“I was just about to call you!” Laura observed, slightly reproachfully when Josh found her and Samantha in the garden centre cafe. “We were beginning to think you’d got lost!” Joining them at their table, Josh explained about being invited in by Amelia’s family, about the conversation, the hot chocolate and the mince pie and how Amelia seemed very much to take after her Grandma but, true to his word, he did not mention or even allude to the dress!

This close to Christmas, the clearance sale had already started and Samantha and Laura had found a few things for the house that they had in a basket beside them so, once their drinks and cake were finished, the three of them lined up together at the checkout then Samantha walked between them, holding both their hands, as they headed back to the butcher’s shop.

The shop was still incredibly busy, although the ratio of customers to meat-girls seemed to have tipped slightly so that there were now more people buying or collection meat than girls waiting to be converted to inventory. Seeing them come in, the butcher’s wife retrieved a basket like the ones used for the turkeys and Christmas hampers from the chilled display.

“We thought it would be easier for you this way.” she smiled, setting the basket on the counter so that they could the different packages that made up it contents. “So, you’ve got the bacon and sausage meat that you ordered and the sausages.” she patted three grease-paper packages, all of which bore smiling pictures of Emily in her hat and boots, the same hat and boots that Laura and Samantha had put in the car for safe-keeping on their way to the garden centre. “This is the breast you ordered, it’s a nice one!” she grinned, patting the package, “And half a rump.” Samantha recognised the pictures on these packages as the girls who had gone in shortly after they arrived and it seemed that they had predicted accurately.

“Thank you so much!” Laura smiled. “But what are these? I don’t think we ordered anything else?”

“You didn’t!” the butcher’s wife grinned. “But when you were in watching Emily, we got chatting to Zahra’s mum, she was asking about you and why you’d gone in to watch the turkeys so we explained and told her how her daughter had offered to let you guy her and what fun you’d both seemed to have with it and she asked to buy Zahra’s other ham as a gift for you!”

“Wow, really!” Laura gasped, knowing that this was not a cheap cut. “That’s really generous of her! Is she still around so I can thank her?”

“No, sorry,” the butcher’s wife rolled the package over to show the Zahra sticker that she had kept hidden to preserve the surprise, “and you’ll understand why I can’t give out customer details?” Laura nodded. “But if she comes in again, I’ll be sure to pass on your thanks! “And this one,” she patted the other package which looked to be around the same size and shape, “is a gift from Emily and her mum! Your family seems to have been quite a hit among my clientele!” she grinned as Samantha looked wide-eyed at the selection of meat in their hamper and Laura felt so touched that she could feel tears welling in her eyes.

“Now, I know what you’re thinking!” the woman smiled. “And don’t worry, girl-meat freezes perfectly well! We just recommend letting it thaw thoroughly before cooking and using within three months.”

“This really is amazing!” Josh stepped in to take the basket off the counter. “I think we still need to pay for the breast and rump?” The lady smiled and rang them up, once again applying a rather hefty discount, and Josh paid then carried the basket out to the car, followed close behind by Laura and Samantha who had stopped to offer further gratitude and to wish a happy harvest to the few naked girls who were still waiting their turn.

To be continued...