Nell broke off at one point to have a bop with one of the livelier residents and her laughter rang out as he twirled her around the floor, the spectators clapping along in time to the music. Tom’s foot was tapping too, as everyone had such a good time. When it came to hanging the final lot of baubles, Nell and Tom placed them on a tray and handed them out to the residents so they could each place one on.
Just as he finished hanging the last decoration on the tree, Nell came to stand beside him. ‘What were you and Edith chatting about?’ he asked.
‘She was just telling me about her husband and how they met. He was a soldier in the Second World War, and they married halfway through it, worried they might not get a chance at all. Don’t you think that’s awful. Imagine meeting the love of your life and them having to go away and you thinking you might never see them again?’
A dreaminess had come to Nell’s eyes and Tom knew that, though her eyes were open, they were only seeing the world in her head. For as long as he’d known her, her vivid imagination and empathetic nature had always taken her into her own little universe. The trouble was the real world never quite measured up.
‘Can you imagine how awful that is?’ she repeated when she’d joined them again.
‘I can. Scary too.’
‘When I get married,’ Nell began, toying with a skinny bit of tinsel Tom had discarded, ‘I’m going to have—’
‘A massive shiny diamond as big as your head?’
‘No.’ She nudged him playfully with her arm. ‘I want a small round solitaire. Gold, not silver. Something quiet and simple and elegant and beautiful.’
‘Like you.’ The words had escaped his mouth, unbidden, and he blushed.
Nell eyes widened in surprise. As she recovered, she bit her lip. ‘Simple? Thanks.’
‘I meant – I meant …’ He wanted to say elegant and beautiful and as she laughed at his stuttering, her eyes sparkled like they had when she looked at Harry. Or had he imagined it? Just wishful thinking on his part.
‘You can stop digging now, Tom. It’s fine.’ But a blush lingered on her cheeks.
Leaving him standing there, tongue tied and hot, Nell went and sat down with Grandad Nigel who had demolished a third of the biscuits.
‘Did you actually share any of those?’ asked Nell.
‘Of course I did. I gave one to Edith.’
‘Just one?’
Tom loved watching them together. Grandad Nigel was almost as fond of Nell as he was of him. And that Nell was equally as fond made his heart full.
After hanging the last bits of bedraggled tinsel onto a picture frame, Tom joined them. ‘Have you still got room for your lunch? Tracey will kill you if you don’t.’
‘I’m not afraid of her,’ Nigel replied, puffing his chest out a bit. Tracey’s voice carried across the room.
‘You should be.’ She came to join them, carrying a tray of mince pies. ‘Don’t say I don’t treat you lot. Mince pie, anyone?’ Tom and Nell shuffled backwards as the residents descended on the tray. They knocked into each other and when she turned to him, happy and content, that sparkle was there again. They’d bashed into each other hundreds of times over the years, but today the lack of distance between them seemed charged with a new, different energy. Tracey’s words, muffled as she ate a mince pie, cut through. ‘It’s not looking too bad in here, but the halls are a bit bare as are most of the corridors.’
‘With the wreath-making event on Wednesday,’ said Tom, ‘I think we’ll have enough to do a nice display in the hall.’
‘The residents are so excited to be making their own and some have promised them to their own families. Isn’t that lovely? What a brilliant idea, Nell.’
‘Thank you,’ Nell said, ‘but it was Tom’s idea too.’
‘Mostly yours though.’
‘They’re off again!’ shouted Grandad Nigel. ‘Honestly, you’re like a honeymoon couple, always being nice to each other.’
‘By the time we’ve done that,’ said Tom, swiftly moving the conversation along, ‘we’ll have more than enough, and I’ve got a couple of garlands that went a bit wonky. You can have those if you like?’
‘Wonky garlands? Gee, thanks.’ She and Nell giggled.
‘They’re fine. It’s just one’s missing a couple of berry clusters and the other I thought I’d picked up silver spray paint and I’d actually picked up neon pink so it’s ended up with a bit of a weird hue where I tried to cover it. It’s barely visible, but I can’t sell it.’
‘Okay then,’ Tracey said with a grin. ‘Bring me your wonky garlands over the next few days. Let’s get some more lights up, shall we?’
Finally finished, Tom stood back with Nell. The feel of her body against his filled him with such warmth he was sure it was radiating out of his eyes. She met his gaze. What he wouldn’t give to have a smile like that to wake up to every day. To roll over and watch those thick lashes lift and happiness fill her face at the prospect of being with him. But it was too much to hope.
‘Edith, are they staring at each other again?’ asked Nigel, causing Nell to study her fingernails. Tom squeezed his jaw tightly shut as they shifted apart.
‘Anyone for a little Christmas sherry?’ Nell asked, looking around mischievously. ‘I think Nigel’s got some to share.’
‘Traitor,’ the old man mumbled as a wonderfully loving smile plumped his old whiskery cheeks.
Chapter 12
Nell flitted around the dining room full of nervous energy. The care home residents were coming over any minute for the wreath-making. Too edgy to sit still this morning, she’d caved into pressure from Brenda and put some posters up around town about Mr Scrooge,
