Chapter 23
CHRISSIE
It was Christmas Eve, one of Chrissie’s favourite days of the season.
Warm and full up from a bowl of porridge topped with cinnamon and honey, she stood at the window of the lounge looking out at the snow.
Anthony had loved days like this, and the Christmases they’d brought Sarah here had been magical as a family.
Now, it didn’t pain her to think of the togetherness they’d once had; it brought her joy that she’d been lucky enough to have him in her life, even though it wasn’t for as long as she’d wanted.
She smiled as she spotted Sarah and Rhys come into view. They were clearing the path outside the chalet, having already done Jonathan’s. Sarah had volunteered them both at dinner last night, and Rhys had been all for it. So had Jonathan, declaring he’d do his best to try and have a lie in.
Rhys was good for Sarah. She might not have seen it at the start, but she could see it now, and it was heartwarming to see Sarah larking around in the snow with the man she loved.
Chrissie would do anything for her daughter, but only if Sarah wanted.
It was hard to back off. Her brain and body had almost twitched wanting to take control when the pair of them had arrived this morning from the hotel.
As they had a hot drink before Sarah and Rhys ventured outside, Sarah had started talking about smaller wedding venues, asking whether she had any idea about those.
Chrissie had said she wasn’t sure and it had been on the tip of her tongue to say she’d look into it when her dad gave her a smile and rested a hand on her shoulder.
If Sarah wanted her help, she’d ask for it.
She assumed the reasoning for a smaller venue was to control the guest list, or at least the size of it, but again, she wasn’t going to interfere.
Astrid came into the room to stand next to Chrissie and to watch her granddaughter and fiancé outside the window. ‘He’s a wonderful boy,’ she said. ‘We really like him.’
‘Me too.’ Chrissie turned and smiled.
But a frown was forming on her mum’s face. ‘Whatever is he doing?’
When Chrissie looked out of the window again, Rhys was down on one knee and by the looks of things had wiggled Sarah’s engagement ring off her finger. It was between his fingers, glinting in the sunlight.
Her dad had come to the window to join them. ‘It looks like he’s proposing.’
‘But they’re engaged already,’ her mum said. ‘I don’t get it.’
They watched Rhys push the ring onto Sarah’s finger and then leap up so they could hug, and when they hurried towards the chalet all three of them inside pulled away from the window so they wouldn’t be caught spying.
Sarah and Rhys came inside, dusted with snowflakes.
‘Did you just propose again?’ Chrissie asked as they went to join them in the hallway. ‘I’m confused.’
Rhys put an arm around Sarah’s shoulders. ‘I did. I wanted her to say yes and know that it was a definite yes. No keeping her worries from me, from now on. And no running away.’
‘No running.’ Sarah grinned up at him before turning to face them again. ‘The wedding isn’t happening on New Year’s Eve.’
Astrid shook her head. ‘Maybe it’s my age, but I’m even more confused now.’
‘Nanna, we’re postponing.’ Sarah went to hug Grumps. ‘Thank you, it’s perfect.’
‘What are we missing?’ Chrissie asked. Like her mum, she had absolutely no idea what was going on.
‘Rhys and Grumps have been talking, and this morning Rhys filled me in,’ said Sarah, who couldn’t stop smiling. ‘If it’s okay with you, Nanna, and you, Mum, then we’d really like to get married here at the chalet next winter.’
Nanna gasped. ‘You really want to do it here?’ She went over to Sarah and clasped both of her hands in her own. ‘I would be thrilled.’
‘You would?’
‘Absolutely!’
Chrissie loved the idea too. Her eyes filled with tears as she took her daughter’s hand. ‘It’ll be perfect. And Grumps can walk you down the aisle.’
‘Exactly. And in a way I will feel close to Dad, getting married here, a place he loved, where we have such special memories. Part of what was making it all feel out of control was not having Grumps or Dad to give me away. I know you would have done it in a heartbeat, Mum.’
‘I would have, but I’m in no way offended.’ And Anthony would’ve been so proud of Sarah for the way she was handling all this. Chrissie pulled her daughter in for a hug just as Meg came inside with Jonathan.
‘What have I missed?’ Meg asked.
Chrissie immediately noticed Meg’s glow, the glow of someone who hadn’t spent the night alone. She made a note to ask her the details later. Jonathan had most likely got the lie in he’d talked about, but it would’ve been a lot more interesting than being alone.
For Meg and Jonathan’s benefit, Sarah recapped on the idea to hold the wedding here, at the chalet, and before they knew it, all of them were having an input into plans for the big day, the ceremony, food, guests, when it should happen, the logistics of it all.
* * *
Chrissie didn’t get a look-in with her daughter after that until they came back to the chalet the next day, Christmas Day, and brought with them fresh snowfall and a gloriously blue sky.
She finally got to talk to her daughter when Grumps and Nanna, Jonathan and Meg insisted on making a snowman out front, and Rhys was intuitive enough to know that while Chrissie would back off, she was still a mum, and she needed some time just the two of them.
‘Are you happy?’ Chrissie asked as she and Sarah set the table ready for the big feast. Swiss tradition differed, apparently, but this family kept their Christmas like it had always been, no matter where they were living.
The day started with a regular breakfast, followed by assorted canapés, and soon it would be time for the big feast with turkey – a nut roast for Meg, being vegetarian – roast potatoes, deliciously thick gravy and, of course, Brussels sprouts.
Sarah folded the final napkin. ‘I’m really happy, Mum.’
Chrissie looked over at the tree, the beauty of it, the gifts below and all the ornaments they’d collected as a family over the years. She was here again at last and so was Meg, and she was so incredibly happy about that.
‘I need to apologise to you,’ said Sarah, causing her to turn round away from the tree.
‘Apologise? What for?’
‘For not being grateful enough.’
‘Sarah, I know you are grateful. I’ve never doubted that.’
‘You’ve done everything for me. You always want to help and nothing has ever been too much.’
Chrissie set the last of the cutlery in place. ‘But that has been my problem. I should’ve left things to you more, and now I promise I will. Well, as much as I can.’
‘I couldn’t wait to tell you about the idea to have the wedding here.’
‘I’m so pleased you’re doing it. And Dad…’ Her voice caught. ‘He’s beyond overjoyed that he’ll be at your wedding and walking you down the aisle.’ She stopped herself from enthusing too much, but Sarah picked up on it.
‘Mum, get excited, please. I want you to.’
She held back just a moment more before she shared, ‘Imagine it. With the snow around us, the lights, the magic… you in that stunning dress and veil with the beads and sequins shimmering beneath the lights… It’s going to be the most perfect day.
Because it’s your day and Rhys’s. And you’re doing it your way.
’ She had wondered whether Rhys’s parents would expect a much bigger affair, and she wouldn’t mind betting it had been Sarah’s concern.
But it seemed they were willing to go with what their son and future daughter-in-law wanted.
The others bundled inside, boasting about the snowman – and snowwoman – they’d made out front, and while they took over getting everything else ready, Sarah, Chrissie and Meg went outside to make snow angels.
Except that didn’t last long before a snowball fight took over.
It reminded Chrissie so much of their first Christmas here as sisters.
When Meg hurled a snowball her way and it hit her with precision on the chest, neither of them could stop laughing, and when she turned round she saw their parents standing at the window of the chalet, arms around each other, watching their beloved family.
Red-cheeked and glowing from the cold and the togetherness, they bundled inside the chalet when it was time for lunch.
A perfectly golden turkey took centre stage, and Earl requested Rhys carve it.
He’d taken a bit of persuasion, but as he did so, Chrissie had exchanged a look with Meg.
This was Earl’s way of accepting someone into the family; he’d done it with Anthony too.
And they both grinned at each other when they heard him say to Jonathan, ‘You can slice the nut roast. But who knows, it might be your turn with the turkey next year.’
And they smiled even more when Jonathan acknowledged the comment with a chuckle and a big smile.