Page 79 of Starry Nights over Dragonfly Lake

‘It’s yours,’ said Walter, with a firm nod. ‘You’re a proper part of the family now.’

‘Poor sod,’ said Ben with a grin. ‘But it’s true, I’m afraid. So you’re stuck with us for the foreseeable.’

Noah was speechless. He could feel the emotion welling up inside him and didn’t know what to do or say. Nobody had ever given him anything like this. Ever been so generous. The Jackson family weren’t just giving him a permanent home. They were giving themselves as well.

The silence stretched out and suddenly he felt a hand slip into his. He knew without looking down that it was Beth’s and squeezed it tight and felt grateful for something to hold onto.

‘Right, who wants a coffee?’ asked Frankie, standing up. ‘And can I add a bit of Christmas spirit to it?’

Noah was grateful for the change of conversation to steer the almost overwhelming attention away from him. But he kept Beth’s hand in his for a while longer, squeezing it back until he felt able to speak once more.

He stood up and went over to his uncle.

‘Thank you,’ he said, holding out his hand for Walter to shake.

Walter slowly stood up out of his chair and stepped forward to give Noah a hug before adding a heartyslap on the back.

‘Are you sure?’ murmured Noah.

‘Never been more certain of anything in my life,’ replied Walter. He looked across to his grandson who had headed over to join them.

‘I agree,’ said Ben, putting his arm around Noah’s shoulders. ‘There is no pressure from any of us but we thought that you should have a permanent place here. Somewhere of your own. So you’ve always got a home to return to.’ He hesitated before adding, ‘And a family to come back to as well.’

Home. Permanent. Family. Three words that had been so far removed from Noah’s whole life up to that point.

It scared him but pleased him all at the same time. He was still nervous about opening up to anyone. But for once, he wanted to go with his gut. And that was telling him that these people weren’t going to hurt him.

So he took a deep breath and smiled back at Ben, despite feeling overwhelmed with emotion.

His shoulders began to relax as he glanced down at the key once more. He really was among family now and he felt better, stronger and happier because of it.

43

Walter had insisted on carving the turkey, reminding everyone that his collarbone was well and truly fixed. Everyone was still grateful that Faye supervised his use of the electric carving knife though.

After a delicious and extremely large Christmas lunch, the family agreed that they needed a walk around the lake to walk off the big meal.

‘It’s tradition,’ Lily told Beth, as they watched Tiny the dog lead the way ahead of them all on the path.

‘Yes, we eat far too much every single year,’ added Frankie, wrapping her scarf around her neck.

‘So we basically learn nothing from one year to the next,’ said Hannah, with a giggle.

Beth slipped on her new pink gloves and bobble hat, smiling as she thought of Noah wrapping them and placing them in her first ever Christmas stocking.

‘That’s a great colour on you,’ said Lily, nodding her approval.

‘Thanks,’ replied Beth.

She hadn’t told anyone about Noah’s Christmas stocking. Hewas a private person and she didn’t want to upset him by revealing too much. And yet his presents had touched her more than any gift she had ever received.

He walked ahead of her around the lake, talking quietly with Walter and Dotty. Meanwhile Beth joined in half-heartedly with the conversation with her friends and yet she couldn’t put Noah’s kiss out of her mind. She felt that the wooden stars, a very special present, had to mean something, didn’t they?

At least it was a lovely walk in the winter sunshine, she thought. The clouds occasionally drifted across the sun but the air stayed crisp and refreshing, the perfect tonic after a long and hearty meal.

Everyone was eager to see Noah’s new home and so they all crowded around the first lodge as he put the key in the lock.

Beth could see that he was embarrassed at the attention but thought that he was dealing with it well with good humour. But as he opened the front door, Noah gasped in shock and the family pushed forward to see what had stunned him.