Christmas at the Edge of the World

“I’m fine, Mum,” she said. “I’ll have a glass of wine when everyone comes.”

Ruth brightened. “Lovely. I’ll pour yours first.”

Anna grabbed her bag from the hall and headed upstairs. The house smelled of the fresh evergreen that was looped around the banister, as it had been every Christmas that Anna could remember, tied to the burnished wood with little velvet bows.

Her bedroom was the small one over the kitchen; when she’d been about seven, she, Esther, and Rachel had all drawn straws to see who got the biggest bedroom at the front of the house, opposite their parents. Esther had, and Rachel had taken the second biggest by the stairs, and Anna had gone to this bedroom, a comfortable little square, warmed by the AGA below, its sashed windows overlooking the back courtyard with the old oil tank and the clothesline.

Anna didn’t mind the lack of view; she’d always liked her room. She’d preferred it to the far grander bedrooms with their gabled windows and ornate fireplace surrounds. This room was warm and cosy and small and a little bit forgotten, tucked away by the corridor to the bathroom. Kind of like her.

It felt strange to step into it now; the air smelled of coal smoke, from her father’s aborted fire, as well as her mother’s lavender cleaning polish. The duvet cover was new, a blue plaid that was pretty enough but not the one from Anna’s childhood, which had been grey and purple stripes. All her things were gone save for a few Famous Five books from her childhood, and a dusty blue ribbon for winning the high jump at her school’s field day when she was thirteen that still hung from the mirror.

Anna put down her bag and then went to the bathroom with its ancient and enormous claw footed tub and pipes that squeaked and moaned when she turned the hot water tap; the water didn’t heat up for a good five minutes. Ah, home.

She’d just come out of the bathroom, having washed her hands and face, when she heard an explosion of chatter downstairs, and a half-hearted bark from Charlie, who clearly wanted to get in on the action. Male laughter, and then the thunder of feet up the stairs.

“Anna!” Rachel catapulted herself towards Anna, hugging her tightly and making her stagger. “It’s so good to see you.”

Esther stood behind her, hands on her hips, smiling in a stern sort of way. “It’s only been three years, after all.”

“I saw you in August,” Anna protested as Rachel gave her one final squeeze and then stepped back.

“But you haven’t been back to Thornthwaite in three years,” Esther remarked, typically. She’d probably been tracking everyone’s movements on a spreadsheet.

“Well, I’m here now,” Anna said as lightly as she could. She was battling a weird mix of dread and deep happiness, the two emotions so closely twined it was hard to separate one from the other. But this was always how she’d felt about home. About family.

“Come downstairs,” Rachel said, tugging on her hand. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”

“Anna already knows him, Rachel,” Esther said, rolling her eyes.

“Knows who?” Anna said with a flare of alarm.

She was not good about meeting new people. She wasn’t even good at meeting people she already knew. Chitchat was her absolute nemesis.

“You’ll see, you’ll see,” Rachel said, her feet practically dancing as she tugged Anna along. “It’s all happened so fast… and I haven’t talked to you in ages.”

“True.” Anna knew Esther and Rachel saw each other all the time, since they both lived in Thornthwaite. She was the odd one out, and always had been. Their younger sister Miriam was such a free spirit, as well as the baby of the family, and so even though she was in Thornthwaite even less than Anna, she had a place. A role. Neither of which Anna had ever felt she’d had… but that was probably her fault. “Who am I meeting, exactly?” she asked as she followed Rachel down the stairs, feeling apprehensive.

She’d really been hoping to hide in her bedroom while the choir came in, but perhaps she could still do that. She’d meet whoever it was Rachel wanted to meet, and then hightail it upstairs before the party got started. She was no good at parties.

“Rachel’s latest,” Esther said, following them down the stairs, and Rachel made a sound of protest.

“You make it sound like I’ve had a string of guys, and you know that’s not true.”

Esther didn’t reply and Anna’s steps slowed as she saw who was standing at the bottom of the stairs. Dan Wells. She took in the slow smile meant for Rachel, the warm hazel eyes, and her stomach plunged like a lift headed straight for the basement.

“Anna, you know Dan, of course,” Rachel said, her voice ringing with the pride of a new girlfriend. “And, Dan, you know Anna…”

“We’ve met once or twice.”

Anna forced a smile. She’d never been friends with Dan, although he’d been three years ahead of her in school, in Rachel’s year, and of course she’d known him as the local vet. He’d given Charlie all his jabs and he’d also put down their beloved cat, Felix, when he’d been suffering and in pain a few years ago. He’d been Thornth

waite’s only vet, having taken over the practice from his father, since he’d qualified five years ago. And before that…

Before that he’d been her secret and overwhelming teenaged crush. But thankfully no one knew that but Anna herself.

Find out what happens next…