Read Online The Listmaker by Robin Klein - Free Book Online Page B

Christmas is over we’d have a few weeks clear run. Ed, could you perform some kind of miracle and get all the repairs and painting done by early February?’
    â€˜No worries,’ Mr Woodley said. ‘Just let me bung in those new stumps first before I start on any fancy-work, though, Nat. Can’t have the old place sliding off down the hill with a mob of wedding guests inside.’
    First-name terms already, I thought darkly, eyeing him across the card table.
    â€˜Let’s see, now,’ Aunty Nat said, starting to jot things down on one of the score pads. ‘There’s the stumps, then painting the house inside and out, summerhouse ditto, new gravel for the paths … Sarah, maybe I should delegate this list to you, dear. You’re always such a dab hand at them.’
    â€˜You’d better attend to it, Aunty Nat. I’ve got homework to do,’ I hedged, because that was one list I really didn’t want to get involved with. It would be an
insult
to Piriel, suggesting that she might like to have her wedding at a dumpy old house like Avian Cottage!

5 ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙ ∙
    Christmas list ideas
    Aunty Nat:
New recipe file. Flowery notepaper. New Gilbert and Sullivan cassette (yuk!). Silver lyrebird bracelet charm she’s been admiring in Parchment Hills jeweller’s window (aaaargh!!!).
    Aunt Dorothy:
Pair of proper slippers. (NB So she can throw out those grungy old plastic thongs!) Something for the garden – plant, gardening gloves? OR – book on how to quit smoking once and for all!
    Darling Horace:
Gourmet sardines. Smart new collar. Big packet of Kitty Krunchies.
    Card-gang sharpies:
Sheila Trenton – 4711 cologne; Derek Trenton – box of soft fudge suitable for denture wearers; Joan Cordrice – spectacles chain; Eileen Holloway – potpourri.
    Dad:
Tie? Socks? Hankies? Travel alarm clock? (No good; he prefers wake-up calls. Plus there’s already an alarm-clock thing on his watch.) Nice pen? (But he’s got
heaps
of them.) What do you buy for a person who already
has
everything?!
    Piriel:
?? What
do
you buy for a person who already has everything?!
    Christmas cards
    Mrs H. at school.
    Belinda Gibbs, Tara McCabe, Marnie Kydd. (But all three of them still owe
me
cards from last Christmas!)
    Corrie Ryder ??
    âˆ™ ∙ ∙ ∙
    â€˜Tagging along wasn’t
my
idea,’ Aunt Dorothy said mildly. ‘Nat didn’t want you going all that way on public transport by yourself. She feels responsible. Anyhow, I’ve got Christmas shopping to do, so I’ll probably beetle off once I’ve handed you over to Piriel.’
    I was relieved to hear that. Piriel wasn’t expecting anyone except me, and might feel humiliated to be seen with someone else who looked so scruffy. (Aunt Dorothy
had
actually rustled up a pair of ladderless pantyhose, but then spoiled the effect by bringing along a gross shopping bag made of camouflage canvas.) I still had some Christmas shopping of my own, too. If we finished looking for clothes early enough, I thought, Piriel might be able to help me find a wonderful Christmas present for Dad. Presents for him were always difficult. Every year I racked my brains, but usually ended up getting hankies, ties or socks. Piriel had the whole day off work; she’d said so on the phone. It shouldn’t take more than an hour to choose something to wear to the wedding. She’d probably be the first one to suggest that we spend the rest of the day Christmas shopping together.
    â€˜If you’ve forgotten anything, there won’t be any time to go back for it,’ I said impatiently, because Aunt Dorothy had just backed the car out of the drive, then stopped again. ‘Piriel’s expecting us at ten
on the dot
. We’ve got to meet her in the lower mall next to the –’
    â€˜Next to those automatic-teller machines. Yes, I already know, dear.