Chapter 15 #2
‘I know you’re right. It’s just frustrating.
People even took the time to tell Violet last night, they actually phoned her to tell her, bloody busybodies.
I worry how she is going to react to this when she didn’t react positively to me dating in the first place.
I thought at first she would be OK with it, because she was smiling when Zara forced us to tell each other we loved each other a few days ago, but maybe she was just laughing at the silly situation.
Violet’s friends say she will be horrified. ’
‘Well, we’ll talk to her too.’ He cupped her face and kissed her. ‘It’ll be OK, I promise.’
Alex nodded though it did nothing to ease the sadness in her heart. Her bubble of happiness had well and truly popped.
With just three days until Christmas excitement levels were almost palpable as they made their way to Christmas Gardens to see Santa later that morning.
Zara was bouncing with anticipation as they walked along.
Alex smiled that her jumper-and-jeans-loving daughter had wanted to wear a dress today to see him and she looked gorgeous.
Alex suspected this would probably be the last time Zara would want to visit Santa.
Her worldly-wise daughter was growing up fast and this year she’d asked way too many questions about Santa that Alex had struggled to answer convincingly.
She imagined that this time next year, Zara would know the truth so Alex was going to make the most of this last one.
Zara had even invited Quinn along, which he was thrilled with.
Immy was bringing Jacob too, to try and get a photo for next year’s Christmas cards.
Even the dog seemed to have caught onto the excitement as he was pulling Immy along and giving little barks of joy.
They had a fifteen-minute slot for Zara to chat to Santa so the children weren’t just rushed in and rushed back out and, because it was all timed and run like a military machine, there wasn’t a lot of queuing.
After a few minutes of chatting to the elves outside and stroking the reindeer, they were whisked inside the cottage which, impossibly, looked even more festive since the last time Alex had been in there.
Santa was sitting in a big cosy red armchair and there were other chairs next to him for the children to sit on.
‘Hello Zara,’ Santa said.
‘Hello,’ Zara said, suddenly quiet. Maybe nerves were taking over.
‘Come and take a seat.’
Zara sat next to him and Alex glanced over at Quinn who was videoing their encounter on his phone.
‘Are you looking forward to Christmas?’ Santa asked.
Zara nodded excitedly. ‘Yes, very much.’
‘What are you most looking forward to?’
‘My roller skating party tomorrow night. That’s going to be epic.
Having lunch at Nanny’s. That’s always fun.
She makes amazing puddings and there’s always lots of chocolate and everyone plays games in the afternoon and even the adults all join in.
And presents, I always get books and I love books. ’
‘Wow, that sounds like a wonderful Christmas.’
‘It is.’
‘And I believe you have some questions for me?’
‘Yes,’ she said eagerly. ‘How do you get around the whole world in one night?’
‘That’s an excellent question. Because of the time zones, I actually have over thirty-one hours of night time to deliver all the presents, which is quite a lot.
The reindeer are magic and can fly at incredible speeds, and the sleigh is powered by rocket fuel, making it the fastest vehicle in the world. ’
Santa was obviously quite pleased with this answer. Zara, however, wasn’t taking any prisoners. ‘When meteors hit the earth they are travelling so fast they normally burn up in the atmosphere. How do you not burn up when you’re travelling so fast?’
Quinn suppressed a snort of laughter.
Immy shook her head. ‘That kid is so freaking smart,’ she whispered.
Santa’s smile faltered for just a second. ‘We have a magical bubble around the reindeer and the sleigh that keeps us cool and allows us to breathe at such high altitudes.’
Zara nodded. ‘That’s pretty cool.’
‘It is. Christmas magic is the coolest thing ever.’
Zara nodded.
‘Now is there anything in particular you wanted for Christmas?’ Santa asked.
‘A new dad,’ Zara said, without missing a beat.
Alex’s heart leapt.
‘Oh,’ Santa eyed Quinn. ‘Umm… what’s wrong with the dad that you have?’
‘Quinn isn’t my real dad, silly.’
‘Oh of course, my mistake. I know all the children in the world, but sometimes I have a hard time keeping track of all the adults.’ He looked at Quinn and back at Zara, then said something Alex hadn’t been expecting. ‘You two look alike.’
Zara nodded. ‘He’s my dad’s brother but my dad died many years ago and now I’d like Quinn to be my new dad.’
Alex glanced at Quinn who had the biggest smile on his face as Zara spoke. He was still recording the whole thing on his phone and she hoped this would be something he would look back on with fond memories.
‘Well, being a dad is a big responsibility,’ Santa said. ‘What makes you think Quinn is up for the job?’
‘He’s nice to me, reads stories to me with silly voices, he plays games with me, he listens when I talk to him, he buys me books and toys sometimes and sometimes he buys me cakes and sweets.
He walks me to school every morning but pretends that he has to go into town to pick up some metal but it’s because he cares about me and doesn’t want me to get hurt, he also tells me he loves me at the school gates and gives me the best hugs. ’
Alex swallowed a lump in her throat.
Santa was smiling. ‘Now those sound like very good dad qualities.’
‘And he makes Mum happy, very happy,’ Zara continued.
‘I think that’s what a dad should do. They need to make mums happy too.
That’s important. My real dad used to make my mum cry and now she smiles all the time because she is in love with Quinn and when she smiles and laughs that makes me happy too.
I think she needs a new husband as well, so she’s not sad anymore. ’
Santa nodded thoughtfully while Alex blushed furiously.
He must be used to hearing personal family stories like this one and knew how to deal with them, without interfering in people’s private lives.
He was sure to say something like, ‘Well, we’ll have to see what I can do,’ or ‘A new dad is a little beyond Santa’s control. ’
He cleared his throat. ‘Quinn, do you want to be Zara’s new dad?’
Alex’s eyes bulged out of her head. Why would he ask that?
But Quinn didn’t even pause before answering. ‘Nothing would make me happier, I love her.’
Zara’s smile grew on her face. ‘And I love you.’
Santa clearly wasn’t done. ‘And would you like to be Alex’s husband?’
How did he know her name?
Quinn nodded. ‘That would make me the happiest man in the world. I love her with everything I have.’
Santa turned to Alex. ‘And do you love Quinn?’
She swallowed. ‘Of course I do. He makes me ridiculously happy.’
Santa turned back to Zara. ‘Well, it might not happen straightaway but it looks like you might get your wish after all.’
‘Yay, thank you Santa,’ Zara said.
‘Umm, yes, thanks,’ Alex said.
‘Did you want to take some photos?’ Santa said, innocently, as if he hadn’t just promised the world to Zara.
‘Yes, thanks,’ Alex said. She took a few photos with her phone and then Immy took the opportunity to have a few photos taken with Jacob sitting next to Santa before they were ushered out the back door.
‘Well, that was… interesting,’ Immy said.
‘I’m getting a new dad for Christmas,’ Zara said. ‘And Mum gets a new husband.’
‘Not for Christmas,’ Quinn was quick to explain. ‘Santa did say it might take a while.’
‘Why would it take a while?’
‘Because adults don’t like to rush into anything,’ Immy said.
‘They like to take the time to make sure something is the right decision before they do it. If they need to buy a new car, they don’t just rush out and buy one that day.
They take the time to research which model is the best, they talk to people about their experiences with the car, they might go and test drive a few before they buy one. ’
‘But how can it be a wrong decision?’ Zara said. ‘They love each other, they make each other happy. Are they going to test drive other mums and dads before they make a decision?’
‘Yeah, that might have been a bad analogy,’ Immy muttered.
‘No, we won’t be doing that,’ Alex said. ‘But this is very new for us, so we need time to get used to the idea of living together or getting married.’
She felt like she was protesting against books in a library.
Her and Quinn’s love story was already inevitably set in stone.
Zara was right, they loved each other, they made each other happy, they knew each other so well; why was she holding back from taking that step with him?
She knew this man was her future so what would it take for her to say, yes, I want to get married to you? What was it she was looking for?
Quinn knocked on Tina’s door a short while later as he tried to decide how to play this. He wanted to appeal to her better nature but he wasn’t sure she had one of those. He wanted to protect Alex and he’d do whatever it took to do that.
After a few moments she came to the door and Tina’s eyes widened when she saw who it was.
‘Quinn, hi.’
‘Can I come in?’
‘Umm… I…’
‘I won’t be long.’
‘Er… sure, come in.’
She moved back to let him in and he stepped inside.
‘Please take a seat,’ she gestured to her black leather sofa. He sat down and she took the armchair opposite him. ‘What can I do for you?’
‘You know why I’m here.’
Tina had the good grace to look awkward – which was something, he supposed. If she was defiant about her opinion this would be a lot harder, but as was the case with most keyboard warriors, they were never brave enough to say these things to people’s faces.