"Of course. I couldn"t not tell them about you. Although just to warn you, once she gets going Ruby talks for England and has a thing about weddings. Don"t be surprised if she comes right out and asks to be a bridesmaid."
"She sounds like a right little character." She laughs.
"She takes after her Uncle No-No."
Slipping out of her robe to just her underwear, Tamzin goes to the large wardrobe, sliding back the door and taking out the purple dress that hangs on the hanger, hooking it over the edge of the door and running her hands down the front. Her clothes look good next to mine, there are only a few dresses and a jumper and jeans but it"s like the s.p.a.ce was meant for her.
I observe as she takes the moisturiser, squeezing it into her hands and ma.s.saging it into her leg that"s propped up on the mattress. She swaps to her other leg before moving to her stomach. I urge to help but know if I so much as touch her it will lead to more than what it can be when there"s family arriving.
"Like what you see, Thompson?" Her cheeks have turned pink as her nose wrinkles.
"You"re a sight for sore eyes, Tamzin King. Breath-taking. Flawless, and would make any man weak at the knees."
"What if I don"t want any man?" she whispers. Her eyes hold mine with confidence and awareness. Not breaking the connection, I go to her, lifting her chin with my thumb and forefinger.
"Just as well there"s only one then." Our intimate moment is cut short with the ringing of the doorbell. I rest my forehead on hers with an exhale. "If it wasn"t tradition and the fact my mum would have me by the b.a.l.l.s, I"d call it all off and have you to myself."
"You can have me later," she whispers. "But for now you have to entertain and I need to get dressed."
As soon as I open the door, Ruby leaps into my arms, hanging off of me like a Koala as I walk us through to the living room. Her brown curls are in big bushy pigtails like usual as she wears a smart soft pink and mocha dress that shows off her brown eyes. "Uncle No-No, Santa is coming!" she squeals.
Her excitement is electric. You can"t help but feel it. "I know, are you excited too?"
"Yes! Mummy said I need to be a good girl and when we go home I can put out milk and cookies."
"Oh, Santa will love that. I heard he likes whisky too, perhaps you could leave him that as well."
"Uncle No-No I can"t do that. He"ll get drunk." She rolls her eyes as I hold back a chuckle. Her adult-like att.i.tude for a three-year-old is priceless at times. She leaves my legs and runs to the bag Karen placed on the floor when they arrived, rummaging through it and coming back to me. "Daddy got me a new puzzle," she says. My mum and Karen have now entered the living room after taking off their coats, placing a kiss on either side of my cheeks as Dad and James head into the kitchen with the rest of the food and drink.
"A puzzle? That was kind of him."
"It"s got rainbow fish on it and there are lots of pieces. Can you help me?"
Karen lets out a little chuckle and shoves the lid to the puzzle box under my nose. I"m drawn to the age that it"s suitable for and raise my brows. "Hmm, clearly Daddy has forgotten that you"re four years away from being eight."
"That"s pretty much what I said," Karen laughs.
"I only got it to keep her quiet a little while longer. Love her dearly but the girl never shuts up at times," my brother says, entering the room, handing me a beer.
"James Thompson, don"t speak about my granddaughter like that. She"s adorable and a perfect little thing that-" Mum"s words stop as I follow her eyes that are focused on the doorway. Tamzin"s stood holding her hands together at her front looking nervous. Stood like a figurine, her black heels showing off the curves of her legs, her purple dress revealing her perfectly womanly body as her blonde silky hair rests lightly in waves. She can"t be any more magnificent. All eyes are on her and her cheeks turn scarlet. "Hi, everyone." She finds my eyes and secretly tells me to help her out a little.
I peel Ruby off my legs and go to her, taking her hand with a squeeze. "Everyone this is Tamzin. Tamzin, meet the gang."
"Mr and Mrs Thompson." She smiles as Dad"s now stood next to my mother.
"Tamzin, please call me Harold. We"re not at work now, dear. This is my wife Cathy."
"Pleasure to meet you, Tamzin. Noel has often spoken of you."
"That surprises me, I"ve only ever heard him talk about himself." She jokes as everyone laughs at my expense.
"Oh, I like you already." Mum beams.
I can"t help a smug grin when I notice my brother. His eyes are fixed on Tamzin. Any other man, I would have pinned him to the wall to let him know she was mine, but the fact I did the same with Karen, I let it go. Noticing he"s ignored her calls to introduce them, Karen slaps James on the arm to bring him out his trance. "Good to finally meet you, Tamzin. I"m Karen and the d.i.c.k behind me is my husband James. Take no notice of him though he"s all mouth and full of himself."
"Sounds familiar." She looks up to me with a grin. "So, Karen, do you drink?"
"Honey, I thought you"d never ask."
Both the girls head into the kitchen as the swell of bliss fills my stomach. I knew they"d love her. Mum heads in the direction of the girls but stops just before me. Placing her hand on my cheek to whisper, "She"s beautiful, son. I see why she"s locked in your heart."
A tiny hand takes my fingers as I look down at Ruby looking back at me with a baby tooth grin. Her eyes suddenly widen as a thought clearly crosses her mind. "Uncle No-No, are you getting married?" Laughter from the men fill the room as her innocent face wonders what is so funny. She"s adorable.
"Come on, princess. Let"s go do that puzzle."
The evening is going great, Tamzin has settled into my family"s way of life and gets on with everyone as if she"s known them for years. The outburst of her laughter whilst with my mother and Karen often has me smiling at the way they all are together. I love the fact that they clearly love her.
"Now I know why you had to fix her sparkle," James says, slapping me on the back and handing me another beer.
"To be honest I think it"s her that"s fixed mine. And the crazy thing of all is I didn"t know I needed anything fixing. She completes me."
"Careful, little bro. It sounds like you"re in deep." I throw him a knowing look as I take a swig of my beer. James has often made fun of my emotional state of mind when it comes to women.
"I am. She"s everything and more." I watch Tamzin as she sits on the floor doing puzzles with Ruby. "My life has taken a crazy turn least last few weeks, but I wouldn"t change it for the world."
"But are you sure?" He"s got serious now as my words and non-response to his teasing have sunk in. "I mean; it"s not been that long."
I go to speak but Karen steps in, reminding me she is still behind me. "There"s no time limit on love, James. Look at me and you. It didn"t take me long to fall for you?"
"Babe, you thought I was an a.s.shole."
"And I still do. But I love you for it." She grins, turning back to me. "Go for it. She"s gorgeous and great fun." We all straighten as Tamzin approaches, James pinching the twiglets that Karen empties into a bowl for Ruby.
"James, Ruby has asked that you help her with the puzzle," Tamzin says, coming to me and wrapping her arm around my back.
"Ugh, and there was me thinking I got away with it."
My brother and Karen head into the living room as Tamzin snuggles further into me, stealing a moment of quiet time to ourselves. I wrap my arms around her and rest my chin on her head.
"I feel like I"ve abandoned you a little tonight, Angel. You ok?"
"Yeah," she says with a satisfied sigh. "Everything is just perfect."
Tamzin.
The evening went better than I"d expected and Noel"s family are one of the friendliest bunch I"ve ever met. Seeing a different side to Harold outside of work makes it clear why he loves Christmas so much. It is because of his family. He reminds me a little of my grandpa as they both share similar views and beliefs. The whole family bounces off each other in all the right ways bringing a spirit you know will continue even when Christmas is over.
"I was wondering where you got to," Noel says coming up behind me in the doorway. Everyone has gone home a short time ago as it was getting late and little Ruby had fallen asleep in James"s arms. I wanted to come out and look at the night sky and have a little me" time as well as giving my body and mind a chance to relax from the evening"s chaos.
"Do you think they"ll know that up until this year I"ve banished Christmas?" I ask, thinking of my grandparents.
"Come with me." He pulls me from the doorway and further into the garden, wrapping my coat around my shoulders. The remainders of snow under my feet soak through my long winter socks sending an ice cold chill up throughout my bloodstream.
"Noel, it"s freezing out here." My teeth chatter as I"m turned to face him. He wraps his warm arms around my waist and pulls me to his chest.
"I"ll keep you warm." I have no doubt about that. He"s kept me warm these last few weeks in and out of the bedroom. He"s warmed my heart, reached into my soul and ignited a love I never knew was inside me. "Look at the stars."
I tilt my head back and gaze into the darkness. With limited street lights, it provides a perfect black canvas, leaving the sky to shine down on us as billions of tiny twinkles glisten the galaxy. It is breath-taking. "It"s strange how the stars make me feel special," I whisper. "They make me feel calm, unbroken. It"s like a magic you"ll never be able to touch but they heal you from way up high."
"They are special for a reason. They hold so many precious moments for each and every one of us but no matter what way you look at it, we all at some point believe the same."
I frown and look back at him. "Which is?"
"That those tiny stars represent those we loved and lost." He meets my gaze now, it"s difficult to see his eyes in the darkness. "They give us an extra comfort. A place to come and seek those that are no longer here. Let"s us know that they are still a part of us even though we can"t see them. Sure it hurts sometimes, it"s so painful you can"t breathe, but even though you can"t see them doesn"t mean they"re not with you, babe," he murmurs, taking my hand and placing it over my heart. "They"re in there."
"I know. I"ve learned that now." Which I have. After my outburst of emotion, the other week, I"ve finally found the acceptance I"ve been searching for all these years. I can learn to live again and not feel like I"m betraying them for doing it. And if there"s one person that"s made me realise that it"s the one that has his arms around me now. "Thank you."
"What for?" he whispers.
I keep my voice just as low. "You promised to find me my Christmas. And you have. But you"ve also helped me find my love for everything again. You"ve given me much more than what I expected to gain from this month, Noel."
"The month"s not over yet, Angel." He runs his fingers along my jaw. "And why are we whispering?"
I laugh softly. "I"ve got no idea."
We both look back up towards the sky, me hopping from one foot to the other as the cold wet snow starts to hurt my feet. I can"t keep my eyes still; each star I see looks brighter than the last, but there are two side by side that shine brighter than all the universe put together, and as soon as I see them my heart fills with love and remembrance. My guardians are watching over me.
"Oh, my goodness did you see that?!" I shriek.
"No, what?"
"The shooting star. I"ve not seen one before." I"m more excited than a child. "It was amazing."
"Make a wish."
"What?" I look down to him.
"Close your eyes and make a wish. It"s what you"re meant to do."
Not giving it a second thought, I exhale and close my eyes knowing my wish without even having to think. Noel. All I want is him.
My breath is stolen as warm lips touch mine with the softest kiss. They are tender and requesting. I open up for the tips of our tongues to tease one another before entering into a play of pa.s.sion. My soul swells with b.u.t.terflies, heat spreading throughout my body as his hand gently places the back of my head, and my arms slide up his front to hug his neck. He"s never kissed me like this before. It is the kiss of true romance. A kiss that speaks so many words. A kiss that I never want to end. I always said his tongue was the devil with what it could do to drive my body to a height no other took me, but tonight this kiss is so much more.
I rest my head against his. The night is silent, the only noise is our heartbeats and heated breaths. I press my lips together, fighting back the chatters of my teeth. I"m so cold but I don"t want this moment to change. In the distance, the church bells clang, signalling the twelve strokes of midnight on Christmas Eve. My heart doubles its pace, my stomach filling with an excitement I"ve not felt in years as I look into his eyes. I can"t see them through the darkness but I know I have his attention.
As the last stroke echoes the sky and grants the night of the new day, everything seems to stop. Timeless in the crisp winter air, I feel the atmosphere change to a magical sense of celebration and love. It"s a new dawn. A new adventure. A new life waiting for me to live it like my grandparents would have wanted. And my wish is that the man that stands before me will be a part of that.
"Merry Christmas, Noel," I whisper.
"Merry Christmas, Angel."
Tamzin.
I feel it. That magical festive excitement you get in the pit of your stomach every year it"s Christmas. My pores tingle with the knowledge of what that means. I"ve not felt the way I do in years. I"ve not had that eagerness to get out of bed and run downstairs to see what"s under the tree, that urge to sneak at the presents and try and distinguish what hides underneath the paper. Not had the hunger in my stomach to want chocolate for breakfast instead of a healthier option, and not had the smile on my face that I"m currently wearing. I feel and have every bit of what Christmas used to be and I am overwhelmed with happiness.
I sigh in sweet bliss at the warm kiss that presses against my shoulder, the solid protection of Noel curled behind me making me want to stay like this forever. I just want to hold him and not let go. "Are you awake?" he murmurs, his voice a little groggy.
"I"ve been awake for hours."
"Couldn"t you sleep?" I turn to face him as he reaches across me to turn on the bedside lamp, resting his head in his hand with a smile that makes me melt. It is just before five which means we are both awake earlier than what we"d normally be any other day. The air has that Christmas morning feel and I know without looking that the houses in the street will have at least one room with lights on.
"I woke up feeling a little strange. I couldn"t work out what it was at first but the longer I laid here thinking the more I realised."
"Oh?"
I thought back over everything we"ve done this past month, the way he"s made me forget my troubles. The countless times he"s made me laugh and the warm buzz I get in my heart whenever I"m with him. I feel like I am finally going down the right path and Noel is my light at the end of a very dark tunnel.
"I believe again, Noel. My gran always told me to believe no matter what happened or who said otherwise and up until they pa.s.sed away I did. I believed in everything. Then one year it all changed and I lost my way." I place my hand on his chest to feel his heart under my fingers. "But then one night some s.e.xy Santa takes care of me and demands I spend the month with him so he can make me believe again. And he"s succeeded. You"ve helped me find my way."
"It was all you, Angel. You did this no one else. But I"ll happily take credit for it." He grins.
"I"d be disappointed if you didn"t."
He runs his fingers over my collarbone before flicking his eyes back to me. "It seems we"ve both gained from this month."
"Really?"
"I got to spend it with the s.e.xiest woman in London."
"Is that right?" I beam. He comes to rest over me, leaning on his arms for support. His weight against me is the most satisfying and wholesome feeling I crave from him.
"Absolutely."
I lace my fingers through his soft brown bed hair. "Well I hate to disappoint you but there"s no such thing as s.e.xiest."
"There is and you"re it. End of discussion." He kisses my neck and scrubs his chin on my skin, making me squirm as his regrowth tickles.
"Your wrong," I giggle.
"I"m not wrong," he says, moving his lips further down my body and creating a new feeling inside me to the one I"m feeling about the day.
"Noel, I have my upper lip waxed. And then there"s this tiny hair on my chin I"m convinced is going to grow into a whisker the older I get. That isn"t by any means s.e.xy."
"But waxing keeps you looking s.e.xy. Which is great because I"m not really keen on you having a thicker scruff than me."
I giggle at the thought. "It"s alright for you. You just get up shower, shave and dress. Us ladies have to do our hair, our makeup, make sure our dress goes with our shoes. That"s not to mention the manicured nails, the moisturiser and the waxing. Being a girl sucks a.s.s at times. Sometimes we just want to feel comfy and look like c.r.a.p."
"And that"s why I love you."