A Christmas Wish Read Online Free Page B

to Poppy in her life. Without that, she wouldn’t have escaped the deprivation into which she’d been born; she wouldn’t have known that she could.
    Jade’s mum and dad swung their car into the car park and jumped out, obviously running a little late.
    ‘Hi, Poppy! How are you? We are so late, he’s only just got in.’ Jade’s mum jerked her thumb at her husband, still in his uniform and rolling his eyes.
    ‘I’m okay,’ she lied, nodding, wishing that Mart had only just got in and had been by her side to face Mrs Newman.
    ‘We can have a proper catch-up tomorrow after the play?’
    ‘Yes, great.’ Poppy nodded again.
    ‘How did it go?’ Jade’s mum looked towards the school.
    Poppy sighed. ‘Not great. Mrs Newman is a meanie poo-poo breath.’
    Jade’s mum laughed loudly. ‘So I’ve heard!’
    Poppy loosened her scarf, shook the damp from her hair and strode up the path to her front door, stamping her boots to rid them of the residue of snow. As she put her key in the lock the telephone on the little table at the foot of the stairs rang. Jo answered it.
    ‘Oh! Hello, mate… No, it’s Jo next door. One sec, she’s just coming in, Mart! Quick, quick!’ She beckoned to Poppy with her brightly painted fingernails as she held the receiver out towards her friend, knowing that every second counted.
    Jo grabbed her cardigan and shut the front door on her way out. These calls were precious, and she wanted to give them privacy. She’d pop in tomorrow for a catch-up and a cup of coffee.
    Peg, hearing it was her dad on the phone, threw herself face down into the sofa cushions, kicked up her heels and screamed into the soft pillows. Excitement turned her into a mad thing. She jumped up and pulled her nightie over her head to reveal her knickers and ran around the room with her arms flapping.
    Poppy had grabbed the phone from her friend and sat on the stair a couple from the bottom. ‘Hello, love! All okay?’ Until she had heard his voice and his words of reassurance she wouldn’t be unable to control her heart rate and irregular breathing.
    ‘All fine, it’s all fine.’ Mart knew enough to give her the words she craved, quickly and without preamble.
    She exhaled sharply. ‘We miss you.’ Poppy pushed the phone into her face, trying to get as close to him as possible, cupping it with both her hands.
    ‘I miss you too, so much. Kids okay?’ This was the nature of their calls: no time for pauses or detailed descriptions, explanations or plans; it was all about exchanging the basics, ticking the boxes of concern so that when the receiver was replaced, you knew all was well.
    ‘They’re great. Maxy’s getting so big and Peg, well… here she is. Hang on.’
    Poppy handed the phone to her daughter, who was now right in front of her, having restored her nightie. She was pogoing up and down on the spot, her fists tightly clenched, her hair flying with every bounce.
    ‘Calm down, Peg. Here he is. Speak slowly so he can hear you properly.’
    Poppy handed the phone to her little girl, who, like her mother, cradled the mouthpiece out of which would come her dad’s voice. She beamed at her mum. ‘Hello, Daddy! I miss you a lot. I made you a card and I got Maxy to sign it, but he just scribbled on it. I’ve got my play tomorrow and I’ve been practising my lines with Jo after I did her makeover and we are gong to Granny Claudia’s in two more sleeps.’
    Poppy watched and listened. She returned her daughter’s grin and strained to hear the faint tinny echo of the voice she loved, coming from so far away.
    ‘I am being good, Dad, and I’m looking after Mummy… Yes… Yes I will.’
    Peg’s eyes grew wide with the effort of keeping her tears in check. Her lips trembled and her cheeks reddened until finally she could hold back no longer. Fat, hot tears tumbled down her face, turning her eyes bloodshot and making speech difficult. She tried to carry on smiling and it was this combination of distress and