page34 (1/2)

As he headed back to Holly’s, the whole street burst into light again, with snowmen and reindeer and icicles and snowflakes and Christ down from almost every house in the street He paused by the front door for a moment, and took in the display Even Mrs Te from each of the s, now The only dark patch was Number 11 – Claude’s house

‘Do you think his family will be home in time for Christmas?’ Holly asked fro at the sa he was

‘I hope so,’ he said, thinking about the McCawleys, stranded in France,Claude

‘Me too,’ Holly said He turned towards her, and saw she had her arms wrapped around her middle to ward off the cold Instinctively, he took her hand and tugged her towards him, so she stood with her back to his chest, and his arms around her waist

‘We’ll look after hi to reassure her

‘I know But …’ she sighed ‘I knohat it feels like to be abandoned I wouldn’t want that for Claude He can’t understand that they’re trying to get back to him All he knows is that he’s alone’

‘But he’s not, is he?’ Jack said, suspecting they weren’t just talking about Claude anywasn’t the only one who’d been left behind this Christmas Holly should have been ht that Jack hated even thinking ‘He’s found new friends – us for a start New people who love him just as much Who won’t ever leave him’

Holly froze in his ar in his words ‘Perhaps,’ she said ‘But then, how can you ever really be sure that soe, don’t they? A new opportunity A new job … and suddenly people leave you’

‘I suppose so,’ Jack admitted Maybe this wasn’t just about Sebastian, either, he realised Hadn’t Jack told her that he’d applied for a transfer? And yes, things had changed since then And yes, maybe he did want to stay in Maple Drive, after all – if everything worked out the way he hoped But Holly didn’t know that She thought he was leaving – and he wasn’t a hundred per cent sure she even wanted him to stay

But he knew he had to take a chance that she did, or he’d regret it forever

Just telling Holly he planned to stay wouldn’t be enough She’d been let down and left behind once too often before

He had to prove it to her

And standing there, watching the lights of Maple Drive twinkling in the darkness, he knew exactly how

‘Well, look at you teethearts’ Holly’s voice cut through the fog of sleep still surroundingto find wakefulness I was curled up against so on, was I in Perdita’s bed with her? I had a vagueasleep there

Oh, who cared? I arm and cosy, and for the first tih to feel rested In fact,‘Merry Christmas, both of you! There’s special breakfast for you both when you get up’

Breakfast In fact, special breakfast

Suddenly my eyes ide open

Holly laughed ‘I knew that would get youCome on! It’s a busy, busy Christmas Day!’

Music played fro as she put cat food into Perdita’s bowl, and so else from a tin into a second bowl she pulled frohbours,’ she explained as she spooned the food in It looked moist and juicy and meaty and delicious ‘Mr Yates at nuht be a little peckish, and not so keen on cat food He showed up just after sunrise with this for you’ She held up the blue tin It had a picture on it of a dog who looked a little like h not as handsome, of course ‘Wasn’t that kind of him?’

I showedood

There was a knock on the door, and Holly went to answer it, voices floating through the house – Christhter and more music Perdita prowled up to her bowl beside me ‘I suppose you think you’re set for life now, then,’ she said, sighing as she delicately bit into her firstfrom her voice

I was starting to think that Perdita didn’tme around at all

‘Thank you for letting ht,’ I said, between chews ‘I appreciated it’

Perdita tilted her head to look at me ‘You’re welcome,’ she said ‘This once Just until your family come home’

‘Agreed’ Because surely Daisy and Oliver would be back soon And then I could go home, for real

Although I ht still pay the occasional visit to Holly And Jack And Kathleen Especially if any of theerbread in