Page 80 of Not So Very Sensible

“And mine,” Emma-Jane added.

“I don’t mind missing an English winter,” Katie said. “We can enjoy another summer Christmas.”

“Mum?” Liv said.

“Oh, very well.” Mum drooped. “Change the date if you must.”

“Thank you for your understanding.” Liv said, with not a little irony.

“Hey, it’ll be okay,” Ellie soothed. “Our plane tickets have a free date change.”

Mum nodded. “That’s a relief.”

“Hey, I need to go soon,” Emma-Jane said. “Big day tomorrow.”

“Me too,” Liv added. “But I mean it. I do appreciate you all understanding why this had to change.”

“You’ve got to do what works for you,” Ellie said. “And if that means it’s all too hard and you have to elope, then that’s okay too.”

“Elope?” screeched Mum. “There is to be no eloping for any of my daughters.”

“Aw, come on, Mum,” Ellie teased. “Don’t you want Liv to be happy?”

“I do, but she needn’t feel that eloping will make her happy.”

“It might make Liam happy,” Emma-Jane said with a sly wink.

“Oh my goodness! If I didn’t love the boy and I didn’t know you were teasing, I might get very upset right now. I don’t want any of my daughters turning out like poor Lydia. I didn’t raise my girls to be a Lydia in this world.”

Ellie bit back a laugh. Mum was a little too easy to tease. “Seriously though, Liv, if there’s anything we can do, let us know. And when you have a new date for us to save, let us know ASAP so we can rebook our flights. Okay?”

“Will do. Thank you.”

Liv’s expression held relief, and Ellie realised that this must have been a hard decision, despite Liv and Liam wanting to support Georgina. Still, kindness and grace and understanding were what helped the world go round.

As Katie started talking about Jason again, Ellie’s mind drifted to other understanding people. Like Nicola, who had proved herself an understanding boss on Monday when she’d asked how the party had gone and Ellie had been forced to admit what happened.

“You mean Francine only wanted you there to rub your nose in this engagement?”

She’d shrugged. “I don’t know what her real motive was, but it definitely wasn’t about needing lights in the garden. She had enough there to run her own Vivid festival.”

Nicola huffed. “Well, it’ll be interesting to see how she plans to take this forward. I’m inclined to triple the fee I was going to ask because she’s clearly proved herself manipulative.”

Ellie had winced. “I don’t want this to cause trouble for you.”

“Oh, I think this woman has proved to be trouble for both of us, so I don’t mind causing her a little bit of pain.”

That was the Christian spirit. Not that Nicola was one. Yet. Still, maybe that was part of Ellie’s mission field. She might not be saving the world via youth work, but God could use her wherever she was. “I truly don’t want you to worry about this, Nicola. I’ll forgive her.” One day.

“Well, that’s very noble of you. And while half of me is inclined to say go face your demons and prove that this woman doesn’t bother you, another part of me values you too much to let you go through such a thing.”

“I appreciate that.”

And Nicola had kept her in the office and refused to let Ellie have anything more to do with Francine, even when she called and demanded to speak to Ellie.

“Why?” Nicola asked bluntly, having put the call on speakerphone.

“Because I have unfinished business with her.”