“Please do. But I’ll probably have given up by then.”
“Oh my god you really are feeling sorry for yourself, aren’t you?”
“It’s allowed.”
Milly and Etienne were like this with one another all the time, and if anyone could shake Etienne’s low mood, it’d be Milly. Echo was glad they’d become friends.
A couple of minutes later, Ted arrived, smiling and half-dancing through the door, his big headphones almost lost in his curly hair. Echo took off his apron and hairnet, and, after washing his hands, pulled a chair out at Milly and Etienne’s table and sat down. This job made his heart happy, and he wouldn’t change it for the world, but after being on his feet all morning it felt so good to finally stop and sit down.
“So, you going to put us out of our misery and tell us what you need help with on Christmas Eve, or what?” Milly asked. “We’ve been speculating all morning. My guess is you’ve got some sort of Santa Claus kink.”
Echo dropped his head to where his folded arms were rested on the table. “Why is it always some sort of kink with you?”
“Is that a yes?”
“No, I just need a bit of help—”
“Getting into your costume?” Milly cut in.
Etienne snorted.
Winking at Echo, Milly grinned. Mission accomplished. She held up her hands. “Okay, okay, I’ll stop. You’re planning a surprise for Peri, right? You don’t even have to ask, of course we’re going to help you. Right, Etienne?”
Four
Echo ~ Christmas Eve
“Stop worrying,” Milly hissed as they hurriedly wound strings of fairy lights around the backs of the few wooden chairs they’d managed to find scattered around Orchard House.
But Echo was worrying. They were running out of time. What if Peri came back early from walking Hazeldene and Gnat with Juliette? What if he came in here before everything was ready and discovered they weren’t deep cleaning the big back room’s carpet? What if he was hurt Echo had lied to him? The thought made Echo’s chest feel sore and tight. He wished he hadn’t lied to Peri, but it would’ve been impossible to organise a surprise like this without lying a little, wouldn’t it? Maybe he really should have deep cleaned the carpet, then it would have been a partial truth rather than a lie. Fuck. He should have thought of that.
“Oh my God, I can almost hear your thinking! Everything is ready and Peri is not going to be hurt that you hid this from him. He’s just going to love it, okay?” Milly squeezed his shoulder. “Stop tangling that bloody wire for a minute and look round.”
Echo bit his lip and sighed as Milly grabbed his hand and tugged him to his feet.
“Wait.” She strode over to the wall and switched the overhead lights off.
Suddenly the room was transformed. It was as if they were somewhere completely different. Above them, fairy lights twinkled like stars against the billowing dark fabric they’d draped across the ceiling. The huge disco ball hung in the centre sent scattered light twirling across the carpet. At the far end of the room, Milly’s genius idea about setting up mirrors behind the half-dozen white Christmas trees made it look like the wall had given way to a snowy forest. Soft music tinkled from a speaker Etienne had hidden somewhere behind them.
Leaning over, Milly whispered in his ear, “It’s beautiful, alright. Go upstairs and get changed. People will be arriving soon. I’ll go see if Etienne, Nick and Marie need any help sorting out the other room with the food and then we’ll go and get changed too.”
“You sure this wasn’t a terrible idea? What if it’s too overwhelming and—”
Milly hugged him quick and tight. “This is one of those nights you and Peri are never going to forget.”
Five
Peri
Peri laughed as Gnat and Hazeldene raced across the dark playing field barking and yapping, their flashing collars the brightest things around. They were so silly together. Though Gnat was definitely the naughtier of the two.
I’m so glad you rescued Gnat, he signed to Juliette as they stopped walking for a moment, the dogs bounding in wide circles around them.
Eight months ago, Juliette had found Gnat curled up by the side of the road as she drove home after work. She’d taken her to the vet and put flyers out but no one had claimed her. Gnat had been so thin and scared and now she was so happy and full of energy.
I’m not. That dog will be the death of me.
Peri bit his lip to stop smiling. He knew Juliette didn’t really mean that. Juliette said or signed lots of things she didn’t really mean. The truth of how she felt was in the way she did things. And the way she watched Gnat, her soft, exasperated expression shot through with flashes of worry, told Peri everything he needed to know.
It had taken a long while but Peri no longer felt like the ground was a little shaky and unsafe around her like he used to. All that uncertainty was in the past. They were team Orchard House now. Peri helped raise money and Juliette made sure Orchard House had enough of it to keep running. And they both made sure everyone was safe there. Juliette trusted him. She’d told him so. And if she sometimes said something sharp about the way he was working, Peri mostly tried to imagine what Echo’s reaction would be to whatever it was, and then he’d brush the comment off, rather than thinking about it or taking it into his heart.
I know it’s Christmas Eve, but will you stay for a while when we get back? he signed. I know Echo has invited people. I know that’s part of why we’re going for a walk right now.
Juliette gave a small nod. You’re not supposed to know about that. Your boyfriend has sworn everyone to complete secrecy.
I don’t know everything.
But it was hard not to know something when he could read Echo so easily.
Joy and anticipation trembled trough him as they started to walk back. He knew he’d love whatever it was Echo had planned and tried so carefully to surprise him with. How could he not?
Six
Peri
As soon as Peri opened the back door and found Echo standing there in one of Orchard House’s long, blue painting overalls, a shiny, black suit laid across his outstretched arms, the threads of anxious excitement that had wound around him all day grew suddenly tighter. Behind him, Gnat and Hazeldene barked and butted their heads against his legs, but Juliette must have been holding them back, as they didn’t race inside like they usually did.
“I got this for you,” Echo said. He smiled, his lip caught between his teeth, and Peri knew he was nervous too. “Go upstairs quick and put it on, okay?”
Peri carefully lifted the suit. The material was soft and heavy. He draped it over his arm, then grabbed Echo’s hand. Come with me? He didn’t say or sign the words, just thought them with every fibre of his being.
Echo nodded, then, letting go of Peri’s hand for a second, quickly shrugged out of the overalls to reveal he was wearing an equally shiny suit. The black of it made his eyes shine, made the red of his hair seem even brighter. He looked stunning.