Chapter Forty Four
Christmas dinner was ready and they were all sitting at the table with plates piled high.
"Before we start, someone should say Grace. Hal always said it." said Clare.
"Grace." said Alan. This was the cause of laughter, especially from the children.
"Oh, trust you. I should have known better." said Clare. "Mum, you say it."
Kathy said Grace ending "...thank you Lord, Amen."
"And thank you, Auntie Clare for our Christmas dinner." said Sophie.
"Thank you, sweetheart." said Clare "that was lovely. And thank you mum, Grace was lovely too."
"Where does she live, this lovely Grace?" asked Alan.
"She lives in Chester." said Laura. "Auntie Clare talked to her on the telephone this morning."
Again, they all laughed.
"Tuck in then, before it gets cold." said Clare.
They picked up their cutlery and began to eat.
"Kathy, can you remember what Dad used to say?" said Alan. "He always said 'Come on then, noses to the trough.' Mum used to get cross and the more annoyed she got the more he used to say it!"
Kathy laughed. "We had such fun didn't we? Where did the years go?"
Christmas dinner was eaten and enjoyed. Clare was pleased with her efforts and Alan's gravy. Alan offered to do the wiping up while Clare washed up at the sink.
"We used to do this." said Clare. "I used to wash and Hal would wipe." She'd tried so hard to be brave, but suddenly felt herself weaken. She sensed Hal's presence and as she turned from the sink, she almost expected to see him standing beside her. Alan noticed her distress.
"Did you hear the one about the clairvoyant? She got run over by a bus. She didn't see it coming."
Clare put her hand into her jean's pocket, drawing out a tissue. She brushed the tears from the corner of her eyes.
Alan continued. "What did the hat say to the scarf?"
"I don't know," said Clare "what did the hat say to the scarf?"
"You hang around and I'll go on a head." said Alan.
Clare laughed, softly. "The children like those jokes." She continued to wash up and Alan wiped and stacked on the worktop. "Can you think of any more?"
"Um....well...a shop assistant tackled a shop-lifter. Before he escaped she hit him over the head with a pricing gun. The police are now looking for a man with a price on his head." Alan was on a roll, he touched her nose with his nose and crossed his eyes. Clare laughed.
"You did that all the time when we were little."
"Yep, I know." said Alan smiling, "It didn't hurt then, but it does now."
"Then don't do it." said Clare.
"Come on you two, haven't you finished yet?" called Kathy. "Leave it, I'll finish up, we want to open our presents."
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