‘Have you seen my husband?’ Evelyn Knowles demands brusquely as soon as George Harris answers his door.

George pops the last of his breakfast toast in his mouth and wipes his greasy fingers of crumbs on the thigh of his trousers. He scowls as he chews thoughtfully. ‘Ernie? Hmmm, not recently…. should I have?’

‘Oh, don’t try and be clever’ Evelyn snaps ‘He’s missing!’

‘He is?’

‘Didn’t I just say that?’

George points a finger at her angrily. ‘Ere! Don’t you come ‘ere all arse’oley wi’me. I ain’t seen him and that’s that’ He starts to push the door closed ‘Good day t’yer!’

‘Mister Harris!’ Evelyn puts her foot in the door.

‘That’s me name’ George mutters, looking down at the foot.

‘Ernest has disappeared. Don’t you care?’

He looks up ‘Do you?’

‘Of course I care. What am I to do tomorrow?’

‘I got no bloomin’ idea’

‘You don’t seem overly concerned. You do know where he is, don’t you?’ Evelyn accuses, putting the flat of her hand against the door as George tries to close it again.

‘Nope! And that’s the truth’

‘He went off for one of his dinners…. with the boys’ she sneers scornfully ‘and I haven’t seen him since. That was four days ago!’

George fixes her with a cold stare ‘And you waits til now t’get bothered?’

‘If he wants to be awkward and argumentative, why should I back down and go running after him?’ she sniffs haughtily ‘Why should that be up to me?’

‘Cos you’s married?’

‘I might just as well not be! He is just doing this to annoy me, that’s what it is, annoy me, make me look a fool’

‘I reckons you have no trouble doing that on yer own’

‘What do you mean by that?’

‘P’raps he’s gone t’Canada after all. You never knows. That’ll learn yer to keep yer gob shut won’t it?’

‘You think he went without me?’ Evelyn blinks with astonishment, momentarily at a loss.

‘If he’s got any sense he would a done’ George growls

‘Then I shall ring my daughter and demand she sends him home!’ she regains her composure.

‘But he ain’t’ George pronounces ‘I knows that much, less he managed t’get a plane after all. And he ain’t lying dead in no ditch nowheres neither, not that that would bother yer none’ He straightens, facing her on behalf of his friend ‘He’s cleared off, Evelyn. S’no good you asking me where cos I don’t know and that’s the God’s honest truth and if this is what he’s had t’put up with, I ain’t surprised he’s buggered off. Can’t say as I blames him at all. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m letting all the cold air in. Good day’

‘He’s left me?’ Evelyn squeaks, a flush of anger rising from her throat to her cheeks.

‘Aye….and not afore time be the look of it’

‘You knew?’ she demands querulously.

George gives a satisfied smile ‘Not til after. He rung me so’s I shouldn’t worry. Daresay he’ll be in touch. Merry Christmas to yer!’ he taunts as he succeeds in closing the door.

4 Pike Lane

Chapter Four

Rose Cottage, Albans Lane

‘Merry Christmas, then, George’ Jessie raises her glass ‘Aren’t we naughty?’ she giggles ‘It’s not even half past ten yet’

‘Go on with yer, today’s different. Merry Christmas, gal’ George clinks his glass against hers and leans forward to peck her on the cheek before taking a sip of the whiskey Jessie has poured him.

‘Thanks for bringing me home. I did enjoy the walk to church first thing but I have to say it was a bit chilly’ Jessie settles herself in the chair next to the fire.

‘You really gonna stay here all on yer own?’

‘George, I will be fine, stop worrying. I have my day planned. All the programmes I want to watch are ticked off in the TV guide and I’ve treated myself to a huge…and I mean huge box of very expensive chocolates. What with those and this sherry, I am well set for a very enjoyable time. And that’s the truth’

‘I’m sure our Rowena would like yer t’come. She’s allus got enough t’feed an army. Go on…come back with me’ George coaxes

‘That’s very kind…but…’ The doorbell rings. ‘Goodness! It’s like Picadilly Circus here…’ she says as she stands up again ‘no end of people called in yesterday…and it looks as though today is going to be no different!’ she giggles making her way to the front door.

‘Oh!’ Jessie steps back in astonishment at the sea of faces that greet her.

‘If Mohammed won’t come to the mountain…’ Her nephew grins, holding out a bottle of champagne.

‘Merry Christmas Auntie Jessie!’ Those on the path behind him chorus.

‘But….how…what…how’ Jessie puts a trembling hand to her mouth, half laughing and half crying.

‘No worries, we’ve brought everything with us’ One of her nieces raises the cardboard box she is carrying and looks behind her at others similarly laden.

‘This is…..’

‘A nice surprise, we hope’ Her nephew Ryan kisses her cheek as he walks past and into the hall.

‘We all got together and decided…’

‘But where am I going to put you all?’ Jessie worries, too stunned to move.

‘Hallo George! Ooops, we haven’t interrupted anything have we?’

‘No, you have not!’ Jessie scolds half-heartedly.

‘Right…Where shall we put everything?’

‘I really don’t know’

‘Leave you to it, gal’ George squeezes past those coming in to reach Jessie, still standing by the front door.

‘You didn’t have anything to do with this, did you?’ She squints at him.

‘Me? No….but I’m right happy you won’t be on your own’

‘That’s a bit of an understatement! Good Lord!’ she giggles as her great nephew carries chairs along the front path ‘You’ve thought of everything!’ Her mouth opens in surprise at the girl following him in.

‘Merry Christmas!’

‘Diane! Oh, how lovely to see you…but….’

‘Flew in the day before yesterday. I’m staying with Ryan…And this…this is Lily…..’ Her great niece bounces the tot on her arm, turning so that she is facing Jessie ‘What have you got to say, Lily? …Merry…’ she prompts in a whisper.

‘Mer’ kistmas jelly’

‘Je-ss-ie’ her mother corrects with a grin.

‘Jelly will do’ Jessie sniffs and rummages in her sleeve for her handkerchief.