Lightning Bolt

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

AGAPE: A SELFLESS LOVE

We turned up at Matt's Mum's house at eleven.

I couldn't wait to see him; I needed to be in his secure arms. I had felt numb since the realisation of Lucie and Charlie moving had sunk in.

Lucie was staying at home today not being able to face other people but Charlie was very excited to see his Uncle Matt which he now liked to call him. It always got me smiling. Matt had won over Charlie's heart just like he had mine.

Matt appeared at the door, his mop top hair wild and waxed in the way I loved. He wore a smart red checked shirt which clung to his shapely muscles with a pair of distressed jeans hanging from his hips.

My heart thudded and ached for him. I wanted to run into his arms and never leave.

He looked at me concern creasing his brows immediately, his eyes questioning.

I needed to hide my feelings better! The last thing I wanted was to ruin his Christmas and I knew today was important to him with both sets of parents meeting each other.

We all conveyed into the large living room.

An open roaring fire was burning away the wood, cackling cinders and ashes rising up into the air. A beautiful Christmas garland decorated the stoned ledge and there stood in the corner a magnificent Christmas tree at least eight foot sparkling with white lights, red and gold baubles of all sorts dotting the spiky branches.

I loved this house. It always had a wonderful warm cottage feel to the place, oak beams and low ceilings, bay windows and arches giving it character.

Stephanie walked in from the kitchen looking every bit the hostess removing her oven gloves with a welcoming smile across her face.

The house should have smelled delicious with all the different ingredients that were being cooked but instead the smell turned my stomach. I was too screwed up inside to even consider food.

Kate and Rob who were sat lazily on the sofa watching 'It's a Wonderful Life' on the big plasma screen also came over to introduce themselves to my Mum and Dad.

The day went without a hitch. Both sets of parents getting on like a house on fire.

They sat in the living area in their own corner chatting comfortably amongst themselves, drinking mulled wine then moving on to spritzers and now and again getting up to refill their plates with the wonderful buffet Stephanie had put together.

"Julia. Michael." she addressed my parents, "Help yourself to anything; my home is your home" she beamed.

Matt, Rob, Kate and I were entertaining Charlie.

He had bought along some action heroes so all the boys seemed to be in their element as they invented new scenes and battles to conquer the evil one.

I walked over to the buffet to see if there was anything I could maybe stomach but the tight ball of anxiety was still lodged inside my gut. even a party sausage looked too much for me to handle.