One Perfect Christmas by Paige Toon Read Free Book Online Page B

grumpy as he follows. Thank goodness for microwaves – he can
heat his food up.
    ‘So where have you been?’ Mum repeats her question the moment we’re sitting down.
    ‘Dorset,’ I reply, averting my gaze.
    ‘Did you go to see Joe?’ she continues.
    At least they’ve worked that much out. I nod. ‘Yes.’
    ‘Bloomin’ heck,’ Dad mumbles. ‘After all these years. How on earth did you find him?’
    ‘Didn’t Lukas tell you anything?’ I ask warily.
    ‘No, he stormed in here looking for you, asking if we had any clues as to where you might be. Then we remembered you’d mentioned the cottage and before we knew it, he was gone. We
guessed afterwards that this might be about Joe.’
    ‘Why didn’t you call us?’ Mum asks.
    ‘I’m sorry. I had my phone switched off. I didn’t want to be contacted.’
    ‘We’ve been worried sick!’
    ‘I’m sorry.’
    ‘Tell us what happened,’ Dad interrupts. ‘Did you see Joe? What was he like?’
    ‘He… He’s the same. Only different. He…’ I try to explain. ‘He looks just like he does when he’s on the telly—’ They won’t have
seen his films. They don’t go to the cinema much.
    ‘On the telly?’ Dad interrupts.
    With disbelief, I stare at their faces.
    And then it dawns on me. They still don’t know. They still don’t know who he’s become. Lukas didn’t even tell them that. Why would he? Wasn’t his pain enough to
deal with, without adding a heavy dose of humiliation?
    I find my voice. ‘You know he’s not Joe Strickwold anymore, right?’
    Bewildered, Dad sits back in his seat. ‘Who the hell is he, then?’
    ‘Joseph Strike.’
    My eyes flit between them as confusion, recognition and finally shock, register on their faces.
    ‘Joseph Strike?’ Mum asks, her voice unsure.
    ‘The actor?’ Dad double-checks.
    I nod, figuring they’ll want firmer confirmation than that, I reply, ‘Yes, that’s him. The Joe I met in Dorset is now Joseph Strike, the movie star.’
    Both of them slump back in their seats, utterly flabbergasted.
    ‘You did tell him to go and make something of himself,’ I find myself muttering.
     
    ***
     
    ‘They’re here!’ Joe shouts from the living room. He’s been looking out the window, waiting for my parents to arrive. I go to press the buzzer for the
gate to let them in. Joe joins me in the hall. I realise he’s shaking slightly.
    ‘It’s okay,’ I say tenderly, touching Joe’s arm.
    ‘I’m freaking out,’ he replies.
    ‘Don’t.’
    He flashes me a look. ‘This is your dad we’re talking about.’
    ‘Things are very, very different now,’ I remind him, opening up the door. I take Joe’s hand and lead him outside. As my dad drives the car into the driveway, I catch sight of
him and mum. They look like rabbits caught in the headlights.
    They climb out of the car simultaneously, but I choose to get the dad part out of the way first. I jog towards the car and throw my arms around his neck.
    ‘Hi, Dad.’
    ‘Hello!’ he exclaims.
    I turn and beckon Joe forward. ‘Dad, you remember Joe.’
    ‘Er, yes, of course.’
    ‘Hello, Mr Simmons,’ Joe says quietly, stepping forward to shake his hand.
    ‘Jim and Marie,
please
,’ Dad insists. Even back in the day, Joe referred to them by their first names. It’s funny to think of him feeling all formal now.
    ‘Jim,’ Joe repeats shyly with a smile.
    I drag him away to the other side of the car, where Mum is trying to busy herself so she doesn’t stare at the great big elephant on the driveway.
    ‘Hello!’ she says, looking all flustered.
    ‘It’s nice to see you again,’ Joe says genuinely. She was always kind to him.
    ‘Come inside for a drink,’ I urge. They’ll chill out after a few sherries, I’m sure.
    ‘Let me help you get your bags in from the car,’ I hear Joe say. I lead Mum towards the front door, but she pauses for a moment to look up at the house.
    ‘Alice, this is beautiful.’
    I beam widely.
    ‘Does Joe like