Page 44 of The Christmas Star

I knew it.

‘P.S. We’re in our 70s and plan to drive down.’

I couldn’t help but smile as I envisaged a convoy of cars packed with elderly women making their way down to Spain. Wonderful.

‘Loving your videos, Maeve. Goes to show age is just a number,’ pippaplaysthepiano said.

Reading the next comment, I let out a laugh.

‘Not only is my nan following you, she’s insisting I take her on a road trip. How can I say no to an eighty-five-year-old woman? Wales here we come!’ samtheman said.

It seemed Mum was quite the inspiration. Although Jackson didn’t go ignored. He got his share of attention too.

‘Is Jackson single? Asking for a friend?’ girlyouknowit said, a comment that started something of a discussion.

‘Hands off he’s mine,’ foreverseventeen said.

‘Get to the back of the queue,’ sassy67 replied.

As I continued to read, it was clear Jackson had made an impression.

‘Isn’t he sweet, looking after his Grandma like that?’ JojoT said.

I understood the confusion. Because of their closeness, viewers were always going to assume Mum and Jackson were biologically related. But in wondering if that was how Mum and Jackson saw themselves, the fact I still knew nothing about Jackson and the problems he’d had left me uneasy.

CHAPTER 30

We’d been travelling for hours. Making our way south to Clermont-Ferrand, we’d circumnavigated Laval, Le Mans and Tours and thanks to their ring roads, had kept a steady pace, avoiding any vehicular build-ups as people raced home for Christmas.

After a long stint behind the wheel, Theo needed to stretch his legs, and we pulled onto an aire de repos.

‘You look shattered,’ I said as we got out of the car.

He opened the boot and delving into one of the shopping bags, pulled out a bunch of bananas. ‘One of these and I’ll be fine. When it comes to fruit, they’re the ultimate energy booster.’ He gestured for me to take one.

I shook my head. ‘I’m good thanks.’

Theo broke one free for himself and putting the others down, passed me a bottle of water. He turned, leant against the car and pulled out his phone.

I glanced around our surroundings but there wasn’t much to see. Just the travelling essentials: a few picnic benches dotted about, a couple of bins, and a toilet block. Understandably, we were the only people there. Rather than stop, other drivers were, no doubt, eager to get home. I rubbed my arms trying to stave off the cold, wishing I could go home too.

After my last-minute gift deliveries, I usually headed to Mum’s on Christmas Eve. She and I would prep for the following day’s dinner, then we’d have an evening in front of the television. It was strange to think that that Christmas Eve I didn’t know where Theo and I were going, let alone where we were sleeping. And while Mum and I might not have the most lively of celebrations, as I stood on that French car park, I vowed never to take our little Christmases for granted again.

Scrolling his phone as he ate, Theo paused in his chewing.

‘What?’ I opened the bottle of water and drank.

‘I’ve had a response from the two hotels.’

I wrinkled my nose in anticipation. ‘And?’

‘One’s closed.’

‘And the other?’

‘No availability.’

My shoulders dropped. ‘Of course there isn’t.’ Throwing my head back, I looked up to the heavens and asked Dad to have another word.