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Elsie read the labels and carefully handed out each gift, holding her own against her chest.

“Thank you, Mabel.”

“I hope it will remind you of our special Christmas together.”

Elsie was polite as ever as she carefully unwrapped the gift. Then she gasped, all restraint abandoning her. “Mummy, look! Look!” She stood up and flung her arms around Mabel. “It’s the missing book. The one I don’t have. And it’s signed and it has my name in it. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, honey.” Mabel hugged her back. “And if you want to write to me sometimes, that would be nice. I’d like to read your stories.”

“I’m going to write every day.”

They each had their own copy of a Careless Witch book and Brooke clutched hers, tears in her eyes.

“This is the best gift.”

Izzy was equally emotional. Her gift was the book that had comforted her in childhood that her father had donated to a church fundraiser.

“I’m never going to let it out of my sight.” But she knew that when she looked at the book she’d remember this Christmas, not the incident in her childhood. The Christmas when she’d felt as if she was truly part of everything. Welcomed and included.

Looking down at the book, it felt like rewinding time. Like meeting a friend after years apart. It felt like a fresh start.

But was it, really?

Tomorrow this would all be over. She’d be going back to her own life. Everything would be the same as it always had been.

In her head was a nagging voice telling her that she didn’t have to go back to her old life.

That what happened next was her choice.

She could stay in her old life and nothing much would change, or she could grab the opportunity for something more.

She could choose love.

She’d always thought that there was no way she would take that risk, but now she was wondering.

“Izzy, can we build another snowman?” Poppy tugged at her arm and she focused on the present.

“We can. Brilliant idea.”

They wrapped up warm and went back outside to enjoy the snow and the last of the sunshine.

As so often happened when life was at its best, time passed quickly. After an early start and an active day, Poppy eventually fell asleep on the sofa and Matt scooped her up and carried her to bed, with Elsie following close behind carrying a docile, fully compliant Crumpet.

“It’s our last night,” she said. “He is sleeping with me.”

No one pointed out that he’d been sleeping with her since the day they arrived.

Darkness fell and the adults snacked on cold turkey and other treats from Mabel’s fridge.

They were halfway through a bottle of Walter’s delicious wine when Mabel made a sound.

She was sitting at her laptop and her hand was pressed to her chest. “Chrissie has replied.”

“Oh.” Brooke put down her glass and went across to her. “That’s wonderful, Mabel. What has she said?”

“I don’t know. I’m too afraid to open it. It has taken her so long to reply I assumed she wasn’t going to. And now I’m afraid to read what she has said.”

“Do you want us to read it for you?” Brooke sat down on one side of her, and Izzy sat down on the other side.