Chapter Seventeen #2
She’d expected to feel some disappointment, or even irritation, at this extension to her unplanned stay in Babblebrook.
Just because she’d chosen to do the right thing didn’t mean she had to be happy about it.
But, as she stepped out into the frosty night and made her way to The Plough, her mind was still full of the image of her slumbering niece and nephew.
And in her heart she found a sneaking warmth that felt suspiciously like joy.
The pub was crowded and she soon spotted Ted, waving at her from the bar.
‘I’m not sure I’ve got time for this now,’ he grumbled, as they found a seat. Jen took off her coat and huddled closer to the fire they’d sat next to, rubbing her hands.
‘Cold?’ Ted asked.
She nodded. It was freezing outside. ‘I forgot my gloves.’
He held out his hands, and she put her own in his. ‘Oh wow,’ he said, cupping them in his warm palms and rubbing gently. ‘Like little icicles!’
She smiled as the feeling began to creep back into her frozen fingers. The weather hadn’t improved, and she’d half-expected the event to be cancelled, but the pub was heaving.
Glancing around as she went to get drinks, she saw some familiar faces – Reverend Pauline was at the bar drinking a large glass of white wine, and Marnie from the café was in a corner with the handsome man who’d been selling the carvings at the Christmas market.
They were looking pretty loved up; she was tucked into his arm and he was beaming as though he’d won a prize.
There was a time when such a public display of affection would have brought out the cynic in Jen, but now she glanced at them wistfully. They seemed to be genuinely happy.
Marnie’s daughter, however, seemed less than thrilled by this cosy scene. She sat with her back to them a few seats away, alternately rolling her eyes and hiding her face, talking to her friend as they sipped their colas and munched through a bag of crisps each.
Next to Marnie sat the older couple Jen had seen in the café, although no one was in bike leathers this time. She also spotted plenty of Julia’s parent friends, though no Michelle, who was presumably still struggling with the cold that Julia now had.
‘I don’t know what you’re complaining for, you were the one who dragged me here, remember?
And it looks like the whole village has come!
’ Jen said, placing an alcohol-free beer and a gin and tonic on the table.
Ted had to drive home, but luckily for her, Railway Cottages was in tripping distance of the pub.
He sighed and rubbed a hand over his eyes. His hair was a mess and his shirt was rumpled. He gave a tired smile and a wave to a group of school mums who were trying very hard to catch his eye, and they giggled together in response. He remained oblivious, of course.
‘You OK?’ Jen asked. ‘Pressure of the job getting to you?’
He shook his head. ‘No, it’s not – well, yes. Kind of.’
She raised her eyebrows.
‘It’s not the job – I love the job, I love the school and the kids. It’s – it’s my dream, and I think I’m good at it.’
She nodded. She had no doubt that Ted, dedicated and kind as he was, was the best deputy head a school could wish for.
‘It’s just – it’s going to sound stupid, but it’s the Christmas fair.’
‘What, the school one?’ She didn’t want to dismiss what he was saying, but she couldn’t see how that could be causing him so much stress.
‘Isn’t it just a bunch of tables in the hall?
A dad dressed as Father Christmas and a stall selling cakes the parents all bought at Tesco that morning, that kind of thing? ’
He was shaking his head. ‘Not this one. This is special, the local schools take it in turns to put it on every year and this time it’s Babblebrook, and I really want it to be good, you know, the kids are so excited and we need to raise funds for a new library.’
‘OK, but still, can’t you just have a few stalls in the school hall? That’ll be enough, won’t it?’
‘No. I had these grand plans, and I kind of told everyone about them.’ He pulled a face.
‘Real reindeer, and there’s this great group that do live music for kids, and nice food for the parents, not just a dodgy hotdog or whatever.
But it’s just so much to organise. Actually, you’ve got time on your hands, you could help me out. Couldn’t you?’
He gave her a beseeching look. Jen sighed.
Another person might resign themselves to a less-than-dazzling Christmas fair, but she knew Ted would take it to heart if he felt he’d let the children down.
She was about to refuse. She didn’t have time to help him, she would be leaving in a day or two, and the idea of some Christmas event in boring Babblebrook didn’t exactly fill her with enthusiasm.
But he was looking at her with those big brown eyes. Deeply unfair, in Jen’s opinion.
‘Fine,’ she said grumpily. ‘I suppose I could spare an hour or two.’
At least it would give her an excuse to leave if Julia started trying to bond with her again.
Ted smiled and started to speak, but Gillian the landlady stepped up to the mic and tapped it, causing a loud crackle of feedback and a whoop from the crowd, so Jen never heard his response.
Presumably he’d intended to gush an outpouring of gratitude that she’d agreed to help to save the day.
But he just tapped her knee and pointed to the mic, grinning like a loon. He was way too excited about this.
‘Good evening, everyone, and thank you for coming out in this snowy weather!’ Gillian said. ‘Welcome to the very first Babblebrook open mic night!’ Another cheer from the crowd. ‘We have some lovely local talent all ready to perform for you tonight, so let’s give them a big welcome.’
They clapped, and Ted grinned at Jen. ‘You booked a slot?’
She snorted. ‘What would I do, sing a nursery rhyme? I think not. You?’