💋One night in Paris💋

The most wonderful time of the year - part one

Joe's POV
"Broseph, merry Christmas Eve!" Zoe exclaimed while engulfing me in the biggest hug in the doorway to mum's house. We had decided to spent Christmas just the three of us; mum, Zoe and myself. Zoe and Alfie decided to spend Christmas apart this year as they both wanted to spend quality time with their individual families, which is still important in a relationship. I quite liked this as this would mean I could spend more time with my sister who I don't really see all that often. Not only do we both have very busy schedules, but we also live in different cities which makes it even harder for us nowadays. However, the time we do spend together is extra special and I always make sure to savour every moment with her.

"You too Zoe, haven't seen you in AGES!" I gushed, hugging her back before we pulled away and made our way through our childhood home. I remember so many stories from living here growing up, from Zoe bossing me around and making me do routines to the Beegees version of tragedy because the steps one was on her Christmas list that year, to running up to my room ready to write another diary entry, which would often entail the most bizarre spellings known to man. Mum was busying herself in the kitchen, making mince pies which not going to lie I absolutely LOVED.

"Joe! Merry Christmas, so lovely to see you." mum said, giving me a warm hug. That's one of my favourite things about mum, she gave good hugs and could make the world seem alright when it wasn't, I guess a mothers love will do that.

"You too mum, feels good to be back in the West Country." I said, taking off my puffer jacket and putting it on the door hanger. Meanwhile Zoe was helping mum make some pastry, while getting covered in flour in the process.

"Oh it does doesn't it! Apart from it smelling like farm, I think I could do without that." Me and mum both found this amusing, as it was true the Wiltshire, particularly the area we were in which was called lacock, had this constant aroma of farm and animals, quite the opposite to London and I'm sure Brighton, where Zoe lives.

"I'll make you right on that one, and I'm taking you both to church tonight." mum said, we both had actually grown to like church service on Christmas Eve over the years. When we were younger, it would often be a case of dragging us out the door, but now we see it as a nice way to spent time with family, and meeting other people from the parish.

"We haven't done that since I was fifteen! Gosh how time flies." Zoe gushed, mum nodded.

"Doesn't it just, I thought it might be a nice way for us to spend time together, for memories."

"Give me back my tie!" I shouted as I stood in my old bedroom which was now decorated more to my current taste, quite simple but classy, while Zoe was holding my tie in front of my face, both of us laughing our heads off.

"Nope." she said, and with that she bombarded down the stairs, me chasing after her and my hair messing up in the process from the high speed, guess I can blame Zoe for that one. Mum was sat on the sofa watching 'Elf' when I caught Zoe, taking my tie and putting her into a headlock, meanwhile mum just sat back and laughed.

"Things never change, do they."

"Nope, Zoe is still annoying as ever." I quip, she hits me and throws me my tie.

"Merry Christmas to you too darling brother."

"It's so pretty in here." Zoe said, gushing over the church which was beautifully decorated, it had garlands of flowers and everything was made out of the same wood, nothing had changed since we last came.

"It hasn't changed at all, and don't expect me to remember a lot of the words." I said, putting my phone away in my blazer locker while we all took our seats in one of the pews.

"They'll give you a hymn sheet, there's no getting out of it Joseph." mum chuckled, I reacted over dramatically as a joke, they both laughed. When it was just me, Zoe and mum, it felt like me and Zoe were children again, like we could mess around and goof around as though we were seven, only for us to come back to the brutal reality that we were both in our mid twenties.

"Come on, let's hear those singing voices."

That night I slept relatively peacefully, although I had a few things on my Christmas list, I think the only thing I really wanted was to see Dianne again, just one more day with her. She was worth more than any materialistic object or sum of money, and I just hoped she knew that, just how special she really was.

"Broseph, since when are you such a sleepyhead?" Zoe said rather loudly, shaking me awake gently. I shot my eyes open.

"Since ages ago, let me sleep." I sighed, cuddling further into the poofy duvet they cascaded over my petite frame.

"But it's Christmas!"

I sat up, I had almost forgot that it was Christmas.

"Oh yeah, forgot about that."