“Let’s get those coats off you,” Mum said, interrupting me before I could finish. Relieving us of our outerwear, she hung everything over the giant Santa that stood proud next to us all.
“I love that,” Fin said, pointing to him.
As far as I was concerned, he was creepy.
Vee gestured she wanted a quiet word before pulling me to one side. “Thank you,” she said. “For taking the heat off me.” She looked down at her belly. “And this little one.”
“Believe me, it’s unintentional. The two of us getting married isn’t even true.”
My sister looked at me aghast.
“Someone heard a stupid conversation I was having with Annie and, as is usual around these parts, got it all wrong. Before I knew it Fin and I were engaged to be married, and Mum and Dad were on the phone popping corks.”
Vee put a hand up to her mouth clearly trying to hide her amusement.
“It’s not funny.”
My sister looked over at the rest of our family. “Fin doesn’t seem to mind the idea,” she said.
I shook my head as he did, indeed, seem to be relishing in the misunderstanding. “That’s because he’s got a warped sense of humour,” I said.
“You mean he’s as barmy as the rest of us?” Vee replied, seeing the humour in my situation. “He’s going to fit right in then, isn’t he?”
I could have easily stuck my tongue out at her.
“So when are you going to tell Mum and Dad the truth?” my sister asked. “Because you seem to have given them the best Christmas present ever.”
I sighed. 25th December had always been their most special day, but this year their excitement was off the chart. “As soon as I get the chance,” I said.
“Come on, everyone,” Mum said, rounding us all up and steering us towards the lounge. “Let’s go and sit down.”
I watched Fin’s reaction as we entered the room, but was unable to smile at his childlike awe as he took everything in. From the stockings adorning the fireplace, to the giant tree in the corner, to the Scandinavian gnomes and yet more Santas dotted about the place, to cards hung on strings, to balloon banners to the frosted berry garlands that framed the doorways, each seemed to add to the wonder in his expression.
“I love this house,” Fin said, his attention quickly turning to the curtain string lights that hung in the window.
I shook my head. In my view it was Christmas sensory overload.
Dad appeared in the doorway with a tray full of champagne glasses. “Right, everyone,” he said, offering it round to us all so we could take one. “A toast.”
My heart sank. I hated the fact that their elation wasn’t warranted.
“This isn’t fair,” I said to Fin, keeping my voice low. “We need to tell them.”
“It’s Christmas Day, Holly,” he replied, speaking equally as quiet. “Let them have their moment. We can talk about it with them later.”
He was right of course. As was Vee when she said Fin and I had given my parents the best Christmas ever. Fin took hold of my hand and gave it a squeeze.
“It will all work out,” he said, still keeping his voice down. “And who knows, maybe we will end up in wedded bliss.”
I suddenly burst out coughing, wondering what the man was trying to do to me. In the space of just over a week we’d met, fallen in love, he’d asked me to go to America with him and suddenly he was talking about marriage. “If that was a proposal,” I said, “then it’s sorely lacking.”
Fin let out a laugh. “I do love you, Holly Noelle.”
“Are we all ready,” Dad asked, raising his glass and ready to say a few words.
“Hang on a minute,” Mum said. Hastening into the room, Mum took Vee’s champagne glass from her, before swapping it with the mug she carried.
“I was only going to have a sip,” my sister said, clearly disappointed.
