Chapter 7: Cora - The Foster Child

‘I’m sorry, we hadn’t even had a chance to talk about what we want to do for Christmas and now Jacob has invited himself and Lori. I hope you don’t mind,’ I say as soon as we get back home. Lori and Jacob have gone off for a drive and I’m glad of this chance to speak to Elliot alone. Delighted as I am to have Lori with me for Christmas, I feel bad that Jacob put Elliot on the spot like that and I can’t help noticing that he’s got a bit of an attitude when he’s talking to Elliot. I don’t want anything to ruin our first Christmas together.

‘Not at all. Lori is your daughter and she’s welcome any time.’ He squeezes my hand reassuringly. ‘And if it means putting up with Jacob too, well I’m sure I can cope.’

‘Thank you. That means a lot to me. I wish that Lori was coming on her own though. There’s something about Jacob…’ I hesitate, not finishing my sentence.

‘Yes, I know, I don’t rate him much either,’ Elliot admits. ‘Maybe he’s showing off a bit. I’m sure he’ll relax over Christmas.’

‘I hope so. They just seem such an odd couple.’ Lori is young, fresh, and there’s a naivety about her. Whereas Jacob is older, almost cocky, and seems to have Lori wrapped around his little finger, she seems so anxious to please him. And it was strange how strongly he reacted when he found out that we had to send Violet back to the children’s home. He’s very opinionated. Still, we have only just met him and maybe, as Elliot said, he will relax over Christmas. And I am looking forward to spending Christmas together.

‘How do you usually spend Christmas?’ I ask him, wanting to make sure that I don’t completely take over. ‘Do you put your tree up as soon as December rolls in, or wait until later?’

‘I don’t bother with a tree. I usually go away for a couple of days over Christmas,’ he replies.

That surprises me. I realise just how little we know about each other. ‘Where do you go? Abroad?’

‘Yes, just for a few days, a city break. I went to Paris one year, Barcelona another. I look up a last-minute deal and go.’

‘Would you have liked to go away this year?’

‘No, not now you’re here.’ He reaches out and squeezes my hand. ‘I’m happy to spend Christmas at home, with you, Lori and Jacob. I haven’t had a family to spend Christmas with before, that’s why I used to go away.’

‘That’s a relief. I can’t imagine not having a traditional Christmas dinner with turkey, roast potatoes, the works. Christmas is my favourite time of year.’ I sink back into the sofa. ‘I’m really looking forward to spending Christmas with you. I’ve been a townie all my life but I am absolutely loving life in this gorgeous Cotswold village. Gabby has added me to Thatchbury’s Facebook page and there’s a whole variety of things going on.’ Gabby has been a big friend to me, ever since she came into the office to drop off her granddaughter’s lunchbox and found me trying to free the finger I’d superglued to the heel of the shoe I was trying to fix. ‘You need nail varnish remover,’ she’d said, when she’d managed to stop laughing, and had proceeded to take a bottle out of her bag – ‘Luckily, I’ve run out so got some from work today’ – poured it on a tissue and placed it on the bond. ‘Rock your finger slowly back and forth to ease it off,’ she’d instructed. It had taken a few minutes but it had worked.

‘Such as?’ Elliot raises an eyebrow, an amused smile on his face.

I tick them off on my fingers. ‘A Christmas market, a carol service around the tree, a Boxing Day barbecue for starters.’

‘That all sounds fun. I can’t believe how well you’ve settled in, you know more about what’s going on than I do and I’ve been here eight years.’

‘It’s because I work at the school. There’s a lot going on there too, a Nativity play, Christmas jumper day, carol service, Christmas party. It’s going to be full-on.’ I’m so glad that I started working at the school in the run-up to Christmas, it’s busy, but it’s my favourite part of the year.

‘I can see that you’re all in for the Christmas spirit,’ he teases. ‘What are your Christmas traditions, then? When do you usually put the tree up?’

‘The first week of December. Lori loves Christmas and was always so excited she couldn’t wait for the tree to go up.’ Images of us both decorating the tree together flash across my mind. I think of Dale and Selena with their three-year-old daughter, Sasha. She’s at the age now where she’ll be getting excited about Christmas.

‘Let’s do that then. Do you want to invite your parents for Christmas too?’

I love him for that. He’s so welcoming to my family. My parents have met him a few times and adore him. ‘That would be nice, but my parents usually prefer to spend Christmas at home now. I’ll ask them though. I was going to drive over next weekend to give them their presents.’ They live in Droitwich so it’s about a forty-minute drive.

‘Good idea. We’ll get a tree this weekend if you like and start getting into the Christmas spirit. I’d better go Christmas present shopping too. I must get presents for Christy, Joe and Leo. And you, of course.’ He squeezes his arm around me. ‘Anything you’d particularly like?’

‘Surprise me.’

My phone pings with a text. It’s from Lori saying they’re at the gate.

‘Lori and Jacob are back,’ I tell Elliot. ‘I’ll go and open the door for them.’

‘I’ll put the kettle on.’ Elliot gets up to go into the kitchen.

I open the door and smile as the floodlight comes on, illuminating their car as Jacob parks on the drive behind mine. Lori gets out, all smiles.

‘Did you enjoy your drive?’ I ask her.

‘It was great but I could do with a drink now.’

‘A warm drink or wine?’ I ask.

‘Hot chocolate would be fab,’ she says enthusiastically.

I look over at Jacob to see what he wants, he has his hands in his pockets gazing at the garden.

Lori taps on his shoulder. ‘Want a drink, Jacob?’

He spins around, his face dark, and for a moment I think he’s going to strike her.

She backs away. ‘Sorry, did I startle you?’

The scowl is replaced by a smile. ‘Sorry, babe, I was miles away!’ He tousles her hair. ‘A drink would be lovely.’