Freeze

Chapter Eleven

It hadn't even been a question in her mind as to whether she wanted to stay for tea but the way he was looking at her earnestly, almost pleading her with his eyes, she'd agree to almost anything.

"If it's not too much trouble." Holly said her voice soft.

Gary smiled, satisfied.

"No trouble at all. Sit yourself down" Gary's mother said as she poured hot water into four eagerly awaiting mugs.

Holly pushed her coat from her shoulders and draped it over the back of one of the chairs that sat around the large pine table in the centre of the kitchen.

"How was the football?" Holly said as she followed Gary's lead and sat down in one of the wooden chairs that surrounded the table.

"We lost" Gary said shrugging his shoulders. "Best not to mention it in front of me Dad though, he's a bit sore about it." Gary's fingers drummed rhythmically against the smooth wooden table.  

"Sugar dear?" Gary's mother asked over her shoulder.

"Oh no thanks" Holly replied with a sweet smile.

No, she was sweet enough Gary thought to himself as his tongue flicked across his bottom lip.

"Those blasted foxes" Gary's father moaned as he entered the kitchen. "I swear I'm going to ring... Oh!" He stopped short as his eyes fell on Holly.

Holly smiled warmly at Gary's father, presuming she was the reason for him stopping mid sentence.

Gary's father looked enquiringly to Gary. It had once been that every time Gary came home he'd bring a different girl with him. Louise. Alice. Kate. Ruth. And they were only the ones he could remember. Then there had been Jennifer of course.

"Dad, this is Holly, her parents live down the street" Gary said by way of an introduction.

His father took a step further in to the kitchen. His arm extending to shake Holly's hand.

"Nice to meet you Holly. Very nice to meet you..." He said looking at Gary suggestively and completely failing to be subtle.

"Nice to meet you too" Holly said sincerely, trying to stifle a laugh.

"What number do your parents live at Holly?" Gary's mother asked as she placed a Paisley patterned mug in front of Holly. A matching mug was placed in front of Gary.

"Fifteen" Holly said, smiling her thanks for the tea.

Gary saw his mother make a mental note. He briefly wondered if his mother knew Holly's parents but she gave no indication that she did.

Holly rested her palm on the table top next to the steaming cup of tea. The wood felt worn and Holly smiled as she imagined many happy family times spent around this table. It wasn't just the people that were welcoming, it was the house too. The house was full of love.

"We'll leave you kids to it" Gary heard his mother say as she shuffled his father out of the kitchen. Gary turned in his chair to face Holly, their knees almost touching.

"I'm surprised your niece let you come alone" Gary teased as his lips pursed and he blew on top of the scalding tea.

Holly smiled as she recalled Ella screeching at them yesterday. "They left this morning actually. You've definitely got a fan in Ella!"