Page 39 of A Merry Little Christmas

Cole cleared his throat. ‘Yes, but—’

‘But,’ she interrupted, ‘there’s a project so urgent that you moved our electricians on to it, thus putting our home behind schedule. I know I’m not the builder in the family, but that doesn’t look like priorities to me.’

‘Not this again.’ He picked up the kettle, shook it and switched it on.

‘Again?’ she bristled with indignation. ‘We haven’t even talked about it yet.’

‘True, but only because you’ve been worried about your dad. And then you had that candle workshop on your mind. It’s not as if I’ve been avoiding it. And it’s sorted now. The electricians will be there on Friday, Monday at the latest. Problem solved.’

‘Problem which you created.’

‘Technically speaking—’ he began.

‘Stop. I’m not interested in the technical.’ Merry held up her hand. ‘I’m interested in fact. And the fact is that I want to be out of this house and into Meadow View before the baby arrives.’

‘I know, but it’s looking increasingly unlikely.’ Cole was doing his low, soothingly reassuring voice, which normally had the effect of making her insides melt. But today all she wanted to do was yell at him. ‘Far better to plan it properly, stay stress-free and be in for January.’

‘No, Cole, wrong answer.’ Frustratingly, she felt tears prick at the back of her eyes. ‘You promised. We took that pregnancy test eight months ago, and you swore that you’d get us moved in. You’re moving the goalposts. And I’m moving them back.’

The two of them stared at each other. Merry’s heart was thumping, and she was itching to press her hand to her chest to calm her heartbeat, but she daren’t in case Cole asked if she was OK. And she didn’t think she could stomach one more enquiry about her health, especially not now, as she wasn’t OK, not at all.

‘Merry, can I …’ Cole took a step towards her, but before he could finish his sentence, there was a ring on the doorbell.

‘Saved by the bell,’ Merry said grimly as Cole went to see who it was.

The door opened and she heard him greet Fred and Astrid. There was a scamper of paws on the tiles and Otto appeared wearing a tartan coat, he jumped up for some fuss.

Merry squatted down to scratch the little dog under his chin where he liked it. This was going to be awkward; now she and Cole were going to have to pretend they weren’t in the middle of a row.

‘Come in,’ she heard Cole say. ‘Merry and I were just … Go on through, we’re in the kitchen.’

‘And the kettle is already on,’ said Fred, rubbing his hands together. ‘We must have a sixth sense. Any tea going?’

‘I’ll make you one,’ said Merry, reaching for the tea caddy.

‘I’ll make tea,’ Cole countered.

‘You look like a blooming rose.’ Astrid kissed Merry’s cheek, forced her to take a seat and placed a wicker basket on the kitchen table. She was wearing a magnificent emerald cape with a tartan lining.

‘If you mean prickly and red in the face,’ Merry muttered. ‘That sounds about right.’

‘It is a compliment, mein Schatz,’ Astrid chided. ‘You should take them gracefully; they get scarcer as you get older.’

She gave Fred a side eye.

‘May I say, Astrid,’ he said immediately, ‘you look ravishing in that coat thingy, and match Otto perfectly.’

Astrid inclined her head at her partner. ‘Thank you, mein Bärchen. Although, next time, I’d prefer not to be compared to the dog.’ Despite her dark mood, Merry let out a giggle. ‘Now,’ Astrid continued, ‘I’ve brought soup, a goulash and a chicken and leek pie. And some little Stollen bites because I know you love those.’

‘So do I,’ Fred grumbled, unbuttoning his heavy overcoat and handing it to his son. ‘But you didn’t make any for me.’

‘I am making a large one just for you.’ Astrid patted his cheek, making him blush.

The romance between them put Merry and Cole to shame; she couldn’t even look at her husband at the moment without feeling cross.

‘It’s lovely of you to bring food for us,’ she said, giving her old friend a hug. ‘But you needn’t. I’m not an invalid, and even if I was, Cole can cook.’

Astrid flapped a hand. ‘Mein Schatz, I know that, but this is my way of showing you that I care.’