Page 32 of Christmas at Rachel’s Pudding Pantry

Rachel’s heart was filled with poignant memories of Bonfire Nights spent with her dad, but she was happy, too, that she was recreating that magic for her own daughter. They’d been careful with the fireworks selection, not choosing anything too noisy for the livestock, and Rachel had made sure all the animals were in the fields furthest from the farmhouse. If only Dad could be here now, to see how Maisy was growing up, and making more memories with his family …

She glanced at Granny Ruth who stood next to her, looking a bit chilly, despite all her layers of clothing. ‘You okay, Granny?’

‘Aye, I’m just grand, pet,’ she answered, but a cough caught in her throat, wracking her for a short while. When she’d gathered her breath, she added, ‘Well then, that was a fine display and didn’t the girls love it? I’ve been watching them as much as the fireworks. But I must say I’m looking forward to getting back into the warm with some of that crumble your mum’s made.’

‘Why don’t you go on in then, Granny? We’re nearly done out here anyway. There’s just a few sparklers for the girls and then we’ll be heading in ourselves.’

‘I might just do that, pet. And, Rachel,’ she said softly, ‘You’re doing a grand job here, lass. You and Jill should be proud of yourselves.’

‘Aw, thank you.’ Rachel gave the dear old lady a hug, as the whoosh of the next firework went up and off. Those words meant such a lot. With all the juggling on the farm, looking after Maisy, and the downturn in trade at the Pudding Pantry, sometimes it felt that she wasn’t doing quite enough. But maybe she was giving it her best, and sometimes that was all you could give.

The two men were now nearing the garden fence, wandering through a light film of drifting smoke. Rachel caught Tom’s eye, and he broke into a broad smile as she gave the lads a big thumbs up on the fireworks so far. It was a smile that never failed to warm her soul.

Ruth trundled off to the house, as a Catherine Wheel went off in a silver, sparkly arc. Then it all went quiet, until Tom shouted from over the hedge, ‘All done. That’s a wrap, folks!’

There was a ‘Hoorah!’ and the small gathering clapped, but then an ‘O-oh,’ as the little girls realised the show was over.

‘Hang on, girls, look, I have sparklers.’ Rachel grinned, pulling out a pack of extra-long ones which Jill lit with a taper, explaining how to hold them safely.

Maisy and Amelia made swirls and circles in the dark air, then Rachel showed them how to write their names or draw smiley faces. Their grins behind the fizzing lights were radiant. After writing ‘Maisy’ mid-air, her little girl wrote ‘Mummy’ and then began ‘Daddy’, though the sparkler fizzled out halfway through the letters of that. Rather like her father’s interest in her, Rachel mused wryly. She lit the girls another.

‘Hey.’ Tom came back to the group, and rested a hand on Rachel’s shoulder.

‘Hi, that was great. Thank you.’

‘My pleasure and we quite enjoyed it, didn’t we, Ben? Nothing like letting two blokes loose with a box of matches and a load of fireworks.’

Ben was smiling broadly. ‘Yep, we had a bit of fun.’

‘Thank you, Tom,’ Maisy shouted from behind her sparkly wheel of light.

‘Glad you enjoyed it, girls,’ Tom replied.

Rachel took out a new sparkler and joined in the fun, writing ‘Rachel’ and ‘Maisy’ and then ‘Tom’ in the air, followed by a big love heart. Tom spotted that and gave her another broad grin.

The girls had a final sparkler each, which after lots of twirls, swirls and laughter, began to burn down to an orange-glowing stub.

‘Right, pop those metal sticks carefully in the bucket of water that’s over there, girls. It’s time to go in for some of Grandma Jill’s famous Toffee Apple Crumble,’ announced Rachel.

‘Yippee!’ ‘Scrummy!’

Granny Ruth was already settled in her favourite chair by the Aga in the farmhouse kitchen.

‘Wasn’t that lovely, girls. And well done, Tom and Ben, what a display!’

‘Yes, we loved it, Granny,’ Maisy enthused, clambering up on to her tweed-skirted lap for a hug.

‘Thanks, Ruth,’ replied Tom, as Ben stood smiling on.

‘Okay, let’s get these crumbles out of the oven. And I’ve got a jug of lovely creamy custard warming,’ said Jill.

‘I’ll get them out for you, Mum, while you sort the custard.’

‘Thanks, Rachel, love.’

And they were soon working as a well-oiled team again. A few minutes later everyone gathered around the pine kitchen table, and dipped their spoons into the warm caramelised apple and toffee-crunchy topping, which was a delight for all.

‘Oh, Mum, these are amazing.’