One year later, on December 24...
GENTLE FINGERS CRAWL UP my arm to the same rhythm of the faint melody I register distantly. Ignoring the sound, I turn around to bury my head deeper into the pillow.
"Happy birthday to you."
It's warm, the breath that tickles my ear.
A feather-like touch caresses my hair and a soft voice echoes again through my mind, "Happy birthday Uncle Brian."
Who's that?
"Happy birthday to you." A tiny hand pulls my shoulder, shaking me. "Wake up."
What time is it?
"You sleeping?"
Struggling against the light streaming through the curtains, I open my eyes and zoom in on the image hovering over me. There's a wide-eyed, smiling, angelic face staring back at me.
"No, sweetheart. I'm not sleeping."
Not anymore.
I have absolutely no perception of time. Through my drowsy haze, I check the time on the alarm clock on the nightstand.
Bloody hell, 10:45?
Everyone's here already?
The realisation hits me as hard as the loud giggles coming from the kitchen. I'm so exhausted I didn't even hear them coming. My mum, Sue and the kids.
Liv, why the heck didn't you wake me up?
After our epic night together, I guess she let me lie in. A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth as I think about it. We both deserved one night of sexy fun. After months of nappies, bottles and stumbling out of bed at the most ungodly hours, Isabella and Emily are finally sleeping through the night.
"Why you smiling like that?" Emma asks, noticing the smug expression brightening my face.
"I'm not smiling."
"Yes, you are."
I sit on the bed and study Emma for a moment. Then I look around. The dresser drawers are pulled open and rummaged through.
"Pumpkin, what is this?"
"Why? Am I not pretty?"
"Very."
She's wearing about half a dozen different bracelets on both arms and a red tinsel garland as a scarf. Her face is smudged with red lipstick and eye shadow. Hanging from her ears, Christmas baubles.
"This or that?"
Her little hand travels from her neck to the heap of sparkly scarves scattered over the bed. My eyes get side-tracked to what she's wearing underneath all the glitter, though.
"Where did you get that?"
"The knockagoggles?" She cups the sexy, lacy blue bra Liv was wearing last night. It had probably been still lying forgotten on the floor. "Isn't it pretty?"
"Uh-huh." I don't know whether to laugh or cry or kiss her on the cheek.
Throwing back the duvet, I jump out of bed and open the blinds. The fields outside are covered with snow and Milo is crazy with excitement, jumping around, sticking his head in the fluffy white stuff.
"Come on, sweetie. Let's kiss Auntie Liv good morning and show the rest of the noisy bunch the fashion guru of the family."
"Wait." Before holding my hand, she rushes to get something. Liv's high heels.
YOU ARE READING
Where the Stars Fall
RomanceHow far would you go to protect the ones you love? A successful architect with a promising career in London, Brian's world spins out of control when the man he always saw as a second father betrays him in the most unexpected way. Left without closur...
