As we pull up into the car park of one of the local parks, I look over my shoulder into the back of the car to see Kate looking through the windows to find out the surprise.

“Are we there?” she questions.

“Yes,” Connor replies.

Kate looks at him, all confused and lost.

“Let’s go,” Mark says as he jumps out of the car. He walks to the boot and pulls out Lucy’s pram before walking around to Connor and taking Lucy from him. Kate runs around, taking tight hold of my hand.

“Are we really there?” she questions again.

“Yes, we need to find Jenny and Warren. Then, we can go to the surprise.”

“Oh.”

“Come on. It’s worth it,” I say, smiling at her. “They are over by the swings in the park. Why don’t you and Daddy go ahead and find them?”

“Come on, Daddy. We need to find them,” Kate responds as she runs over to Connor, grabbing his hand and pulling him over towards the fenced off park.

I stand back and watch them run ahead of us. I turn around to see Mark pushing Lucy in her pram towards me.

“Thank you, baby,” I say as I stand on my tippy toes and place my lips on his.

“Anything for my angel. Did I ever tell you that I fucking love you?” he asks, lightly running his fingers through my hair.

“Oh, I don’t know if you have,” I say, laughing.

“You’re such a tease, Miss Madden.”

“Oh, don’t you know it, Mr. Reed. Let’s go and join everyone.”

I walk alongside Mark with my arm hooked through his while he pushes Lucy. I feel so safe in his arms. I didn’t know I would feel like this, ever. The air has a little chill behind it, but not unbearably cold. It’s cold enough for snow. I wish it would; I want Lucy to see it. Within the garden of the house, there is plenty of room for us to build multiple snowmen and snow families and so much more. I’m so happy.

“We found them,” Kate calls over to us, waving.

I wave back, walking over to them.

“Hey, hun, you got here,” Jenny says, pulling me away from Mark and giving me a massive hug.

“Hi, Warren,” I say. I can see why Jenny likes him. He looks like a sex god. I have heard all about his tattoos. Now, who doesn’t like a man with a great set of abs and tattoos? All I need to know is if he rides a motorbike. Then, I’ll know she has gotten herself a perfect sex god and bad boy in one package.

“Let’s go,” Connor says, leading ahead. Kate is holding his hand and looking up at him every so often.

We walk past the rides in the park and the trees shading the big field. I feel something hit my nose. Rubbing it, I look up to see large snowflakes falling from the sky.

“YEAH! A white Christmas Eve,” Jenny says, spinning around in the falling snow.

We all laugh and continue walking past the football goals. I have never seen snow fall so fast. It’s gorgeous. Kate is skipping along, singing Christmas songs as loudly as she can, and Jenny has her hand in Warren’s. Mark stops me from walking.

“Hey, pop this on,” he says, passing me my grey woolen hat with matching scarf and gloves.

“Thank you,” I say as I watch him put on his black hat to cover his ears. He wants to go au naturel for Christmas, the one time he feels that he doesn’t have to be clean-shaven. I’m not fully sure that I like the facial hair, but if he wants to go without shaving, then it’s fine with me. I want him to be happy.

“ARGH!” I hear Kate scream.

I turn around to see her lying on the grass, crying. I rush over to see what has happened, leaving Lucy with Mark.

“What happened?” I ask Connor.

“I have no idea. She fell over,” he answers as he stands her up.

Kate’s arms wrap around Connor’s as he pulls her tight. “Shh, you will be okay.”

I kick the ground to uncover a large rock under the freshly fallen snow. I shake my head. That’s what she fell over.

“My knee,” she says, turning to face me.

“Let’s have a look,” I say as I roll up her leggings and find her knee grazed. 

Connor reaches into his pocket and pulls out a tissue. Getting back down onto his knees, he cleans her scrape, comforting her as he does it. He then pulls out a pink plaster from his other pocket. I wonder what else he is going to pull from his magic pockets.

“Come on, Kate. I need to go and see the surprise,” I say, trying to distract her.

“Come on, Daddy,” she says as she gives him a kiss on his cheek before grabbing his hand.

I stand up and shake the loose snow from my knees. As we take a few more steps, we are all able to see the surprise.