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Elsie nodded. “Words are difficult. There are so many of them. Thousands. Sometimes it’s hard to find the right ones.”

Mabel felt her throat close. Maybe if she’d been better at finding the right words she wouldn’t be estranged from her only child. If she’d understood the impact that her words would have, she would never have spoken them. Or she would have chosen different words. Or maybe said nothing at all. She was a writer. She, of all people, should have understood the power of words to wound.

“You’re right. It is hard.”

“But you’re good at it. You always know exactly the right words.” Elsie curled up on the sofa next to her. “Do you think I could write a story with you? We could choose the words together.”

Mabel could feel Brooke’s tension and knew she was thinking of their conversation earlier.

She reached for Elsie’s hand. “I think that would be a fun thing to do. And we can illustrate it, too.” She turned Elsie’s hand over and pretended to examine her fingers. She’d been the same age when she’d decided she wanted to tell stories. She’d picked up a pen and written longhand—a story of a cat who climbed a tree and refused to come down. And then she’d illustrated it. “I think this is the hand of someone who is very good at drawing.”

Elsie beamed. “Not yet, but I’d like to be.”

“I don’t want to draw.” Poppy did several twirls, managing to smack Jason in the shins in the process. “Drawing is boring. I want to build a snowman.”

Brooke glanced towards the forest. “If it stops snowing then maybe we can do that. But not right now. Stop twirling, honey, you’re making everyone dizzy.”

“I like twirling.”

Izzy grinned. “I like twirling, too. There’s nothing quite so much fun as twirling.” She grabbed Poppy’s hand and they twirled together before collapsing into giggles.

Poppy clung to Izzy’s hand with both of hers, swinging on her arm. “When will it stop snowing? I want to build a snow-man with Izzy.”

Mabel glanced at the window. The falling snow drew a veil over the forest and the sky. “I think it might be a while.”

“I don’t mind.” Elsie shifted a little closer to Mabel. “It’s cosy in here with all the snow outside. I like it.”

“I don’t like it,” Poppy said.

“We don’t all have to do the same thing.” Matt scooped up Poppy. “You and I are going to make pizza with Izzy, and Elsie is going to write a story with Mabel. And tonight you’re both having an early night.”

Elsie slid off the sofa and went back to the star she’d been decorating. “Are you going to drink wine and kiss?”

“Excuse me?” Brooke’s cheeks had turned a deep shade of pink.

“Sometimes at a weekend you and Daddy have a drink and then kiss each other on the sofa. It’s okay,” Elsie said kindly. “Mina’s mum and dad never kiss and now they live in different houses. She has two of everything. Two toothbrushes. Two pairs of wellington boots. Two winter coats. Only one cat, though, so that’s sad. I’d rather we all lived in the same house. It would be too confusing for Arthur if he had to move, and if Poppy forgot Not-A-Cat, we’d have to keep going to the other house to get it.”

Brooke was speechless and Matt was trying hard not to laugh.

“Drinking wine and kissing is actually my favourite way to spend a Saturday night,” Jason said, and this time it was Izzy who blushed.

“Well—” Brooke cleared her throat “—Daddy and I have no plans to live in different houses, so Arthur should be fine. But tonight isn’t about Daddy and me having a drink and—er—kissing. It’s about planning the best Christmas for everyone.”

“I don’t want an early night,” Poppy said. “I want to stay up late.”

“You do want an early night,” Matt said, “because tomorrow is Christmas Eve and no one wants to be tired on Christmas Eve.”

Poppy wriggled in his arms. “Can we build a snowman tomorrow?”

“I’m not promising. It depends on the weather.” Matt set her down gently. “Right, enough talk of drinking and kissing. Time to think about eating. Pizza. What toppings do you like? Let me guess. Broccoli?”

“Yuck.” Predictably, Poppy gave a shudder. “Broccoli doesn’t go on pizza.”

“Oh, sorry. How about—” Matt paused and pretended to think “—chocolate?”

“No! You’re being silly, Daddy.”

“You’re right, I am. You should swap me for a dad who is more serious and puts cheese and tomato on your pizza.” Matt urged Poppy towards the kitchen, and Izzy followed him.