“Well, here we are.” Josh smiled as they reached the front gate of Amelia’s garden. “Guess I’ll see you after lunch tomorrow?”

“Come in for a minute.” Amelia urged, holding onto both of his hands. “Say hi to my parents. I’m sure they’d be happy to see you?”

“Oh, I don’t want to intrude if you have family over?” Josh glanced at the windows that were bedecked with twinkling fairy lights.

“Don’t be silly!” Amelia grinned. “Just for a minute, okay?” Not wanting to be rude, Josh walked with Amelia up the path through the very pretty garden. Clearly it was something her parents took pride in, a drive he had never personally been able to muster with any enthusiasm, keeping the lawn reasonably neat but not really giving their own garden any further attention. “Crap!” Amelia muttered, patting the pockets of her jeans and coat. “Forgot my keys.” Shrugging, she reached up and pressed the doorbell. Josh couldn’t help chuckling when he heard the first few unmistakable notes of “God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen” echo through the hallway beyond, followed by footsteps hurriedly approaching.

“Missing these I suppose!” Amelia’s mum chuckled without reproach, jingling her daughter’s keys like a set of Christmas bells as she opened the door. “Oh and you’ve brought a friend!” she grinned at Josh. “Did you have fun at the butcher?”

“Oh yeah!” Amelia nodded enthusiastically, hugging her mum. “It was awesome! Made me build up quite an appetite!” She giggled. “Josh walked me home to make sure I got back safely.”

“Oh that’s so kind of you!” Amelia’s mum, Penny, smiled warmly. She was wearing an apron with a holly and candy-cane pattern and was clearly very much in the festive spirit. “Will you come in for a hot chocolate?”

“Thank you,” Josh smiled, “but I don’t want to impose. I just wanted to make sure Amelia got home safely. I’m surely you’d look out for my Sam the same way.”

“Of course we would!” Penny beamed. “And stop this nonsense about imposing! Come on in, let me introduce you to everyone! Don’t worry,” she assured him, “we won’t keep you long, but we can’t let you go without at least some hot chocolate as a thank you!” Realising that he had been out-negotiated and that any further attempts at refusal would be rude, he accepted the invitation and stepped inside the cosy house. “Go put your pretty dress on,” Penny instructed Amelia, “Grandma would love to see how pretty you look in it!” The pre-teen made brief eye-contact with Josh who bit his lip so as not to laugh as she rolled her eyes but headed up the stairs anyway. “Now come, come, this way!” Penny ushered her guest into the living room where an older couple and a man his own age were sat on expensive-looking sofas.


To be continued...