Talia's Tradition

4. Let It Snow...

❆ Let It Snow...❆

After a restless night's sleep, I woke up around noon the next day. I dragged myself out of bed and took a nice warm shower. After drying my hair and getting dressed for the day, I headed downstairs to join my family.

"Good morning, darling." Mum greeted me with a smile as I entered the kitchen in search of food. "There's some left over yoghurt and fresh fruit from breakfast if you want some."

I grabbed a bowl and helped myself to the leftovers.

"What are you writing over there?" I said, eying her sat at the kitchen island scribbling words on a piece of paper.

"I'm writing out a shopping list, the cupboards are nearly empty and the fridge needs to be refilled. I've got so much I need to do today." She said resting her chin on her hand.

"I could do it if you like," I offered, more than happy to find an excuse to get out of the house.

"That would be very helpful, thank you."

She completed the list while I sat beside her on the island table and ate my late breakfast. I had just finished eating when Holly-dressed as a snowman, sprang into the room.

"Talia, it snowed!" She announced bubbling with excitement. I climbed off the stool and went to the window.

"So it has. Do you want to play in it when I get back from the shops?" I asked, turning to face her cheeky grin. She nodded her head so vigorously that her plastic carrot nose slipped down her face.

"Okay, Frosty, I'll be back soon." I walked past her, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

  ❆❆❆  

I had made the mistake of not checking how long the list of food Mum wanted me to get was before leaving the cottage. Because it had snowed last night and there was quite a considerable amount of snow on the ground, I had opted to travel by bus. Ever since that dreadful accident all those years ago, I had never driven in the snow since. A strong emotion of gut-wrenching fear consumed me at just the thought of driving on an icy road after what happened to my Dad. Luckily the bus route in was no longer than twenty minutes. I had sat gazing out the window with my headphones in my ears, trying hard not to think about the ice underneath the tyres.

As I strolled up and down the aisles with a half full trolley I realised that at some point Jacob and I would have to be in the same room as each other. If my family had invited him over to spend Christmas with us I would be seeing a lot more of him, the best I could do was try to move on from the past.

"Need some help?" I had been so engrossed in my own thoughts and my eyes had been trained on the list in my hand that I hadn't noticed him sneak up on me.

I made a very unladylike noise in surprise as I turned to come face to face with Jacob. He was wearing his thick framed glasses and his hair was loosely styled. My gaze flickered down to look at his clothes, a Christmas jumper and black skinny jeans. He looked good.

"Is...Is that the jumper I brought you?"

What a stupid, stupid thing to say. I wanted to slap myself in the face for letting the words slip out my mouth.

He looked down at the jumper and then smiled up at me.

"Yeah, you did. Last Christmas I think."

God, that smile...that adorable, attractive smile. To be the one he was smiling at like that made my heart ache and my cheeks light up with colour.