‘Hey, little sis.’ Gus enveloped Pippa in a hug as they met at The Parker’s Arms for the first committee meeting of the year.
There were many ways they raised funds for the animal sanctuary, but the three annual events were not only important to the sanctuary, but also to the local community. The summer fête was the biggest, but the Easter event had grown since they started and it became harder to decide on a theme, especially as everyone had an opinion. With March beginning and Easter creeping towards them, they needed to get going with their plans.
Their committee was nothing if not colourful. John, the vicar, was the unofficial head, his wife, Hilary, was always at his side and members of the gardening club also came, as well as some of the older members of Parker’s Hollow.
‘Penny for them?’ Gus asked as they put glasses, paper and pens around the table that had been set up for them.
‘I was thinking of Samuel.’
Pippa bit back tears. Samuel was the oldest member of the committee and a big part of Meadowbrook, and had been for as long as they could remember. However, a stroke last year had meant he’d to go into a home.
‘I know, I miss him, too,’ Gus said and planted a kiss on top of his sister’s head.
The room in The Parker’s Arms was perfect for the committee meeting. An array of tables had been put together and it was great for the pub, because they made a decent amount of money from the meetings.
Harriet arrived pushing a sleeping Toby in his pram and Gemma was by her side. She was shortly followed by Freddie, who arrived with Gwen and Gerry. The committee members bustled in, full of excitement, and as usual it took ages to seat everyone and take drinks orders before finally, after about twenty minutes, they were ready to start the meeting.
‘We need a theme, but I can’t help but think we’ve already covered all the obvious ones,’ Harriet started as she called the meeting to ‘order’ once everyone had tucked into the food and, more importantly, drinks. A few of the ladies had requested sherry and there were a couple of bottles of wine on the table.
‘Can I pick up Toby?’ Edie asked.
Active on the committee, as well as gardening club member, she often ran the bric-a-brac stall with Margaret. Because of their persuasive ways, it always made far more money than it ever should.
‘He’s sleeping.’ Harriet rolled her eyes at Pippa.
They always brought an agenda to the meeting, but this was usually bypassed, meaning it generally took a further couple of meetings to get anything decided. Pippa knew it was because most committee members liked coming to meetings. It gave them somewhere to go and also a purpose, as most of them were retired. That was Meadowbrook and she was aware that deep down, they wouldn’t have it any other way.
‘It’s fine, I’m his godmother almost.’
Before anyone could do anything, she lifted Toby out of the pram, which woke him up and provided him with an opportunity to show off how well his lungs worked.
‘My goodness! Even deaf Samuel would have been able to hear that cry!’ Rose, another gardening club and committee member, said.
‘Do all babies sound like that?’ Pete asked.
‘Here, I’ve got a bottle for him.’
Harriet, trying not to sound angry, handed it to Edie and when she stuck it in Toby’s mouth, he stopped crying immediately.
‘Man after my own heart, likes his food,’ Gerry announced proudly.
‘Right, back to the Easter event,’ Pippa said. ‘We still need a theme.’
‘I’d like to propose bringing back the real meaning of Easter,’ John, the vicar, suggested.
‘I second that,’ his wife loyally piped up. ‘Jesus and the Crucifixion.’
Pippa rolled her eyes and looked at Fred, who was trying not to laugh. Thank goodness Gus jumped in, because no one else seemed to know what to say.
‘We’ve always said in the past – and I mean this with all due respect to both Easter and Jesus – that we can’t have a half-naked man nailed to a cross, it wouldn’t be suitable for children, and we do need to raise money, you know,’ he pointed out gently.
‘Fine,’ John said, sounding disappointed, although why, as he’d tried to get this passed every year and was always vetoed, Pippa had no idea.
‘But we’d love for your morris dance troop to be heavily involved, of course,’ Harriet added as a means to pacify him.
‘You know, you still haven’t officially set the date for the christening,’ Hilary pointed out, going off at a tangent.
‘I know, I’m so sorry.’ Harriet’s face began to redden. ‘We’ve been meaning to but we’ve just been so busy.’
‘Next month’s good for me. Pin Connor down. Where is he, by the way?’ John asked.
Connor was normally at the meetings, but more often than not these days he seemed to be working.
‘At the surgery; there was an emergency,’ Harriet said. ‘I’ll get him to call you tonight.’
‘Oh, goody, I do love a christening,’ Doris, one of the raffle ticket sellers at these events, piped up.
‘I do, too, although I prefer weddings,’ Mary, her raffle-selling partner, added.
Pippa noticed Freddie looking intently at the table.
‘Of course, I’ll need a hat. Gemma, dear, will you take me shopping? Last time she took me to some wonderful charity shops in Bath and I picked up a few bargains, I can tell you,’ Edie said.
‘I’m not sure even I’ll be wearing a hat,’ Harriet replied.
‘Yes, but I’m important, I’m going to be godmother,’ she announced to the table.
‘As am I,’ Pippa cut in.
‘Best if only the chief godmother wears a hat,’ Edie decided, giving herself a promotion that didn’t exist, but no one dreamt of correcting her.
‘And as godfather I’m going to get a new suit,’ Gerry announced.
‘Why am I not godfather if she’s godmother?’ Freddie hissed at Harriet.
‘Oh, Fred, I can’t have both you and Gus, and I couldn’t choose between you, but Pip’s my only sister.’
‘That’s convenient,’ Freddie huffed.
‘I really don’t mind,’ Gus said reasonably.
‘Anyway, you don’t even like babies,’ Gemma pointed out.
‘No, but I’ve got a feeling I’ll like Toby when he’s older. A bit like how Fleur managed to grow on me eventually,’ Freddie explained.
‘Don’t let her hear you say that,’ Gus pointed out.
The meeting was definitely off track, so much so that Pippa knew that no matter what happened now, it wouldn’t go back. They were all talking outfits for the christening that Harriet would now have no choice but to schedule. John was suggesting hymns and some of them were asking Gwen about the catering for the afterparty.
The door opened and Hector appeared with Brooke.
‘I heard you were all here. Sorry I’m late, but is there anything I can do to help out with the Easter event?’ he asked.
‘What? Oh, I’d almost forgotten about that,’ Edie said. ‘We were talking about the christening.’
‘What christening?’ Brooke asked.
‘Toby’s. You’ll still be here by the sounds of it, so we’d love you to come,’ Edie said. Harriet opened her mouth as if to object, but then closed it again.
‘Who are the godparents?’ Hector asked.
‘Gerry, Edie and Pippa so far,’ Harriet explained.
‘You need another man, to balance things out,’ Freddie pointed out as if to put himself forward again.
‘You’re right, Fred. Hector, how do you fancy being Toby’s second godfather?’
‘Who? Me? Of course. I’d be absolutely thrilled. Honoured.’
His smile stretched across his face, but as Harriet winked at Pippa, Pippa could only scowl back. Just because they were both going to be godparents didn’t mean they’d get together. God, her siblings could be so annoying. They’d always ganged up against her in childhood, too.
‘Great,’ she smiled. ‘I’m sure Connor won’t mind that you’ve decided without him,’ Pippa shot back.
‘Actually, he already suggested Hector. He quite likes you now you don’t have sex on TV and he even read your book,’ Harriet replied testily.
Pippa was utterly defeated.
‘I promise I’ll be a good godfather,’ Hector said. ‘I’ll take it very seriously.’
‘And you’ll make a very handsome and fine-looking godfather, too. Imagine the pictures of us together!’ Edie said.
Pippa laughed, forgetting to be angry. It would be an interesting christening …
‘Right, this calls for a celebration. Can I get anyone another drink?’ Pippa offered and they all excitedly accepted.
As drinks were fetched and toasts made, it seemed that the Easter event was all but forgotten.
‘So, what’s the theme for the Easter event going to be?’ Brooke asked as she, Pippa and Hector walked back to the hotel together.
‘No idea. They all got distracted by the christening. To be fair, they usually do. It takes us at least two or three meetings to get the event finalised.’ Pippa was being warm, probably because she’d been drinking earlier in the day and she wasn’t good at it. Even John, the vicar, had succumbed to half a bitter. ‘Thankfully, we have almost two months until it’s actually Easter,’ Pippa observed.
‘I hope I’m still around. I know I booked two months, but I really think I need longer. I mean, I can’t believe how quickly time is passing. And now I’ve met Chris … things are really starting to happen.’ Brooke’s time with them was flying by.
‘We’d love you to stay longer and I’m happy to block your room out, so at least it’s reserved for you,’ she offered. She had to admit she was used to having Brooke around now.
‘Great, it’s just that, well, now I’m thinking that the business side really might be a goer, we’re going to start looking at venues closer to the city. Oh! it’s going to be so exciting.’ Brooke was brimming with enthusiasm.
‘And you don’t miss home at all?’ Pippa asked tentatively.
‘I do, but I love it here. I think I might be ready to start tracing my family soon, as well,’ she confided. ‘I’m scared, which is why I’ve been putting it off, but now I’m excited to find out where I actually come from.’
‘We love having you here,’ Hector said. ‘And if you need any help with anything, let me know,’ he said courteously.
‘Thanks. I know I’ve been going through a lot of my own stuff, but you guys have been real kind to me. I think it’s time I told you that I appreciate that.’
‘You don’t need to thank us and I for one am getting used to having you around,’ Hector continued.
‘Ah, thanks, Hector, I feel the same.’
Brooke linked her arm through his as they made their way to the front door. Pippa couldn’t help but smile.
A figure was stood at the front door and as they approached, she saw it was Chris PT, wearing his familiar uniform of tight black jeans and a fitted hoody. His hair, the same colour as his jeans, almost shone.
‘Hey, Chris,’ Brooke said. ‘I hope I’m not late?’
‘Not at all. I’m a few minutes early.’ He leant his long, lean frame against the door. ‘And how are you doing?’ he asked Pippa with what she guessed was supposed to be a sexy smile.
‘Oh, dear Lord!’ Hector replied, taking Pippa by the arm and pushing past Chris into the house.