I'll keep you safe

Chapter 170

Two days later...

It was the afternoon of Christmas Eve. Rachel, Eddie and Philip had spent a lovely morning wandering around Manchester Christmas Market. Having never been to a Christmas Market before and having nothing to fill their morning with, they decided to do something together as a family to get them into the Christmas mood. It had been a good decision. All three of them had loved every minute.

The Christmas Market was a magical experience. The streets were laden with vibrantly decorated, colourful, timber framed stalls, filled with a variety of unique gifts, including: wooden toys, candles, handmade soaps and jewellery. There was more food and drink stalls than they could believe, offering mulled wine, hot chocolates, Gin, Cheese, Wine, Crepes, Fudge and Korean hot dogs.

Christmas songs echoed across the city. The smell of roasted chestnuts wafted through the air as they'd strolled along, sipping on their hot chocolates. They had enjoyed it so much, spending time together as a family, laughing and joking as they walked along the fairy-tale like streets. It was definitely going to be a Christmas tradition for them in the future.

Now, it was the afternoon. A Christmas film was playing on the TV as Eddie and Rachel placed the final decorations on the Christmas Tree. Well, actually, Rachel was doing it all. Eddie had been banned from touching it, because he was (to quote Rachel's exact words), "Doing it wrong". According to Rachel, he was placing the baubles and lights in random places, making it look dishevelled and untidy. Eventually, she had pushed him to one side, completely taking over to do it the "Right way". Even though Eddie knew Rachel was a perfectionist in most aspects of her life, he never thought it would include Christmas!

Putting up and decorating a Christmas Tree was unfamiliar territory for Rachel. She hadn't had a Christmas Tree since she was a child. Every Christmas for the last twenty years, she had been alone with no one to celebrate with. She just hadn't seen the point in putting up decorations or doing any of the Christmas traditions everyone else did. Eddie had been determined to change that this year. It was why he'd bought the tree yesterday.

Rachel couldn't deny it, she was grateful Eddie had gone and bought one. She had been sceptical at first, but had come round to the idea the second she had seen it sitting in the back of Eddie's car. It was one of many signs of just how much her life was changing for the better. This year, she wouldn't be celebrating Christmas alone. For the first time in decades, she had not only a partner to share Christmas with, but a Nephew too. She couldn't quite believe her luck.

Despite being pushed out by Rachel, Eddie couldn't help but smile as he watched her carefully pick and choose the placements of the baubles in relation to the lights. It was nice to see her enjoying herself. He hadn't been too sure about how buying a Christmas Tree would go down with her, but it seemed to have been a good decision.

"Can you hand me those two red ones, please?" she requested, pointing to two of the baubles in the box closest to him

Eddie complied, passing them to her carefully.

"You shouldn't be on that step ladder!" he huffed

Rachel rolled her eyes at him, placing a hand on her still flat stomach as she reached over to place one of the baubles onto a branch.

"Eddie, I'm pregnant, I don't have a broken leg!" she pointed out

"I don't care! Come down before you hurt yourself or give me a heart attack!" he argued

"Eddie, relax, it's perfectly safe! I've nearly finished anyway" she reassured

Eddie scoffed. There was no way he was going to get her to come down; she would refuse to until she was finished. All he could do was stand as close to the stepladder as he could, so he could catch her if she lost her balance.