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They followed the road that took them past the pub and the garage. The pub windows glowed with light from inside and the sound of music drifted from the doorway. Christmas was already in full swing for some people. The garage was closed, the employees gone home early for Christmas Eve but the fairy lights on the tree in the yard still twinkled and swayed in the afternoon breeze.
Next, they passed the lido grounds, all closed for the winter, then the small village primary school before taking a left and following the path that led down to the woodland. Before they had left, Cain had given Erin a bag of birdseed so she could sprinkle some near the lake for any birds looking for food in the snow. It was typical of her dad to think of other creatures and how they were managing in the winter and yet another reason why she loved him.
The picnic area was deserted except for a robin that was hopping around on one of the snow-covered picnic tables. ‘What is it they say?’ Leo asked. ‘Robins appear when loved ones are near?’
‘That’s right.’ Erin smiled and they stopped walking and watched the tiny robin, his red breast bright against the white of the snow. ‘Do you believe in all that then?’
He shrugged. ‘I don’t know. I’d like to believe it because then I could imagine that the robin was my mum or…’
‘Shelley?’
He nodded. ‘Yeah. But I can’t quite get my head around the idea that the tiny bird could be my partner, my mum or even my dad.’
‘Perhaps don’t take it so literally then. Instead think that the robin is a sign that your loved ones are still with you, whatever shape or form that takes.’
‘I like that idea,’ he said, looking at Erin. In her purple bobble hat and warm sleeping-bag like coat with a scarf wrapped around her neck, she looked adorable. ‘Erin?’
‘Yes?’ She turned to him.
‘I’m really glad I accepted Paul’s invite to join you for Christmas. It would have been a lonely one otherwise.’
‘Of course it would have and I’m incredibly glad you decided to join us. Incredibly glad,’ she repeated herself and reached for him.
He stepped closer to her and opened his arms and she wrapped her arms around his waist. He rested his head on top of hers and they stood that way for a few moments, comforting each other and enjoying the simplicity of being together.
There was a ping then that seemed incongruous in the woodland area and Erin stepped back and pulled her phone from her pocket. ‘Better just check if it’s Mum or Dad needing something,’ she said.
She looked at her phone and the glow of it reflected in her eyes. Leo thought he had never seen anything more beautiful than Erin in this moment. But then… her expression changed and she went as white as the snow.
‘What’s wrong? Is it your dad?’ he asked.
She shook her head.
‘Your mum?’
Another shake of her head.
‘What is it then?’ He touched her arm but she flinched and he pulled his hand back.
She held out her phone and he took it then looked at the screen and instantly he understood what was wrong, what had destroyed their perfect moment of peace and tranquillity.
Chapter26
Erin
Erin watched as Leo stared at her phone then nodded slowly as he began to understand what had shocked her. She stood there trembling violently and it wasn’t the cold that had sent her into this state but what she’d just seen on Instagram. She didn’t look on there very often anymore, but her phone had updated this morning and she must have forgotten to turn off the notifications. The one that had come through had turned her stomach.
‘I’m sorry,’ Leo said, his voice soft, as he passed her phone back.
She looked at the screen again then slid it into her coat pocket. ‘It’s certainly not your fault.’
‘I know that but it’s not pleasant to seeing things like that and I’m sorry you had to see it.’
‘He always said he didn’t want to get married or have a family. But all along it wasmehe didn’t want.’ She placed a hand on her chest and swallowed hard against the pain there.
‘He’s a fool, Erin,’ Leo said. ‘An utter fool.’
Erin sucked in a shaky breath then pushed it out. ‘No, not a fool. He was simply dishonest with me and also with himself for quite some time. He was afraid and I get that, afraid of being alone, but what he did wasn’t fair. He shouldn’t have strung me along like that until someone better came along.’
