wanted you to stay and stay for ever, but he’d have made you go away and-and-’
‘Hey, steady on, calm down,’ Alex said softly, brushing back a lock of tousled hair from his son’s forehead. ‘You wanted me that much?’
Bobby nodded vigorously.
‘Well-’ Alex had to stop for a moment to control his voice, which was beginning to shake. ‘I can’t be angry at you for wanting me, can I?’
‘I’m sorry, Daddy.’
‘Sorry for what?’
‘Your trip-and your contract.’
‘I didn’t want the trip, and I haven’t missed the contract. Or, if I have, I’m well rid of it if that was the only way I could have it.’
Bobby looked at him uncertainly. ‘Really?’
‘Let me tell you something, son. What you did was completely unnecessary. If I’d spoken to Mark last night I’d have said the same as you heard me say today.’
Bobby didn’t reply. He was gazing at his father, as though longing to believe what he’d just heard, if only-
Alex spoke again, in a rallying tone. ‘You don’t think I’d want to go away from all of you, do you?’
Bobby shook his head.
‘Well, then!’ Alex smiled at his son. ‘I tell you what, it proves what a great team we make. You did exactly what I’d do, just as though you’d read my mind.’
Those words brought forth Bobby’s own beaming grin, full of joy and relief. The next moment he was in his father’s arms.
With Bobby encircled by one arm and Mitzi by the other, he looked up at Corinne. She was not smiling, as he’d hoped, but looking at him with a kind of satisfaction, as though he’d just confirmed something that she’d known in her heart all the time.
‘This is our last meeting,’ Santa said. ‘I don’t usually stick around this long, but I did this time, just for you.’ He leaned down to look at the boy. ‘Do you think you’ll manage?’
‘Oh, yes,’ Bobby said simply. ‘It’s all right now. But you will come back next year, won’t you?’ he added anxiously.
‘Yes, I’ll be back. In the meantime, keep this to remember me by.’
He handed Bobby a small object that he took from his pocket-a medallion made of wood, with the head of Santa Claus in relief. It was a trivial thing, such as anyone might have bought cheap in the sales now that the season was over. But to Bobby it was a precious talisman.
‘For you,’ said Santa. ‘Until we meet again.’
‘Goodbye,’ Bobby whispered. ‘Until we meet again.’
When he’d gone Santa stayed there a while, wondering. He’d almost given up when another figure appeared in the doorway.
‘You’re a wise man,’ she said. ‘Tell me what I should do.’
‘It depends whether you’re thinking of him or yourself,’ Santa told her. ‘For your own sake you should send him on his way and marry Jimmy.’
‘That’s your advice?’
‘It’s what’s best for you.’
‘Would it be best for him?’
Santa shook his head. ‘It would finish him. He couldn’t cope. He told you about going home to an empty place, but he didn’t say how bad it is without you-how he makes excuses to work extra late so that he doesn’t have to go back and face the emptiness, or how he jumps whenever the phone rings in case it’s you, and curses when it isn’t.
‘I know he’s a difficult man, but he understands things now that he didn’t understand before. Doesn’t he deserve a chance to show you? I’m not saying it’ll be easy. He’s still going to get it wrong a lot of the time, maybe most of the time. But he loves you and he needs you, and without you he’s going to turn into a mean, miserable old man. Are you simply going to abandon him to that fate?’
‘But you just told me that I ought to marry Jimmy.’
‘He’s steady and reliable, and he’ll give you no trouble.’ Santa couldn’t resist adding, with a marked lack of Christmas spirit, ‘He’ll also bore the socks off you.’
‘That’s true. And maybe I feel I could cope with a little trouble.’
He looked at her uncertainly, as though not sure that he’d heard correctly.
‘So-what are you going to tell him?’ he asked cautiously.
‘Nothing.’ She gave Santa the smile of a conspirator. ‘You’re such a great ambassador. Why don’t you tell him?’
‘Tell him what?’
‘Whatever you think he most wants to hear.’
She kissed him on the cheek. Then she was gone.
Jimmy was up early the next morning, packing his suitcase with one inexpert hand.
‘Will you be all right for the journey?’ Corinne asked, coming to help him. ‘You surely don’t have to go yet?’
‘Yes, I do,’ he said sadly. ‘I’m a soldier, remember? I know when I’m beaten.’
She didn’t ask what that meant.
Alex drove him to the station, and they parted on reasonably cordial terms, considering. Alex was feeling cordial to the whole world this morning, although there was still a touch of anxiety in his manner when he returned and went to find Corinne. He found her upstairs in her bedroom, pushing clothes aside in the wardrobe.
‘It’s still a bit cramped,’ she said. ‘But your things can overflow into the guest room now Jimmy’s gone.’
‘Are you sure?’ he asked quietly. ‘There’s still time to send me away.’
She smiled. ‘Is there? Would you go if I told you to?’
‘Nope.’ He took her into his arms. ‘This is home now.’
‘You don’t mind moving in here?’
‘I wouldn’t have it any other way. This is the home where we became a family, and where we’ll stay a family.’
‘Suddenly you’re very wise,’ she said.
‘I’ve been taking advice from a mysterious friend. He’s a very old man who knows a lot because people tell him things. He says the problems won’t simply vanish, but if the love is there we should never give up on it.’
‘And the love
‘Yes. Always.’ He took her face between his hands. ‘I love you, Corinne, with everything in me. Promise me that you’ll remember that when I act like a jerk.’
‘Are you likely to do that?’
He nodded wryly. ‘Oh, yes.’
‘Me, too.’
‘We’ve just taken the first step,’ he said seriously. ‘I don’t know where the other steps will lead, but if you’re with me I’ll follow the path in any direction.’
‘It may lead to some strange places,’ she reminded him.
‘Just keep tight hold of my hand.’
He drew her close and kissed her. If their last kiss had been one of farewell, this was one of greeting, neither quite knowing who the other was any more, but glad to be introduced.
They didn’t see the door open and two heads look in, then withdraw silently.
‘Told you,’ Bobby said triumphantly. ‘I
‘You were just guessing,’ Mitzi accused.
‘I wasn’t.’
‘Was.’
‘Wasn’t.’
‘Was.’
‘I knew he was coming back. I had-’ Bobby looked around significantly ‘-inside information.’
‘Go on! Who?’
