The cafe was filling up and a couple, about our age, were walking past us to the toilet. I swear the girl was giving us a weird look. Oh, not today, Satan! I did NOT want this to be the moment Ru discovered my true elfy identity. I dived down and rummaged in my bag.
“You OK?” He peered down.
“Yup. Totally. Just think I dropped my … er.” I didn’t wear contact lenses, so what could I say? “Edinburgh Castle pin badge?”
I was glad he couldn’t see me mouth “what” to myself. Was that really the best I had?! But he immediately got down on all fours to help look. We found a pound coin, one wrapped chocolate coin, a biro lid and zero imaginary badges, and by the time I’d bravely said I’d have to write it off, the couple had gone, our drinks were drunk, I’d been out for an hour and I was beginning to worry about the not showering situ. It was time to get back.
So … why did I not make an excuse to leave? And why did I stay chatting in this perfect little cafe for another thirty minutes, right up until there wasn’t a single spare seat in sight? And Grace had woken up and sent me a bed hair selfie?
Was it because I knew that this was the last time Sleigh Another Day was going to be in my life?
Which meant the last time I would ever see Ru.
But I had to go.
“I really better get back. Grace without breakfast is not something I want Edinburgh to have to deal with.”
“At least let me walk you. If you want me to, that is.” Ru stood up. “I could get another round of hot chocolates for you and Grace as my sorry for holding you up…”
“And for bailing on last night?” Tess had taught me well – guilt really could be dragged out. In fact… “Maybe you could seal the deal with some raffle prizes?”
“Gotta respect the hustle.” He laughed.
And even though my hotel was two minutes away, somehow we made the walk last ten. And as Ru chatted away, snow still falling, it hit me that we looked just like all the couples Grace and I saw. The ones in the films she loved. Especially when the festive lights above our heads pinged on as we walked under them, like we were doing actual Christmas magic.
But my hotel door came into sight and it was time to say goodbye, for one final time. Why did this feel so huge? I’d only met him a few times.
“So guess this is it then…” Ru stopped. I looked up at him. At his big, deep brown eyes.
“MOLLY!” A voice boomed down the street.
Oh no.
“MOLLLLYYYYY-MOOOO!”
Oh no. Oh nooooo!
I slowly turned my head, almost scared to look. But yup … worst case scenario CONFIRMED.
My dad. Back from his morning run, with sweat patches in places I didn’t even know you could sweat from, jogging over – Mr W trotting next to him.
Guess Ru knew my name then. One unwanted step nearer to FED: Full Elf Disclosure. My chest tightened.
“Thought that looked like my middling daughter! Can’t see a blinking thing without my glasses.” Dad lunged so hard, the elastic in his leggings went white. PLEASE LET IT HOLD. This was exactly why no one from school was allowed to meet him! But Dad smiled as he clocked Ru next to me, holding a tray of steaming hot chocolates. “Normally can’t get this one up before ten. Unless of course there’s food involved.” Dad pretended to just spot the drinks. “BINGO!” Laughing, he held out his hand to shake Ru’s, even though Ru clearly had zero hands free. Ru bent his body down to try and finger-shake it back. “Gabe. Or Molly’s Dad. Or Mr B. Or taxi service, as I’m mainly known. Even Spider-Man only had two names, y’know!” Wow, dads really did have unstoppable bad-joke energy. “And this is Sam. Or Mr W. Or Usain Bolt Snr. He just ran rings around me!”
Grace’s dad saw Ru’s struggle and deployed for a polite wave.
Dad lifted up his arm. “Wow. I really whiff, don’t I?!”
And that’s when Grace banged on the window above, wrapped up in the hotel dressing gown and double-handed waving. She really was living her best life! I waved back and mouthed “one sec” and then “we have HOT CHOCOLATE!”. She started dancing around, arms in the air.
“Pleased to meet you, Mr B,” Ru said politely. Dad actually repeated it with the same American accent.
“An American, hey! Well, that’s kinda cool, y’all…” Dad’s American accent was the worst. I wanted to say something, put an end to this torture, but all I had in my brain was, WHY DID DAD HAVE TWO PERFECT CIRCLES OF NIPPLE SWEAT?
“Not as cool as Reindeers ‘R’ Us,” Ru said to Dad. Who looked totally blank. “Don’t suppose you have any photos of Rodney and Derek? I miss those guys!” OK. Dad looked peak confused. The only option now was running.
“Well, thanks for these.” I grabbed the drinks out of Ru’s hands, trying to flee the scene. “I should get them upstairs – get showered. Not that I’m going to shower them. A drink would be a weird thing to shower. Shower myself.”
It was fair to say Ru looked more than a little bewildered. “Oh, OK. Will I see you in London then?”
I felt a weird happy tingle? Why? Ru wanting to see me again? Or not being totally alarmed by my dad. “Maybe?”
I white-lied. It was a “no” really. Elijah hadn’t asked and even if he did, I wasn’t doing anything to do with this stupid film ever again, but I couldn’t handle a final goodbye in front of my dad.
“I’ll take that,” Ru grinned. “And say hi to Grace! And Jess and Tilly!”
I literally sprinted inside before I could see Dad’s face.
Before I could process that I was never going to see Ru again.
Grace was waiting in the corridor outside our door, with all the questions.
“My best friend doth lie-eth!” she wailed dramatically. “You said you were going for pastries. Not to pick up some cute Scottish guy? I thought you were meant to be a Jingle Lady?! Right? Ms Molly Natasha Jingle Bell!” Grace was on the balcony peering after Ru. “I mean, all I could really see was a beanie. And a coat. And what looked like a really awks handshake with your dad. But I could just tell.” She made a low “mmmmm”. “I bet he had nice teeth, didn’t he?”
Should I just tell her?
“I wasn’t picking up anyone, Grace.” She mouthed, “right”. “I am still one hundred per cent Jingling all the way with you. He’s just that guy I was telling you about. Ru. Rudolph. Whatever.” So why was I reeling from just saying bye to him for the last ever time. “That we were meant to meet yesterday.”
