Chapter 15

Christmas was comfortable with David’s parents, taking him back to a time before he left home, Christmases with brother Tom and sister Ruth. Of course the house was full to bursting with Tom, Teresa and Patrick their son, and of course Ruth.

There was little time for reflection, but in odd moments, David thought of Gwen, and missed her anew at that family time. He noted that Evan seemed to have forgotten his mother in the excitement and the crowd. He knew it was to be expected, but it hurt him all the same.

This father caught his mood on one occasion.

“Missing her?” his father said gently.

David could not resist the temptation, and it was a testament to the progress he had made through his bereavement.

“Goes without saying, Dad,” he said with a grin.

“Something else that goes that way,” the older man said. “Evan doesn’t need to be reminded. He’ll remember in his own time.”

David realised he was right and admired his father’s perception. He surmised that children live in the present and in the love of their carers, and he knew Evan was comfortable having Gwen in heaven looking after him through Celia. Bethan of course had no memory of her mother at all. To all intents and purposes, Celia was her ‘mother’. He had never managed to work out how he felt about that.

“You’re right Dad,” he said with a smile. Pause. “Again!” and both men laughed out loud.

So on Saturday found him and his little ones in a different crowded house in Wales. David wondered at the ease with which Evan and Bethan settled with their alternate Grandparents, and how confidently Siân assumed her guardianship rôle over her Godson and his sister.

On the Monday Siân joined him in the bedroom while he was packing, having taken on the children’s packing herself.

“Dai, bach,” she ventured. “How d’you feel about me coming with you? I can help you get everything ready for New Year and Mam and Da’s arrival.”

David was surprised, but immediately saw the benefits!

“Wonderful idea!” he said. “You’ll be a Godsend.”

“That’s settled then,” she said with a lovely smile. She impulsively kissed his lips and was leaving the room when he called after her.

“You’ll need to pack, I’m going in a minute or two,”

She gave him a cheeky smile. “Already done. My bag’s in your car!” and she giggled.

David sighed and tried to look exasperated, but couldn’t help grinning. “OK,” he said. “Can you put these bags in the car?”

“No problem!” she said, suiting the action to the words.

Siân proved a considerable asset on the journey back home, since the children were awake and needed entertaining while David drove the car. Once home she took charge of Bethan while David unpacked the car, Evan helping. Then, having had a snack of cheese on toast, they made a shopping list and shopped for the coming week and weekend.

David was impressed as Siân organised the children, and fell easily into partnership doing the shopping, pushing the trolley with Bethan in the kiddie seat. while David kept an eye on Evan, who had been well trained by Celia and was well behaved.

He put Siân on the car insurance, having learned she had been driving for three years.

The Welsh parents duly arrived on Wednesday, New Year’s Eve at lunchtime, and his parents late afternoon. All their adult children were making their own arrangements. Both Grandmothers took over the meals, for which David was grateful.

Siân’s mother Bethan came to David in the kitchen while he was making after dinner tea and coffee for everyone.

“Dai Cariad,” she said quietly. “Look you, your Mam and Dad and Bill and I get on very well, and we’ll have a whale of a time tonight talking about old times. It’ll be boring for you and Siân. Why don’t you take her out for the evening? Surely you know places to go on New Year’s Eve?”

David was taken aback. While he had tickets for a party at his favourite club, he had not thought of using them. Taking Siân had never entered his head either. Suddenly the prospect was very enticing!

“Mam,” he said, “That’s a wonderful idea, but would Siân really want to go?”

“She’ll jump at the chance, don’t you worry. Ask her! And don’t worry about the babbies, four grandparents should be able to manage.” She laughed and left the kitchen.

A moment later Siân arrived. “Mam says you want me?” she said.

“She’s had the bright idea that we’ll be bored with the older folk, and suggested we go out to celebrate. I do happen to have tickets for my favourite club’s party tonight. Would you be interested?”

David noticed the eager look that flashed across Siân’s face, instantly banished. “Oh, really?” she said, affecting lack of interest.

So that’s how you want to play it, is it? He thought, and called her bluff.

“It’s OK,” said David. “You don’t need to bother; I’m going anyway. Enjoy your evening.” He turned to take the drinks to the families, stifling a grin.

“Oh well, if you’re going on your own, I suppose I could keep you company.”

“No it’s OK, I wouldn’t want you to put yourself out.” He passed her and joined the parents.

“David!” she called after him. He placed the tray, then turned and went back to her.

“Please, David, I’d love to go. I was pulling your chain,” she said, with a begging look.

“So was I. An hour?” He grinned.

She scowled. “Fine.”

David went back to the families and Siân ran upstairs to prepare herself.

“We can either go straight to the club or I could see if there are any friends at our local pub first, and go on to the club about ten or ten thirty. Which would you prefer?” David asked as they left the house.

“I’d like to meet some of your friends,” she said, “and in any case, a couple of hours in a night club is more than enough for me.”

David phoned Alex.

“I’m going to the pub tonight, you going?” he asked when Alex answered.

There was a pause. “Not tonight,” he said. “Got a date in town, but I’m pretty sure Tony and Sally will be there, and I think Des said he’d be going, possibly Bill as well – he likes company on evenings like this.”

“Fine,” David said. “I’ll be good to see them.”

They walked to the pub, and would get a taxi to the club. They pushed through the door to find the place pretty full, but David spied their group in one corner. As they walked towards them he was entertained by the expressions on the various faces.

Sally saw them first and did a double-take at the sight of David with a pretty woman in tow who looked so like Gwen. She nudged Tony who looked and smiled broadly, waving at them. Desmond looked worried, which puzzled David, while Bill who had his back to them turned and then smiled knowingly. Ozzy was there as well, and looked uncomfortable, after all, David had not seen him since the fracas in that very pub. Perhaps he would be more circumspect this time, David thought.

“Hi, all!” David greeted the crowd, noting they were all fixated on Siân. “Can I introduce Siân Price, Gwen’s sister? Her family are staying with me over New Year.” He then went round the group, naming each for Siân, who grinned and greeted appropriately.

They were bought drinks and room was made for them to sit. There followed the usual conversations gaining further information and explaining how long the various members had known him, and some banter about him having such a pretty girlfriend, in which David noted Ozzy did not join, but looked uncomfortable.

It was some time into the evening when David noticed Desmond beginning to relax. He had been tense for about an hour.

“Hey Des,” David joked, singling him out. “I note that Alex is once again missing. I phoned him earlier and he’s apparently got a date tonight. I haven’t seen him for weeks, if it’s the same girl it must be getting serious.”

“Er ... Yes,” Des muttered.

Then Ozzy jumped in, this time thankfully not at David’s expense, “but Alex said he was coming here tonight, Des. Change of plan?”

The discomfort in the group was palpable. Bill added his piece, “Perhaps he doesn’t want us to meet her, eh, Des?”

Sally looked very uncomfortable. “More likely his woman doesn’t like pubs,” she offered. “They’ll have gone straight to a club.”

Ozzy made to speak but suddenly looked pained, and David surmised that someone had kicked him under the table.

Justin, Desmond’s friend, proclaimed it was his round and who was drinking, and the release of tension was almost audible. By the time he’d returned, and everyone had thanked him and taken the first sip, the conversation had moved on to Wales versus England Rugby, and the banter flowed freely.

At ten thirty, David phoned for a taxi.

“Well, folks,” he said, “Siân and I have tickets for the Green Parrot to let the New Year in, so we’ll take our leave of you all. So Happy New Year!”

The response was noticed by Siân but not by David. Most of the group wished them Happy New Year, but Sally and Des looked startled then worried. She noticed Sally busy phoning on her mobile as she and David made their exit.

In the back of the taxi Siân remarked, “Strange dynamic in that group. Some of them, like Des and Sally knew more than they were saying. I think they know who the girlfriend is. I think the others were just puzzled. I remember Alex from the funeral. He was so good. He’s your closest friend from way back?”

“Yes, he is, of all my friends, he was the one who would not give up on me, even when I was impossible to get on with. He organised Celia to turn up precisely when I couldn’t go on any longer. He’d been keeping her from me until then, judging the exact time she would be successful in moving in and looking after me and the children.”

“But you haven’t seen him recently.” It was a bald statement and he caught an undertow. He wondered where her thoughts were going. She did not elaborate.

David thought about that. “No,” he said. “After Gwen’s death, he’d come over some weekends since I couldn’t get out, and we’d have a night in, but since Celia’s been there, he’s not been round. I mean, Saturdays are when he goes clubbing, picking up girls, so he’s never in then. One Friday I invited him to come over for a night in with Celia and me, but he said he was meeting the gang at the pub, so I went as well. Another Friday when Celia was away on her night off, I tried, but he was out.”

She looked thoughtful. “So he was never at home on Saturday nights, but on Friday nights he was in when Celia was at home with you, but you couldn’t reach him on the Fridays she was off.”

“Well, yes, if you put it like that.”