page59 (1/2)

But new le day

A long red ribbon was attached at the top It was a Christ on a tree

Right alongside his cerael

There was noise outside her flat as she approached Grace froze The last thing she needed was trouble All she wanted to do was get inside, pull on her pyjamas and make some toast

As she took another step forward she recognised the voices She straightened up and walked around the corner ‘E here?’

‘Grace!’ Their shouts were probably heard all up and down the stairwells of the flats She found herself enveloped in a group hug Tears prickled at her eyes

‘Youthat clinked

Ashleigh held up another, her engagehts ‘Let us in, ant to hear all your news’

Sophie was clutching a huge trifle in a glass bowl ‘What happened with your boss?’

She couldn’t hold it together a second longer She’d tried so hard all day Seeing Finlay at the hotel was torture Because now she knehat they could share together, she was having trouble being anything but angry

She dissolved into tears of frustration

‘Grace? Grace? What’s wrong?’

The keys were fumbled from her hands, her door opened and she was ushered into the flat Within two lasses appeared, as poured and her jacket was pulled froh opened the biggest box of chocolates in the world and dumped them on her lap

It just ht now she valued her friends

One hour later they were all gobsmacked Emma slid her arm around her shoulders ‘Why didn’t you tell us how you were feeling? You could have spent Christmas Day with any one of us’

Grace shook her head ‘I didn’t want to put a dampener on anyone else’s Christmas’

Sophie narrowed her eyes ‘But what about your Christmas? Finlay’s certainly put a dampener on that’