“Mummy!” Holly’s shriek cut through the frozen air. “Watch me! Look at me!”

Christy watched her daughter shoot across the snow on the sled, carefully guided by Erik with Robyn running alongside, ready to run interference.

Taking advantage of a moment without childcare responsibility, Seb and Zac joined Christy and Alix.

“Shame we don’t have snow like this in England.”

“I know. I don’t want this to ever end.” She’d never felt happier, and yes, no doubt problems awaited them at home, but that was life, wasn’t it? You couldn’t control it: you had to learn to ride the bumps and be flexible in your expectations.

These relaxed, unstructured days were something she’d relished, and she was determined to re-create some of that feeling at home, even if it was only for a short time every day or on the weekends. Life was there to be enjoyed and explored. Somehow she’d turned it into an endless list of tasks to be done.

“We’re grateful to you both for coming early and taking such great care of Holly. You’re such good friends. The best.”

“Yes.” Seb looped his arm round her shoulders. “We should have paid you danger money.”

Alix glanced at Zac. “We had fun.”

Holly came running across to them. “Next Christmas I want Santa to bring me a toboggan exactly like that one.”

Christy scooped her up. “Unless Santa also delivers snow, it’s not going to be much use back home.”

“Can we come here?” Holly wrapped her arms around Christy’s neck. “I want to spend every Christmas with Aunt Robyn and Erik and Suka.”

Robyn joined them at that moment, and Christy felt a rush of embarrassment.

“She tends to say exactly what’s in her head. Don’t panic. We’re not really going to show up on your doorstep every Christmas.”

“I wish you would. I think it could be the start of a wonderful new family tradition.” Robyn held out her arms to Holly, who went to her willingly. “Would you like to visit Aunt Robyn again at Christmas?”

“Yes.” Holly hugged her. “I love you, Aunt Robyn.”

Christy saw Robyn’s eyes fill.

“I love you, too.” She sniffed and put Holly down next to Suka. “I don’t know why I’m emotional. You’re here for another three days. We need to make the most of it. But if you felt able to come to us again next Christmas, of course Erik and I would love it. All you have to do is find the cost of your flights.”

“But you have your business to run, and you might be full.”

“There’s always room for family.”

Family.

Christy was filled with warmth.

She was probably supposed to say sensible things like Wait until we know more about Seb’s job, or We need to see how much money the cottage sucks up. But instead she took Seb’s hand and felt him squeeze her fingers hard. She knew he was thinking the same that she was. They’d talked about it the night before, how wonderful it felt that their little family had been expanded. “We’d love that.”