Page 163

‘Kelly, why don’t you go and see?’ Lucy said.

Kelly found her dad on the doorstep, laden with gifts. ‘Mum!’ she squealed. ‘You invited him.’

Jenny reached over and squeezed her sister’s hand. ‘Well done, you.’

Tom walked tentatively into the room. ‘Merry Christmas,’ he said.

They all greeted him, exceptDylan, who said nothing. Lucy took his coat and Tom handed gifts to everyone.

‘Even me?’ Ollie said, looking surprised.

‘I couldn’t leave you out! You’re the boy who made Kelly the sword. You’re a very important person.’

Tom had brought bottles of wine for the adults, who all murmured their thanks.

Shannon opened her gift. It was a jacket. ‘OMG, you remembered me saying I loved it when I tookyou shopping to get stuff for Kelly. Wow! Thank you – it’s amazing.’

Ollie’s was a Segway. ‘This is socoooool!’ He whooped.

‘Way too generous, Tom, thanks,’ Sarah said.

‘I got a bit excited. I hope I haven’t overdone it.’

‘They’re wonderful gifts, thank you.’ Sarah patted his hand.

Kelly’s gift was a thick silver charm bracelet with four charms – a heart, a dress, an angel and tiny sewingmachine. She threw her arms around him. ‘I love it.’

‘What are the charms?’ Shannon asked, from the other end of the table.

‘A heart for … Well, I guess that’s self-explanatory. The dress and sewing machine because your mum told me how talented you are at making clothes, and the angel is to watch over you.’ Tom’s voice cracked.

‘It’s beautiful, Tom.’ Lucy touched his shoulder.

‘Open yours,Dylan,’ Ollie said.

‘I’ll leave it.’ Dylan put it under his chair.

Jenny, who was sitting beside him, pulled the box out again. Dylan looked at Lucy. She nodded. ‘Go ahead, love.’

He unwrapped the paper and opened the Nike box. Inside was a pair of football boots in his favourite colour, orange, and on the back, in gold lettering, his name, Dylan Murphy.

‘They’re the same boots Ronaldo has.’Darren whistled. ‘Nice.’

‘Thanks,’ Dylan muttered.

‘Right, Tom,’ Lucy said. ‘Sit there between Kelly and Sarah and we can eat.’

Everyone tucked into their food hungrily. Everyone except Kelly, who only ate a small amount of hers. Lucy watched as Tom gently encouraged her to eat more. Kelly was smiling and laughing, looking like the young girl she was supposed to be. Maybe Tom turning up wasa blessing, she thought. He had lifted Kelly’s spirits and made her so happy.

Dylan said little, letting the others around him chat. Lucy saw him watching Tom from under his fringe. He might pretend he didn’t care, but she knew he did. He needed his dad. She’d have to encourage him to spend time with Tom.

Lucy waited for a lull in the conversation, then said, ‘Dylan has a match on the twenty-seventhif you’re free, Tom. You could come with me and Dad to see him play.’

There was silence at the table.

‘I’d absolutely love to, if that’s okay with Dylan,’ Tom said, sounding nervous.

Dylan shrugged. ‘Whatever.’