3
It was Amber Houghton’s favourite time of year and though she’d just returned to the chilly UK weather after spending three weeks in Thailand, the brightly-lit, festive high street was enough to put a smile on her face. The constant snippets of her favourite Christmas songs as she walked past the open shop entrances made her feel excited for the holidays ahead. It hadn’t felt like it was almost Christmas when she’d been abroad and it was nice to come home with something to look forward to.
As Amber strutted towards Tidemans, she felt a warm glow admiring their beautiful gold and red décor. They got it right every year, she thought in approval. Gone was the tacky tinsel and garish ribbons from years ago, replaced with only the finest, elegant decorations; the shop looked truly stunning giving her inspiration for her own flat. It was about time she bought some new Christmas lights, wreaths and garlands.
She was looking forward to seeing Grace and Rachel again. The three had become really close over the years and Amber couldn’t wait to tell them all about her trip. She frowned deeply as she spotted them both standing at the counter arranging the make-up looking miserable. Grace usually had a warm, smiley face, but she had dark circles under her eyes that showed she’d had trouble sleeping, and Rachel looked pasty and thin, her hair lank and lifeless. Immediately, Amber could tell something was wrong. Something had changed. Amber had always had a good instinct and she recalled the time her mother had asked her to sit down so they could talk when she’d been only six years old. Amber had known without her mother saying a word, that something very serious had happened and her life was about to change. She could see it in her mother’s eyes and feel it in her pained expression and tense atmosphere. She’d somehow guessed that it was about her father and her mother had confirmed that he’d left them. Gone off without even a goodbye. Amber had never seen him again.
‘Hi.’ Amber smiled and gave Rachel and Grace a hug.
‘Amber, how was your holiday?’ Grace asked.
‘You look amazing,’ Rachel added. ‘I’m so jealous of your tan.’
Amber stepped back and looked them both in the eye. ‘Are you going to tell me what’s happened? What’s wrong with you both?’
They glanced at each other sadly before turning back to her.
‘You first,’ Grace encouraged Rachel.
Rachel breathed out audibly and Amber couldn’t help but notice that her usually impeccable make-up looked sloppy and rushed. Her foundation was a shade too dark, not blended in properly along her jawline, her mascara was smudged under her left eye and her lip liner was all over the place, making her lips look large and wonky. She looked like she just didn’t care. This wasn’t Rachel. Rachel never normally had a hair out of place.
Amber stood open-mouthed as Rachel and Grace explained what had happened. She couldn’t have been more surprised if she’d tried.
‘I’ve only been gone for three weeks. How can it be that all this has happened?’ she questioned, flummoxed.
Rachel and Grace looked at each other blankly as if they were both wondering the same thing.
‘We’re still living together,’ Grace stated, looking ashamed as though she’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t. ‘Which I know is bad, but I’ve hardly seen him. He’s staying in our spare room. He’s tried to talk to me to change my mind a few times, but I know if I give him another chance, things will go straight back to how they are now and I won’t allow that to happen. I’m going to move out soon, but it’s just the cost of renting…’
‘Why don’t you find somewhere together?’ Amber suggested, realising it made perfect sense. ‘Halve the cost and bills?’
‘That’s a good idea actually,’ Rachel replied chirpily. ‘If you want, that is?’ she asked hopefully, her eyes flicking to Grace.
‘I’d love to live with you,’ she responded, an expression of pure delight creasing her face and making her look like the old Grace for a few moments. ‘I hadn’t thought of that.’
‘I’m quite excited now.’ Rachel grinned. ‘I’ve felt utterly rubbish since I found out about Mark and Bianca, but this is something for us to look forward to. We can even spend Christmas Eve together if we move quickly. Do the place up all nice and Christmassy. There’s some gorgeous new decorations upstairs.’
‘I hope there’s room for one more on your Christmas Eve gathering?’ Amber flashed them a smile, feeling more upbeat about her friends’ situations. To say she was stunned was an understatement. She was usually the single one. Rachel and Grace were the two in relationships. That was the way it was. The way it had always been. It would be strange getting used to them both being free and unattached, but it would be fun, Amber would make sure of that. Amber was happy to be the single one while the other two spoke about marriage and children; being in a relationship brought nothing but drama that Amber could do without, and she knew she was somewhat of a commitment-phobe. She just didn’t trust men, it was as simple as that. Eventually they let you down and disappointed you; Amber only had to think about her own father to know that, and now Simon and Mark were also proving her theory to be right. She was perfectly fine on her own. That was the way she liked it. She certainly wasn’t bothered about getting married and she didn’t want children either. She didn’t care that people looked at her as though she had two heads when she said she wasn’t bothered about having a family. She didn’t feel the pressure of her age like Rachel did, and she was glad she was that way too. She remembered how Rachel and Grace had gushed over her last boyfriend, Frankie, the year before.
‘He’s gorgeous and so nice,’ Grace had beamed after he’d dropped by in the store to say hello. ‘I think he’s the one, you know.’
Amber had rolled her eyes.
‘He’s such a catch, Amber,’ Rachel had joined in.
Amber thought they were probably more disappointed than she was when she broke it off six months later. Yes, Frankie was handsome and had a great personality to match, but he started to get too keen, constantly asking Amber’s whereabouts and dropping hints about moving into her flat. Before she knew it, she had the ‘icky’ feeling she inevitably developed over a period of time in a relationship. The feeling where everything they did started to make her want to run for the hills. And she had.
‘So tell us about your holiday,’ Rachel asked.
‘I’ll tell you all about it after work,’ Amber replied with a smirk.
‘After work?’ Grace frowned, looking confused. ‘I’m going home after work. I’ll probably have an early night.’
Amber’s eyes opened wide. ‘Don’t ever let me hear you say a thing like that again,’ Amber scolded her in mock offense. ‘We’re going out for drinks. It’s about time you two learnt what single life was all about.’
‘I can’t even remember what it’s like being single,’ Grace said plaintively as they sat at a table in a busy bar. ‘I don’t know how to chat to men anymore. I’m not sure I’m ready after Simon. It’s all so recent and raw. I’m still married.’
Amber took a sip of her prosecco wondering what it must feel like to be single for the first time in years. It made her more certain that relationships weren’t for her. Her friends looked truly miserable and deflated; all because two men had made them feel this way. ‘I’m not asking you to remarry tonight,’ she
