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Authors: Susan Lewis
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Bob Chapman, waving out from the door of Chanter Lysee, the karaoke bar he managed.
‘Hi Bob,’ she responded cheerfully. ‘How are you? All ready for Christmas I see. Hope all those lights are hotwired into Downing Street. Let them jokers pay the bills, is what I say.’
‘You’ll get no argument from me on that,’ he assured her. ‘Bet none of
them
’s worrying about how they’re going to put a turkey on the table Wednesday after next. Anyway, I wanted to make sure you’re coming for our Christmas special on the twenty-third.’ He was pointing to a sign in the window.
Happy Hour all night long, bottle of bubbly to best singer in town.
‘You’d be an outright winner,’ he informed her. ‘That lovely smoky voice of yours, I keep telling you, you should go on
The X Factor
, make yourself a fortune.’
‘Yeah, right,’ she laughed. ‘The next SuBo, that’s me. Or was she on
Britain’s Got Talent
?’
‘Who cares? So are you going to come? I’ll put a couple of tickets aside if you are, on the house, given how you bring in the crowds.’
Laughing again, she said, ‘Yeah, you can count me and Jeff in. I expect my mother will want to come too, just please don’t let her have the mike when she’s had a few. She’ll only start murdering “Je t’aime”, and she’s embarrassing enough without going that far.’
Chuckling, Bob said, ‘Three tickets are yours and I’ll keep your favourite table. Any chance Lily and her chap might join you? I hear they’re getting married next summer.’
Since Josie had broken the happy news to Carly over a week ago she wasn’t in the least surprised to find out that Bob already knew, half of Kesterly probably did by now. She just hoped they weren’t all waiting for invites, because if they were a lot were going to end up disappointed. ‘Yes, she should be home by then,’ Josie told him, ‘so I’m sure they’ll want to come.’
Giving her the thumbs up, he waved her on and as he took out his mobile to answer a call, she fumbled for her own to check who was trying to reach her.
Lily.
‘Hello my love, how are you?’ she asked, clicking on.
‘Yeah, I’m cool. I just wanted to tell you to look at your emails when you get home. I’ve sent you a link to a stationery website. They’ve got some seriously cool stuff for weddings and I want to know what you think.’
‘Of course, have you highlighted any in particular?’
‘Not yet. I want to see if you come up with the same ones I did. You know, like we usually do when we’re choosing stuff.’
Josie smiled. It was true, they really did seem to have similar tastes. ‘I’ll let you know as soon as I’ve had a look,’ she promised. Then, changing the subject, ‘Have you sent the calendar to Ryan yet?’
‘No, I thought I’d take it in when we go to see him next week. Have you arranged it yet?’
‘It’s top of my list tomorrow.’
‘OK, just let me know. Where are you now?’
‘On my way home. We’ve been invited for a karaoke evening on the twenty-third, if you and Jasper can make it.’
‘Yay!’ Lily cheered. ‘Definitely sign us up for it. It’s such a scream, and you and Dad are so brill. Anyway, better go, loads to do. Love you, love to Dad too,’ and she was gone.
So what’s wrong with that,
Josie snapped irritably in answer to the little voice inside her that was asking, what if your appointment turns out to be on the 23rd?
It won’t be in the evening, so I’ll still be able to go to Chanter Lysee, and even if the news turns out to be bad, which it won’t, no way is it going to spoil Christmas for anyone, least of all me.
Just over a week later Josie and Lily were queuing up with other friends and families, waiting to be let into the prison. If there was a more depressing place on God’s earth Josie didn’t want to know about it, it was bad enough having to cope with this one. Its old grey stone walls made her think of dungeons and torture chambers, while its towering
‘Hi Bob,’ she responded cheerfully. ‘How are you? All ready for Christmas I see. Hope all those lights are hotwired into Downing Street. Let them jokers pay the bills, is what I say.’
‘You’ll get no argument from me on that,’ he assured her. ‘Bet none of
them
’s worrying about how they’re going to put a turkey on the table Wednesday after next. Anyway, I wanted to make sure you’re coming for our Christmas special on the twenty-third.’ He was pointing to a sign in the window.
Happy Hour all night long, bottle of bubbly to best singer in town.
‘You’d be an outright winner,’ he informed her. ‘That lovely smoky voice of yours, I keep telling you, you should go on
The X Factor
, make yourself a fortune.’
‘Yeah, right,’ she laughed. ‘The next SuBo, that’s me. Or was she on
Britain’s Got Talent
?’
‘Who cares? So are you going to come? I’ll put a couple of tickets aside if you are, on the house, given how you bring in the crowds.’
Laughing again, she said, ‘Yeah, you can count me and Jeff in. I expect my mother will want to come too, just please don’t let her have the mike when she’s had a few. She’ll only start murdering “Je t’aime”, and she’s embarrassing enough without going that far.’
Chuckling, Bob said, ‘Three tickets are yours and I’ll keep your favourite table. Any chance Lily and her chap might join you? I hear they’re getting married next summer.’
Since Josie had broken the happy news to Carly over a week ago she wasn’t in the least surprised to find out that Bob already knew, half of Kesterly probably did by now. She just hoped they weren’t all waiting for invites, because if they were a lot were going to end up disappointed. ‘Yes, she should be home by then,’ Josie told him, ‘so I’m sure they’ll want to come.’
Giving her the thumbs up, he waved her on and as he took out his mobile to answer a call, she fumbled for her own to check who was trying to reach her.
Lily.
‘Hello my love, how are you?’ she asked, clicking on.
‘Yeah, I’m cool. I just wanted to tell you to look at your emails when you get home. I’ve sent you a link to a stationery website. They’ve got some seriously cool stuff for weddings and I want to know what you think.’
‘Of course, have you highlighted any in particular?’
‘Not yet. I want to see if you come up with the same ones I did. You know, like we usually do when we’re choosing stuff.’
Josie smiled. It was true, they really did seem to have similar tastes. ‘I’ll let you know as soon as I’ve had a look,’ she promised. Then, changing the subject, ‘Have you sent the calendar to Ryan yet?’
‘No, I thought I’d take it in when we go to see him next week. Have you arranged it yet?’
‘It’s top of my list tomorrow.’
‘OK, just let me know. Where are you now?’
‘On my way home. We’ve been invited for a karaoke evening on the twenty-third, if you and Jasper can make it.’
‘Yay!’ Lily cheered. ‘Definitely sign us up for it. It’s such a scream, and you and Dad are so brill. Anyway, better go, loads to do. Love you, love to Dad too,’ and she was gone.
So what’s wrong with that,
Josie snapped irritably in answer to the little voice inside her that was asking, what if your appointment turns out to be on the 23rd?
It won’t be in the evening, so I’ll still be able to go to Chanter Lysee, and even if the news turns out to be bad, which it won’t, no way is it going to spoil Christmas for anyone, least of all me.
Just over a week later Josie and Lily were queuing up with other friends and families, waiting to be let into the prison. If there was a more depressing place on God’s earth Josie didn’t want to know about it, it was bad enough having to cope with this one. Its old grey stone walls made her think of dungeons and torture chambers, while its towering
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