Anticipating fireworks, Christy pointed out of the window. ‘Oh, look, we’re here.’
They climbed out of the car and the children hurried off to take a closer look at the trees.
‘I like this one,’ Ben yelled, and Katy rolled her eyes in derision.
‘It’s completely lopsided. This one is a much better shape.’
Ben frowned. ‘Isn’t.’
Alessandro strolled across to them and selected an entirely different tree. ‘This one,’ he said in his usual decisive fashion, and Christy smothered a smile.
Even with Christmas trees, he had to be the one in charge, but the children didn’t seem to mind and jumped up and down with excitement as Alessandro paid and loaded it into the car.
Back home, Christy put mince pies in the oven to heat and dug out the boxes of decorations they’d used for years.
The children had put Christmas songs on the CD player and were dancing round the room, giggling and playing together.
Like any normal family, Christy thought as she handed another wooden reindeer to Ben to hang on the lower branches. Except they weren’t a normal family. Did Alessandro love her? Did he want to fix their marriage or was this show of togetherness purely for the children? She didn’t know and she was afraid to ask in case she heard something she didn’t want to hear.
‘Please, lift me so that I can do the fairy,’ Katy demanded, and Christy gave a wan smile.
Like daughter, like father. Katy knew exactly what she wanted and was prepared to fight to get it.
She thought of the dress safely hidden at the back of her wardrobe.
It had cost a fortune, but if it helped remind Alessandro that she was more than the mother of his two children then it would have been worth the investment.
Alessandro scooped Katy up easily and held her while she carefully placed the sparkling fairy on top of the tree. Then he lowered her and dropped a kiss on her forehead.
He’d save their marriage for the sake of the children, Christy thought numbly, because he was an excellent father and adored them. But she wanted so much more than that. She wanted a return to the greedy, hungry passion that they’d always shared. Their relationship had been so unbelievably intense and special that it was hard to imagine settling for less.
Did he still love her?
Because she didn’t want her children growing up witnessing a dead relationship.
She couldn’t do it, she decided. She’d make one last attempt to fight for him and if it didn’t work, they’d have to part.
* * *
She slipped away while Alessandro was reading to Ben, anxious to give herself plenty of time to get ready.
Remembering Katya’s flawless appearance, she took extra time over her make-up and hair and finally slid into the dress.
Glancing in the mirror, she gave a soft, womanly smile. It was fabulous.
The dress was silver and the luxurious, unusual fabric shimmered and slid over her smooth curves.
‘Not bad for someone of your age,’ Katy murmured, walking into the room, sucking a lolly which she’d stolen from the Christmas tree. ‘You need some diamonds to go with it. Something round your neck.’
Christy blinked. ‘I haven’t got anything suitable.’
Alessandro never bought her jewellery. It wasn’t his style. She glanced down at the simple gold band on the ring finger of her left hand. They’d got married in such a hurry that they’d never even bothered with an engagement ring.
‘Wait there.’ Katy sprinted out of the room and came back carrying a silver necklace. ‘Try that.’
‘Where did you get it?’
Katy grinned and jumped onto the middle of the bed where she proceeded to sit, cross-legged. ‘The front of a magazine, but don’t worry about that. Fake is cool. Go for it, Mum.’