Bev gives me a sideways glance but Alan takes the cakes in, nevertheless.
‘I’ll put them out in the tea room and set up the cups and stuff,’ I tell her.
My friend nods. ‘When he’s unloaded, I’ll get the turkeys settled. Then we’ll set up the nativity tableau with Lucas in the barn and I’ll put the parking signs up.’ Thankfully, the ground in the field is dry. No having to tow anyone out with a tractor.
She turns to me and grins. ‘D-day!’
‘I’m terrified.’
‘It will be perfect,’ she says. ‘Look how hard we’ve worked. The students have been brilliant. You could eat your dinner off the ground in the yard. Our animals look like they’re out of the pages of a kid’s story book. We are fully locked and loaded on the festive front. It’s up to everyone else now. We can do no more.’
She’s right. Of course.
‘Shelby’s coming?’
I shrug. ‘I hope so. He’s promised.’
‘The Hot Mayor messaged me to say that he’ll be here in a few minutes. He can help with the nativity scene. A bit of extra muscle will take the load off Alan.’
I shouldn’t feel funny because Matt’s texting Bev rather than me, but I do. Is it because I made it clear we could be nothing more than friends? Did he want something more from me?
Alan comes out of the tea room. ‘Cakes are in.’
‘Right.’ I rub my hands together in a purposeful manner.
‘I’ll go and get sorted in there. There’s a tombola to fix up, too.’
‘It’s not a proper do without a tombola,’ Bev says wisely. ‘I’ll get horses down,’ Alan says and wanders off.
Sweeney and Carter are coming into the stables by the yard for the event as I’m sure everyone would like to admire our gentle giants. Their doors have been framed with holly decorations – out of range so they don’t get munched.
‘I’ll come to the barn when I’m finished,’ I tell Bev.
She moves towards me and whispers, ‘No lifting! Are you going to tell Shelby your good news today?’
I pull a worried face as I answer, ‘That’s my plan.’
‘It’ll be great,’ Bev says. ‘You’ll see. He’ll be thrilled.’
It’s fair to say that I’m less confident about his reaction than my friend.
‘We’d better get on,’ Bev adds. ‘You go and titivate the cakes. I’ll supervise scenery shifting.’
‘I’ll be with you as soon as I can.’
She nods and we go our separate ways. In the tea room, the boxes of cakes from the WI are all lined up on the counter and I set about displaying them nicely before covering the mouthwatering array of mince pies and Christmas cupcakes in cling film until opening time. I put out a table to hold our array of tombola prizes and stick the necessary numbers on them before adding their counterparts to the drum. Among the terror, I get a flutter of excitement. Everything will be all right. I know it will.
Before I leave the tea room to help the others, I stop and have a look around me. The students have done a brilliant job in here. The walls are filled with photographs of them and our animals in action, there’s homemade bunting too and an abundance of tinsel in swags. The Christmas tree is laden with their own baubles from our craft sessions and I go over and switch on the lights. It looks lovely. My eyes fill with tears. I look at their faces adorning our walls – Jack, Asha, Lottie, Erin, Tamara, Seb, Jody, Penny; each and every one of our students and my dear Lucas. Sometimes the kids here drive us mad – they can be difficult, demanding, challenging and, on occasion, prone to violence. There are days when they test our patience to the limit, when we get kicked, bitten, scratched and sworn at. But we love them, we all do. And on the days when they are adorable, kind, co-operative, eager, loving and funny, it makes it all seem worthwhile.
Today is for them.
Chapter Sixty
I walk across the yard to the barn, my trio of faithful hounds in tow. Bev’s right, the place is shining like a new pin. How long will that last? For the rest of the day, I hope. The kids have worked really hard on scrubbing, brushing and hosing down. I’d like to say ‘without complaint’, but that’s pushing it a bit. However, it was – mostly – done without too much grumbling.
In the barn, the nativity scenery has already been erected. Matt is standing there in shirt sleeves, despite the cold, and is a little red in the face. I get a warm feeling in the pit of my stomach that shouldn’t be there. Just seeing him brightens my day. He and Lucas are laughing with each other and I think it’s wonderful that Lucas has a role model to look up to even though it’s not his own father. They are comfortable, at ease together. I can only hope that, one day, he’ll have that with Shelby.
‘You’ve obviously been busy,’ I say.
Matt turns to me and his eyes shine. ‘You like?’
My mouth is a little dry when I say, ‘It’s great.’
And it is. At the back of the barn, there’s a wooden shelter and next to it the frontage of an old Bethlehem inn – that looks rather like a high street pub – called the Three Kings. Above it, there’s a huge star painted bright yellow and covered with glitter. That will be Lottie and Erin’s handiwork. Neither of them are never knowingly under-glittered. It looks brilliant and I know how much work has gone into it.
At the front is a crib with my plastic-fantastic Baby Jesus already in there. As Lucas noted, it does look a tad scary. More devil-possessed than beatific with its alarming shock of blonde hair and bright blue eyes.
‘What are the chances of that remaining uneaten?’ I’m still aware that the previous culprit hasn’t been identified.
‘I’ve tied it in tightly,’ Lucas says. ‘Not taking any chances. Tina, Rod and Johnny will be right here.’ He indicates a pen at the front of the barn. ‘The donkeys are going at the back with Teacup. The goats will be close, but in a separate area in case they get the urge to run amok. Ponies in their Christmas livery will be front right. And we thought we’d let Fifty and a few more of the amenable sheep mill around as they’re least likely to do any damage.’
‘Apart from Anthony.’
‘We are taking the precaution of moving Anthony out of the way to one of the furthest pens. For his own good and the good of our visitors.’
‘Probably a good call.’ Though it’s such as shame as I love having our belligerent boy around and he would be much admired for his huge head and impressive shoulders.
‘The guinea pigs and bunnies have been cleaned within an inch of their lives and we’re charging two pounds to go in for a cuddle. I’ve put Seb in charge.’
I love how Lucas is in control of it all.
‘What?’ he says. ‘Why are you looking at me all funny?’
‘I’m proud of you,’ I tell him.
He tuts. ‘Are you listening or not?’
‘Yes. Of course.’
‘When we’ve done our songs and I’ve read out my poem, the ponies and alpacas will be available for walks around the field. The girls are sorting that out and Alan is supervising the walks. Again, two pounds a head.’