Page 68 of I’ll Be Home for Christmas

Her dad had come to the window to join them. ‘It looks like he’s proposing.’

‘But they’re engaged already,’ her mum said. ‘I don’t get it.’

They watched Rhys push the ring onto Sarah’s finger and then leap up so they could hug, and when they hurried towards the chalet all three of them inside pulled away from the window so they wouldn’t be caught spying.

Sarah and Rhys came inside, dusted with snowflakes.

‘Did you just propose again?’ Chrissie asked as they went to join them in the hallway. ‘I’m confused.’

Rhys put an arm around Sarah’s shoulders. ‘I did. I wanted her to say yes and know that it was a definite yes. No keeping her worries from me, from now on. And no running away.’

‘No running.’ Sarah grinned up at him before turning to face them again. ‘The wedding isn’t happening on New Year’s Eve.’

Astrid shook her head. ‘Maybe it’s my age, but I’m even more confused now.’

‘Nanna, we’re postponing.’ Sarah went to hug Grumps. ‘Thank you, it’s perfect.’

‘What are we missing?’ Chrissie asked. Like her mum, she had absolutely no idea what was going on.

‘Rhys and Grumps have been talking, and this morning Rhys filled me in,’ said Sarah, who couldn’t stop smiling. ‘If it’s okay with you, Nanna, and you, Mum, then we’d really like to get married here at the chalet next winter.’

Nanna gasped. ‘You really want to do it here?’ She went over to Sarah and clasped both of her hands in her own. ‘I would be thrilled.’

‘You would?’

‘Absolutely!’

Chrissie loved the idea too. Her eyes filled with tears as she took her daughter’s hand. ‘It’ll be perfect. And Grumps can walk you down the aisle.’

‘Exactly. And in a way I will feel close to Dad, getting married here, a place he loved, where we have such special memories. Part of what was making it all feel out of control was not having Grumps or Dad to give me away. I know you would have done it in a heartbeat, Mum.’

‘I would have, but I’m in no way offended.’ And Anthony would’ve been so proud of Sarah for the way she was handling all this. Chrissie pulled her daughter in for a hug just as Meg came inside with Jonathan.

‘What have I missed?’ Meg asked.

Chrissie immediately noticed Meg’s glow, the glow of someone who hadn’t spent the night alone. She made a note to ask her the details later. Jonathan had most likely got the lie in he’d talked about, but it would’ve been a lot more interesting than being alone.

For Meg and Jonathan’s benefit, Sarah recapped on the idea to hold the wedding here, at the chalet, and before they knew it, all of them were having an input into plans for the big day, the ceremony, food, guests, when it should happen, the logistics of it all.

* * *

Chrissie didn’t get a look-in with her daughter after that until they came back to the chalet the next day, Christmas Day, and brought with them fresh snowfall and a gloriously blue sky.

She finally got to talk to her daughter when Grumps and Nanna, Jonathan and Meg insisted on making a snowman out front, and Rhys was intuitive enough to know that while Chrissie would back off, she was still a mum, and she needed some time just the two of them.

‘Are you happy?’ Chrissie asked as she and Sarah set the table ready for the big feast. Swiss tradition differed, apparently, but this family kept their Christmas like it had always been, no matter where they were living. The day started with a regular breakfast, followed by assorted canapés, and soon it would be time for the big feast with turkey – a nut roast for Meg, being vegetarian – roast potatoes, deliciously thick gravy and, of course, Brussels sprouts.

Sarah folded the final napkin. ‘I’m really happy, Mum.’

Chrissie looked over at the tree, the beauty of it, the gifts below and all the ornaments they’d collected as a family over the years. She was here again at last and so was Meg, and she was so incredibly happy about that.

‘I need to apologise to you,’ said Sarah, causing her to turn round away from the tree.

‘Apologise? What for?’

‘For not being grateful enough.’

‘Sarah, I know you are grateful. I’ve never doubted that.’