Tinsel and Terriers. Cressida McLaughlin

heard someone moving about downstairs, quiet swearing. She followed the sounds and stood in the living-room doorway, watching as Joe rifled through papers on the dining table, a red hoody flung over his shoulder, arms strong and tanned against his white T-shirt. She inhaled and Joe turned, his eyes widening as he saw her.

      ‘Cat.’ He cleared his throat.

      ‘Hi.’

      ‘I wasn’t expecting you back.’

      ‘I do still live here,’ she said softly.

      ‘I know,’ Joe said, ‘but I thought after yesterday you’d be staying with him. I’m sorry if I made things hard for you. I should have thought about how it might look.’

      ‘I did have a bit of explaining to do,’ Cat said. ‘It wasn’t my finest hour, or my happiest.’

      Joe sighed. ‘I’m so sorry. But he’s OK? Mark, I mean?’

      Cat nodded, her lips pressed together. She saw that Joe was holding his passport. ‘You’re going abroad? I saw the suitcase.’

      ‘There’s this course, in Portland. Illustration, graphic design, the whole shebang. I’ve wanted to do it for ages, but it’s always oversubscribed. I’ve been on a waiting list.’

      ‘And a space has miraculously become available right now?’ She said it quietly but was shocked by the cynicism in her own voice.

      ‘I found out a couple of weeks ago.’ He left space for her to complete the sentence. And you weren’t here to tell.

      ‘Right, wow. Congratulations. How long’s the course?’

      ‘It’s three weeks, but I might take some time…I’ve always wanted to go to that part of America, so I’ll probably travel down the coast, visit San Francisco.’

      ‘So how long?’ Cat whispered.

      Joe shrugged. ‘I’ll be back for Christmas. Your first at Primrose Terrace. I did – I was going to tell you yesterday.’

      ‘Ah.’

      ‘The paper are trialling my cartoon, running it up until Christmas. And then, if they’re happy, it’ll be a regular feature in the New Year. I wanted to get my skills fully up to date, and this course—’

      ‘You don’t have to explain to me.’

      ‘But I feel like I do.’ Joe put his hand on her arm, sending a spark through her. ‘After what I said yesterday, and then…this. It was planned, Cat, I have to go and do this. I’m not running away.’

      ‘I wouldn’t blame you if you were.’

      ‘Why? Because I made such a big fuck-up?’

      ‘No – that’s not what I meant,’ Cat said hurriedly. ‘I don’t want it to be awkward between us.’

      Joe squeezed her arm. ‘I don’t either. Some space between us will be good.’

      ‘And it sounds like an amazing opportunity.’

      ‘It’ll put me at the top of my game.’

      ‘You’ve always been at the top of your game, Joe. You’re ridiculously good at what you do, your cartoons, your banner.’ She found she was grinning, and he returned the smile, the tension between them lifting. ‘And as well as all that, you’ve helped me so much this year, you’ve always been there. You’re just a really great person.’

      ‘You’re not so bad yourself,’ he said softly, his blue eyes locking onto hers. ‘And I’m sorry I won’t be here for the next few weeks. But I think now, maybe you don’t need – not that you ever needed someone, but…’ His words trailed off and they both looked away.

      ‘And the whole Curiosity Kitten thing?’ Cat rushed. ‘I don’t mind, really. I would never stop you realizing your dream, especially not for vanity’s sake, for some silly misunderstanding.’

      ‘Thank you, that means a lot. I hope you know, now, that I’m not making fun of you.’

      Cat looked at the floor.

      ‘I mean it, Cat. You’ve made your mark on Primrose Terrace, you’ve helped so many people. Your curiosity, your tenacity – this place wouldn’t be the same without you.’

      ‘Everyone would be left in peace, you mean?’ She gave him a rueful smile.

      ‘Yeah, maybe. But without you, they wouldn’t have seen their potential. Frankie, the Barkers, Polly and Owen. You spread good vibes, positive thinking. Kind of like a real-life Santa.’ He laughed. ‘I bet you love Christmas, don’t you?’

      Cat sighed. ‘I do love Christmas, but…’ She didn’t want to voice her sadness, the fact that this Christmas would see her parents leaving England to go to Canada, how much she would miss them. And here was Joe, doing the same thing. She’d almost got around to the idea of her parents being out of arm’s reach, but she tried to imagine the house without Joe’s presence, and found she had a mental block. How could she enjoy the run up to Christmas without him there?

      Her phone rang and, giving Joe an apologetic glance, she answered it.

      ‘Hello?’

      ‘Miss Palmer? It’s Mr Cawston, from the council.’

      ‘Oh.’ Cat crossed her fingers. ‘Yes? H-how did it go?’

      ‘I’m afraid today’s council meeting has been cancelled. We’ve had some apologies, and there aren’t enough people to make it quorate – to pass decisions.’

      ‘Oh,’ she said again. ‘Oh, right. So what happens now?’ She made a face at Joe.

      ‘Your item’s been moved to the next agenda.’

      ‘When’s that?’

      ‘The end of the month. I assure you I will let you know the outcome.’

      ‘OK,’ Cat said warily. ‘There’s been nothing else, has there? Since yesterday afternoon?’ She thought of how Mr Jasper would have reacted to their protest, and knew that, given the opportunity, he wouldn’t leave it alone. ‘No more evidence from the opposition?’

      ‘I can’t say at this point,’ Mr Cawston said. ‘I will let you know what happens, of course.’

      ‘But you have to give us a chance to—’ Cat dropped her head, frustrated, as the line went dead.

      ‘What’s happened?’ Joe asked.

      ‘No decision on dogs at the cove until the end of the month.’

      ‘Shit, I’m sorry. But it doesn’t make a win any less likely?’

      ‘I don’t know,’ Cat admitted. ‘He wouldn’t say if they’d heard any more from Mr Jasper. Crap. What if he’s heard about our protest and gone back to the council? He’s now got another month to strengthen his argument. What if he’s done enough?’

      ‘He won’t have. Not after what you achieved yesterday.’

      ‘I’m not so sure.’

      ‘It’ll be fine,’ Joe said. ‘An early Christmas present.’

      ‘I’ll want to celebrate – or commiserate – with everyone. You and Polly and Jessica and Elsie.’ She didn’t think bringing Mark’s name into the conversation would be helpful. ‘But you might not be here.’

      ‘I’m coming back. And we’ll have a great Christmas.’

      ‘You don’t strike me as the Christmas type,’ Cat said, smiling.

      Joe gave her a look of mock horror. ‘How can you say that? You have no idea!’

      ‘So, what do you love most about Christmas, then?’

      ‘Eating and drinking too