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‘It does. Doesn’t it?’ Her mum smiled. ‘I do love this room. Actually, I love this house. I’m so glad we bought it.’
‘Me too,’ her dad said. ‘I think I’ll make a hot chocolate before bed. Anyone else want one?’
‘Yes, please,’ her mum replied.
‘Me too.’ Zara waved a hand. She was lying on the opposite end of the sofa from Erin and had a soft blanket draped over her.
‘Not for me, thanks, Dad. I’m going to head upstairs and hopefully sleep well in the lovely new bed.’
Erin got up then gave Zara a hug before kissing her mum and dad. Her dad hugged her tight then leant back and smiled at her. ‘I’m so glad you came. We’re going to have a wonderful Christmas as a family.’
‘I agree,’ she said. ‘What’s the plan tomorrow?’
‘We thought we might go and get a Christmas tree for the kitchen-diner. Want to come?’ He raised his grey eyebrows.
‘I’d love to.’
‘Excellent!’ He kissed her forehead. ‘Sleep well, precious girl.’
Erin left the cosy lounge and climbed the stairs. The hallway was cold after the warmth of the lounge but she’d brought her fleecy pyjamas and was looking forward to putting them on and snuggling under the duvet.
In her room, she got changed then went to the ensuite to wash her face and brush her teeth. As she did so, she thought about how well her parents looked. She’d been worried about her dad but seeing him today had been reassuring. After the heart attack, that had been terrifying for them all, her dad had seemed diminished for a while. It had shaken him badly and he’d vowed that if he survived, he’d make some changes. The biggest change had been leaving his job as a police detective. The long hours and stress hadn’t done him any favours over the years, and although he’d sworn he’d work until he was at least sixty, the heart attack had made him decide to retire early. Her mum had done the same, retiring early from her job as a midwife, and Erin knew it had been hard for them to leave the jobs they loved, but she’d reminded them both that it should be a case of work to live not live to work. Life was short and precious and therefore it was important to make the most of the time they had.
She dried her face then went through to the bedroom and switched the beside lamp on then turned off the main light. She lifted the covers and slipped between them then moaned with delight at how comfortable it was. She had a feeling that she was going to enjoy her time on Sunflower Street enormously, especially sleeping in this comfortable bed.
Chapter4
Leo
Leo woke the next morning with a pounding head and a furry mouth. He grimaced as he swallowed. What had he been drinking last night? Champagne then more champagne then shots of something luminous green that tasted as bad as it looked.
Angelina had arrived with her friend, and it had been evident from the way the friend had looked down her nose at him that he wasn’t what she’d been expecting. She’d been beautiful, yes, but in that highly polished way a lot of women seemed to be these days with a forehead that didn’t move, high cheekbones that he suspected were enhanced with filler, a tiny, pert nose and lips that were so full he sincerely doubted they were natural. But then he found it so hard to tell what was real and what was enhanced and then he often wondered if it mattered anyway. Regardless of how he felt, the friend — whose name he had forgotten already… Sharon? Sade? Shakira? — had made it clear that he wasn’t her cup of tea and so he’d been off the hook and rather relieved about it. He’d drunk more alcohol, danced badly and finally shuffled out to get a taxi when he got to the point where he was struggling to stay awake and just wanted a cup of tea and his bed.
But when he got home, he obviously didn’t drink enough water and now he felt hungover. Not dreadfully so, but enough that he knew today would involve plenty of water, some serious carbs and an afternoon nap. Saturdays were precious days off and the last thing he wanted to do was to waste that time feeling sorry for himself because his head hurt and his stomach was churning.
During the evening at the club though, he had time to think about Paul’s offer to spend Christmas with him and his family and the idea had grown on him. It would be nice to go somewhere different and to escape his empty home for a while. Even if he didn’t feel particularly festive, it wouldn’t matter because he could help out at Paul’s parents’ house and he’d at least feel useful. That had to be better than moping around alone, didn’t it?
Chapter5
Erin
Sitting in the back of the car next to her sister, Erin felt like a little girl all over again. Her dad was driving and her mum was sitting in front of her in the passenger seat. The only thing missing, or ratherpersonmissing, was Paul. When she’d been growing up, they’d gone to get the Christmas tree for the dining room in their old home every year as a family. It had been one of those lovely traditions that Erin had enjoyed and had missed since she’d moved out. Christmas could be such a special time and it was even better when the build-up was spent with family, making the most of time together. That felt even more relevant this year after her dad had been through such a tough time physically. After they’d nearly lost him.
A shiver ran down her spine as she thought about how close they’d come to that. Her dad, with his six-foot two-inch height, broad shoulders, bushy grey beard and thick hair, his twinkly blue eyes and warm smile, had almost died. How could a man who was so big and reassuring, so calm and kind cease to exist any more? He had always been there for her and for the rest of his family, had always taken care of them all and striven to provide for them in a financial and physical sense. But his heart had given him a warning and if he hadn’t got to the hospital in time for emergency surgery to clear a blocked artery then he wouldn’t be here right now.
She turned her head to look out of the window as tears pricked at her eyes. She’d done her best not to dwell on what had happened, but it had been hard. Every day, she found her thoughts straying to her dad and his health, wondering if he really was OK now and if he’d still be here one day to walk her down the aisle and to hold his grandchildren — whether they were Paul’s, hers or Zara’s — on his broad shoulders. Life could change in an instant and she knew that losing him would be a huge blow for her mum, her siblings and for her. Cain Dawlish was a rock for his family and without him, they would all struggle to make sense of the world.
She felt a hand slide into hers and turned around to find Zara looking at her. Zara mouthedYou OK?and Erin nodded.
Zara bobbed her head in the direction of their dad and Erin squeezed Zara’s hand once for yes. Zara’s eyes glistened immediately. Her sister understood and in that they were united and always would be. That was, she knew, one of the great things about having siblings, because one day, when her parents had gone, she would still (hopefully) have Zara and Paul and they would have her.
‘Nearly there, girls,’ her dad said as he indicated left then turned the car along a gravel road. The car jogged them from side to side as it progressed along the road and then her dad drove into a large carpark and cut the engine.
‘I don’t know about you lot but I’m hungry,’ her mum said as she pushed open the door and got out.
Erin gave Zara’s hand another squeeze then she undid her seatbelt and got out too, closing the car door behind her. ‘I could eat something,’ she said.
‘Me too.’ Her dad had come around the car to them and he was rubbing a hand over his stomach. It had once been rounded, the result of his healthy appetite and enjoyment of beer and whisky, but now it was smaller and flatter. The doctors had advised him to cut right down on booze and to follow a Mediterranean diet of lots of lean fish and vegetables. He’d done as they’d recommended, but he had told his family that he would still enjoy his favourite foods and tipples from time to time because otherwise, he’d said, where was the fun in being alive?
