Page 85 of A Merry Little Christmas

For the next ten minutes, she found herself confiding in her mother-in-law, expressing her worst fears about their marriage and confessing her regret about her friendship with Merry. ‘It feels as if my entire life has derailed. Merry doesn’t want to know me, and I don’t know where my husband is.’ She shook her head in disbelief. ‘These last few weeks have shown me how quickly life can pivot from dream to nightmare. Everything I was looking forward to: watching Max succeed at football, seeing Merry bring her baby into the shop, and then Olek and I welcoming a child of our own into the world … it’s all gone.’

Irena shook her head. ‘It hasn’t gone. But it will take a little effort from you and those around you.’

She smiled sadly. ‘People only make an effort if they think it’s worth it. Merry isn’t speaking to me and Olek …’ She sighed. ‘He still hasn’t forgiven me. I wish I knew where he was, then I could go to him and tell him how much I love him and want him home.’

‘Take heart, kochanie, you are worth it.’ Olek’s mother took Nell’s hand in hers. ‘Tell me to mind my own business, but I might be able to make him come home. He might listen to me.’

Nell smiled weakly. ‘Please try.’

‘OK, first I call him.’

Irena pulled out her phone and dialled. Once his voicemail kicked in, she let rip with a torrent of Polish that Nell didn’t need to be able to translate to understand; his mother was giving him a piece of her mind and Nell couldn’t help but be in awe of her.

‘Give him twenty-four hours and he will be back,’ said his mother smugly. ‘His uncle has a cabin in Scotland. Olek used to love it there. I think that’s where he’ll be.’

‘I hope so,’ said Nell meekly. She had missed out a few vital details about the reason Olek had been so angry with her; she was only human, after all, and didn’t want Irena to think too badly of her.

‘And when he does, talk to him.’ Irena gave her a pointed look. ‘Men are simple creatures; they like straightforward information. Tell him what you feel about having a family.’

‘But what if I don’t know myself?’ Nell shrugged.

Irena’s face softened. ‘You know. You just haven’t allowed yourself to think about it properly yet.’

‘Thank you.’ Nell squeezed Olek’s mum’s hand. She wasn’t quite sure what Irena had meant, but she hoped it would become clear.

‘I’d better go home, Gienek will be waiting to eat dinner.’

‘Have you got to cook it first?’

Irena smirked. ‘He is cooking. We got the rules sorted early on. One night a week is date night, and nobody cooks. Then one night a week, plus one day at the weekend, he’s in the kitchen – it has worked for more than forty years.’

‘You two have got life sussed.’ Nell smiled. ‘And what do I do about Merry?’

‘Do you want to go for the rest of your life without being friends again, eh?’ Irena chided.

‘No, definitely not!’ She shuddered at the thought. ‘Not if I can help it.’

‘In that case.’ Irena regarded her for a long moment. ‘You do whatever it takes, Nell. Whatever.’

‘Good advice, thank you.’ Nell helped her on with her coat.

‘Oh, you take this.’ Irena handed her the foliage wrapped in newspaper she’d arrived with. ‘Mistletoe. A big bunch. You will enjoy it more than Gienek and I will.’

‘Thank you. Fingers crossed I get to kiss Olek under it.’

Irena kissed her cheek. ‘You will – trust me, you will.’

Nell waved her off from the front door and turned to go back inside. Her mother-in-law was right, the house was looking dark and unloved. She’d ignore her unpacking for now and put her energy into turbocharging her Christmas decorations, starting with hanging mistletoe with red ribbon in every room.

Within thirty minutes, she was finished, and the house was transformed. She stood back and admired the bunch of mistletoe above their bed. Providing Irena’s words did the trick and brought him home, she and Olek were in for a lot of fun.

Tomorrow, while she waited for him to return, she’d go shopping for Merry and the baby. And then, armed with a peace offering, she’d visit her best friend and grovel like crazy until they were on speaking terms again. Because it was already December the twenty-second and Christmas without Merry didn’t feel like Christmas at all.

Chapter 34

Merry

Merry hadn’t yet opened her eyes, but she could hear noises downstairs. Cole’s side of the bed was already cold; he must have been up for a while. The last time she’d checked, it was only six-thirty. Perhaps she’d drifted off and had another two hours’ sleep. She hoped so. It was Saturday, Woody was working at the shop, assisted by Harley, and neither she nor Cole had to be anywhere or do anything.