Chapter 64

Christmas Day

Joe Moon came bursting in through the back door with two old fold-up garden chairs from the shed, then began counting on his fingers. ‘Me, you, our Kara, Billy, Darren, old Flo, Estelle, Skye, that Jack fellow. Or is Billy going home for his Christmas dinner? I forgot. That still doesn’t seem many.’

‘Don’t you be telling my sister you forgot her, now.’ Pearl swiped him with a tea towel.

‘Oops.’ Joe laughed. ‘Of course, your Ireany, John and the kids are coming in the evening.’

‘Yes. And Billy will be here for dinner, he’s going to Pat and Charlie’s with Kara later on.’ Pearl tutted. ‘And what about your second daughter, Joey?’

Joe bit his lip. ‘My memory. Jen messaged me earlier. She’s driving down from London and left later than she thought, so she said we should just start without her.’

‘Right. So, set out ten places, which is plenty for this kitchen table, especially with the amount of food I’ll be piling on it, and Jen can slip in when she arrives.’ Pearl then checked inside the oven. ‘No need to worry we’ll run out of food. We’ve got a big enough turkey to feed the whole market.’ She laughed her big infectious laugh. Hearing it, and smelling the roasting meat, Bob the Dog appeared in the kitchen, his tongue out and tail wagging madly.

‘Still no sign this morning?’ Pearl asked, stroking him. ‘I’m beginning to think we missed it.’

‘No, I’ve checked every single poop, all for the love of you, my lady. Poked them with a stick but still no sparkle.’

‘The vet said it should have come out the day after. I hope it’s not stuck inside him somewhere.’

‘Look at him, there’s nothing wrong with you, is there, boy?’ The big Labrador jumped up at Joe’s legs, and ignoring his owner’s sharp, ‘Down,’ he proceeded to lick the startled man’s face, much to Pearl’s amusement.

‘Don’t encourage him, Pearl,’ Joseph Moon managed to say, mopping his face and trying not to laugh.

‘It’s a lost cause now,’ Pearl said indulgently. ‘He’s nine. It’s like trying to discipline someone your age in dog years. Mind you, I like it that you’re still a naughty boy.’

Joe Moon grabbed a handful of his fiancée’s bottom and gave her a smacking kiss on the neck, causing her to squeal loudly.

Joe chinked his fork against his champagne flute. ‘Before we all sit down to stuff our faces, I would like to propose a Christmas Day toast.’

‘And then say Grace, I hope,’ Florence Sibley muttered under her breath. Estelle, about to tell her aunt to shut up, instead bit her tongue and poured fizzy water into her wine glass. Skye stayed looking down at her phone.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. ‘Must be our Jen,’ Joe said, ‘but why’s she knocking?’

On Joe’s shouted instruction to come in, the door flew open. Darren and Billy looked at each other as their father suddenly appeared in the now cramped kitchen. Pat Dillon for once stood quietly behind him.

‘Happy Christmas, everyone, and sorry to interrupt but I’ve come to collect something extremely important.’ Darren’s eyes began to well up as his dad took a deep breath. ‘Son, there will always be a place at our table for you, come rain or shine, Christmas or otherwise, and I mean that.’

Darren looked at Pearl, who was nodding and gesturing, ‘Go!’

‘Are you coming, Daz?’ Pat Dillon’s voice was wobbling.

Darren stood up at exactly the same time as Billy. Kara reached up and squeezed his hand.

Billy checked with Pearl and saw her nod before answering, ‘We both are, Mum and Dad, but before I go, Kara and I have an announcement to make.’

‘Oh my days! Here it comes!’ Pearl clapped her hands together excitedly.

‘We are having a baby Dillon,’ Kara told them all.

Star gasped. ‘Yes! We can be mummies together like we always wanted to be. When are you due?’

‘Not sure. I know you’re supposed to wait to tell people, but I literally just did the test before we left and we are so excited.’ A beaming Billy leant down to kiss Kara on the cheek.

‘That’s really fantastic.’ Joe felt overcome with emotion. He turned to Charlie and Pat. ‘Come on, have a glass of something with us to celebrate our new grandchild.’

Pearl rushed to get them a drink.

‘To Kara and Billy!’ they all toasted.

A shocked and delighted Pat Dillon downed her glass in one.

Kara then tapped on her glass of fizzy water. ‘So many toasts are required today. Mine is to Star and Jack, and I wish them every happiness together, bringing their new baby into the world.’

‘To Star and Jack!’

Star turned to Jack. ‘Can you cope with all this lot, do you think?’

He kissed her hand. ‘With you by my side I can cope with anything.’

Joe took a huge glug of his champagne and stood up. ‘I want to say something too.’

Flo raised her eyebrows. ‘Kerry Anne, you are the best daughter a father could ever have wished for. Living nearby and working on the estuary for many years, this family has water running through its veins, so blood would not have been thicker, whichever way. Our love has grown from a mutual understanding and respect and, like your grandparents before me, it will never falter. In fact, what has come to light has made me feel even luckier. Our bond is stronger than the tides, without it even being a natural one. And how wonderful to bring Star and Skye into the family unit too, with Star being your sister ’n’ all, now.’

‘Thank you,’ Kara whispered.

Pearl downed her flute of champagne in one before surprising everyone there by saying, ‘So, Billy Dillon, are you going to make an honest woman of our lovely Kara before this baby comes then?’

Kara spoke up. ‘We don’t want to outshine your wedding, now do we?’

Estelle spoke up. ‘Weddings, babies, it’s all happening, isn’t it? You give me hope, Joe: it’s never too late, is it?’

‘No, it isn’t, Estelle, and may I say how fine you are looking. Your hair is great like that.’

Estelle found herself blushing.

Darren cleared his throat. ‘As we are all having a say, I’d like my turn, please.’ He addressed Charlie. ‘Dad, thank you for coming. I can’t say I haven’t been hurt by your actions, because I have. But knowing you as I do, I’m aware it took a lot for you to come in and face everyone like this and for that I’m really pleased and proud of you. I have, however, decided to move away from Hartmouth.’

Kara grasped Billy’s hand.

‘I’m not going far though – only to Devon. A picturesque little place called Cockleberry Bay.’ There was a sigh of relief from the Dillon family. He went on awkwardly, ‘I’ll be going to live there with my new boyfriend,’ adding, ‘Phew, it sounds weird but so bloody liberating saying those words.’

‘Anyone we know?’ Star asked nosily.

‘You all do, actually. Let’s just say I call him my Tasty Pasty!’

A tutting Auntie Flo got up to refill her glass with tap water.

‘Well, I propose a toast to my twin brother,’ Billy said. ‘Proud of you, mate. To Darren and his tasty pasty!’ The words echoed around the kitchen and Joe replenished everyone’s glasses.

Star really wanted to say something too. ‘I didn’t know you’d proposed already, Joe,’ she said. ‘Did you like the ring, Pearl? Joe had a big input in its design. He wanted to use your namesake stone, diamonds and white gold. And the little shell flower was down to me.’

‘What, this one?’ Flo, noticing a sparkle around the back of the kitchen tap, lifted the beautiful piece of jewellery in the air.

Pearl and Joe were now falling about in hysterics, the big lady’s infectious laugh setting everyone else off without having a clue what was going on.

Once he had managed to contain himself, Joe wiped his eyes and explained, ‘We thought Bob the Dog had eaten the ring. Well done, Flo.’ A unified toast of ‘Well done, Flo!’ went around the room as Pearl popped open another bottle of champagne.

Joe tapped his glass again and made eye contact with everyone around the room.

‘To Star and Moons, to babies, boyfriends and weddings. To old friends and new beginnings. Happy Christmas, everyone!’

A resounding, ‘Happy Christmas!’ filled Bee Cottage.

‘Woof, woof,’ said Bob the Dog.