‘Wow. Well, now that you’ve picked this, it would be a shame not to use it.’
For once, I make the first move and lean over to him, holding the mistletoe above us. I kiss him on the lips, and then we hold each other. The snow is seeping into my onesie now, so it’s not long before I have to pull myself away.
‘Come on, let’s get inside,’ I say.
‘Thanks. It’s a bit cold out here.’
Once my feet have dried off, I make Tomas a hot chocolate, searching for a Flake I know I have somewhere so that I can impress him with the extra sprinkling of chocolate. After all, I remember how he is a man after my own heart with his love of chocolate. I sit him down at my large oak kitchen table and look at him in disbelief. The sight of him sitting there seems so surreal.
‘How was your journey?’
‘You don’t want to know.’
‘That bad?’
‘The captain tried to land three times, the trains were delayed and then finally someone said I could get as far as Cardiff. I waited there for ages. Then I managed to find a train going this way. Got to the train station where there were no taxis, then I had to walk into a shop and ask if they knew of any. It’s been a long day.’
‘I can imagine. There’s only one taxi in the area, and he doesn’t work evenings. You’re lucky you got here when you did.’
‘Yup. I found that out. Then he dropped me on the main road out there as he refused to come up this way in the snow. Luckily, I saw the postman as I walked, and he helped me. He said he knew you. How was that for luck?’
Do I tell him that it isn’t necessarily luck but just how it is around here, as everyone knows everyone and their business? If they see a stranger, then chances are they will stop them to find out what they are up to. I am sure even my ex-colleagues in the bank will soon learn that a mysterious stranger from Prague has turned up in the snow to visit me. That will definitely give them something to talk about when they get back to work.
‘Well, I’m impressed with your tenacity. That takes some effort. I’m delighted you made it.’
‘Thanks. It was a bit of a journey, but I felt terrible about the last time I saw you, so I wanted to apologise.’
‘I wasn’t really sure what was happening, to be honest. I guess I never expected to see you again.’
He came all this way just to apologise to me and found me standing here in a onesie with my hair sticking up after tossing and turning in bed all night. I hope he isn’t disappointed.
‘Please don’t say that. I can’t ever imagine not seeing you again. That would be out of the question,’ says Tomas.
‘That’s nice to hear. Thank you. So… wow, I can’t believe you’re here.’
‘Neither can I,’ laughs Tomas.
We stand looking at each other in silence. Then Tomas hugs me tightly. The hug feels full of relief and longing, as though he has just crawled out of a natural disaster and thought he’d never see anyone again.
I have so many things I want to say, so many questions; but now is not the moment for that. After all, with the snowfall getting heavier he won’t be able to leave in a hurry. Even the windowsills are filling up with snow, and we can barely see out. It looks as though the blizzard is starting to seriously take hold.
Tomas looks absolutely shattered after a night of travelling, and I can’t help feeling sorry for him as he tries to stifle a yawn once we have both got over the excitement of seeing each other again.
‘I’ve so much to tell you, Olivia.’
I put my finger to his lips.
‘Shush, we have time. Why don’t you go and have a rest first. You look exhausted.’
‘As much as I want to stay here with you right now, that sounds like a great idea. What a journey!’
‘Of course. I’ll make the spare room up for you now.’
‘That would be really kind, thank you.’
‘It’s the least I can do after all the effort you’ve made. You sit by the fire, and I’ll get your room ready for you.’
I run upstairs to search for the spare sheets in the airing cupboard. I am still buzzing with questions and rehearse in my head what I am going to say when we eventually sit down to talk. I mean, why is he here just to apologise? Surely, he could have done that by post. What does it mean that he’s come all this way to see me? I have so much hope that I can guess the answers, but I don’t dare believe it.
