Chapter 33
It was past eight p.m. and Cath was settled on the sofa.
She should be watching a movie or something – it was Christmas Eve after all – but tiredness was seeping through her bones.
She must have overdone it with all the work involved with the lunch event.
That was only two days ago, after all. She wondered when might be acceptable to head off up to bed, then smiled to herself as she realised that it didn’t matter; there was only herself to please.
Cath then heard a strange noise coming from the direction of the front door.
And again, a rat-a-tat, this time followed by what she thought might be the creak of the main door opening.
A draught of cold air blew in through to the sitting room.
How odd. Had she not closed the door properly after coming back from the shop earlier?
But that was ages ago. She hadn’t yet locked up; she knew that much. Had the wind blown it open?
On alert, she stood up, ready to go and check it out, wishing she still had Shirley with her.
She jumped out of her skin as a dark shadow appeared and a man walked into the room.
Shit. Was she about to be accosted? There was nowhere to run.
What could she grab to hit him with – the poker for the fire?
‘Hi, Mum.’ Her son’s cheery voice rang out. He was stood there, with his hoodie up.
‘Adam … what the hell are you doing here? You look like a mugger.’ Cath was still in fight-or-flight mode.
‘Ah, thanks, Mum. Lovely to see you, too.’ He gave a wry grin, pulling down the hood away from his face. ‘Man, it’s chilly out there. And hey, I’ve just travelled three hours straight on Christmas Eve after working my stint in the bar today, that is.’
‘But what are you doing here? I mean, what about Dad … and Christmas?’ she babbled. Her mind was in a frazzle. Had he fallen out with his dad? Had Trev and Steph fallen out with each other? Was Christmas in Leeds cancelled?
‘Ah, it didn’t feel right not seeing you over Christmas time.
Don’t worry, it’s still all on with Dad and Steph for dinner tomorrow as planned, but …
well, I finished my shift at five today, and I figured that’d give me enough time to get up here and see you, too.
Just for tonight, and first thing tomorrow.
Dad said I could borrow the car, just as long as I get back there for two-thirty sharp.
They’re planning a three o’clock lunch. So here I am. ’
Amazing. Instead of Santa arriving on Christmas Eve, here was Adam.
And oh, that was the best Christmas gift.
She wasn’t going to be on her own, after all.
And, what a sweet gesture of Trev and Steph, who had most likely pushed back their own lunch plans to help Adam spend time with both parents.
‘Come here, then. Give me a hug.’ Her arms were wide.
‘Hah, I was frightened to get too close. Thought you might be about to beat me up.’ He chuckled.
‘That was actually what I was thinking. I was about to arm myself with the poker.’
And they both started laughing, proper belly laughing.
Once they’d settled down, after the drama of his arrival, Cath asked, ‘Have you eaten? Can I get you anything? There’re some cold meats and nibbly bits in the fridge.
’ Thankfully, she’d filled it with goodies from the stores today.
Unsure of what she wanted to cook or eat for her solo Christmas festivities, she’d plumped for lots of delicious deli treats.
‘Ah, yeah, that’d be great, thanks. I grabbed some crisps and fruit for the journey, but it wasn’t much.’
As Adam brought in his overnight bag from the car, Cath sorted out a quick makeshift supper, including feta pastries, a cranberry-topped pork pie, sliced ham and local cheeses, mini tomatoes, rocket salad, chutney and olives.
‘Oh, that’s a right feast. Bang on, that is.’ He gave a broad grin.
‘A fitting Christmas Eve supper.’
And they tucked in, Cath having poured them a glass of red wine each, and rediscovering her appetite after all, they chatted and caught up.
Her early night turning into a merry almost-midnight.
And in the space of a few hours, between her fabulous friends and her son, her Christmas had turned from a solitary affair to a sprinkling of social magic.
*
‘Merry Christmas, Mum!’
Her bedroom door swung open, and through just-opened eyelids, she made out Adam in shorts and a T-shirt, with a big smile on his face bearing a tray of steaming coffee, a couple of croissants and a silver cracker – one that had been left over from the community lunch.
Last night hadn’t been a hallucination, after all, then.
She’d only just woken, and wow, realised she had slept really well. And, she wasn’t on her own for Christmas morning after all. How lovely.
‘Aw, happy Christmas, Adam. I’m so pleased you made it up here.’ She shifted herself up against her pillows.
‘Me too. I hated the thought that you’d be here on your own.
Anyway, Christmas lunch and tonight will give me plenty of time with Dad too.
’ He was going to drive back down later this morning to be there in time.
‘And I figured they had each other this morning. I really don’t think I could stand all the cute gifting and cuddly stuff anyway. ’ He gave a strained smile.
‘Yeah, I can see that.’ It was a vision Cath was finding hard to stomach, too. Her ex and his new partner all lovey-dovey. How many Christmases had she spent with Trev she pondered? Thirty-two – blimey. Don’t look back, a little voice reminded her, look forward.
Adam rested the tray on her bedside table, and passed her a mug of coffee. She could see he’d taken the time to put butter and jam into little pots, set beside the croissants that he’d warmed. ‘Found the croissants in the bread tin. I kind of hoped they were for this morning.’
‘Yes, they were. Thank you. This is lovely. So thoughtful.’ She’d bought two of the pastries from the village stores yesterday; one was plain and the other almond. Her little treat for herself for Christmas morning.
Adam sat down on the bed, his face suddenly looking serious.
‘I wanted to thank you, Mum. You’ve always been there for me.
And those few months ago, when I hit rock bottom …
well, you were just brilliant turning up like that, getting me through it, helping me see it all in a different way.
I wasn’t in a good place. It was like you put me back on track. So thanks.’
‘Oh, Adam. No need for thanks. That’s what mums are for.’
‘Maybe, but they’re not all like you. Guess I got lucky.’ He nudged her arm playfully, like he used to as a little boy.
She gave a gentle bittersweet smile, remembering that recent difficult time. ‘I was so worried about you and with me being so much farther away now. That was hard.’
‘It’s not so far really, and I’m glad you moved up here, Mum. I’m glad you did what was right for you … after everything that happened with Dad. You’re happy here, I can tell.’
‘Yeah, it is a lovely place. I’m finding my feet …
’ There was still the odd wobble, but she didn’t need to share that with Adam right now.
And he was right: where else in the world would she have found the space to heal?
With the beautiful nurturing countryside all around.
The haven of her little cottage and its garden.
And the friendships that she’d already forged.
‘Thanks, son. And I hope you’re finding some happiness now, too?’
‘I’m working on it, big time.’ He gave her a wink, and she could tell the old Adam was back. Her cheeky, happy-go-lucky son. ‘Got the new wildlife park job to look forward to next month.’ He beamed at her as he casually slipped that into the conversation.
‘You what?’ This was news to her. ‘Hang on … backtrack. A new wildlife park job? What wildlife park job? Why didn’t you tell me?’
‘I’m telling you now. That was another big reason to come up and see you in person. I wanted to share my news.’
‘Wow, that’s amazing, Adam. Okay, sit down.’ She patted the side of the bed. ‘And tell me all about it.’
‘So, the obscure degree I’ve done in zoology …’ His tone was laced with happy sarcasm.
‘That was your dad’s opinion, not mine,’ Cath chipped in. Yes, Trevor had been pushing hard in the past for a maths, accountancy, or engineering course for their talented son, who happened to be an animal fanatic.
‘Well, it’s just landed me a role at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park. Meet the new research and education manager. And it means I’ll most likely get the chance to travel a bit, too. They have links with zoos and ecology projects all around the world.’
‘That’s just brilliant, Adam.’ She gave him a one-armed hug, almost spilling her coffee.
‘Yeah, I’m buzzing, Mum. I didn’t think I’d stand a chance. There must have been so many applicants, but they were really interested with the wildlife voluntary work I did whilst I was travelling, and my student placement at the Safari Zoo in Cumbria.’
‘You obviously impressed them! I’m absolutely delighted for you. Sounds right up your street, too. Well done, son.’ At last, a real break for him, and an opportunity that he’d love. This was better than any gift for Cath to open.
That reminded her. ‘Oh, and have you opened your gifts yet?’ She’d left his Christmas parcels when she’d visited for the run.
‘Nope, I held back – amazingly – and left them at Dad’s for later, but thanks.’
‘It’s just a few bits that might come in useful.
’ She’d picked up a sweatshirt, boxer shorts, some toiletries including a Boss aftershave that he liked, sweets – he was still partial to the strawberry pencils that he used to love as a kid – and a few other bits and bobs.
If she couldn’t spoil Adam, who could she spoil?
‘No worries, and hey …’ He nipped out to his room, across the landing, coming back with a small white box with a silver bow. She opened it to find a single pearl set in a silver twist on a delicate silver chain.
‘Oh, that’s beautiful, Adam. But you shouldn’t have …’ It looked expensive.
‘Of course I should. It’s the perfect way to say thank you. And thank you for sharing your pearls of wisdom with me … and with all those other pupils you’ve helped over your years of being a teacher.’
‘Oh.’ She was lost for words. And she knew she would wear it every day, loving the idea that she’d be able to touch it now and again, and think of her son – it would be like he was there with her. ‘Thank you.’
Adam slipped the necklace around her neck and fixed the clasp. The pearl dropped to lie gently in the dip of her clavicle, just above where she’d first ever held him as a newborn. She touched it, filled with a sense of gratitude and awe, and sat for a few quiet seconds.
‘Oh, do you fancy one of these?’ She then spotted the croissants that Adam had brought in.
‘Yeah, thought you’d never ask. I’ve been eyeing up that almond one. Looks lush.’
‘Go on then, I’ll have the other.’
They sat chatting away, with croissant crumbs, coffee aromas, and a warm glow around them.
‘There’s a present or two under the tree, too,’ he said proudly after polishing off the baked treat. ‘Dad sent me up with a couple of things. And there’s one from Helen down the road.’
‘Oh, I really am getting spoilt this morning.’ She grinned. Her old friend, who’d visited earlier in the year, had come up trumps. And crikey, even Trevor had thought of her. ‘Anyone would think it was Christmas, or something.’
*
Mother and son had a lovely crisp walk through the village after breakfast, passing old stone cottages with wisps of smoke coming from the chimneys where real log fires burned below.
All was quiet, with even less traffic than usual on the roads.
The village looked pretty in the winter months, with gardens of berry bushes and shrubs now laced with a nip of white frost. Some of the houses had a show of twinkling fairy lights draped around shrubs and trees.
Indoor lights were on, and festive trees glimmered, where friends and family would be gathered spending time with their loved ones; children going crazy on a sugar-rush adrenaline high, and the chefs of the household now busy in their kitchens.
She wondered about her supper club and what they might be doing.
Nikki with her full-on family of five, all the gifts, the unwrapping, the early start.
Lily and her parents going to visit Nikki’s lot soon.
The lads, having their own special day, sadly without the company of the wonderful Maria this year.
She was looking forward seeing the pair of them later.
And Will … gorgeous, distant Will – how was he doing today?
His daughters were coming up to stay with him for a couple of days, so she’d heard from Nikki, who couldn’t help from keeping Cath posted on his activities.
But other than that, she’d heard very little.
Merry Christmas, Will. She sent him a silent message.
Cath and Adam wandered out of the village and along the hawthorn-sided lanes, taking a three-mile loop. They were contentedly strolling and chatting, and the walking seemed easy, so they’d just kept on going. But it left little time, once they’d returned to Cheviot Cottage.
All too soon, it was time for Adam to go, but Cath felt okay, she realised, as she watched him drive away. It was like her battery of love had been recharged. And knowing that her son was doing well now, that he’d a new job and a brighter future lined up, well that was all she needed.