Page 100 of A Merry Little Christmas

‘I’m sorry,’ he whispered, his breath warm in her ear. ‘For walking out on us and for not keeping in touch. Not staying to work it out. But I had a lot to process and needed to work out how I felt about the whole situation first. And come to terms with this new version of the last sixteen years.’

‘It’s all right, I understand.’ She smiled nervously up at him, willing him to understand her side in return, why she’d done what she had.

She held on to him and felt his embrace strengthen to match hers, his body soften. Their hug felt affirming and hopeful, and she didn’t want it to end.

‘Sorry to interrupt. We’re going to go.’ Merry’s face looked pinched.

‘You OK?’ Nell asked her.

‘Always OK. Good luck.’ Merry kissed Olek, and Cole shook his hand.

‘Thank you,’ said Nell, ‘and thanks for a lovely time. Speak tomorrow?’

‘On Christmas Day? Of course!’ Merry replied.

Nell and Olek waved the Robinsons off and then kissed each other.

Nell heard a few gasps and ‘ahhhs’ around them. Quite honestly, their kissing was probably a little too much for the foyer of the Enchanted Spa, but it was Christmas Eve perhaps everyone was feeling a bit festive and happy to watch something so clearly romantic.

They kissed again, both of them hungry for each other, making up for the days and nights they’d been apart. And when Olek finished their kiss by lifting her off the ground and twirling her around, everyone whistled and clapped.

‘And now I would very much like to go home with you,’ he said, lowering her back down.

The thought of being together again, in their own house, with no secrets between them, filled Nell with joy. ‘I’d like that too.’

‘Then let’s go home, baby.’ He scooped up her bag and held out his hand to her.

Together they walked out of the spa and headed into the white Christmas which greeted them. Nell knew they still had a lot of talking to do, they still had to clear the air and sort a lot of things out, but, for now, this moment on Christmas Eve was perfect. Absolutely perfect.

Chapter 43

Merry

As Cole had predicted, the roads around the Enchanted Spa were perfectly passable and soon they had left the Derbyshire countryside behind and were approaching Wetherley again. Merry had spent the journey alternating between gripping the handle of the passenger door to help her breathe through her pains and bringing him up to speed with the last twenty-four hours. First, her joyous reunion with Nell, which would have been news enough, but also the incredible letter that Hilary had found from her mother.

‘It’s made me feel more confident about becoming a mum,’ Merry explained, folding the letter from her mother back up into the envelope. ‘I’m not sure whether maternal instincts are genetic or not, but if they are, the fact that Mum really loved me is a good thing. Perhaps I’ll be a better mother than I thought I’d be.’

‘Oh, darling.’ Cole pulled over into a layby, put on the brake and leaned across the gearstick to cup her face in his warm hands. ‘This is fantastic news, although I already had full confidence that you’ll be a wonderful mother.’

‘These are happy tears, in case you were wondering,’ she said with a sniff. ‘Last year on our wedding day, Dad gave me a ring which should have belonged to her, and now I’ve got this letter in her handwriting. I feel, I feel …’ She broke off to breathe, because it was quite difficult to distil her emotions into a single sentence at the best of times and also because she could feel another Braxton Hicks contraction on its way.

‘There are so many things I want to say to you.’ His brown eyes shone with love. ‘I hardly know where to start. I’m happy that your mum wrote to you, and I’m extremely happy that her letter has finally found its way into your hands. But the rest of it, you doubting yourself, that has blown my mind. I can’t believe that’s how you felt.’

She gave him a sheepish look. ‘I should have told you a long time ago how worried I was, but you’ve always seemed so sure of yourself where parenting is concerned. I didn’t want you to think you’d made a bad choice when it came to life partners. You’ve been here before, you know what to expect, and, on top of that, your childhood was textbook perfect. I have felt terribly lacking on all fronts.’

He nodded. ‘Life was relatively trauma-free growing up, and I had two loving parents. You grew up without those guiding forces in your life and yet you’re still one of the most loving, kind and thoughtful people I know. Plus, you’re the toughest cookie I’ve ever met. Which is why I know you will be an incredible role model and mother for our child, and, in fact, you already are for your stepchildren.’

‘Thank—’ She was interrupted by her stomach tensing and puffed her cheeks out. One hand still holding the letter, the other one gripping the door handle, her feet braced against the floor of the truck. ‘That was a tough one.’

‘Bloody hell.’ Cole’s eyes widened. ‘Should we be heading to the hospital?’

‘No need,’ Merry said through gritted teeth. ‘I’ve been timing them, they’re just Braxton Hicks.’

‘O-K.’ He didn’t sound convinced, but checked the traffic was clear and rejoined the road.

Soon, she was clear of pain and able to focus again. She tuned into their location just as they zipped past the junction they usually headed off at to get to Holly Cottage. ‘Shouldn’t we have turned left there?’

‘Hmm.’ Cole stared ahead. ‘I just need to call in at the new house, I’m not sure the electricians will have locked up properly yesterday.’