they'll be useful,' Petra said.
Various people said they were sure they would be, then the room fell silent.
'Oh!' Alice heard Tony exclaim. He took his phone from his pocket and dropped it into the decorative bag.
Everyone else quickly followed his example. Petra beamed.
The computer Tony gave Alice was powerful, had extended battery life and came in a really nice carrying case. She had no moment of puzzled surprise wondering what it could be, but neither did she have to fake the certainty that it would be useful.
Tony wasn't in the room when Kate gave her a Hampshire Fire Service calendar.
'Ah so that's where you sneaked off to when I was setting off his siren!' Alice said.
'Yep. Have a look at May.'
Alice flicked through the pages.
There was Hamish, wearing only boots, shorts and helmet. He was holding a kitten it seemed he'd just rescued from a tree.
'Very cute and the cat's nice too.'
She hadn't realised Tony was back in the room or she'd have quickly slipped it into the envelope.
He took it from her, had a quick look and said, 'Hilarious, Kate, but we're not putting it up. You'd better give it to a charity shop, Alice.' He dropped it onto the pile of other gifts at her feet, then returned to the kitchen.
'Sorry,' Kate said. 'It was just supposed to be fun.'
'I know that and I'm sure Tony sees the funny side really.' She didn't imagine that last bit sounded any more convincing to Kate than it did to herself.
Chapter 5
Tony didn't mention the calendar again and Alice tried to put the fuss he'd made over it out of her mind. He'd over-reacted, but ever since she'd told him about her slight thing for firemen, he'd been rather sensitive where they were concerned. She didn't want something so trivial to spoil an otherwise lovely day. She was helped with that by Petra suggesting they sing Christmas carols. Alice's dad had a CD of Christmas songs, including a few popular carols which he played as an accompaniment. Alice was amazed that Tony not only joined in, but did so loudly enough to be easily heard despite still being up to his elbows in sudsy water and well enough that the volume was a good thing. It was almost a shame they didn't stay at the Tatisuz party long enough for him to take part in the karaoke, he'd have been a hit.
It was already Boxing Day by the time she and Tony gathered up their gifts and the box of leftovers her mum had packaged for her. Uncles Pete and Peter dropped them off at Alice's flat, saying they hoped to see Tony again.
'I'm sure you will,' Tony said.
Alice was too tired to do more than blow her uncles a kiss, stagger up to her flat, put the food in the fridge and get into bed. Her head was slightly delicate the next morning. She gulped down a glass of milk. That and a good dose of carbs would soon sort her out. As she activated the microwave she remembered what the uncles had said and realised that if they did meet Tony again it was likely to be the following Christmas. She supposed that if she and Tony were still together then, they would be living together.
Just as she was wondering about her mental 'if', Tony, wearing a dressing gown, came into the kitchen. 'What are you making? Cinnamon porridge?'
'Eurgh, no! Why would I be making that?'
'That's the only breakfast item I could think of which would smell spicy and be cooked in the microwave.'
The oven pinged and she took out the steaming bowl. 'Christmas pudding. Want some?'
'I don't know.' He looked in the bowl. 'It really is Christmas pudding! Why are you heating that up?'
'It's disgusting cold.'
He gave one of his trying to be patient sighs. 'What I meant was, why are you heating it up right now?'
'Because now is when I want to eat it.'
'You cannot eat Christmas pudding for breakfast, Alice.'
'Yes I can, watch me.'
'I will not. Give it here.' He tried to take it from her.
'Step away from the pudding, Tony.'
He let go and stepped back a pace.
'You know where the fridge and cupboards are. Help
Various people said they were sure they would be, then the room fell silent.
'Oh!' Alice heard Tony exclaim. He took his phone from his pocket and dropped it into the decorative bag.
Everyone else quickly followed his example. Petra beamed.
The computer Tony gave Alice was powerful, had extended battery life and came in a really nice carrying case. She had no moment of puzzled surprise wondering what it could be, but neither did she have to fake the certainty that it would be useful.
Tony wasn't in the room when Kate gave her a Hampshire Fire Service calendar.
'Ah so that's where you sneaked off to when I was setting off his siren!' Alice said.
'Yep. Have a look at May.'
Alice flicked through the pages.
There was Hamish, wearing only boots, shorts and helmet. He was holding a kitten it seemed he'd just rescued from a tree.
'Very cute and the cat's nice too.'
She hadn't realised Tony was back in the room or she'd have quickly slipped it into the envelope.
He took it from her, had a quick look and said, 'Hilarious, Kate, but we're not putting it up. You'd better give it to a charity shop, Alice.' He dropped it onto the pile of other gifts at her feet, then returned to the kitchen.
'Sorry,' Kate said. 'It was just supposed to be fun.'
'I know that and I'm sure Tony sees the funny side really.' She didn't imagine that last bit sounded any more convincing to Kate than it did to herself.
Chapter 5
Tony didn't mention the calendar again and Alice tried to put the fuss he'd made over it out of her mind. He'd over-reacted, but ever since she'd told him about her slight thing for firemen, he'd been rather sensitive where they were concerned. She didn't want something so trivial to spoil an otherwise lovely day. She was helped with that by Petra suggesting they sing Christmas carols. Alice's dad had a CD of Christmas songs, including a few popular carols which he played as an accompaniment. Alice was amazed that Tony not only joined in, but did so loudly enough to be easily heard despite still being up to his elbows in sudsy water and well enough that the volume was a good thing. It was almost a shame they didn't stay at the Tatisuz party long enough for him to take part in the karaoke, he'd have been a hit.
It was already Boxing Day by the time she and Tony gathered up their gifts and the box of leftovers her mum had packaged for her. Uncles Pete and Peter dropped them off at Alice's flat, saying they hoped to see Tony again.
'I'm sure you will,' Tony said.
Alice was too tired to do more than blow her uncles a kiss, stagger up to her flat, put the food in the fridge and get into bed. Her head was slightly delicate the next morning. She gulped down a glass of milk. That and a good dose of carbs would soon sort her out. As she activated the microwave she remembered what the uncles had said and realised that if they did meet Tony again it was likely to be the following Christmas. She supposed that if she and Tony were still together then, they would be living together.
Just as she was wondering about her mental 'if', Tony, wearing a dressing gown, came into the kitchen. 'What are you making? Cinnamon porridge?'
'Eurgh, no! Why would I be making that?'
'That's the only breakfast item I could think of which would smell spicy and be cooked in the microwave.'
The oven pinged and she took out the steaming bowl. 'Christmas pudding. Want some?'
'I don't know.' He looked in the bowl. 'It really is Christmas pudding! Why are you heating that up?'
'It's disgusting cold.'
He gave one of his trying to be patient sighs. 'What I meant was, why are you heating it up right now?'
'Because now is when I want to eat it.'
'You cannot eat Christmas pudding for breakfast, Alice.'
'Yes I can, watch me.'
'I will not. Give it here.' He tried to take it from her.
'Step away from the pudding, Tony.'
He let go and stepped back a pace.
'You know where the fridge and cupboards are. Help
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