sometimes, just sometimes, they each knew not to take the piss, knew what was real and what wasn't

Ah, I love this, it sums up the whole story in all its wonderful detail and subtle changes. A Christmas Ghost story with laughs and sex too ... fantastic, ticks all the boxes and so beautifully written too. Must say I was happy to wave the gals goodbye .. I liked that you used Frankie from that famous phone call though. Hee! The complete *inevitability* of them being together really carried the story along but the picture of the house and the food and the chess moves as the four of them manoevred (oh crap I hate trying to spell that word *g*) around each other were fascinating too. And the Welshness ... excellent!