Merry Little Drummer Girl

“I think I made a mistake. I was wrong to break up with you. I miss you.” Mike put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “Would you marry me?”

She looked at his for once sincere face and wondered why she had ever thought him handsome. She suppressed a sigh.

“No, Mike, you were right. You dumped me because you were bored of me. I don’t want to marry you.”

His expression told her he hadn’t expected this.

“Why not?”

She wriggled away from his grip.

“I’m seeing someone else.”

She walked away, hoping she could unsee the pain on his face. She glanced at the phone in her hand. It was flashing a phone call from Sam, but it was too noisy at the party to pick up. She wouldn’t be able to hear a word for all the chatter, laughter and George Michael wailing about ending up broken-hearted the Christmas before, an experience she could relate to. She started moving through the throng of people towards where she thought the backdoor was.

She still had to deal with Sam’s question from that morning, but she wasn’t going to do it over the phone. She would give her answer, and she would give it tonight. She had thought it over carefully. Eight months wasn’t a long time, but this felt like a bigger commitment.

“Olivia!” Someone gripped her elbow, and she turned around to see one of the Blooms.

“Wow. You look amazing.” He looked her up and down. He was clearly intoxicated, but she wasn’t surprised. The Blooms had a reputation as party animals. Still, she was glad her efforts didn’t go unnoticed. Her outfit of a glittery black top, short black skirt and shimmering tights was way fancier than people were used to seeing her in.

“You know, I’ve always had this thing for you. You’re one hell of a drummer, and you’re seriously hot. I’d marry you if you would have me.”

She laughed. “No, thank you, Mr Bloom, I’m OK for marriage proposals today.”

“No, I mean it. You know I have money. I think I’m ready to settle down.”

She patted his arm. “I think you should try to date a girl first. Excuse me.” She carried on towards the garden at the back of the house.

This was like a Gatsby party. The house was full of guests, and everyone was having fun, but there was no sign of the host. For all she knew, he might not even be home.

She moved through a massive sitting room. In one corner of the room, a few people were setting up musical instruments. There were going to be some spectacular jams later, considering the ilk of people around.

Judging by the sound it made, someone kicked the bass drum by accident. Her fingers tingled and stomach flipped at the thud. This wasn’t her gig, and she would probably be too shy to offer her services, but she was itching to get behind the kit. It had been too long.

Olivia finally made it to the back garden. The air outside was fresh and cool compared to the heat inside, mostly caused by the number of bodies crammed downstairs. The house was huge, so why couldn’t people make the most of the rooms it had?

She looked at her phone again. Even outside, the noise levels were that of a small rock festival. A group of men laughed raucously at something, and music blared out the door. There was no way she could return Sam’s call even from here. She resorted to a message instead.

She looked around for anyone with a smoke in their hand. The only person not engaged in conversation was Bloom again, but he would have to do. She walked over.

“Any chance of a cigarette?” she asked, sidling up to him. He gave her a quick once-over before pulling out a cigarette and offering her his lighter.

Lit up, she felt more relaxed.

“You look great tonight,” he said, eyes still on her.

“Thank you.” While she liked the compliment, there was no need to keep repeating it. It wouldn’t change the outcome of their conversation.

“I think you’re amazing. I’m so sick of the kind of girls I meet. I want someone like you, you know, smart, cool, gorgeous and talented.”

She looked away in embarrassment. Too much was too much. Why did men have to be like this?

“I’d marry you in a heartbeat.”

She laughed. “I appreciate your persistence, but the answer is still no.”

Confusion clouded the look of adoration on his undeniably attractive face.

“I have never placed any proposal to you before.”

Too late, she realised her faux pas.

“Oh. I’m sorry. I thought…”

“Did my brother propose to you?” His brows furrowed as he looked at her.

Olivia was unable to utter a response, being lost for words. Her companion mumbled a few un-Christmassy words about his brother under his nicotine breath.

“He knows I’ve been crushing on you for ages. What the…” Coming from a good family, the Bloom brother was prudent about his use of expletives. He excused himself and returned to the house in search of his twin with a look of vengeance on his face.

Olivia bit her lip and hoped that the brothers wouldn’t cause a ruckus. It was not her fault. She barely knew them, and she certainly couldn’t tell them apart.

She finished her cigarette, dumped the butt in an ashtray on a nearby table and went back inside. At this point, she was unsure what to do, and there was no word back from Sam yet. There were familiar faces, but nobody she was overly friendly with.

“Hey!” someone exclaimed from her left, and before she knew what was going on, she was pulled into a tight hug. There was nothing inappropriate about the cuddle, her embracer keeping his hands to her upper back, but she wanted some distance to figure out who was so happy to see her. When he let go, she stepped back and looked into Rhys’s amicable face.

“How are you doing? You look great. Where’s your drink? Hang on, I’ll get you one.” It was like he snapped his fingers, and someone appeared with a tray of champagne glasses. He took one for each of them.

“I’m glad you’re here. I’ve wanted to ask you something for ages, since I found out that you were maybe available, but I wasn’t sure how to put it in a message…”

“Not another marriage proposal, please,” she uttered, hoping he wouldn’t hear her, but he did. He grinned.

“No. Although…” He pulled her in, and they both turned their backs on the bustling room. “I’m about to propose to Jen tomorrow, you know, Christmas Day. Do you think she’ll like this?”

Rhys pulled a box out of the inside pocket of his smart jacket. He opened the box and showed her a silver ring with several little gems on it.

“It’s beautiful!” Olivia gushed. “She’ll love it.”

“Thanks. I’m glad to get another opinion.” Rhys put the ring away again. “What I really wanted to ask you was if you were interested in drumming for us. You know, Jon left in the summer, and we haven’t found anyone else yet. I’ve always loved your work, and I think you would be really good. That is, if you’re willing to share a van with four smelly blokes.”

Olivia stared at him open-mouthed. She loved Rhys’s band, always had, but she had never in her wildest dreams thought that she would be asked to drum for them.

“I heard that Shannagh split and that it was over…” Rhys continued.

“It is. I haven’t done much since we broke up. We wouldn’t carry on without her. Are you serious?”

“As a heart attack. If you’re free after Christmas, would you join us for a session, see how we get on? I know the lads would be happy to see you.”

“Oh my God. Yes, please. I’d love that.” She was suddenly all smiles.

Someone bumped into her, forcing her to look to her right and away from Rhys just as the front door opened. There was almost a hush in the room as Sam entered it. Sam always was a sight to behold – tall with long, curly, red hair. Dressed in a figure-hugging, glittery dress with a slit that accentuated her long legs, she could have been a supermodel instead of a lawyer.

“Please excuse me. I want to talk to you,” Olivia said to Rhys and patted his arm before she floated across the room to Sam.

“There you are,” Sam said as Olivia finally reached her. They hugged and kissed each other’s cheeks.

“Yes,” Olivia said when they separated from their embrace.

“Yes what?” Sam asked.

“Yes, I will marry you.” Olivia beamed into her face so far above her own.

Sam’s eyes widened, then glistened with tears. “Really?”

“Really.” Olivia watched with equally teary eyes as Sam pulled the ring out of her clutch bag.

“Would you do me the honour of wearing this?”

Sam slid the ring onto her finger, gently caressing the back of Olivia’s hand as she did so.

Unaware they had caught everyone’s attention, the couple was taken by surprise when everyone around them cheered as they shared a gentle kiss.

“Merry Christmas,” Olivia whispered as she reached up to kiss Sam again, less discreetly this time.

They were, after all, going to be married.