A Train is Late This Christmas by CP Ward

Author:CP Ward
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: AMMFA Publishing

12

Hard Words and Apologies

It seemed like the entire village had a hangover from the previous night’s karaoke, but Don had dusted off a pile of board games for the customers to use. Julia enjoyed beating Magnus, Joseph, and Colin—it was Kelly’s turn for child duty back at the Grange, but according to Colin ‘She was so rough this morning that she’s only just back on solids’—which made Julia feel a little smug, even if Magnus was more interested in the pub’s selection of brandies, and Joseph kept checking his watch and muttering about getting back to the wolves.

In the end, Magnus decided to stay for a nightcap with Colin, leaving Joseph and Julia to walk home. Even though Julia had drunk enough for a little Dutch courage, the first half of the journey was conducted in near silence. Perhaps it was the arduousness of trudging through ten centimetres of fluffy fresh snow on top of a crusty, lumpy under layer, but as the wine she had drunk started to make her dizzy, she finally plucked up the courage to say, ‘I didn’t get a chance to say congratulations.’

‘What?’

‘Your … ah … wedding. To Elizabeth?’

They walked on a few more steps in silence before Joseph said, ‘Oh, that.’

‘I mean, it must have been a whirlwind romance,’ Julia said, her mouth running away with her. ‘You met her two days ago. I never really believed in love at first sight, but when I saw you two together … I suppose it must be possible, mustn’t it?’

Joseph stopped walking. Julia went on a couple of steps, then turned back. He was watching her, hands on hips, his face illuminated by a nearby streetlight. He somehow managed to look both bemused and disappointed at the same time.

‘You are joking, aren’t you?’

Julia frowned. ‘About what?’

‘About what you just said. About me and Elizabeth.’

‘No. Why would I be joking? I mean, you’re clearly hopelessly in love with each other.’

‘I think you’ve drunk too much.’

Julia knew he was right, but admitting it would be admitting he was right. ‘I only had a couple of glasses,’ she said. ‘Hardly a drop. I used to … be on my university’s drinking team.’ Just shut up, her brain was telling her, but she was like a snowball rolling downhill, picking up pace.

‘In that case, it might be a good idea if you eased back a little,’ Joseph said. ‘I mean, once you hit your thirties, you’ll start to age a lot quicker. Your body won’t be able to keep up.’

‘Once I hit my … I’m thirty-five.’ Had that been a compliment or not?

‘Well, it is pretty dark, and I’m five beers deep. Celebrating my upcoming marriage and all that.’

‘I know it’s not for real.’

Joseph let out a deflating sigh. ‘Of course it’s not for real. How could anyone marry her? She’s not … human.’

‘Finally we agree on something.’ Julia stamped her foot, but it failed to have the desired effect. Instead of a hearty clump on road, she nearly tripped over on a lump of ice.

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