella had asked carelessly, snuggling down in her bed.

“Um,
yes, he and Susi have gone to spend Christmas Day at her home and–”

“Oh
good,” Bella had said sleepily

“What?
Why is that good darling?” Sophie had asked in surprise.

“Well,
Max and I don’t really like Susi that much....and Daddy always makes a big fuss and makes faces at her and then she cries. Mummy, d’you think Max might have a present from Father Christmas?” Sophie marvelled yet again at the toughness and incisiveness of children and made a note to wrap Max up a tin of tuna with a fancy bow on it and slip it into the pillowcase for Bella to have at some unearthly hour in the early morning.

Sophie
stretched out on the sofa, relieved that her life and her flat had been restored to more or less normal. She promised herself that she’d tackle the turkey in a couple of moments, but just now, the peacefulness of the living room after the days of commotion from Archie and Susi, was bliss.

When
the phone went, she had to stop herself assuming it just possibly might be Laurie. It wasn’t of course, she chided herself. It was her mum calling from Aunt Dot’s.

“So,
it’s just you and Bella for Christmas Day then?”

“Um,
no, I’ve invited my friend Lynne, with her little boy, Nathan.” Sophie said.

“Oh
good... shame about Archie, but you know what love, there’s plenty more fish in the sea, and he was a terrible drinker, wasn’t he? Good job he and that Susi, who your father and I never liked, have gone off together,”

“Well,
I don’t know that Mum, I mean–”

“Oh,
you mark my words; she’ll snaffle him up as sure as eggs are eggs. Good riddance, I say. Anyway I won’t stay on. The Magnificent Seven is on in a moment and you know how your dad likes that film... Lots of love darling, and at least the ice is melting here. Bye...”

Sophie
hung up and went to look out of the window; she pressed her hand against the glass. It still felt really cold to her, and she saw no signs of a thaw, but who knew? Maybe all the ice and snow would have gone by the morning. She glanced over at number 55, and saw a light flick on. He was home still! He hadn’t left yet. Sophie stood at the window, watching the light on in his flat for minutes. He hand pressed against the cold glass. She wanted to talk to him, and picked up the phone to punch a number in and put it down again.

This
lovesick teenage behaviour has to stop Sophie she said to herself, drawing the curtains, and going into the kitchen. She decided to make some stuffing for the turkey and peel some potatoes, ready for the morning. Although it was only for two adults and two children, Sophie wanted it to be as nice as she could make it. She’d also make the bread sauce, and maybe start the spicy red cabbage as well. And she’d definitely fry off the turkey giblets and make the stock, ready for the gravy. She pulled open the fridge door. No turkey. Sophie looked around the kitchen, surely even ditzy, non-cooking Susi wouldn’t have left it out?

Sophie
ran around the kitchen, looking under the table, and again in the fridge. She remembered clearly asking Susi to pick it up when she was in Pastons. It just wasn’t here. Sophie groaned. Susi just hadn’t picked it up. Damn her!

As
a last thought, Sophie looked outside the kitchen door, it was where she kept white wine if her fridge was too full (which was rare) but no, nothing. Great. Lynne was expecting turkey and all the trimmings. Guess it was just going to be the trimmings, Sophie thought, studying the fridge for inspiration. She pulled out bits and bobs, and scoured the cupboards and freezer to make the most of what she had in. There was some smoked salmon in the freezer, so they’d have that as a starter with some cucumber ribbons and a horseradish crème fraiche, then she’d make some luxury sort of stuffing with the pancetta which she’d fry off with some celery and shallots as well as the chestnuts, she’d then crumble the panattone into the mixture with eggs and parsley and bake. Then some golden brown sautéed potatoes and some bitter greens with lemon juice, a red wine and mushroom sauce, maybe a raw crunchy salad with red cabbage? Pudding was easier. Ice cream. But a luxury one. Maybe the creamy one with crumbled meringues in and a prune and Armagnac sauce for her and Lynne, and chocolate for the kids.

Yes.
Who needs a turkey? Sophie thought, slipping an apron on and starting to chop the pancetta ready for the frying pan. The soothing motions of cooking soothed her as she banished all thoughts of Laurie, and Archie and Susi from her mind. She’d promised herself a better Christmas than last year, and if it was a turkey free one in the company of a woman with a cleaning problem, and two children under five, well, so be it. It might be much worse.

When the doorbell rang, Sophie jumped. Wiping her hands on her apron, she gingerly went to the front door. She couldn’t make out the figure through the frosted glass. She opened the door a fraction, and peered outside.

A
very tipsy Ned peered back at her.

“Happy
Christmas,” he boomed, “Not too late for the party am I?”

Sophie
put her finger to her lips, “Sshhh, Bella’s asleep....but Ned, I’m sorry, there really isn’t a party... you know with the weather and such, I, umm, well, there–”

Ned
gave a good natured laugh and turned away, motioning Sophie saw to a standing car with snow tyres and a driver waiting for him. He bent down and kissed Sophie on the cheek and wished her a Happy Christmas. She watched him weave down the path, and waved at his departing back. She’d just got back to the kitchen when the doorbell went again. It was probably Ned, saying that the car was stuck or something Sophie thought, heading to the front door, wiping her hands on her apron.

She
opened the door, ready to deal good naturedly Ned, when she saw that it was Lynne. Lynne and Laurie!

“What,
what are you two doing here?” Sophie gasped, standing aside and ushering them in. Her heart was beating quite hard, and she knew that her cheeks were reddening with a teenage blush. She couldn’t bring herself to look Laurie in the eyes.

“Blame
it all on me,” Lynne said cheerfully. “But I called in to number 55, and have had a chat with Laurie, and well, I do hope you don’t mind, but I just can’t bear mix ups and muddles, so…”

“So,
I came back to get you,” Laurie said simply, holding his arms, open, “That’s if you’ll have me?” Sophie ran into his arms, and only later did she realise that she heard the front door closing as Lynne let herself out into the cold night air.

Chapter
Sixteen

Sophie woke on Christmas morning with a massive smile over her face. Last night had been perfect. She and Laurie had sat up till late, making plans and holding hands and generally being soppy. He had tiptoed into Bella’s room with her to hang up the Christmas pillow case. The pillow case was now empty and Bella was playing with the fruit and sugar mouse that traditionally went into the stocking, leaving, as all children are wont to do, the more expensive and thoughtful presents littered on the top of Sophie’s bed.

“So,
who’s coming today mummy?” Bella demanded, pulling the duvet around her shoulders, and tucking her curls behind her ears.

“Well,
Lynne and Nathan and…”

“Oh
good, he can play with Max, but who else, is Daddy coming back?”

“No,
no darling he’s not. But we can phone him, to wish him Happy Christmas, shall we?”

“Yeah,
alright. But who else, Susi’s not coming back is she?”

“No,
she’s not coming back.”

“Good.
She made funny eyes at daddy yesterday and he laughed and kissed her on her lips and she said not tell you and then Max went to climb up on the chair and she smacked him. Max and I don’t really like her and…” The doorbell rang and Bella jumped off the bed.

“I’m
going, I’m going I think it might be Father Christmas ‘cos he’s very busy this time of the year y’know, and he might have popped in for a lie down...” Bella shouted as she ran down the hallway.

Sophie
called to her, “Wait, wait Bella, you know you’re not allowed to open the door by yourself!”

Sophie
heard Bella’s voice in the hallway, and then a man’s voice. Laurie! Oh god, she hadn’t even told Bella yet that he was coming for Christmas! Sophie pulled her dressing gown around her and ran her hands through her hair before she stepped into the hallway. Bella was shouting through the letterbox at him.

“Mummy’s
just coming and I’m not allowed to open the door by myself, but have you seen Father Christmas out there? Is it still snowing? Happy Christmas!” Bella was excitedly hopping from foot to foot, urging Sophie to open the door. Sophie laughed and unlocked the door. “Laurie!” Bella hurled herself at him, nearly knocking him, and the pile of presents that he was balancing over.

“Whoa,
steady Bella! Don’t want to break anything!” Laurie said, smiling at Bella and Sophie.

“Happy
Christmas Bella, Happy Christmas Sophie!” Laurie said, leaning forward to kiss Sophie on the cheek. Sophie blushed and caught hold of his hand.

“Oh,
and Laurie’s coming as well, obviously as he’s here...” Sophie said to Bella somewhat awkwardly, wishing that she’d mentioned it before he’d actually got here.

“Yeah,
I know, and then we’re all going to Ellay and you and Laurie will probably live together and I might have to go to school in Ellay, and you want to know about all the schools there and you’re worried that I won’t like it and…”

“Bella!”
Sophie exclaimed, “How do you know all this?”

“I
was listening last night,” Bella said carelessly in that infuriating way that young children do. “Oh look, look Mummy, Max wants a present, don’t you Max. D’you think that Father Christmas has left him one?” Laurie smiled.

“I
think he just might have done... let’s go and have a look shall we?” He held his hand out to Bella who happily took it and dragged him into the living room, chattering away about Max and ‘Ellay’.

“
It’s letters you know Bella, it stands for Los Angeles, and it’s in America…” Laurie said, throwing a look at Sophie. Sophie smiled and marvelled at the way that children absorbed information. It seemed that Bella already knew about Laurie and going to LA and it didn’t seem that big a deal.

Sophie
made some coffee for Laurie and herself, and a mug of hot chocolate for Bella. When she took it into the living room, the carpet was a sea of wrapping paper.

“Mummy,
mummy, look! Look what Laurie got me! He said I could open this now but to wait till you were here to open the other ones and look Max has got a present too!” Bella pointed at Max who was lolling around the floor like a gentleman after too much port.

“Catnip”
Laurie said, smiling at her and holding out the packet.

The doorbell went again, and Sophie jumped up to answer it.

The
next hour or so was an orgy of present opening and exclamations of delight from Bella. She was awash in all things pink and sparkly. She plonked a present in front of Laurie, and demanded that he open it ‘right now’. The dinosaur pencil sharpener was deemed to be the best present that he’d ever had and Bella squealed with pleasure. Sophie wondered what she could possibly have got Laurie, but then reasoned with herself that it didn’t matter. None of this mattered. What was important was that they were together, it was Christmas Day and she was happy. Presents could come later.

Lynne
and Nathan were due soon, and Sophie started to lay the table, putting out the best dishes and napkins, determined to make it look as pretty as she could for the people that meant so much to her. It maybe turkey less but it certainly wasn’t a loveless Christmas Sophie thought. You never knew who might be coming to Christmas dinner, but it was certainly going to be a joyful one.

Sophie’s
Turkey Free Christmas Dinner

Smoked
salmon
with
Cucumber
ribbons
and
crème
fraiche
&
horseradish
sauce
.

Curl
the smoked salmon onto the plates. With a speed peeler, slice the cucumber lengthways and curl around the salmon. Put 1tbsp of horseradish into a small pot of crème fraiche and drizzle over the salmon and cucumber

Posh stuffing

Saute
potatoes

Bitter
Greens

Red
wine and mushroom sauce

Crunchy
raw salad

Stuffing
: Chop some pancetta or smoked bacon and fry in a little olive oil with an onion, garlic and finely chopped celery. Add some crumbled cooked chestnuts. Breadcrumb the Pannatonne and add to the bacon mixture. Bind together with two whisked eggs. Shape into balls and cook in a moderate oven till golden.

Saute
potatoes

Cube
some floury potatoes and heat olive oil in a shallow pan till hot, add the potatoes and fry till golden, adding fresh garlic and rosemary towards the end.

Bitter
Greens

Add
a good mixture of curly kale, cabbage, swiss chard and green beans to boiling salted water. Cook for a few minutes. Drain. Cover with the juice of a lemon and olive and some toasted almonds.

Mushroom
sauce

Fry
some mushrooms and onions in a pan till cooked, add red wine, a dash of sherry or marsala and reduce. Blitz till smooth.

Crunchy
salad

Grate
raw beetroot, red cabbage together. Maze a zesty dressing from an orange, olive oil, a dash of sesame oil, sherry vinegar to taste. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.

Ice
Cream
with
hot
sauce

Buy
the best ice cream you can afford, or if you have an ice cream machine, follow instructions! To make a grown up sauce, simply soak some soft prunes over night in Armagnac, and heat gently till warm. Pour over ice cream.

Happy Christmas!