The Meant to Be Collection by Claire Highton-Stevenson

Author:Claire Highton-Stevenson [Highton-Stevenson, Claire]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781091679429
Published: 2019-11-18T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Forty-Eight

With just a week left until Christmas arrived, the cabin was a hive of activity as Lucy and Nicole ran around trying to make sure they had everything ready. To be fair, Nicole merely waddled around and spent most of her time organising what Lucy would need to do next, which Lucy was fine with. She enjoyed the whole experience that having children brought to Yuletide. It was exciting to see those three small faces light up every time Santa was mentioned or a new present arrived under the tree.

Cinnamon filled the air as Lucy pulled out a tray of rolls from the oven to be eaten later. She placed them down on the cooling rack and pinched a piece off to taste.

“So, we need to go into town and get some last-minute things I ordered,” Nicole said quietly as she sidled up beside her and picked off a piece for herself. She didn’t want the girls overhearing that there were more presents coming their way.

“Ok, let’s drop the girls off with Rita and then we can go into town and pick those up.”

Lucy rounded up the girls, pulling on coats and hats and scarves until they were all wrapped up and ready to go. She loaded them into the car and hit the play button on the CD player. The car was instantly filled with Christmas carols while the girls all sung along in the back seat.

Lucy drove at a leisurely speed along the road. They were in no hurry; it was the holidays, and the roads clear of traffic. It had been snowing quite heavily over the past few days, and the trees were drooping under the weight of it all. The lakes were frozen around the edges, but the roads were pretty clear of ice. Lucy glanced back at the girls via the rear-view mirror and smiled. It was such a wonderful time of year.

Following the road around bend after bend with little effort, Lucy was completely relaxed as they began a short descent down a reasonably straight part of the road. She applied the brakes and slowed gently as they approached a side road.

It was sudden. The impact of the truck slamming into the side of the car spun them around and around as the tyres lost traction with the road. It was disorienting; the kids were screaming. Nicole! The big red truck had hit Nicole’s side of the car. The vehicle slid towards the bank and in slow motion began to slide down the hillside sideways. It was surreal. Lucy’s mind flashed between now and all those years ago on the bus. Branches splintered and smashed into the car. The windscreen cracked and a tyre burst as it hit a rock but kept sliding on its downward decent until it finally came to rest against a giant tree trunk.

And then there was blackness.

~E&F~

Lucy could feel something hitting her face, gently tapping on her skin. She could hear her name being called over and over. Someone was crying.

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