It’s Christmas, and Rhys and I are spending it for the first time at Mum’s place.

Previously, we’d see her over the holidays but always spent most of it with Dad. It made sense because he’s alone, and neither of us ever wants to have him lonely at Christmas. But this year, he’d booked himself on a cruise, shocking us all, including himself.

“It’s time to live a little,” he told us both. “It’s time for me to live a little.”

We couldn’t argue with that, but it was still weird to kiss him goodbye before he left for the boat.

Because we’re at Mum’s, Rhys and I decide we should buy Galen a gift, and we save up to buy him tickets to a gig by his favourite band.

His brow furrows when he opens the ticket, not quite a frown, but not the reaction I expected, and the look on his face stays with me the entire day. I thought he'd like it. It was my idea, not Rhys'. He only wanted to get him some aftershave that was half-price from Boots, and I had a job to persuade him to spend the extra money.

I get all the presents that I asked for, including another new phone because I dropped the last one when Rhys jumped out of Mum's green wheelie bin and scared me. It hit the concrete path instead of their perfect emerald lawn and the screen cracked like a spider web.

The gift I'm most excited about getting, though, is the new DVD of Mamma Mia. Mum and I went to the cinema to watch it on one of our rare girlie days out without Rhys, Galen or Max, and I've loved it ever since.

I don’t know if it’s the film that holds so much appeal for me or the feeling I get when I watch it.

Like I’m whole again and not missing a piece of myself.

"Can we watch this?" I ask late into the evening, while we all lay sprawled in the living room after stuffing our faces all day and ending up in a food-coma.

Mum and Max share a smile and make up a lame excuse about wanting an early night. They disappear with a quick round of ‘Merry Christmases.’

Rhys and Galen share a long look and I can practically see speech bubbles popping above their heads that are filled with more lame excuses.

I think I need to wash my hair.

All that turkey has done me in, I need my bed.

Maybe next year when I’m sick with the flu and can’t say no.

"I can watch it in my bedroom," I say sullenly, as I stand and head for the stairs.

Rhys lunges off the floor and darts up the stairs before me. When I get to the top he hooks his arm around my neck and ruffles my hair. "C'mon, Fflur. Don’t sulk. I'll watch it with you."

I shrug out of his hold. "It's okay. I don’t think I’m going to bother. I'm a bit tired after stuffing my face with all that food. I just want to sleep it off. Plus," I say with a wry grin. “Some idiot was bouncing on my bed at five in the morning wanting to open presents. It’s funny how you can’t crawl out of bed before midday at any other time of the year.”

He grins at me and waggles his eyebrows. "If you can’t get excited at Christmas, when can you? Are you sure, you don’t want to watch it?"

"Yeah, it's fine. Promise.”

“Okay, then,” he says before ruffling my hair once more. “Goodnight, Sis. Merry Christmas." He goes into his bedroom and shuts the door.

When I reach my bedroom door, I stop dead.

Placed outside, leaning awkwardly against the door frame is a bouquet of wildflowers.

It's winter.

These wildflowers haven't been picked from a local meadow or field, and they've been perfectly arranged and tied with an elaborate red and gold festive ribbon. These wildflowers were bought. These wildflowers were left for me by Galen.

I bend down to pick up the small bouquet, and notice the dryness of their stems—they need water, and they're beginning to droop.

Footsteps come down the hall behind me, and even without turning I know it's him.

"Thanks," I say quietly, and he stops a few feet away.

“For what?”

I indicate to the flowers in my hand.

"Nothing to do with me," he states, but he’s smiling.

I play along. "Shame, because they're beautiful. I miss them in the winter." I look directly into his eyes and add,” But if wasn’t you, and it wasn’t Rhys, and I doubt it was Max or Mum because they’ve already given me loads of gifts, I guess it must be Santa?"

"Probably or just a random person who wanted to make you smile at Christmas," Galen says as he leans forward and plucks the Mamma Mia DVD from my other hand.

"If you’re not going to watch this, I will,” he says as he walks away, shooting me a cheeky grin over his shoulder.

He wants me to follow.

I open my bedroom door and call back, “Enjoy.” But before I can close it on him, he darts back to my doorway and says, “Don’t make me watch it on my own. Who will I have to sing along with?”

I shrug, and lift my eyebrows.

“Come on, funny Fflur,” he says as he grips my free hand, my flowers still held tightly in the other. “Take a chance on me.”