The Unexpected Holiday Gift

Ivy turned her big, blue eyes on him then stuck out a hand. ‘I’m Ivy.’

Clara watched Jacob’s jaw tighten as he reached out to take his daughter’s hand. ‘Hi, Ivy. It’s brilliant to meet you.’

A bubble of hope floated up inside her. Maybe, just maybe, this might all work out.

* * *

Christmas dinner went as well as she could have hoped. Merry kept up a constant stream of inconsequential conversation, for which Clara was eternally grateful. And when James turned to her over Christmas pudding and said how pleased he was to see her again, and how he hoped she’d become a permanent fixture of the family once more, Clara even managed a polite smile.

‘It’s very kind of you all to let us impose on your family Christmas,’ she said. ‘Especially since we were caught here by the snow. I know it’s been very special for Ivy.’

‘It’s been very special for us spending time with Ivy too.’ James’s pointed look was knowing, but Clara ignored it. She didn’t want to give anyone false hope about the future of their families.

Least of all herself.

‘Time for presents!’ Heather announced, jumping to her feet, seeming more like a child than a twenty-something.

‘But I thought Father Christmas got snowed in at the North Pole,’ Ivy piped up and Clara winced.

Heather smiled down at the girl and Clara realised that Merry must have primed everyone on the story they’d told her. ‘Well, if the roads here got clear enough for us to make it to the castle for Christmas, maybe Father Christmas was able to get out too. If he’s been, I reckon there’ll be more presents by the fireplace next to the tree. Shall we go and check?’

‘Okay.’ Ivy reached up to take Heather’s hand and followed her into the hallway. Moments later, they all heard a gasp, and Ivy came racing back into the dining room. ‘Mummy! Mummy! He’s been! He must have come while we were eating dinner!’

‘Really? Fantastic!’ Clara caught Merry’s eye over Ivy’s head and mouthed Thank you, but Merry just shrugged.

They all made their way into the hall, where seven red stockings hung by the fire, each with a name tag hanging from it.

‘It’s a Christmas miracle,’ Jacob said drily, but he squeezed Clara’s hand when no one was looking. She squeezed back. Really, he was coping surprisingly well. A lesser man might have been driven to distraction by Ivy’s many questions over the dinner table, but he’d answered every one thoughtfully and patiently. He’d even lost some of the slightly panicked air that had surrounded him since Ivy had stepped out of the car.

Clara had seen photos of Heather as a child; she knew exactly what he must have been thinking. But that was why today was so brilliant an opportunity for them to meet. Heather was right there with them, happy and whole and alive.

The whole set-up was just asking for a happy ever after.

Clara smiled to herself as she watched Ivy dig through her stocking. She unwrapped the bike lock, helmet, knee and elbow pads that Clara had bought for her, then reached into the bottom to find an envelope. She tore it open, then frowned at the ornate letters printed on the card. Merry leaned over her shoulder.

‘It says Look outside.’

Ivy dropped her haul and dashed out of the front door, squealing with delight. ‘It’s a bike! A purple bike, just like I wanted!’

‘How on earth did you get that up here without her noticing?’ Clara asked as they followed her outside.

‘Trade secret,’ Merry replied, tapping the side of her nose. ‘Plus we bumped into Jacob’s family at the hotel before we drove up. That helped.’

‘Mummy! Come see!’ Ivy called, and Clara went to watch her daughter wobble across the snowy ground on her new bike. Then Ivy yelled, ‘Jacob! Come watch me ride!’

But Jacob wasn’t there. Clara frowned; he’d been beside her before they’d come outside. What had happened to him?

‘I’ll go find him for you, sweetie,’ she told Ivy and, leaving Merry in charge of supervising the bike riding, headed back through the giant wooden doors into the castle.

‘All I’m saying is, Clara has taken on a lot of responsibility, raising that child alone.’ James Foster’s voice echoed off the stone walls, and Clara’s frown deepened as she followed the sound. She didn’t like the idea of her father-in-law discussing her in her absence—especially when it involved a subject he knew nothing about.

‘Dad, I know that. And if...well, if things had been different...’ Jacob sounded more stressed than he had since the moment they’d realised they were snowed in the day before. Clara disliked that even more.

Stepping through the doorway into the kitchen, she coughed loudly to announce her presence. ‘Jacob?’ she added for good measure. ‘Ivy’s looking for you. She wants you to see her riding her bike.’

Jacob spun round, apparently surprised to see her there. ‘Right. I’ll be right there.’

But his father’s hand was already on his arm. And James was murmuring something more, something she couldn’t hear.

She’d always been fond of Jacob’s father. But, right now, she wondered if she hadn’t paid enough attention to James’s relationship with his son.

Jacob nodded and stepped away, taking Clara’s hand and turning her back the way she’d come. ‘Come on then,’ he said, flashing her a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. ‘Let’s go see your girl cycle.’

* * *

Clara has taken on a lot of responsibility.

His father’s words echoed through his head as he watched Ivy gleefully cycling up and down the same stretch of driveway. The snow was still piled up in banks on either side, but they’d cleared enough that she could ride in one big circle around the cars.

Raising that child alone.

He’d wanted to explain—tell him how he hadn’t known about Ivy. How, if he had, he’d have done things differently. But the truth was, he didn’t know for sure if that was the truth.

Today had been wonderful. He’d honestly enjoyed Ivy’s company, loved hearing her questions and answering them as best he could. He’d loved watching the pure joy on her face as she’d opened her presents. Loved standing with Clara, seeing her bursting with pride for her girl.

Their girl. Their child.

But Christmas Day wasn’t like any other day, was it? And life wasn’t all Christmas Days. It was balancing work and family, and looking after each other, and too many other everyday things he didn’t even know how to imagine yet. Could he do that? He didn’t know.

&

nbsp; He wouldn’t know unless he tried.

And now that you’re in that child’s life? his father had asked in a murmur, while Clara had stood waiting. I hope that you will live up to your responsibilities, Jacob.

Could he? And could he risk it, not knowing for sure?

He wanted to; he knew that much. He wanted to try, for the first time since Clara had walked out. He wanted to try for something he wasn’t sure he could succeed at, something he was certain he didn’t deserve. But did that make it the right decision?

‘Look at me, Jacob!’ Ivy called out to him and he waved to show her he was watching. Taking in every second of her gleeful, happy ride.

Could he walk away from this? Maybe that was the question he should be asking.

When it happened, it happened in slow motion.

Ivy was still waving back, riding one-handed as she wobbled along on her stabilisers, not looking where she was going. She couldn’t have seen the rock, hidden under the snow bank. As he watched, her front wheel bashed into it, jerking her to a halt, sending Ivy flying over the handlebars into the snow.

Jacob darted forward but he was a full second behind Clara, too slow to reach Ivy first. And too slow to warn them about the wedge of snow, dislodged from the castle walls above as it slid down towards them.

He shouted to them to move, but Clara was too busy pulling Ivy up out of the snow bank, holding her close as she cried. Without thinking, he dived forward and yanked them both aside, shielding them with his body as the snow landed, hard and cold and wet against his back, even through his coat.

‘What... Where did that come from?’ Clara asked. ‘The roof?’

Jacob nodded, too winded still to speak.

‘You saved us.’ Ivy stared up at him, her eyes wet with tears, but filled with a look of trust and hope that was all too familiar. Jacob felt it like a stab wound to the heart.

That was how Heather had looked at him when she was a child. Before the accident.

He didn’t deserve Ivy’s trust. And he’d only betray it in the end if he stayed. He couldn’t let her believe otherwise, not when he knew how badly he could fail.