Page 110 of One More Day
There’s magic in the air. There’s happiness everywhere.
It’s Christmas and my heart is full.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Charlie
As darkness falls outside this wholesome family farmhouse, the party atmosphere slowly winds down too. Voices are hushed and the lively music from before is now just a background hum.
The open fire has sent both the dogs and Rose’s parents off to a silent slumber in the sitting room, and Helena is in her element playing board games with Evelyn, Sarah and the children at the kitchen table while Rose and I finish washing up.
‘I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get her away from here,’ I say, watching my sister fuss and giggle over a game of Monopoly with her new-found friends. ‘Honestly, Rose, we’ve had the best of days. I do think your dad and Evelyn are Helena’s favourites though. She’s had a ball. We’ve never had a Christmas like this before. We’ll never forget it.’
Rose dries her hands on a tea towel and turns around to face me.
‘Fancy a walk outside in the snow? Just the two of us?’
‘Yeah,’ I whisper. ‘That would be nice.’
We wrap up in coats, scarves, hats and gloves in the hallway and slip out into the dark of the night with the moon glistening on the crisp snow that crunches beneath our feet. When we’re only a few steps away from the house, Rose stops to look up at the stars, which brings me right back to our time at Seaview Cottage, or Granny Molly’s as it’s now rightly known.
‘I don’t want any of this to end,’ she says, gazing upwards as snowflakes fall onto her nose and cheeks and eyelashes. ‘I want to relive it all again and again and again. I know I’ll never look at life in the same way after all the joy and love I’ve felt this Christmas.’
‘It’s been extra special,’ I say, pulling her close, and we stand there for what feels like hours, just holding each other as the snow sprinkles down and happy voices spill out from the farmhouse. ‘You’re perfect, Rose, you know that? Just perfect. Don’t ever change.’
‘I’m not perfect,’ she says. ‘I’m—’
She steps back a little and I hold her beautiful, smiling face in my hands.
‘You’re perfect to me,’ I tell her. ‘You’re funny, you’re challenging, you’re spontaneous, you’re creative. You light up every room you step into. You make me want to be the best person I can be.’
I take a deep breath.
‘I’m so glad we found each other,’ she replies.
She smiles with her eyes closed and snowflakes fall onto her long, dark eyelashes. We kiss once more until Rose leans back a little and puts her hands on my waist.
We hold each other in silence but I know she’s itching to say something. She looks up at me and flashes me a cheeky smile.
‘Have you checked your phone lately?’
I frown in response.
‘No … why?’
‘Well … there just might be a very important text message waiting for you,’ she says. ‘I was going to buy another whiteboard but I figured my last message on there wasn’t the best, so a text it is. Go on. Check.’
I’m confused, but I know Rose is up to something, so I put my hand in my pocket and fish out my phone. Sure enough, there’s a text message awaiting my attention.
‘Read it out so I can hear it too,’ she says with a cheeky giggle.
I do as I’m told.
‘Dear Mr Sheerin,
‘Deepest apologies, kind sir, but there’s been a double booking for your apartment for your four-night stay in Tenerife across New Year’s Eve.’
I take a step back on the crunchy snow.
