wn”

“toofast,”hollysaidquietly.“itfartoofast.”

hollycrossedtheroadandntinuedonhercausedhollytosothegrasss.theirlaughsechoeddohestreetandhollysteppedintoherhouse.

“ok,gerry,”hollyannounindessage.ifyoureallyreallyanit,thengivesosortofsign,andifnotillpletelyuandthatitistakeandthatyouhaveind,”shesaidtteroffaingtoseeifanythinghappened.nothingdid.

“okthen,”shesaidhappily.“youdeastake,iuand.iessage.”shelookedaroundtheroogainandohehisisyourlastce...”

thelightsoreeacrosstheroadflehegardengiggling.suddenlythelightsflickeredandoutagaioppeddangandtheirfacesfell.

hollyrolledhereyes.“illtakethatasanidontknow.”

shesatdougofteatothaakeacupoftea.

shehadthreeasholidays,eantthatifshehadto,sheedpossible.shehopedthatbythetiofdenisesbersheadeadecisionaboutasalone,andshe.

fortynine

“ok,etoputit”ri.atrailofpineneedlesledallthedoor,dothehouseagaintodaytogetridofthessaaredatthetreeelledsofresh,butda,essy.

“holly”ri.

shegiggled,“youlooklikeatalkingtree,richard.”allsheuldseeuhetreereselingaskinnylittlebrop.

“holly,”hegrunted,losinghisbalanceslightlyuhe.

“ohsorry,”shesaidquickly,suddenlyrealizingthathetofallover.“overbythewindow.”

shebitherlipandadehisothewindow.

“therenoeppingbacktotakealookathiswork.

hollyfrolooksalittlebitbare,dontyouthink”

“eitofurse.”

“well,iknooaned.

“itoldyoutobuyatreeearlier,holly,notleaveituntilchristseve.anyhathebestofabadlot;isoldthebestonesweeksago.”

“isuppose,”hollyfroastreeatallthisyear.sheoodtoadeheraybeitreeinsteadofapolehafewpineneedleshangingoff.

sheuldntbelieveitasevealready.shehadspefeetryingtogetthejanuaryissueofthegazinereadybeforetheyalltooktheirsheeetingifheevercalledtheoffialledtheoffiearlyeveryday.

shedidntioberude,butsheitothinkthingsthrough.ok,soitostfeltlikeshehinkingdehardsstaresnappedherbacktoreality.

“sorry,”

“isaidetohelpyouderateit”

hollysheartfell.thatas,openabottleofethetree...

“eh...no,itsok,risureyouvebetterthingstobedoingnow.”

“issedoutonthatthisyear...”hetrailedoff.

“oh.”hollyhadhoughtaboutrihristsasbeingdifficulttoo,sheooselfishlycaughtupinherownworries.

“okthen,iled.

richardbeadandhelookedlikesuhild.

“oh,buttheonlythingisiottoosureaewhere...”

“noproble”hesledenuragingly.“thatusedtobejobtoo.illfindthe”hebouhestairstotheattic.

hollyopenedabottleofredas”playedsoftlyinthebackground.richardretuedhablakslungoverhisshoulderandadustysantahaton.“hohoho”

hollygiggledandhandedhiisglassofwine.

“nono,”hedriving.”

“youhaveoneglassatleast,richard,”shesaid,feelingdisappointed.

“nono,”herepeated,“idontdrinkanddrive.”

hollythreerichardleftshehadfihebottleandae.hopingithoughtittheplaybutton.

“hisharon,itsdanielnnellyhere.sorrytobotheryou,butihadyourphonenuerfronthsagoaboutenteringhollyintothekaraoke.e..essagefor.denisehasbeensobusyentsthatikneeer...”helaughedslightlyandclearedhisthroat.“any

...