A Merry Mistletoe Wedding by Judy Astley

holding out her arms for her baby. ‘I’ll take him inside and put him down. I don’t want him to get chilled – and also the food has arrived,’ she said, quickly taking him from Thea.
    â€˜What’s his name?’ Sean asked, taking hold of Thea’s hand. Emily looked puzzled.
    â€˜Erm … I don’t know. Ned. I think Ned.’
    â€˜You don’t
know
?’ Jimi was laughing at her and she went pink.
    â€˜Yes, of course I do. It’s Ned, isn’t it, Sam?’
    â€˜I like Ned. Yeah, Ned Michael,’ Sam agreed.
    â€˜Not Edward?’ Mike asked as they went into the kitchen and sat at the table.
    â€˜No. I just want one syllable,’ Emily said. ‘I can only cope with one.’
    Thea saw Mike and Anna give each other a look. Was Emily being odd? It was hard to tell. She could be spiky at the best of times and maybe every woman went a bit funny after a baby. Thea had been heartbroken after her own miscarriage, especially as well-meaning friends and family had said all the wrong things, misguidedly sure they were being comforting. ‘You’re still young enough for lots more’ had been the favourite. Emily had cut straight to the heart of it, saying, ‘Maybe there was something wrong with it. Or with you,’ even while she was hugging her. Thea had almost laughed at such breathtaking bluntness.
    Sam took more champagne out of the fridge, topped up the glasses and Mike proposed a toast to the baby’s long life and good health. Sean and Thea sat together, still holding hands, as they got through as much food as they could manage. Afterwards, Thea looked around the table, taking in how happy everyone seemed about this lovely new baby. Was this a perfect moment for good news? She hoped so.
    â€˜Aw, you two,’ Charlotte said, ‘all loved up.’ Thea grinned at her. She looked at Sean and he nodded, tapping a spoon against his glass. Everyone fell silent, looking at the two of them.
    â€˜We’ve got a bit of – No, actually a huge lot of an announcement to make. Go, babe,’ Sean said to Thea. ‘You tell them.’
    â€˜OK. Everyone, er – oh, this is so exciting and I’ve been dying to tell you and now’s the moment and I’m so happy I’m trying not to go
bang
! So … me and Sean, we’re going to get married!’
    â€˜Oh, that’s
wonderful
,’ Charlotte said, getting in first and rushing round the table to envelop them both in a hug, her cleavage almost scooping Thea up as she flung her arms round her. ‘I
love
a wedding, me.’
    â€˜Darling, how wonderful!’ Anna said. ‘I’m so happy for you both.’ She got up and came to give hugs to Thea and Sean. ‘When and where?’
    Thea took a deep breath. ‘Well, we decided we’d have a Christmas one. In Cornwall, something very low-key. Just a very small, simple affair and then maybe later a party in the spring for friends up here in London.’
    Through the melee of congratulations and clinking of glasses came a sound like a growl from across the table. ‘I told you before, I’m
not
going to Cornwall,’ Emily declared, glaring at Thea and Sean. ‘And now you’ve hijacked the evening, Thea. It was supposed to be about
me
and the baby.’
    â€˜Er, us and
our
baby,’ Sam murmured, collecting up some of the empty plates.
    â€˜Actually, I think the words you’re really looking for right now, Emily, are: “Congratulations, how brilliant and all good luck,”’ Jimi told her.
    Emily said nothing, just stared at the table.
    â€˜Emily?’ Anna reached across the table and put her hand on her wrist.
    â€˜She
knew
I never, ever wanted to go there again. All that
snow
!’
    â€˜There won’t be snow.’ Sean laughed. ‘That was a crazy meteorological one-off. It hadn’t happened in two centuries before that, so you know, come on,