Page 43 of Merrily Ever After
“Doesn’t mean she won’t decide before.”
I nod, resting my chin in my hands. My girlfriend is a genius. Or at least she is in the retail management world. She’s probably going to end up being CEO of some giant department store, and despite all heroh shucks little old meattitude the last few months, she’s been accepted into nearly every graduate program she applied to. Which is, you know, great. Except they’re all over the place. Not just Ireland. Spain. England. Germany.
And that’s not a problem. It really isn’t. I told her to go where she wanted and leave me out of it. That I’d either find a way to follow her or we’d do long distance. I meant it. The last thing I’dever want to do is hold her back. But sometimes, it’s like I barely see enough of her as it is. Another two to three years of snatched time and whirlwind visits? It makes my heart hurt just thinking about it.
But at least we’ll have Christmas together this year. She’s going to spend a whole week here, and it can’t come soon enough.
“When’s she coming, anyway?” Mam asks as though reading my mind.
“Tuesday.”
“You’ll have to get Andrew to get the air mattress down before then. We need to get the smell out of it.”
I drop my head back, groaning. “The air mattress is the worst.”
“Well, it’s the only one we have.”
“Why can’t we just—”
“You can’t both sleep in your bed, Hannah, unless you want to lie on top of each other all— No!” Mam holds up a hand before I have a chance to speak. “I walked into that one and it’s my own fault, but I don’t want to hear anything more about it.”
“I wasgoingto say, why can’t I just bring in the bed from Christian’s room?”
“Because that’s where the kids are sleeping.”
I frown at that. “They’re staying over?”
“Yes. With Liam. We discussed this.”
“We did?” My eldest brother lives in the next town over with his wife and two kids. They usually only come over for dinner on Christmas.
Mam gives me a stern look, guessing my thoughts. “I suppose the next thing you’re going to tell me is that you don’t love your niece and nephew anymore.”
I roll my eyes at her snippy tone. I wasn’t going to say that. Of course, I love my niece and nephew, how could I not when I am clearly their favorite aunt? But that means there’s …
“Tenpeople sleeping in the house for Christmas?”
“Only nine. Mairead will join us on Christmas Day because she has to work.”
“They’re not going to fit.”
“We’ll find a way,” she says, exasperated. “Since when has that been a problem?”
Never. And it’s not. But I haven’t seen Daniela in three weeks and there goes any hope of private time.
Like I said. I love Christmas. I love my family. But sometimes it’s a lot. I spent most of my childhood growing up alone. My three brothers, Liam, Andrew and Christian, were all older and had moved out by the time I was walking and talking. As a result, I was, predictably, desperate for company. And they bore the brunt of it whenever they came home. I still get that urge. Eager for some distraction. For their stories and their presents and for somethingnew. It’s like an instant reaction whenever anyone comes to stay. But as I’ve gotten older, there are times when I wouldn’t mind a few moments to myself. Or at least not to always be the last in line when it came to sleeping spaces and everything else. Sometimes being the youngest is a curse.
The ache in my chest grows heavier, and I slip my phone out of my pocket and shoot a quick text to Daniela.
When are you coming again? Because it feels like TEN YEARS
It’s all I manage to send before Mam catches me.
“Get off that phone,” she says to me. “You’re not done yet.”
I drag my feet but secretly love it as she gestures me over, and I place my hand over hers on the knife.
It’s strange how you know you’ll remember some moments forever, but it’s like I can feel this one lock itself away. The light coming in through the window. The warmth of her hand on top of mine.
