I relaxed a little as I felt Quincy’s arm wrap around my waist. I could see both Gwen and my mother standing just inside the kitchen doorway watching us. They knew exactly what she could be like. I suspected they were also worried about the beautiful and brave woman beside me.
Edith stood there looking at us in expectation, and when we didn’t say anything she huffed as she spoke. “Where’s Richard?”
Not Where are Richard and Jenna? Or Is everything okay? Or even How’re Jenna and the baby?
“Where is he?” She repeated, her tone impatient and curt.
I felt Quincy bristle next to me. Her short nails digging into my side as she clenched her hand in irritation.
“Jenna’s being monitored overnight, and Richard stayed with her whilst they were waiting to get some results back. The hospital is operating on reduced staff since it’s Christmas, so he might be a while.” She replied with the same pithiness that Edith had addressed us before she wandered into the kitchen and I followed, leaving Edith to make what she wanted of the information she was given.
Quincy paused just inside the doorway, a snort laugh erupting from her. Her shoulders were shaking and as I looked up I could barely stop my own laugh from bursting out of me. Dorian was sat at the breakfast bar surrounded by opened bottles of wine as she topped up three flutes with champagne and poured a fresh one. The kitchen counters to one side were a mess. Complete and utter chaos and on the other side were neatly covered and arranged food platters. But what was making us both laugh was a very enthusiastic apron clad Jake standing in the midst of it all. It was priceless. The kind of take a photo for future blackmail purposes, priceless.
He reached down into the under the counter drinks fridge and pulled out two beers. He opened them and walked over to hand me one. “Stop laughing and get that down you, there’s a lot of washing up to do.”
He walked back to the hob and looked into a large pot bubbling away. “They should be ready to go in the oven in a bit.”
“I’ve taken the parsnips out so there’s plenty of room for those precious potatoes of yours.” Mum peered into the pot with him.
It was the therapy I needed to get the day back on track. I never thought I’d see the day that the playboy became all domesticated whilst the women surrounding him were quite clearly a little more than tipsy. Dorian had that look in her eyes that said she needed to soak the alcohol up before her face hit the table or her arse hit the floor.
“You better not have ruined the turkey.”
He looked at me with an affronted expression as he wandered over to the cooked food and lifted the foil covered bird. “I can cook a chicken, thank you very much.”
“That’s what worries me, that thing is not a chicken.”
“Alright, Honey, why don’t you go take a shower and fuck off out of the kitchen so I can finish the dinner?”
I looked over at Quincy, who was laughing so hard with Dorian that the champagne was spraying out of her lips. Gwen was beginning to tackle the dump counter and mum was being mum and encouraging the girls to drink more.
How the fuck did that work out?
She was meant to be the responsible adult in this situation.
Jake quieted a little as he took a sip of his beer and asked about Jenna and Richard. He wasn’t a fan of them, for the obvious reason that he was my mate, but the concern on his face was sincere.
“He’s coming by later to grab a bite and talk to the girls.” I didn’t acknowledge the looks Dorian, Gwen and mum gave me, I knew they would be surprised that we invited him back. “Jenna’s doing fine. As is the baby. It’s a shit situation.”
I drank down another generous glug of my beer.
“And you? How’re you holding up?” He looked at Quincy. The sober concern in his eyes something he didn’t often give.
She took a deep breath as he leaned on the breakfast bar, appraising her. “It’s a shit situation.” She replied in a hushed tone.
He nodded his understanding of her answer and topped her glass up. “Well, it’s Christmas, I have a tonne of Lego to build and we have a lot of food to eat. So drink up and get to it.” He took Dorian’s glass and drained it. “You’re meant to be cutting back so you can help cook the piggies.”
“Fat chance.” I scoffed as I sat next to Quincy at the breakfast bar. Her head falling on my shoulder as we watched mum and Gwen preparing the Pigs-in-Blankets and the stuffing behind him. I don’t think I’d ever been so grateful to have him as a friend. He may know how to push my buttons and enjoy doing it more than he should, but he was always there when he needed to be. He had the same good and caring nature that Phillip had with the added over the top bravado. I could see why Dorian liked him, as well as why she was overwhelmed by him.
“I’m knackered.” Quincy yawned next to me. “I need to freshen up before I completely zonk out and miss dinner.”
“Why don’t you two go do that and then go spend some time with the girls? They’ve been non-stop asking about when you were coming back.” Gwen fussed over Quincy, as she tucked her hair behind her ear and dropped a kiss on her forehead.
I think we were both trying to avoid talking to the girls about Jenna and Richard. I had hoped that he wouldn’t be too far behind us to talk to them. I did not want to be the one to tell them that instead of going on their wedding holiday, that they were staying here. I didn’t want to tell my daughter that her mummy wasn’t well. I didn’t want to see the worry in her eyes. I didn’t want to be the one to make her sad. I just wanted to allow her to remain oblivious and untouched by all the negative things around us.
We both sat there for a while nursing our drinks and listening to Jake boss our mothers around the kitchen whilst moaning about how nuts didn’t constitute to a roast. He really needed to let go of his vegetarian vendetta, and he needed to do it before Willow turned his nuts into a roast.
“What are you laughing to yourself about?”