Page 34 of Make You Mine This Christmas

Christopher puts a hand on her arm, that steadying touch again.

‘Sorry, I was babbling, ha ha ha,’ she laughs, wishing desperately she hadn’t choked on her mulled wine so she could have something to hold on to.

‘Sally Mayfield?’ Esther asks Christopher, and he nods. ‘Oh, she’s a nice girl, was always very polite when she’d come round to play with Kit. Her mother and I were on the school PTA for a time.’

Haf nods politely at this, as what else can she say? She doesn’t actually know Sally. She probably should have introduced herself before they ran out of the party, but never mind. Hopefully they won’t run into her here either.

‘And York is a lovely city.’

Phew, she thinks. Back on a topic they can talk about. ‘It really is. I’m very lucky to live there.’ Haf wishes she had time to see more of it, but work keeps her busy and then she’s no spare energy to really do anything. Luckily, York is a nice city just to look at, anyway. ‘Have you been?’ she asks Esther.

‘Yes, we have, but not for a long time. When was the last time we were up in Yorkshire, Otto?’

Otto’s eyebrows and moustache all seem to waggle at once. ‘When Christopher was at university. We stayed up in the little B&B on the moors, back when the girls were puppies. I wanted us to go for a long walk, but we weren’t allowed,’ he adds with a tease.

‘First of all, dearest, we did not go walking because the trainer told us we shouldn’t over walk the girls, as it is bad for the joints. And second, the last time you conned me into going for “just a walk” with you was some time in the eighties, and if I remember, you sold it as a short wander, which turned out to be an eight-hour hike uphill through rain.’

‘It was bracing.’

‘It was terrible. And I am not one to be tricked twice.’

‘But you look rather fetching in a Barbour!’

‘I’m sure I do, but I look much better in a very good and crucially warm restaurant with a glass of chilled wine in my hand.’

‘Ah, is that a hint?’ Otto gets to his feet and disappears off, presumably to get his wife a glass of wine.

‘We did a lot of that in York, in the end.’

‘Oh actually, I have something for you.’ Haf trots out into the hallway to root through her bag. She sets the copy ofCarolon the side table and takes out the box of goodies from Betty’s. Thankfully, everything seems to have magically survived the journey, though the ribbon is a little askew and the box slightly dented, but not so badly to look ungiftable. She pads back into the living room and holds them out to Esther. ‘They’re from a really lovely bakery restaurant place that everyone goes to.’

‘Oh gosh, of course we know Betty’s,’ Esther says. ‘Otto is rather partial to a Fat Rascal. This is very kind of you, Haf. Thank you.’

She doesn’t open the box, but places it on the coffee table gently.

Score, Haf thinks, relieved. One success.

Otto returns with a glass of pale white wine for Esther, and what looks like a whisky for himself. Excellent, that’s another thing she can talk about later.Okay, okay, this is back on track.

‘Is that a Betty’s box I spy?’ he asks, peering over his glasses.

‘Haf brought them for us to enjoy.’

‘Shall I get some plates?’

‘Later, Otto. We’re still getting to know her.’

‘Yes, of course,’ he says, a little chastened.

A sweet tooth, Haf thinks.

‘So, what do you do for work, Haf?’ asks Otto.

‘I work in communications for a small charity. So, my job covers anything to do with words, and the social media too.’

‘I don’t really understand all that social media stuff,’ says Otto somewhat dismissively. ‘The holiday property side of the business has run on a paper version since we started – luxury catalogues, that sort of thing. But it’s all about direct communication, face to face and all that. People like the personal touch, especially with the retirement homes – that’s another branch. Everyone wants to know they’re getting the best experience money can buy. Really give people the experience they want, that sort of thing. Social media feels far too impersonal for that to me.’

What Haf wants to point out is that ‘social media’ encapsulates multiple platforms, many of which have existed for well over a decade and are integral to many people’s daily communications as well as businesses marketing strategies. And as for impersonal? It’s pretty much how she’s made and maintained all her friendships for way too long. But instead all she does is laugh awkwardly.