‘So where are you going? Will we ever see you again?’ She shouted to him walking down the street.
‘I’ll be popping in from time to time, don’t you worry...’ He waved. ‘Oh, and I haven't forgotten about your offer of Christmas Dinner.’
‘Darcy?’ Shouted her Dad.
She turned around for a second and then looked back, but Mr. Jones had gone.
Darcy strolled up to the pub, dumbfounded.
‘Why did you take off like that?’ Her father asked.
‘I... sorry, Dad, I can’t talk a minute.’
‘Well good, so I can finally say my bit. Gareth asked to meet you in Piccadilly Circus at 9 p.m.’
‘What did you say?’
‘I said...’
‘No, I know what you said but my ears can’t believe it...’ She edged her way through a small crowd of people standing outside the pub’s entrance and went straight to her room.
‘Is everything alright?’ Asked her mother who opened the door.
Darcy began fixing her hair in the mirror, still shaken and reeling from everything that had happened today.
‘I’m okay, Mam. I’ll be out soon.’
‘Dad said that Gareth asked to meet you tonight, is that right?’
‘Yeah. Oh, Mam, remember when I told you about nana Lily and Walter?’
‘Yeah, it’s a lovely story. I’ve been telling all the women at work...’
‘Well, tonight, on Christmas Eve is when they should’ve met and ended up spending the rest of their lives together... isn’t it an amazing coincidence that I’m meeting the love of my life tonight?’
Her mother smiled. ‘It is the most magical time of the year, right?’
Chapter Seventeen
Are you sure this is far enough?’ Asked Harvey, pulling his car up alongside the curb.
Darcy looked out the window, at the deserted street. The snow was falling heavy.
‘Yes, thank you both.’ She opened the car door and was about to step outside. ‘Hope you have a lovely Christmas and congratulations.’
‘Thanks, Darce,’ said Trudy from the back seat. ‘I hope you find what you’re looking for tonight. I’m so excited for you.’
‘I’ll tell you all about it in the morning.’ She couldn’t wipe the smile from her face.
‘You’d better.’
Darcy waved them off and began walking up the snow covered pavement. The sky was clear with stars, and the cold felt fresh on her face. The billboard lights at the corner of Piccadilly came into view and Darcy stopped for a moment to let the moment sink in.
She took a deep breath, thinking of her nana and Walter when her phone pinged with a message.
‘Oh,’ she pulled out her phone from her pocket.
Almost there.
Darcy headed to the stand, cupping her hands over mouth, blowing them for warmth. The area was quietest she had ever seen London. Even the snow was fresh and untrodden upon.
She paced around the monument to keep warm while looking for Gareth, but the streets were a blur with snow falling heavily. Just then she heard footsteps crunching on snow and turned around. A tall, dark figure appeared, walking toward her.
‘Darcy?’
‘Yes, it’s me,’ she cried, running to his open arms. ‘It’s so good to see you again.’
He held her tightly to his body. ‘I missed you,’ he pulled back and cupped his gloved hands on her face. ‘I love you, Darcy. There’s no doubt about that.’ He paused a moment, looking up at the billboard.
‘What are you looking at?’ She asked and then followed his gaze.
On the billboard, it said Merry Christmas, Darcy, and Gareth.
Darcy blinked. ‘Did that say...’ but when she focused in on the words they disappeared.
‘I think so... it did say our names, right? I’m not imagining things am I?’ He asked, taking her hand.
‘I saw it myself. It said Merry Christmas, Darcy, and Gareth.’ Darcy laughed. ‘That was sort of crazy, yeah?’
Gareth was still staring at the billboard and Darcy wondered if there was anything wrong.
‘What is it?’
‘I didn’t tell you the reason I had to rush back home, did I?’
‘No,’ she replied, shivering in the cold. Gareth pulled her in close.
‘I found something out about our Walter.’ His eyes settled on hers. ‘He was my great, great grandfather.’
Darcy loosened her grip on his coat and stepped back. ‘Are you kidding me?’
He shook his head, smiling. ‘No. I can prove it to you with the documents my friend found. I didn’t want to say anything to you in case it wasn’t true.’
‘So my great nana and your great grandfather... but he didn’t have children, did he?’
‘Yes, he had a son out of wedlock before he left for the navy. I’m not even sure if he knew of his existence if I’m honest. But Darcy... isn’t it amazing how we found each other? And how our stories intertwine?’
‘It’s like we were meant to find each other... or... and this might sound even crazier than seeing our names on the billboard,’ she paused, ‘but what if we had a little helping hand from, you know, spirit or something?’
‘Or Father Christmas’s elves?’ He laughed.
‘Or maybe even that,’ she found it amusing and threw her arms around him. ‘But whatever it was,’ she whispered as she lay her head on his shoulder. ‘It’s almost like this story needed a happier ending.’
Christmas Eve at Piccadilly Circus Page 9
