Coming Home for Christmas: A Short Story: Part 3

Roibeard looked across at his new companion and he noticed he felt lighter and suddenly compelled to go home.

Maya felt an unfamiliar feeling of being herself in the company of another. Her trip away had been sudden and her desire to be alone greater than ever before. Yet she did not find the fact that she was spending Christmas Eve linked in the arm of a tall handsome American of Irish descent at all strange or wrong. It felt like it was the most obvious thing in the world for her to do. More obvious than all the paths she had spent her lifetime seeking and following.

As they reached Roibeard's street, snow began to fall from the sky. Instinctively, Roibeard pulled her closer to him to keep her warm as he leaned and whispered without giving much thought to his words 'nearly home.'


Maya was happy to feel his warmth next to hers as she stopped for a moment, pulling him back and said, 'Let’s close our eyes and feel the snow?' She took his hand in hers and stretched them out. 'See if you can feel the snow drops melt...' He let her take the lead a moment as they paused in the snow hands touching mid air, eyes closed and felt the snow melt as it landed on their fingertips. It was like being tickled by tiny ice cubes. There was a simultaneous sigh as they opened their eyes at the same moment and found themselves looking again into eyes that seemed old and familiar.

'Lets get inside, we can watch the snow if you like?' Roibeard encouraged her along.

Maya was happy for him to take her arm in his once more and lead her home.

He had forgotten to mention that he shared his home with two cats. They were sat pining at the door as he opened it. Despite being a Leo, Maya was never sure if cats liked her. Roibeard assured her that his cats liked any friend of his.

Maya’s mind lingered on the word. She found herself repeating it aloud. 'friend' and felt a little unexpected tear as she did.

'Oh, is that okay to say? It just slipped out. We feel like friends. At least friends.'

'I don't have many friends.’ Maya wiped her tear. 'A friend would-be an amazing Christmas gift.'

She reached up on her tiptoes and kissed her new friend’s cheek. She couldn't help but inhale him as she did. He smelt delicious.

Despite what Roibeard had said, the cats looked a little annoyed at watching their human be kissed by this other human who he seemed unable to take his eyes from.

Maya knelt down bravely and rubbed the cats in a way that seemed to make them content. 'I can be your friend too if you like ' she offered them.

The cats seemed content enough to watch the new human be offered the sofa next to the window so she could see the snow.

A blanket appeared along with two whiskey glasses. And the warmth of the whiskey loosened their inhibitions as they tried to follow the descent of individual snow flakes as they fell from the sky.

Becoming tired, Maya began to lean into Roibeard, and he watched as she tried to keep up the conversation between her heavy eyes. She was beginning to make even less sense. Muttering things like nowt and owt and feeling just raaaaayt.

He shhhed her and told her to rest.

She looked peaceful.
She looked asleep.


He looked at her pale face and almond-eyes. He wondered what had brought her to rest here with him this night. He wondered of all the hidden lonely nights before. He wondered of the nights that were to come. And for a moment felt thankful for the weird English girl, laid upon his chest, causing a slight dampness in his shirt from the moistness of her breath.