All I Want For Christmas by Julie Coffin

difficult. She loves helping me in the kitchen.’
    She heard him chuckle. ‘I guess she’s making the most of it. There’s not a lot of preparation with a take-away. I’ll have to go. Someone’s paging me. Say goodnight to Zoe for me. ‘Bye.’ The phone clicked into silence.
    â€˜Who was that?’ the little girl asked, when Lauren returned.
    â€˜Your Daddy. He phoned to say goodnight to you.’
    â€˜But he didn’t,’ Zoe protested.
    Lauren bit her lip. ‘One of the patients wanted him, so he had to go.’
    Zoe pouted. ‘I want him. I always want him.’
    Putting her arm round the child, Lauren sighed. ‘I know, sweetheart, but looking after sick people in the hospital is Daddy’s job. He’d much rather be here with you, but he has to stay there instead. Now, where were we up to with the snowman story?’
    Quickly distracted, Zoe turned to the page and snuggled down again while Lauren continued to read.
    â€˜He won’t forget, will he?’
    â€˜Daddy?’ Lauren asked, her mind still on the missing presents.
    â€˜No! Father Christmas! He won’t forget I’m here, will he?’
    â€˜Of course he won’t. Look, you’ve hung your stocking on the end of the bed. When you wake up in the morning, it should be full.’
    â€˜Promise?’
    â€˜Promise,’ Lauren replied. ‘Do you want me to leave the light on?’
    Zoe wrinkled her nose while she thought. ‘Just this little one with the pink hood. That’ll stop the nasty dreams coming.’ She lifted her head from the pillow for Lauren’s kiss, then said, ‘You won’t shut the door, will you?’
    â€˜Wide open, or just a bit closed?’
    â€˜Wide, please. And your door, too. Night, night.’
    It was nearly midnight before Lauren got to bed, but by the time she did the turkey was wrapped in foil and waiting in the oven, with the timer preset. In all tomorrow’s excitement, it would be fatal to forget.
    She mentally listed the menu she’d planned for Christmas lunch, hoping it would appeal to both Zoe and her father. Orange and grapefruit slices for starters. The turkey with all its accompaniments. A rich fruit Christmas pudding she’d made herself, and another of ice cream that Zoe might prefer. Mince pies. Assorted cheeses and biscuits and fresh fruit.
    Wine was something she wasn’t sure about. What would Matthew like? Rick always went for red, but she had no idea of Matthew’s taste. She knew so little about him, it was difficult even to try to guess. Taking the advice of the local off-licence, she’d bought two different reds and the same of white wine. Hopefully, one of them would appeal.
    And while her brain was puzzling over this, Lauren remembered Matthew’s kiss. She was still remembering it when she finally fell asleep.
    * * *
    Mist hung in shrouds over the hilltops, clinging to the rough escarpments in wisps. The windscreen wipers of the car sliced to and fro, desperately trying to clear the streaming glass.
    Momentarily through gathering raindrops, Lauren could see the narrow road, one side close to the towering rock, the other falling away in a tumble of scree. Then it was hidden again as the windscreen blurred.
    She could hear the drone of the engine. The rhythmic swish of the wipers. The thud of puddles against the car as it travelled through them.
    Beside her, she knew, was Matthew, but all she could see were his hands, white-knuckled fingers clasped round the steering wheel. She tried to turn her head to see his face, reach out to touch his hand, but it was as if her body was stone.
    Words strained in her throat, hurting to be released.
    The mist was thicker now, like a grey wall in front of them. She felt the car suddenly slow. Heard stones grind under its wheels, spattering.
    And then a brilliance of lights blazed, slicing into her eyes, while the road and the hills and the rocks