Where I Found You

Epilogue - Will, once more.

All of them hug me, before going through to the living room to greet the kids. I lock the door, blocking out the frosty air and snow, almost slipping on the tiled floor from the already melting snow that they've brought in with them.

Inside, Stella is tutting as she begins to braid Aria's hair correctly, having pulled her onto a chair. "Don't let your dad do your hair again! This is a disaster!"

Aria looks up at me and giggles, as I pull a guilty face. I spot Dan knelt beside James and Jacob as they're watching a film on the TV. He slides wrapped presents onto their laps discreetly, grinning.

James is ten now and he thinks he's the boss around here. He tries to open Jacob's present for him, but Jake slaps his hand away with a frown as James simultaneously rips open his present, gasping.

"Oh my- Whoa!" He takes out one of those Nerf guns, loaded with bullets, before leaping up and running over to Dan, who is hugging Alyssa. He dances around them, waving the weapon in the air.

"Uncle Dan! Uncle Dan! Thank you, SO MUCH!" He yells, as Dan grins and pats his head.

"That's alright, mate. I hope you've got me a present that's just as good." He jokes, and winks.

I look over to where Aria is carefully peeling her wrapping paper off her gifts, just as Jess appears in front of me with a sweet smile, placing two packages and a card in my hand. "Here you are. These are from all of us."

Smiling, I hug her. "Thanks, Jess. Your presents are under the tree."

"Oooh, great." Her eyes light up. I still think of her as so young when she's seventeen now. I thought I was so much more grown up at that age. She looks at me before saying, "Oh, Stella asks if Madi and Drew can come round later."

Madi is Dan's current girlfriend, and Drew is Stella's boyfriend. They're both brother and sister and they met because Madi is Stella's room mate in university. Michael was a bit edgy about her dating the girl's older brother apparently, but they've been together for about two years or something. I've met them, too, and they're nice.

"Oh, that's fine. Of course." I nod, and then dart into the kitchen, just to check on the turkey while Alyssa's handing out presents. Everything is fine, so I go back inside just as the doorbell rings.

It's my parents, and my sister and her husband Luke, with the baby Ky. They got married three years ago, and Ky is two. He's loud and tantrum-y and Luke is a quiet guy. My parents hug me tight, and mum and Leila kiss my cheek. I shake hands with Luke, and when he sees the amount of people, and Ky totters over to Jacob, he lets out a breath.

"Looks like we're in for a night here."

And right we are. Everyone gives each other their presents, and everyone crowds round the table, just as Alyssa's twenty-two year old brother Phillip arrives, followed by Madi and Drew. I sit in between Alyssa and Jacob as the adults talk and the kids pull crackers and make jokes. My parents and Michael and Alyssa and Leila ask Dan and Stella and Phillip and Madi and Drew about university, and then I talk to Luke and Dan about sport. It's just like any other family's Christmas Day, but then again it isn't - Alyssa's parents should be here and Dan and Stella and Jess's mum should be here, and their brother should be here too. But if they were, I wouldn't be a part of this family.

It's all too much to think about, so I stop in the end.

Katy and Niall drop off some presents at around nine, bringing along their daughter Rachel, who is six, and by then all the children have gone to sleep except for James, of course. Leila and Luke and my parents go home, as well as Phillip and Madi and Dan and Stella and Drew. Michael and Jess stay for a while before deciding to troop back home, and suddenly the house is quiet again.

By ten we manage to get James to bed, and Aria and Jacob get tucked away too. As Alyssa begins to undress in our room, I lay down on the bed and close my eyes.

"That was fun."

I hear her laugh, as she opens the wardrobe door. "It was. I think everyone had a good time. And enjoyed the food."

"Course they did. Our cooking combined is exemplary." Sitting up, I smile at her and take off my shirt, as she wanders into the connecting bathroom.

"The best part of Christmas," she calls softly back to me, as I hear the water running. I change as she comes back out, to stare out the window.

When I come back to her, after brushing my teeth, she's still staring out at the street. I stare at her, before walking over to wrap my arms around her waist, resting my chin on her shoulder.

"What are you thinking about?"

She turns around, to stare up at me, her face so gentle and beautiful and young and glowing. "How happy I am." After a thoughtful pause, she says, her eyes gleaming, "I'm very happy, Will. I love you. I love James and Jacob and Aria too, and I don't seem to tell you all enough."

"No, I know how much you love us." I smile at her and wrap my arms around her back, pulling her into a hug. "I love you too."

I feel her nuzzle her face into my chest, and I bring my hand up to close the curtains, then stroke her cheek. And she doesn't let go of me for a long time, which is rather comforting.