Page 42 of I’ll Be Home for Christmas

But she did need to work out what she was going to do about the wedding. Time was marching on towards New Year’s Eve at a rapid pace. Her mum might have fussed too much over the years and tried to fix everything for her, but at the end of the day they had always been close and perhaps it was time to let her mum in. If she wanted to be allowed to make mistakes and fix them for herself, she had to know how to do that, and right now she didn’t. Perhaps talking to the person who had always tried to solve any problem along the way might just be the best thing of all.

‘I’ll get cleaned up,’ said Sarah.

15

MEG

Meg began the walk towards town. She shouldn’t have been shocked at Chrissie’s remarks when she’d opened the door to Jonathan’s chalet moments ago, but she was. Her sister’s looks, her reactions and her words still stung because they served to remind her that she’d lost her sister because of what she’d done. It also told her that Chrissie had made her mind up about her and was never going to give her a chance to prove that she was a different person now than who she had been back then.

She’d known that Chrissie wouldn’t be happy she was spending time with Sarah, and because her sister had chosen to show up in Winterbruck unannounced there had been no way to break it gently. And their feelings, or certainly Chrissie’s, had all come out at dinner, and she hated that her parents and Sarah had had to witness that.

When she’d left the table last night, Meg had needed to get out of the chalet and away from Chrissie. With her sister there it was like she couldn’t breathe. It was like she was at high altitude all over again, with no respite.

She’d walked around the local area, thankfully wrapped up enough against the cold, but when it had started snowing lightly again, she’d begun to make her way back to her parents’ chalet. She’d already moved all her things from the spare room into the box room, changed the bedding in silence with her mum who had given her a hug. Astrid knew that Meg was getting out of Chrissie’s way; she’d told Meg that Chrissie should take the box room as she was the one who’d turned up last, but Meg wouldn’t have it. She was quite happy in the tinier room as long as her mum didn’t mind moving some of her things.

As she’d paced the streets, Meg had thought about how much fun she’d been having getting to know Sarah, with a visit to the chocolate shop and their day at the Jungfraujoch. She’d hoped they’d have many more. But what would Sarah decide? Would her loyalty put an end to any more contact with Meg?

When she was walking uphill in the direction of the chalet – slowly, given she didn’t want to go back to the tension again – she heard someone pull up alongside her. It was Jonathan. He leaned across to open the passenger side door.

‘We’ve got to stop meeting like this.’ But when he smiled, he must’ve realised this was no happy walk that she was taking. ‘Get in, I’ll take you the rest of the way.’

She nodded in thanks but said nothing further, and when he pulled onto the drive she stayed put and so did he.

‘Things tough over at your place?’ When she looked at him, he shrugged. ‘I saw Chrissie arrive.’ He’d only just turned the ignition off but already the truck had cooled and she shivered. ‘Come inside. I’ve got hot buttered rum if you’re interested?’

She didn’t need asking twice.

From the outside the chalet was a lot like her parents’ next door, but inside was totally different. Similar wooden beams still added character, but the downstairs was open plan, styled in a mixture of traditional and modern. The kitchen was bigger than her parents’ – big enough for a table to be in the centre of it rather than galley-style like theirs. Fitted with wooden cabinets and quartz counter-tops with open shelving and pendant lighting it had a younger vibe, yet one that stuck with tradition.

‘How long have you lived here?’ she asked as he ladled out two lots of hot buttered rum from the slow cooker into heatproof glasses.

‘A few years, and I’ve been updating it in all that time.’

‘You’ve kept its character. I like that.’ She thanked him for the glass and followed him to the end of the kitchen where doors opened out to a patio.

‘I like to sit out here.’ He had an armful of blankets he must have scooped up from inside. ‘Are you okay with this?’

‘Of course.’ She took a blanket and sat in one of the Adirondack chairs. Already the heaters he’d switched on were pushing away much of the cold.

‘This is a good place to think.’ He settled down too, adjusting a blanket across his lap.

The steam from her drink warmed her face as she held it between her hands.

‘So,’ he said, breaking the silence. ‘You and your sister.’

‘Me and my sister.’ Where to start? ‘We’re what you would call estranged.’

‘I know.’

‘You know?’

‘I pick up things from Earl and Astrid. They don’t gossip, but it’s the sort of thing that’s hard to hide. And they used to know my folks, remember.’

‘Let’s just say I’m the black sheep.’

‘That’s certainly not what I’ve ever heard.’

Surprised, she said, ‘Well, I suppose that’s something. But it’s kind of true.’