Free Golden Christmas by Helen Scott Taylor

her, rubbing her
ears and petting her. "I know what you want, and it involves a
ball," Jonathan said to his dog.
    "I'll make a cup of tea, and then we can take
her out." Vicky climbed out of bed and glanced through the window
while she pulled on Jonathan's green-and-red-checked robe. The
amazing view over the Rosemoor gardens resembled a winter
wonderland, and her heart soared.
    "Jon, it snowed last night. Everything's
covered in a crisp white frosting. There are patches of blue sky
visible between the gray clouds, and the sun's shining through the
gaps, sparkling on the snow and ice. The grass, trees, and bushes
look as though they're covered in diamonds."
    She tore her gaze from the view and glanced
over her shoulder. Jonathan leaned back against his pillow, a
faraway look on his face as he ran his palm along Honey's back. "I
remember the garden looking like that when I was a boy. Back then I
couldn't wait to get outside and break the ice on the lake, and
have a snowball fight with my brother."
    The thought of boys playing in the snow sent
a shot of pain through Vicky as she remembered her precious photos
of Colin and Josh with their snowman. The mental image slowly
morphed as she imagined Jonathan as a boy running around on the
lawn outside, having fun.
    He held out a hand, and she stepped closer
and took it. He drew her near and pressed a kiss on her knuckles.
"Thank you for describing what you can see. You've no idea how much
that means to me."
    To know she'd given Jonathan pleasure left
her with a warm fuzzy feeling. Being with him was starting to fill
the gaping void that losing Colin and Josh had left in her
life.
    Vicky kissed the scar on Jonathan's forehead,
purposely choosing that spot to show him it didn't matter to her.
"I'll make the tea. Be back in a moment."
    She boiled the kettle and made two mugs of
the English breakfast tea Jonathan liked, then carried them back to
the bedroom. Honey had laid her head on Jonathan's lap and was
asleep with a satisfied look on her face.
    "Don't worry, baby," Vicky said, rubbing
Honey's ears as she settled beside her on the bed. "I'm not going
to steal your master. We can share him." Honey's tail thumped on
the covers, and she licked Vicky's hand as if to say she
understood.
    When they'd finished their tea, Jonathan put
on his dressing gown and took Honey outside for fifteen minutes
while Vicky cooked a full English breakfast. They went back to bed
to eat, leaning against the pillows with trays on their laps.
    Vicky never wanted this perfect Christmas
morning to end, but all too soon the clock in the sitting room
chimed midday. "We need to think about getting up. Shelly is
expecting us at two for Christmas dinner, and I want to give Honey
a decent walk first."
    Vicky set aside her tray and pressed her
fingertips to her temples. She really should call her mum and dad,
and she was putting it off.
    "I think I'll go to my room for a shower.
I'll meet you back here in thirty minutes to take Honey out." While
she was alone, she would make her quick call to her parents and get
it over with.
    She carried the trays to the kitchen and
loaded the dishwasher, then stopped by the bathroom to kiss
Jonathan's stubbly cheek while he brushed his teeth. "See you in a
little while."
    Back in her room, she decided to shower first
and call afterwards. She set the shower running and pulled off her
robe. She was about to step under the water when her mobile phone
rang. Shutting off the water, she dashed back into the bedroom,
wrapped in a towel. Her heart pinched at the sight of her mum's
name on her phone screen.
    She wanted to speak to them but it was always
so awkward, like walking on broken glass. Scooping back her hair,
she released a sigh as she lifted the phone to her ear and tried to
recover the happiness she'd felt earlier.
    "Hi, Mum. Merry Christmas." Vicky plopped
down on the red velvet chair in front of the dressing table and
pasted on a smile as she stared at her reflection in