Page 53 of A Festive Surprise

When sign off time came, he was as emotional as his mama. ‘I love you all so much. Let’s do this again soon.’

‘Very soon, my boy, very soon.’

He hit the end call button and looked at his feet for a moment, filling his lungs with air, then slowly letting it go. Holly slipped her arms around his shoulders and held him. He counted six breaths, then rested his head on her. ‘I miss them.’

‘I know.’ She rubbed her hand down his arm.

‘I’m sorry if that was awkward. Being with you makes me happy. I wanted to share something good with them.’

‘Farid.’ Holly lowered her eyes. ‘You make me happy too. I just don’t want to get ahead of ourselves.’

He clutched her knee and steadied himself. ‘No. I get that.’ But he didn’t really. Didn’t she want to make the most of this? Shout about it? Go tell it on the mountain? He did and he would. But no. Her time here would end after Christmas and she wouldn’t stay – not for him. He was from a different world. And right now, he wanted to go back to that world and fall into his mother’s arms. She would tell him what to do. That luxury wasn’t his anymore. He had to decide for himself. If that meant losing Holly in a few weeks, could he accept it? He had to.

‘Sometimes life sucks.’ He got to his feet and stomped to the kitchen area.

‘I wish I could make things better.’

‘You can’t. So, don’t try. Shall we eat?’

‘Sure. I can help you with that.’

‘Come on then.’

He pulled out a pot, filled it and lifted it onto the stove. Holly wrapped her arms around him from behind, leaning her head on his back and slipping her hands under his top. ‘I can be here for you.’

‘You can. For a little while anyway.’

And there was the rub. He better not get too used to this because like everything else in his life, it was about to be cut out and torn away.

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