Page 87 of A Part of Me and You
‘At least I know now where I get my geekiness from now,’ says Rosie. ‘Oh, I don’t mean that in a bad way! No offence! Matt’s not a geek at all, but you know what I mean.’
‘None taken,’ I say and I can’t help but smirk. ‘I know exactly what you mean. He’s an architect and a stickler for detail so I suppose you could say he has a geeky side. You have so much to learn from each other, Rosie and it’s going to be so much fun. I know you and Matt are going to get on very well.’
She leans her head on my shoulder.
‘I gave him the letters today,’ she says as we both stare out onto the sky that looks fluffy and grey now like it is about to burst. ‘I ‘ve been writing them on and off for years now so I hope it makes it easier for him to understand where I’m from and some of the things that I like. You never know, maybe he’ll be into some of the same things too.’
I smile at her sweetness. She is just a baby really with so much to learn.
‘He’ll enjoy every moment of getting to know you, Rosie,’ I say to her. ‘And I have so much to tell you about Lily, your little sister. Plus, we will always talk about your mum, you know that. She will always be a part of our family too. She is a big part of me and you.’
‘She is,’ nods Rosie. ‘I just wish I could tell that she is safe wherever she is and that she is happy and with the people she loved up there. I wish I could just get a sign. Anything. I wish I just knew …’
‘It’s going to snow,’ says a voice from behind us and we turn around to see Eliza at our shoulders, looking out over our heads. She hands me a glass of bubbly and a soft drink to Rosie. ‘A white Christmas at last. The weather man got it wrong again.’
‘A white Christmas,’ whispers Rosie and we sit together, the three of us and watch as snowflakes slowly fall around us.
‘Shelley, I think my mum is alright after all,’ Rosie says to me. ‘She really wanted a white Christmas so I think that this might be the sign I’ve been looking for.’
‘You do?’ I say to Rosie and Eliza gives me a satisfied wink of approval. ‘Well, that’s something to celebrate then, Rosie, love. Come on, let’s dance in the kitchen like no one is watching, even though we know that Juliette is here with us watching our every single move and always will be!’
‘I think it’s time we all danced in the kitchen,’ says Eliza. ‘I’ll wake up the lads and we’ll get this party started.’
‘Yes, let’s celebrate this wonderful white Christmas in this most magnificent place,’ I say to Rosie and Eliza. ‘Let’s celebrate being alive and all that life has to offer. Nothing more, nothing less. Someone once told me that being alive is as good a reason to celebrate as any, don’t you agree?’
‘To today and the joy of being alive to enjoy it,’ says Rosie. ‘Every day is a disco. Every day is an adventure, and don’t you ever forget it.’
We clink our glasses and wipe away our tears as we toast.
‘I’ll drink to that,’ I say and my heart fills up with a rush of love as I savour this precious moment and then Rosie takes a photo as I raise my glass.
Now, that is one memory of Rosie that I will want to take with me forever. And we have so many more new memories together to come.
