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The house was full. There was no other way to describe it. Full of food and full of decorations and most especially full of people.
Since Alec had taken over the ordering and stocking of the shop their income had climbed and the feast that adorned the Christmas table this year was quite spectacular even without any help from Uncle David's hamper but with the children all growing fast the space around it was fuller and fuller every year.
Soon it would be quieter again, Alec's plans to take up gardening were becoming more real with every passing year and he had a place on a course he'd be taking up in the spring. Meanwhile Harriet's training was becoming more intense as she moved out of the Junior leagues and started looking at Senior competitions. There were plans for her and Lalla to find a flat together somewhere near the big central London rink that Harriet had to train at if she wanted to be ready to compete in the Winter Olympics in a year's time.
And yet despite all of that there was a black cloud hanging over the table that year.
“You know you don't have to look so miserable all the time.”
Edward found himself being forcibly pushed down into a chair far away from Harriet when he tried expressing this opinion.
“What? I'm only saying she could try to be happy at Christmas.”
“Oh do shut up Edward and try to think for once in your life!”
Edward subsided into a sulky silence throwing an evil look at both Alec, for the squashing, and Harriet who still looked as if the whole weight of the world was on her shoulders.
Olivia bustled into the room with a pile of napkins to add to the table and squeezed Harriet's shoulder as she went past.
“Still aching darling?”
Harriet nodded and bit her lip.
“I think I've really hurt it, Max said to stay off it as much as possible and it would heal faster but the National championships are less than a month away.”
“I know darling, and I'm sorry, but we'll make sure you can sit as still as possible.”
Just then there was a knock at the door and suddenly the room, which had seemed full before, was overflowing with voices and hugs as Lalla and Nana arrived.
The new arrivals threw off their coats and deposited piles of presents under the tree whilst keeping up a steady flow of chatter about how the shop was doing and Toby's latest results in his maths course and whether Nana had finished knitting the jacket she was making for Miss Goldthorpe's new baby (though of course now she was Mrs Giacometti having married a dashing coach who had been visiting the rink)
Before long they were all settled around the fire waiting as the scent of the Christmas dinner cooking slowly filled the room.
“And how are you Harriet dear?”
Nana took in the thin, pale face in front of her.
“Goodness you look almost as washed out as when we first met you!”
“Poor Harriet, it's a rotten thing to have messed up your ankle just in the middle of the season. Still you can enjoyed Christmas dinner bad ankle or not!”
Lalla's words were kind but after her brother & mother's reminders they were too much for Harriet who could feel the tears about to spill over and she had to swallow hard.
“I suppose so,” she said shakily. “But oh Lalla... if I can't compete in the Ladies' National next month then how am I supposed to be ready for the Olympics next year?!”
“It really is bad luck,” Lalla grimaced sympathetically, “but there's a whole year till the Olympics, plenty of time to worry about that later. And today is definitely time to forget all about skating.”
“Even your glorious triumph in that gala last week?” Toby grinned at Lalla, “It's been ten minutes and you haven't mentioned it once!”
Lalla stuck her tongue out at him.
“Well I don't need to tell you when you were all there to see for yourself!”
Thankfully before any further teasing broke out Olivia announced dinner was ready and they all settled themselves around the table for the food. Harriet was quieter than usual and Nana and Olivia both noticed that she ate less than they'd have liked but with the boys & Lalla there it would have been difficult not to be a bit cheerful.
After dinner finished they cleared the table and Lalla watched Harriet limp across the hall into her room. After pausing for a moment of thought she followed.
“Can I come in?”
Harriet's head jolted up at the knock.
“Yes, if you want to.”
“Of course I do,” Lalla entered the room to see Harriet sitting on the edge of the bed trying to reach the bandage around her ankle. “Is it hurting again?”
Harriet nodded, tears in her eyes.
“Let me give you a hand, it's much easier than trying to do it yourself and I had lots of practice helping with the other girls in the Snowflakes last winter.”
Lalla bent down and undid the bandage before rolling it ready to reapply it. She kept up a steady flow of gossip about who she'd seen at the rink and the outfit Aunt Claudia had been threatening to buy her for her next Gala but she knew Harriet wasn't really listening.
“It's stupid when we're so steady on the ice in the rink that a patch in the road can do such damage isn't it?”
“I could have kicked myself when I did it.” Harriet's voice was glum. “I went right over and then when I tried to stand up I knew it was wrong.”
Lalla pulled the bandage tight around the bad ankle, her hands were gentle but she knew enough about first aid now to ensure that the bandage gave Harriet proper support.
“I know the boys think it's silly to worry about the Olympics when they're more than a year away, especially when I didn't even think they were possible to Max started talking about Italy this Autumn, but you understand don't you?”
Lalla's finger curled around Harriet's ankle for a moment as she checked the end of the bandage was tucked in properly.
“I do. And it's okay to be scared you know.”
Lalla looked up and regarded Harriet steadily.
“I know we're all trying to cheer you up, and I really do think there's time for your ankle to heal, but when Uncle David first told me I wasn't going to be a Champion Grim everything felt upside down and awfully scary for a while.”
“Even though you knew you might be a professional ice dancer instead?”
Harriet's question was soft and she wasn't quite looking at Lalla.
“Yes, oh I was over the moon at first but after that it all felt very strange. The first time back on the rink I wanted to run away and hide because Max knew and I felt like everyone knew I'd failed.”
Lalla's fingers tightened unconciously on Harriet's anklebut Harriet supressed her wince not wanting to stop her speaking.
“I thought about telling Nana that I wasn't well enough to start again,” Lalla paused, weighing her words, “but you arrived then and skated out onto the ice and turned and smiled at me and it didn't really matter then whether it was me or you who was going to win medals I just wanted to fly around the rink with you.”
There was silence for a moment, the sounds of the Alex & Toby arguing about something seemed muffled and far away.
“Will you skate with me still, if my ankle is ruined and I never win any medals?”
Harriet looked up at Lalla with a strangely serious expression.
“Of course I will idiot,” Lalla checked the end of the bandage one last time and then grabbed Harriet's hand. “We'll still be skating together when we have to take our sticks onto the ice and they'll have to drag us off.”
Harriet smiled and squeezed Lalla's hand.
“Good, if that's a promise then I promise I'll try to worry less about my ankle.”
Lalla grinned.
“Guzzle guzzle guzzle?”
Harriet laughed, a sudden surprised sound.
“We haven't promised like that for ages, I suppose Alec's almost too grown up for it theses days.”
“Maybe he is, but I don't feel grown up yet, even with the galas and the flowers and my best friend almost skating in the Olympics.”
Lalla tangled her fingers with Harriet's.
“And even if my best friend doesn't skate in the Olympics we'll still find a flat together, they promised we could look this year, and I think that whatever happens this year is going to be the best yet.”
And looking into Lalla's eyes Harriet thought she might finally believe that too.