Calling All Dentists (Calling All... Book 2), page 11
“Dad, shut up you wally.” Punching her dad gently in the side of his ribs, Emma moved away, still clutching her phone in her hand and a half written text message, waiting to be sent.
You too Ruby, love ya! xxx
Hi Andrew, at my mum’s just had a huge amount of stew, yummy. Wish you were here too xxx
Pressing the send button, Emma automatically slid the mobile into her bra strap and made sure it was securely tucked in. “There, you can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” she said, beaming at her parents.
“Joe’s here!” hollered Grant from the front porch.
“Coming,” called Alex, as she busily wrapped the last minute Christmas presents in her bedroom, “Emma, Joe’s here!”
Stretched out across her old bed, Emma looked up at the ceiling and smiled to herself. Her room had never really changed much since she’d left home. Apart from some decorating and new matching quilt cover and curtains, the room was still hers. The cupboards still had some of her old school books and memorabilia stashed away at the back and her last school photograph, stood statically in its original frame on the bedside table. “Yes, I’ll be down in a minute,” she shouted. Jumping up, Emma checked herself in the mirror, practiced her ‘hello’ mouth movements to remind herself how not to talk in front of people, especially new people, for fear of exposing her receding gum line and spaced out pegs and went downstairs.
“Hello bruv,” she said quickly as she tried to wrestle with Misty to get her out of the way. Emma gave a high-five to her brother, “Hi, nice to meet you Tiffany.”
Standing, shyly behind Joe, Tiffany was not what Emma would have expected. Petite in every way, her long golden brown hair framed a tiny, pretty face with pixie-like features and large brown eyes. Misty circled the new guests, wagging her tail frantically and panting.
“Hello, nice to meet you too,” she said in a gentle voice as she stretched out a hand to greet Emma in the traditional way.
“Come in, have a seat,” said Grant, closing the porch door behind Tiffany and sending Misty off to her bed, “Make a cuppa Em. I’m sure everyone would like a cup of tea?” Aiming his offer towards Tiffany, rather than Joe, Grant gestured to her to sit down on the sofa.
Things never change, thought Emma as she went through to the kitchen to make the tea, leaving her mum and dad making polite conversation with Joe and his young lady. A vibration on her left breast made Emma jump momentarily, until she remembered her phone had been discreetly tucked away in her bra.
If I don’t get a chance tomorrow, just want to wish you a very happy Xmas day again. Andy xx
Swooning over the kettle, Emma went into multi-task mode. Typing with one hand and popping tea bags into cups with the other, she reciprocated the message. Ditto, enjoy yourself and don’t drink too much lol xxx
Living on planet Zog obviously, Emma listened to her family discuss the ups and downs of buying property. She’d been totally unaware that Joe and Tiff, as she preferred to be called, were actually going through the process of buying their first house together.
“I did mention it to you Em, probably not listening as usual,” said her mum, raising her eyebrows and smiling, “When you came round with Pete, a few weeks ago. I’m sure I told you.”
“How is your man Pete?” asked Joe, sarcastically.
“Don’t know, haven’t seen him too much and anyway, he’s with Ruby now. He’s not my man.”
A communal, “What?” resonated around the room as they all looked at one another, apart from Tiffany who sat sweetly on the edge of the sofa, sipping a cup of tea politely.
“Ruby? But I thought he was obsessed with you,” said Emma’s mum. “Does that mean the dog walking will stop?”
“Suppose so, but I can still come over on my own, or maybe even with Andrew in the future.”
“Who’s Andrew?” asked Joe, inquisitively. He’d always looked out for Emma and she felt like he was her big, but maybe a bit weird, guardian angel brother.
“Just some bloke I met at the work Christmas do,” Emma replied, awkwardly.
“How long have you been with him?”
“Err… since the work’s Christmas do. Err… work it out big-boy-brains. Christmas work do on Saturday night!”
“Well how was I supposed to know that, you plonker,” laughed Joe, “Going well then?” And then he burst into a raucous cackle.
“You’ll get used to these two,” said Grant, as Tiffany smiled and looked-on slightly confused by the siblings’ weird interactions.
Although she’d been with Joe for over a year, they had only lived together for the last four months and Tiff was still discovering new things about him, almost weekly. He was indeed, unusual in many ways. His kind, caring heart made up for his few shortfalls in the tidiness department and his dry sense of humour compensated for his lack of memory when it came to cleaning their flat or cooking the tea, ‘Oh, I completely forgot to do it,’ he would always say. But no matter what Joe was or was not, Tiffany loved him dearly and that was plainly obvious.
The rest of the evening was filled with laughter, jokes, too many television repeats and lots of questions – mainly aimed at Joe and Tiff. At just before midnight, everyone decided to retire to their respective rooms and said their ‘goodnights’.
Going to bed now so I won’t frighten Santa and Rudolf off. Nite, nite Emma xxx Lying in her old bed, Emma waited hopefully for one last message from Andrew. It was difficult to think of anything else but him. The time they’d spent together seemed like a faraway dream now as she slowly drifted off in to another one of those restless sleeps.
***
Christmas morning had arrived. Opening her eyes and peering around the bedroom, Emma felt like an excited child again. She was actually looking forward to spending the day with her mum, dad, Joe, Tiffany (who was very nice, too nice for Joe, thought Emma) and her dear old Grandad. Oh, and Grandma.
Emma’s heart fluttered as she picked up her phone from the side table and saw the envelope with a number two, displayed on the screen. Two messages, hopefully at least one of them would be from Andrew, she prayed as she opened the inbox.
You would stun them with your beautiful eyes, not frighten them away. Andy xx
Christmas couldn’t be any more perfect, she thought as she hugged her phone to her chest. Well, actually it could, we could be spending it together.
Searching for the second message, Emma opened another one from him.
Good morning sexy, I hope you have a great day today. Merry Christmas. Andy xx
A thrill of excitement rushed through Emma’s body, she desperately wanted him again. Sending a reply, she lay in bed and watched the phone confirm, ‘message sent’. Happy Xmas to you too. Em xxx
“Morning love, happy Christmas,” said Emma’s mum, pecking her on the cheek as she went to fill the kettle, “Your dad’s just gone. Did you sleep well?”
“Yes, too well. Why didn’t you wake me earlier Mum?”
“I just thought you might need the sleep love.” Flicking the kettle on, her mum took two cups from the cupboard, “Cup of tea?”
“Coffee please,” replied Emma as the tinkle of her phone vibrated in her dressing gown pocket. “Where’s Joe and Tiff?”
“Oh they were up early. They took Misty for a walk about half an hour ago.”
Opening the inbox of her mobile, Emma smiled as she read yet another message from Andrew,
It’s Christmas day and all I want to do is make love to you, Andy xx
Emma’s face flushed as the heat of desire rushed through her again.
“Who’s that love? Are you alright?” asked her mum, noting Emma’s flushed appearance.
“Oh, it’s just Andrew, wishing me a happy Christmas,” she lied for the sake of respect for her mum.
“You must like him, blushing like that,” she laughed.
“He’s lovely Mum.” Typing frantically again, Emma had to send a reply and put her phone away before she was overcome by an emotional love rush. Ditto, OMG that would make my Xmas! xxx
Alex was in control, the sprouts were bobbing around in a pan of boiling water, the potatoes were starting to roast and brown and the turkey was resting gracefully on the kitchen top. Grandma and Grandad had arrived, laden with extra little gifts (although Grandma had already filled the house with presents over the previous six weeks). Joe was watching an old film, The Gladiator, on Sky movies (very un-Christmassy) with his dad and Grandad, while Emma and Tiff stood together in the kitchen making small talk.
“Do you want any help out there with that dinner?” called Grant, from his recliner.
“No, it won’t be long.” Alex shouted back from the kitchen.
“Ah, she’s always kept us waiting, our Alex,” said Grandad, “Right from birth you know.” Grandad paused and thought for a moment, “Did you know that the nurses in the maternity unit had to shave our poor old Dot twice – our Alex took so long to be born?”
Grant and Joe looked at each other in horrified shock and didn’t quite know whether to laugh or cringe and then they both burst into laughter simultaneously. Grandad’s random remarks were always either cringe-worthy, hilarious or both and no one really knew how to take his odd comments. He didn’t make them often but when he did they were real classics.
“What was that you said Charlie?” asked Grandma, popping her head around the doorway and giving Grandad a hard stare.
“You really don’t want to know Grandma!” squealed Joe.
Grandad sat quietly and didn’t look up. His pale complexion was a visible sign of his failing health but his mind was still fully alert and active, even in his later years, but he knew when to keep quiet.
“Men!” Grandma huffed and returned to the kitchen.
Tiffany stood in the kitchen offering endless amounts of unwanted help while Grandma tried to quiz her about every aspect of her life. Emma finished laying the table with her mum’s finest cutlery and place mats and then joined Tiffany in a vain attempt to rescue the poor girl from her Grandma’s incessant questioning.
“Anything else we can do Mum?” Emma asked, smiling and slyly winking at Tiff.
“No thanks love, everything’s under control. We’d better get some of the presents done before dinner.”
Once again Christmas day was filled with countless, unwanted presents from Grandma and lots of smiles and nods to show gratification (albeit false). Aaron’s (another of Emma’s brothers) pile of unopened presents lay under the tree waiting for his return from Wales, after the New Year.
“I haven’t seen Aaron for a long time,” said Grandma, sitting with a hoard of smelly gifts on her lap and gazing at the neatly wrapped, strangely shaped (and probably unwanted) hoard of gifts for Aaron.
“He’s very busy these days with his new job. I think he’s met someone too,” smiled Alex.
“About time as well, he’ll be thirty soon. I was beginning to worry about that boy.” Grandma heaved herself up from the chair and headed for the bubbling sound of sprouts in the kitchen, hobbling as she went. “Are we going to get this dinner ready now Alex?” she called, over her shoulder.
“Yes Mother… coming!” said Alex, winking at Emma and rolling her eyes, “Could you clear up the rubbish Em, thanks darling.”
“Sure,” she replied just as her phone tinkled yet again. Just about to sink my teeth in to a Xmas dinner, wish it was you I had on my plate instead. Andy xx
Never been eaten off a plate before! Lol, Emma xxx Emma replied quickly and felt a warm glow inside her as she then began to clear the mounds of wrapping paper from the floor.
Must try it, first time for everything Andy xx
Grandad had been quiet during dinner, more so than usual. He often kept his mouth shut due to his wife’s incessant talking and overbearing personality but today he was definitely not himself. “Are you alright Dad?” asked Alex, as she watched him pick at his mostly uneaten meal.
“He’s not feeling well again. I told him to get back to the doctors but you know what your father’s like.” Grandma butted in before Grandad could even part his lips.
Tutting, Grandad leaned over and whispered, “I’m fine. Your mother worries too much.” Both Alex and Emma weren’t sure that he was fine; they’d seen how he was just before the last time he was rushed into hospital with an ever present, heart problem.
In to his late eighties, Emma’s grandad was still a very distinguished character, tall in posture and remarkably agile for his years. But his heart wasn’t up to scratch and sadly, it was failing him in his later years. However, he’d never stopped tinkering and toiling in his beloved ‘work-room’ to create masterpiece after masterpiece of finely crafted, working models of ships, trains, planes and other types of transportation of a bygone era. It was his life’s work and something he was very proud of and probably his only escape from the jaws of his wife.
“I’m stuffed,” said Grant, leaning back in his chair and patting his swollen stomach.
“Christmas pudding?” asked Alex, scanning the table of over-fed, sleepy-eyed diners, for any willing participants.
A unanimous ‘No thank-you!’ resounded around the long dining table as practically everyone stretched back and mimicked Grant’s belly rubbing, apart from Grandad, who had given up pushing sprouts around his plate and sat quietly watching everyone else over the rims of his well-worn glasses.
Retiring to the living room once again, Grant, Joe and Grandad slumped down on the comfy seats and prepared for the traditional, annual snoring contest. In the dining room, Emma remained at the table with her mum, Grandma and Tiff.
“Have you been to the dentist yet Emma?” asked her grandma, peering closely at Emma’s partially opened mouth.
“No. Why do you ask that?”
“Mother, do we have to have this conversation now?” Alex asked rhetorically, throwing a menacing glare at Grandma, “She’ll do it in her own time, leave her alone.”
“Well I just thought…”
“Well, just leave it please Mother.” Alex’s tone of voice was enough to stop Grandma in her tracks.
Looking like someone that was listening in on a private and sensitive conversation, Tiff shuffled uncomfortably on her chair while her eyes stayed firmly fixed on a spoon on the table.
Emma’s emotions had blown sky high in a matter of seconds, for some unknown reason and she desperately tried to contain the welling tears by rolling her eyes and staring at the ceiling.
“You alright love?”
“Yes, I’m going after Christmas anyway,” replied Emma, cringing at what she thought Tiffany must be thinking of her.
“They’re not going to get any better Emma,” snapped Grandma as she swiftly caught Alex’s evil glare again.
“I don’t like the dentist,” said Tiff quietly, feeling rather awkward having to listen to what seemed to be a tetchy family affair and not one that she really wanted to be involved in. “I haven’t been for about two years.”
“Well, Emma hasn’t been for years and years,” said Grandma, shaking her head, “She needs to. She’s got problems with her…”
“Tea anyone?” asked Emma, standing up sharply as her anger began to rise. Silence filled the room as she walked towards the kitchen, slicing her way through the atmosphere that hung in the air. Following after her, Emma’s mum joined her by the kettle.
“Try and forget it, love. You know what your grandma’s like, she means no harm and she just doesn’t know when to stop does she?”
The tears fell and Emma couldn’t stop them this time. “Well she’s right, they are getting worse and I’m terrified of going.”
“I know you are love. I did say I’d come with you if you want me to.” Emma’s mum spoke in a whispered voice, “Come on, let’s try and forget it for now. Your grandma has probably moved on to something new or someone else by now and poor Tiffany will be getting it all.”
“They’ve noticed at work,” said Emma, wiping her eyes and trying to gain some composure before Tiffany, or more worryingly, her grandma entered the room.
“How do you know that?”
“Because I got two horribly cruel secret Santa presents from someone in the office,” said Emma, feeling the anger begin to rise again. Shaking her head in disgust, Emma’s mum put her arm around Emma’s shoulder and pulled her in.
“What were they?” she whispered.
“A pair of wind-up chattering teeth and an electric toothbrush,” said Emma angrily.
“Oh no, who would do something like that?”
“I don’t know but I’m going to find out.” Grabbing the kettle, Emma filled it with water and then replaced it on its base.
“What are you going to do if and when you find out who it was Em?” Her mum looked worried.
“I don’t know, but I’ll think of something. If any one of those men has got something to say to me… well, they can say it to my face. Not insult me by giving me stupid, secret presents as a hint!”
“Come on, calm down Em. Don’t let this spoil our Christmas love.” Rubbing Emma’s back affectionately, her mum said, “Make an appointment in the New Year and I’ll go with you. Let’s get this over with, once and for all.”
Poor Tiffany had spent the whole afternoon under Grandma’s torturous spell of idle gossip. She looked weary as she politely nodded and agreeably shook her head at all the appropriate moments. Now and again she would look through the door into the living room to see Joe sprawled out on the sofa, next to his grandad, snoring in unison and creating the backing track for Grant’s spectacularly snorting snooze. Emma and Alex cleared away the turkey infested mess in the kitchen and began to prepare some nibbles and sausage rolls for the evening buffet.
“Your dad wants to get home, I knew he wasn’t well,” grumbled Grandma, appearing at the archway.
“Aren’t you stopping for tea then?” asked Alex, concerned that her earlier assumptions had been correct and her father really was quite poorly again.
“No and Grant’s awake now as well, so if you both don’t mind, we’ll be going home soon. I will get the doctor out if he feels no better this evening.” Grandma’s face was ashen, she’d seen her husband become very ill once before and her fears were rising again. Grandad never complained about anything (unlike his wife), but she knew when he wasn’t right, however hard he tried to conceal it and brush it aside as ‘just a dodgy spell’.
