‘Rose? I haven’t booked a four-night stay … What is this?’
She just smiles. My heart rate rises. Could this mean what I think it means?
‘Read the rest!’ she tells me, her glove-clad hands clasped together as she watches and waits for me to continue.
‘I can assure you this is not our usual practice, but your one-bedroom apartment has also been booked for thesame few days by a Miss Rose Quinn, who is thankfully willing to overlook our mistake and share it with you.’
I read the rest of the message in silence, grinning from ear to ear as it all sinks in:
She does insist that no whiteboards are allowed on this holiday. But flirty texts are always, always welcome. And let loose on your emojis. You know you want to.
Happy Christmas, Charlie. We’re going to see Rebecca next week.
Lots of love from Rose x
I blink and stare at my phone screen. Rose’s message has left me speechless for a moment.
‘You’ve booked us a holiday in Tenerife across New Year? To see Rebecca?’
‘I sure have,’ Rose tells me. ‘But I’m not taking the sofa this time.’
I don’t cry very often. It takes a lot to reduce me to tears, but Rose has well and truly got me this time. There’s a lump in my throat the size of a watermelon.
‘You better believe you’re not taking the sofa this time!’ I exclaim, feeling tears sting my eyes. ‘Thank you, Rose. That’s the most thoughtful, incredibly precious gift you could ever have given me.’
‘Are you happy?’
‘You better believe I’m happy!’
I pick her up.
I kiss her deeply under the light of the moon, and then we stroll hand in hand back inside to the warmth of the farmhouse where we shiver and dry out in front of the Aga in the cosy kitchen.
Max and George are playing with a silver Christmas bauble that has fallen from the tree, their paws touching and their noses rubbing as they scurry around the kitchen floor.
Rose’s parents are in the sitting room snoozing off the dinner by the turf fire, holding hands, which is both endearing and inspiring. It makes me think of my own parents in heaven. I smile at the thought of them forever together.
Rebecca sends me a photo in response to mine from earlier. She is wearing a Santa hat, she has her thumbs up and has a cheery smile on her face, which makes me smile too.
And Sarah and Jude are making sure Helena and Evelyn are fully engaged with the kids in a never-ending, highly intense Monopoly session at the kitchen table. When I hear my darling sister giggle heartily, I’m reminded how it’s one of my favourite sounds in the whole world.
Rose cuddles into me, wrapping her arms around my waist before we sit down to watch the rest of their board game play out, teasing that we’d like to join in even though it’s too late.
I kiss Rose’s damp hair as the snow flurries onto the windowpane, and after the most perfect few days together, we’ve another adventure in the winter sun to look forward to very soon.
There’s magic in the air. There’s happiness everywhere.
It’s Christmas and my heart is full.
