Chapter 38 #2
Emma sat down with her plate, suddenly aware of the joy bubbling beneath the surface.
For days, she’d rehearsed this moment in her head, imagining how awkward or heavy it could be.
But here Freya was, looking as pleased as punch to have them all around one table, claiming seats like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Carmen had relaxed into her chair with a glass of wine in hand, her shoulders loose and her face relaxed.
Emma knew how hard she worked, so today was absolutely all about her enjoying herself and keeping the impending doom of her next NHS shift from her mind.
Ben nursed an alcohol-free beer, quietly surveying the spread like it was his job to mentally catalogue every dish before tucking in.
“Right,” Vanessa said, clapping her hands, her voice laced with excitement. “Eat before I start crying over how perfect the roast potatoes are.”
Freya laughed so hard that she nearly tipped her chair back. Emma quickly steadied her, her heart in her mouth at the mere thought of an injury today.
Plates were passed around, gravy was ladled, and roasties were fought over.
The conversation flowed easily, with Ben praising Vanessa’s roasties and claiming they were the best he’d ever had, while Carmen had admitted she’d messed up the first three batches of red cabbage before finally perfecting it.
And then Freya gleefully recounted how she’d beaten Emma at the basketball arcade game last week.
“You only beat me once,” Emma protested as she stabbed at a carrot.
“Once is all it takes.” Freya grinned. “Now that I know I can take you on, I’ll be better prepared next time.”
Carmen laughed at that, and then Emma caught Vanessa’s eye across the table. Her wife’s smile was the kind that said, ‘See? This is happening. This is real.’
Emma lost herself in her thoughts. This wasn’t just a polite gathering or keeping the peace…it was family. Complicated and still very new, but family all the same.
Freya nudged Emma’s elbow and beckoned her closer, lowering her voice just enough for Emma to hear. “I like this. It feels normal. Like we’ve always done it.”
Emma slid her hand under the table and gave Freya’s a quick squeeze. “Me, too. I’m glad you’re happy.”
As the laughter rolled on, Emma sat back in her seat, soaking up every detail. The candles continued to burn, the passing around of dishes didn’t slow, and as Freya rested her head against Emma’s shoulder, she realised Christmas had never felt like this before.
And right now, she never wanted it to feel any other way again.
By the time the last of the turkey had been cleared and Vanessa had finally relaxed now that dinner was over, everyone was leaning back in their chairs, groaning about how full they were.
But then Freya sat up suddenly. “Dessert time, so it’s time for me to move seats.”
Emma lifted a brow. “Dessert already? Y-you can’t possibly still be hungry.”
“I’m not hungry, not really. But I can always find a bit of room for dessert.” Freya rose from her chair. “And I’m keeping my promise.”
Vanessa frowned. “Your promise?”
“I promised I’d sit by you for pudding,” Freya said as she marched around the table and plonked herself into the chair at Vanessa’s side. “I’m not picking sides.”
Everyone laughed, but the sound that hit Emma the hardest was Vanessa’s. It was one of those laughs that crinkled the corners of her eyes. When she slid an arm around Freya’s shoulders, Emma swooned for her wife all over again.
“Well.” Vanessa grinned. “Aren’t I the lucky one?”
Freya flushed as she ducked her head, but Emma’s heart had just about burst out of her chest.
“She’s clever, this one.” Ben winked as he tipped his bottle towards Freya. “She knows how to keep everyone happy.”
The next half hour unfolded into sweet chaos. Vanessa had produced a trifle so enormous it could feed the entire street, Carmen had revealed she’d brought homemade mince pies, and Freya had managed to get custard on her jumper within seconds of taking a mouthful.
Emma nodded towards the splodge down her jumper, but Freya simply lifted a shoulder. “It’s Christmas, sis. You’re supposed to make a mess.”
“Fair enough.”
The radio in the background switched to Last Christmas. Ben tapped his foot under the table, Carmen hummed along as she helped herself to a second bowl of trifle, and as Emma glanced sideways, she found Vanessa watching Freya with a tenderness that nearly unravelled her.
That was when it struck Emma. This wasn’t a moment she’d dreamed up or borrowed. It was real. It was messy, it was loud, but God…it was perfect.
Wrapping paper was already scattered across the rug, a bright, chaotic sea of reds and golds as the tree lights blinked in the corner. Everyone was full of trifle and mince pies, but Freya was sitting cross-legged on the carpet as if she’d been waiting all day for this moment.
“I can’t believe I have gifts here to open.” Freya’s face lit up as Emma quickly dragged a stack out from under the tree and set it down next to her sister. “Wow.”
Emma perched herself on the edge of the couch, her heart in her throat, but Vanessa’s supportive hand quickly came to rest against her thigh. She hadn’t felt nervous about giving presents before, but now, watching Freya pull at the ribbon of her first gift, Emma’s palms were clammy.
“These gifts are from both of us,” Vanessa said as she nodded to the gift half-unwrapped in Freya’s lap.
Freya glanced up with a smile. “Both of you? Really?”
“Of course. We picked them together.”
Freya peeled the paper slowly until a glossy box beneath was revealed.
A brand new smartphone that Carmen had mentioned to Emma a couple of weeks ago.
A nurse’s wage was just enough to get by on these days, so Emma had offered to cover the cost of it.
Thankfully, Carmen and Ben hadn’t found that intimidating, but simply Emma making up for lost time.
Freya’s mouth fell open. “No way!”
“We thought it might help,” Emma explained. “With school and keeping in touch. It has the latest version of everything under the sun that people use these days. No social media, though.”
Freya looked up from the phone, clearly overwhelmed. “T-thanks. This is…a big present.”
“You deserve it.”
Freya blinked repeatedly as she set the box aside, before tugging the ribbon on the next gift. Inside was a slim, matte-black Kindle. “Oh, MY GOD!” she squealed louder than she had with the phone. But Emma loved that she preferred books over social media. “Seriously? A Kindle? This is amazing!”
Emma grinned, relief bubbling away in her chest at Freya’s excitement. “We thought you might like to carry books with you without needing to drag a rucksack the size of a house around.”
“You actually get me.” Freya laughed, clutching her Kindle to her chest. “This is the best day ever!”
Emma bit her lip when she felt her emotions beginning to surface. There wasn’t enough time in this world to make up for the missed years, but she would do everything she could to show Freya that she wanted her in her life every single day for the rest of her life.
Vanessa leaned down and passed her the final gift, a slightly larger package wrapped in paper dotted with tiny silver stars. “This one’s from Emma, really. She did the research. I was useless.”
Freya tore the paper, gasping when she saw the cover of the first book in the trilogy. “No way. No way! You found it?!”
“The whole set,” Emma grinned.
Freya’s hands shook as she traced the cover, her bottom lip trembling. “You remembered. I told you about this series…and you remembered.”
Emma swallowed. “I remember everything you say.”
Smiling, Freya opened the cover, and then her smile faded, turning to shock as she slowly looked up at Emma. “T-they’re signed editions…”
“All three of them.” Emma hoped this next piece of information wouldn’t stun Freya further, but she had a feeling it would. “And book four is out at the end of January, so we have tickets to the author reading and signing session.”
The room suddenly fell silent, only the sound of Carmen sniffling to be heard. Then Freya scrambled forward and wrapped her arms around Emma and Vanessa’s necks. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
Emma held her tight, blinking back tears. “You’re my sister. I’ve lost a lot of time doing things like this with you…so now we make up for it.”
When Freya pulled back, her eyes shining, Vanessa reached over and brushed a strand of hair from her face. “We’re very happy that you’re a part of our lives, Freya.”
Freya grinned. “Best Christmas ever!”
And just like that, all was well with the world.
Emma sat back, her heart swelling so fiercely that she had to wonder if it would ever settle. She quickly took Vanessa’s hand, squeezed it, and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Thanks, babe.”
Even though Emma had loved the last few Christmases, something had always felt as though it was missing.
She’d often put it down to her lack of relationship with family, but now she knew what it was.
Her heart had known all along that there was someone out there who was meant to be here with them like this. And that someone was Freya.
Shoulder to shoulder, Vanessa leaned in and whispered, “Thank you for letting me be a part of something so beautiful.”
By the time Home Alone started blaring from the TV, the house had given way to that perfect Christmas lull. The fire crackled, candles burned low, and the mess in the kitchen had been forgotten about for now. It wasn’t going anywhere. They could tackle it all once everyone had left for the night.
Emma lounged on the couch, her head tilted back, while Vanessa’s arm was draped over her shoulders. Bliss, that’s what she was feeling. The kind that only came from a day filled with food, laughter, and most importantly…love.
Freya was spread out on the floor like she owned the space, Kindle open but largely ignored, her signed trilogy stacked proudly at her side.
She’d spent half an hour setting up her new phone earlier, proudly announcing that her first message had been to Emma and Vanessa…
even though they were right there in the room.
Ben was stretched out in an armchair with his alcohol-free beer, chuckling at the film, while Carmen was slouched against a cushion, glass of wine in hand.
That edge of uncertainty was gone, and it had been replaced with the stillness of people who had nothing against one another.
As they sat here, each and every one of them knew it was for a reason.
For Freya.
Emma tightened her hold on Vanessa’s hand, brushing her thumb over her knuckles. Everything about today had felt surreal. It had been easy in so many ways she hadn’t dared to hope for.
“Emma?”
Her gaze landed on Freya as she shuffled up from the floor and climbed onto the couch without hesitation, squeezing herself into the space at Emma’s side. Emma looped an arm around her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Comfy now?”
“Mmhmm.” Freya snuggled closer and pulled the blanket over her knees. For a while, she was quiet, just watching the film, the glow of the tree lights playing over her face.
Emma settled in again. She couldn’t stop thinking about how she’d missed all the other Christmases and all the birthdays. All the everyday, ordinary things. But here, tonight, Freya was warm and cosy against her side…and Emma clung to it with everything she had.
It was almost the end of the film when Freya tilted her head back, her voice barely above a whisper. “Emma?”
“Yeah?” Emma stroked her hair gently, bracing herself for one of the impossible questions Freya sometimes carried around with her.
“You’re the best sister in the world.” Freya’s gaze held steady. “I love you so much.”
Those words knocked the breath right out of Emma, tears stinging her eyes before she could blink them away. She hugged Freya tighter, pressing her face into her hair. “I love you, too. More than I can ever explain.”
Vanessa’s hand slid over Emma’s back, grounding her, and as Emma glanced up through the blur of tears to see Carmen watching, her own expression was caught somewhere between pride and sorrow.
She regarded Emma with a smile, nodding slowly, likely acknowledging what they deserved with one another.
A chance to figure out the bond that was so cruelly stolen from them.
Freya sighed, her whole body relaxing against Emma as though she’d been waiting for this moment all along. Emma absorbed it all. Freya’s words, Vanessa’s gentle touch, and the quiet warmth of a Christmas she would never, ever forget.