On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me... Seven resolutions
Sergeant Andy Roper only had one thing on his list of New Year's resolutions on the first of January 2012. He had pretty much only one thing on his mind lately in fact. Ever since that night, the Christmas party, the only thing he could think about was Janet. Even before that, she had been the biggest and brightest thing in his thoughts, but since then, since everything that had happened, she filled his mind and senses like nothing else. His memory burned for her.
So this year, would be their year. This year, he would make her love him.
...
Six New Year's kisses
'Happy New Year slap.' The thrill sizzled up through Julie's spine as Gill leaned over their clinking wine glasses and kissed her. It wasn't a long kiss, but it was sweet and intense, unmistakably romantic, and it was the first time that she, Gill, had kissed her anywhere public. Of course, they hardly stood in out in this particular bar but still... it was a hug step. Gill pulled back, cheeks flushed, eyes glinting, lips curving into a smile. Julie stroked a finger along her jaw, slid a hand behind her head, through her hair, drew her close.
'Come here.'
...
Five (g)old rings
Rachel had been keeping it on her bedside table, she couldn't think why. It wasn't really that she was keeping it there even, keeping implied that it belonged there, that she meant it to be there, whereas she had simply left it there, and gone on leaving it there. She noticed it every morning and immediately looked away. She kept telling herself she was going to do something with it – chuck it, sell it, send it back to Sean. But none of those things seemed right. So she just left it there and noticed it and ignored it again.
...
Four used Advent calendars
Taisie stuck her head over the bannisters. Janet looked up at her.
'Why've you got an Advent calendar in your school bag?'
'God Mum!' Taisie thundered down the stairs, snatched the bag and calendar, retreated up a few steps. 'Why are you always poking through my stuff.
'Why have you got an Advent calendar in your school bag? It's not the one I bought you.'
'Leave me alone.' Taisie stomped upwards.
'Who bought it for you?' Janet's tone was teasing, sensing gossip.
'What is this? An interrogation?'
Elise's head appeared over the bannisters at the top. 'It's off her boyfriend.'
...
Three bald coppers
'Sorry for disturbing you missus,' the taxi man gabbled as he led Gill out of the pub. 'Only these three wasn't quite sure where they were going to. The Three Somethings they said. I picked them up down in the city centre and they said they were going to their Christmas party at the King's Somethings but they couldn't remember the name of it right. So I've been driving them round all over. We've been the King's Head, the King's Arms, the King and Horses, all… over... like.'
In the face of Gill's stony silence he ground to a halt.
...
Two Christmas dinners
'She's going to ruin it.' Gill deposited her basting spoon on a plate laid handy.
'It'll be a disaster.' She nodded to Sammy to open the oven door.
'Total disaster.' She slid the roasting tin onto the shelf with a careful balance of delicacy and firmness.
'She'll probably poison her poor parents. Shut that over now.' She nodded at Sammy again.
'And herself. If they all come down with food poisoning it'll be her fault not learning how to cook properly.' Gill dumped her oven gloves on the worktop, took a swig from a waiting glass of wine.
'Daft cow.'
...
And a whole Scott & Bailey family
Gill surveyed her team from behind her desk. She noted each arrival, watched them settle themselves and get stuck into whatever they were working on. She noticed their frequent glances at her open door, the irregular rhythm of lifted heads, the little thrum of expectancy. They knew there was a new case in the offing. It gave a certain tension to the office. Not the full blown energy of running with a case, chasing leads, tracking down witnesses and suspects, juggling between roles, planning and analysing interviews, assessing evidence. Not yet. Not just yet. But they were ready for it.
