Saturday, 5 December 2015

Home for Christmas | Part One

Delilah rests her hands on the piano keys in front of her, feeling a tingle of excitement cause a smile on her lips. “You’re not happy to be back at the keys by any chance, are you, kiddo?” her dad grins at her.

“So deliriously happy, pops,” she grins back.

He nods for her to play and after a moment of thought, she begins. She looks around to see her dad register that her return from university means the week of Christmas songs being played from the piano has begun.

While her dad does some filing, Delilah’s afternoon effortlessly dances on by with her hands at her beautiful piano. Her mum returns home from work, greeting her with a big hug as she’s still overexcited about having her daughter back in her house for a few weeks. And the feeling is definitely mutual, Delilah thinks. 

Over dinner, Delilah teases her little brother, Robbie, “You’ve just gotten so big!”

He scowls, “I’m 14, Dee. I’m supposed to grow.”

“Spoilsport,” Delilah winks.

“I could start talking about how excited you are to see George?”

“I’m so excited to see George,” Delilah calls his bluff.
 
“Me too. He came round last week and said he’d show me how to do some cool tricks on my new game.”

“Not tonight, Robbie,” their dad says. “Dee hasn’t seen him for a couple of months!”

Robbie sighs. “Fine. Tomorrow though.”

“I’ll make him promise,” Delilah grins.

After Delilah has washed up (to cheer Robbie up about not having his new tricks to test out that night), while she is playing at the piano, loving the feeling of her fingers moving up and down the keys in different patterns, making pretty sounds, Delilah almost jumps at a touch on her shoulder. She turns and squeals, “George!”

Delilah and George have been best friends since junior school. There was a time in senior school when they didn’t see each other much but when prom rolled about, he asked if she would be her prom date and she said yes. Since then they have returned to be as inseparable as they were when they were ten. Despite Delilah being at university and George proving all (but Delilah) wrong and rocketing sky high with his guitar business, they speak every day. Delilah aches for home every day at university, but more than anything she aches to see her best friend, missing all of the mischief they have got up to for the last decade. Speaking on the phone makes her day but when they hang up she can't help but feel empty for a moment or two.

George grins and they wrap their arms around each other. “Hello stranger," George's voice whispers in her ear and a happy and somewhat nervous chill is sent down her spine while Delilah grins widely that she isn't hearing this voice across the phone.

“Hello best friend!”

“You always have to make everything so lame.” 

“That’s just what I do,” Delilah curtsies as they part. She stares at George with no holding back, adoring that he's stood in front of her. Wearing a jumper with Santa on that she bought him the year before, his soft, chocolaty hair looking shiny, probably conditioned that morning because he knows Delilah likes it like that, Delilah beams from ear to ear. “Oh, I could cry!”

“Oh, screw it. So could I!” 

“Doesn’t this just feel so Love Actually?”

“Is that a hint?”

“Whatever do you mean Mr. Sparks?” 

“Fine! We can watch it. You know I love the bit where the boy gets the girl!” George and Delilah both pause at the same second and Delilah can't help but giggle and the warms smile he sends back is enough to make Delilah's breath catch.

“But first, best friend," she pauses, a little disorientated, noting it's so good to be home. "I have a surprise.”

George shifts his head slightly and narrows his eyes. “What is it?”

"Well if I told you it wouldn’t be a surprise would it, silly. Come on!” She turns back to the piano and plays a jolly set of chords and almost shouts, “We’re off! See you later!” Delilah looks back at George who can't contain his laughter, she giggles. "Isn't Christmas the best?"
 
~
 
Last Blogmas I wanted to have a Christmas story told across a few parts and it didn't go to plan, and so this Blogmas (which you can read about HERE), I am going to do just that! So here is the first part of Home for Christmas *grins excitedly.*
 
A Surprise & A Pair of Best Friends,
 
The Girl in the Moonlight.

P.S. Since posting this short story, I have written the second part, which you can read HERE and now, the third part: HERE!

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