Page 40 of So This is Christmas

JENNIE

Jennie stood at the sink in the kitchen.

Beyond the window the sky was black, a few stars punctuating the darkness.

One minute they’d been sharing a wonderful Christmas and the next their lives had been upended.

She’d begun to trust Sophie, and to find out that she had lied about something so monumental in Jennie’s life was devastating.

Forgive yourself, that’s what Sophie had told her. Greta and Walter had been saying it for years. She’d tried, but never managed it.

While Amber talked to Nick about her worry for the Wynters, the concern that Sophie was trying to take advantage, Walter had taken Jennie aside and explained his chat with Sophie.

It had taken Jennie only moments to realise that Sophie had been blindsided in almost the same way as she had, and worse, Sophie had been carrying around this huge weight that had held her back in the same way it had Jennie.

According to Walter, Sophie didn’t think she deserved happiness.

She’d thrown herself into motherhood and work, she’d allowed little time for herself, let alone a relationship.

And neither Jennie nor Walter believed Sophie was capable of stealing from residents like Amber had suggested.

Jennie had agreed that Walter and Nick should go after Sophie. They’d layered up before heading out of the front door and in the meantime, Amber seemed to worm her way into staying by asking to use the bathroom and taking her own sweet time.

When Jennie heard a noise, a shuffle behind her, she knew she had company. She saw Amber’s reflection in the window as she came into the kitchen. Jennie didn’t turn round.

‘Well, that was hashtag awkward,’ said Amber.

Jennie wanted to throttle her. How dare she do this to them, to Sophie. What was she playing at?

She scraped off the remnants of Christmas pudding from the dessert plates, a thick blob of cream left on Walter’s – too rich for him, he’d said, although he’d demolished the pudding – not a crumb left on Nick’s, a bit of pudding lingering on her plate and on Sophie’s.

‘How long do you think they’ll be?’ Amber asked.

‘I don’t know.’ She turned to see that Amber had rested her pert behind on the kitchen table, arms crossed, red talons pulling at her sweater. She didn’t look awkward, she looked satisfied, and it didn’t sit well with Jennie at all.

With an almost smug expression, Amber went on.

‘She’s been up to no good for years. I should’ve put a stop to it sooner.

I had no idea that the accident she was in killed your brother.

’ Something told Jennie this woman had it in for Sophie and every little victory, which was what today had been for her, gave her a thrill.

Jennie realised she still had the washing up cloth in her hand and it was dripping onto the floor.

She dropped it back in the sink full of soiled water.

‘If you don’t mind, I’d really like it if I could be on my own now.

’ She grabbed a tea towel to wipe the floor and when she was done, opened up the cupboard door that hid the laundry and dropped it into the drum of the washing machine.

Amber hadn’t moved an inch. ‘I’d actually like to stay and apologise again to Walter and Nick.’

‘I’d prefer you to leave.’ And she didn’t even care that she was being terse.

‘There’s no need to be rude.’

Jennie wished she’d just go. ‘If you’re staying, then make yourself useful – wipe down the table.’ That should get rid of her. She wrung out the cloth they used to clean the surfaces.

Surprisingly, her plan didn’t work because Amber asked for a spare pair of rubber gloves. She wiggled her nails. ‘Don’t want to ruin these.’

Jennie pulled a pair from the cupboard beneath the sink and passed them to her. Amber did the table, Jennie carried on with the dishes and Amber went so far as to wipe down all of the benchtops too.

Reluctantly Jennie thanked her. ‘I appreciate the help.’

‘You’re welcome, especially after the trouble I caused.’

Nice of her to acknowledge it. Jennie held her hand out to take the cloth from Amber.

‘I went to the hotel before I came here,’ said Amber as Jennie squeezed out the excess water from the cloth and hung it over the tap to dry. ‘It’s totally stunning.’

‘The Wynter Hotel?’

Her brow furrowed. ‘Where else? It’s beautiful, a real credit to Walter.’

‘Walter?’ Jennie sighed and took off her rubber gloves after she’d pushed the rubbish down into the black bin bag she’d pulled out of the cylindrical bin.

‘Yes, he should be proud.’

‘It’s Nick and me who work there, not Walter.’

‘Well sure, but once upon a time it was his and Greta’s. And one day it will be Nick’s.’

Jennie tied the top of the black bin bag into a tight knot as she thought about the odd remark and the sequence of events – Sophie apparently being fired, Sophie coming here, Amber turning up to supposedly save the Wynters from being taken in by Sophie.

And now, Amber mentioning ownership of a top hotel in Vienna.

It was starting to make sense.

Amber had likely been as confused as Bea was about who owned the Wynter Hotel. Had she come here thinking the family was rolling in riches, that she could somehow become a part of it?

It seemed ludicrous, and yet…

‘It’s a big responsibility, a hotel.’ Amber inspected her red nails, which Jennie thought must make it impossible to pick anything up. ‘Does Nick have a wife or partner to help run it?’

Another piece fell into place. She was here because she smelled money, and she was more than interested in Nick who she’d fawned over in the lounge despite his clear lack of interest in her and his focus on going after Sophie.

For now, Jennie chose to play along and didn’t correct Amber’s confusion over the facts. ‘No wife or partner. Nick is single.’ She didn’t miss the hint of elation Amber did her best to hide. Jennie bet her mind was doing overtime thinking about how she could slot in.

Her heart sank all the more now though, because she suspected that as well as the claim about Sophie taking the necklace being false, so were the other accusations Amber had made.

She had to wonder, were those accusations really about Amber?

Had Amber been the one to trick people and steal from them?

‘Thanks again for your help clearing up.’ Jennie smiled. She was about to put Amber to one last test.

‘It was my pleasure – anything to help.’

‘You deserve a night in the Wynter Hotel as a thank you.’

She looked like she might burst. ‘It looks amazing, and the spa, I checked it out online, it looks wonderfully luxurious.’

Clearly her online investigations hadn’t been thorough enough to find out who actually owned the hotel. Jennie almost wanted to laugh at this woman’s stupidity.

‘Oh, it is,’ said Jennie. ‘I’ve been several times. Let me know a date for you and I’ll get the room booked. Walter owns two rooms there, he’ll give you a good discount.’

Her well-ironed face creased in confusion. ‘Two rooms?’

‘Yes. Amazing, isn’t it? Quite the investment and in a hotel with their name it felt serendipitous. For Nick and me too, both working there. It makes us feel like it’s our hotel sometimes.’

‘But it is your hotel.’ Amber was going to need a bit of Botox if she didn’t lose the frown. Maybe she’d already had some; Jennie wouldn’t be surprised. ‘It belongs to the family. The Wynters.’

‘We all wish it did.’

And now she had the final test coming up for Amber.

Depending on how this went she’d know for sure this woman’s real motives, which she suspected were to come here, get rid of Sophie and muscle in on the family and their supposed wealth.

Jennie wondered what lengths she’d gone to as a care home manager and shuddered to think people trusted their loved ones in this woman’s care.

‘Amber, I don’t suppose you could do me a favour and haul this rubbish bag down to the basement bins could you?’

‘Sure. May I use your bathroom first?’

‘Of course.’ She’d only just used the bathroom. Did she think Jennie was daft? ‘Go for it.’

She turned to face the sink again and pressed the pump for the lotion Greta always kept there to moisturise her hands after washing up. She rubbed her hands together and sure enough, the moisturiser hadn’t even soaked into her skin before she heard the apartment door bang shut.

Jennie slumped down at the kitchen table. She felt good for about ten seconds and then the reality of it all came crashing back. Donovan, Sophie, her. So many lives ruined.

When Nick and Walter came in less than an hour later, she ran out into the hallway. ‘Did you find her?’

‘We didn’t.’ Walter looked drawn and upset as he removed his coat.

Nick pulled off his gloves. ‘We walked to her apartment but no sign of her on the way or when we arrived. I expect she’s devastated at the way things went today.’

‘It’s my fault.’

‘No, don’t you apologise.’ Nick stepped forwards and wrapped her in a hug.

‘I’m really sorry I got so angry,’ she cried into his shoulder.

Walter began to walk towards the kitchen. ‘Both you and Sophie need to stop apologising.’

Nick and Jennie followed as Nick said, ‘Tell me that bitch left.’

Walter didn’t even call him out on his language and Jennie regaled them with the story of how she’d got rid of their surprise, unwanted guest.

‘Sounds like it was Amber trying to con us, not anyone else,’ said Walter. ‘I should’ve been more assertive. I didn’t get a good feeling about her, but I was too stunned to do anything.’

‘I get the impression she has practice at pulling the wool over people’s eyes,’ said Nick. ‘Sophie must have been heartbroken that we didn’t immediately jump to her defence. You know we should have, right?’

Jennie knew the question was directed at her the most. ‘I realise now. But in the moment, I couldn’t react any differently.’ She watched Walter head over to the big steel pot and ladle out three portions of glühwein.