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‘Did you drive, was it busy?’ Jasper says. I stand there still behind my curtain, spying through the small crack of the door at the hinge. It’s Jasper in an embrace with another man. The other man is in a wool overcoat, chinos, blond hair and glasses. Much too young to be his dad. He’s not part of the group that just arrived with Cressida. They hold the embrace, patting each other’s backs before kissing each other and then parting. Hold up. That’s Miles?
‘All good. Gave me a moment to grab some last-minute gifts too,’ he says. ‘I got my mum that pepper mill she wanted.’
‘Excellent,’ Jasper replies.
I notice Miles staring at my door, excitedly. ‘Is she next door? Can I meet her?’ he asks.
Oh, shit.
‘I guess.’ The door opens and I imagine Jasper pops his head through to look for me. I sit on the windowsill behind the curtain, perfectly still, tucking my feet into the rungs of theradiator. Oh dear. Hello, Jasper’s boyfriend! I was sitting here pretending what these curtains would look like as a gown. Like Maria bloody Von Trapp. I’d look like a bloody loon. I don’t know why but I hold my breath like I’m underwater.
‘Guess she must have popped to the loo,’ he says. ‘Let’s wait for her to get back.’ They both come into the room, circulating it. Oh, shit. If I hide here any longer, they’ll assume I’ve gone for a number two which is almost worse.
‘Do you remember we used to come in here and…’ He doesn’t have to finish that sentence for me to imagine what they got up to in here.
‘We were very bad,’ Jasper says, his tone deepening. This is not good.
I spy a gap through the curtains and see them both sit on the edge of the bed. I should look away but whereas I thought they were about to get inappropriate, I see Jasper’s hand in Miles’ and I get a shade emotional to see them engaging in something so sweet. Jasper, this is proper companionship, it’s super lovely.
‘Why are you nervous?’ Miles asks him. ‘Your leg is shaking.’
‘It’s because you’re meeting Maggie. She’s special to me. I just want this to go well.’
I sigh to hear Jasper talk of me like that, my heart swelling to know that me meeting his boyfriend would bring him anxiety like this.
‘It will, you muppet. I’m immensely likeable.’
‘This is true,’ Jasper tells him, as he kisses him on the forehead and rests his head on Miles’ shoulder.
‘Hello!’ a voice weaves through from the other room. It’s haughty, shrill like some sort of alarm.
Jasper and Miles both part ways quickly, jumping to attention.
‘Cressida, we’re in here!’ Jasper’s voice hollers. I see his cheeks flushwith colour.
The door swings open and through the gap in the curtain I see Cressida standing there, hand on the door handle.
‘Oh, balls. Carmel said that you got here first and bagged the good rooms. Are you and your friend sharing?’
‘Hello to you too, Cressida. Season’s greetings,’ Jasper replies. ‘No, I have the room next door.’
‘I told my friends they could have the view of the lake,’ she says, petulantly.
‘Well, you’ll have to tell your friends differently,’ Jasper tells her plainly, and they stand there and eyeball each other.
‘Miss Cressida, the Hunter’s Lodge is available if you and your friends wanted to stay there?’ Miles tells her.
‘I thought Albie was staying there with his crew?’ she says.
‘I think Mr Albert wanted to be closer to the house so we could keep an eye on the children during the party tonight.’
‘Is the hot tub working?’ she asks.
‘It is,’ Miles replies.
‘Then bingo bango. Excellent. I’ll tell the troops. You back for Christmas, Miles?’ she asks him.
‘Yes, I’m staying at the cottage with my mum and dad.’
