Once Upon a Winter: All Four Parts in One - Plus an Exclusive Extra Short Story...

by Tilly Tennant

  *

  The journey home was almost silent. Any pleasant tipsiness that Hannah had enjoyed earlier had now been replaced by nausea and a feeling of utter misery. She’d been having such a good night until Mr and Mrs Perfect turned up to ruin it. It was as though the moment in the lane had never happened, and Hannah and Mitchell had reverted to the strangers they really were.

  When they eventually pulled up outside her house, the silence was broken by Hannah.

  ‘Thanks,’ she said, not even sure what she was thanking them for. It certainly wasn’t for the lift home, which she’d wanted like a pocket full of cold jelly, and it wasn’t for ruining her night either. It definitely wasn’t for Mitchell helping to screw her up good and proper. She almost longed for the days when Jason had been around to screw her up instead. At least him having a good old fashioned affair was something normal that she’d known how to deal with. ‘I don’t suppose you could let Gina know I’ve come home if you see her,’ Hannah added.

  ‘Oh, I doubt we’ll be going back to the party now,’ Martine said icily. ‘What’s the point?’

  Mitchell threw her a tired look. ‘I didn’t want to go to the party in the first place so it suits me.’

  ‘You never want to go anywhere these days,’ Martine shot back.

  ‘Well, in case you hadn’t noticed there’s a very good reason for that.’

  ‘Right…’ Hannah interrupted. The last thing she needed now was to witness a domestic. ‘I’m sure she’s seen my text anyway. I just didn’t want her to miss me and wonder where I was.’

  ‘I don’t think that will happen,’ Martine said. ‘If she’s the woman Mitchell pointed out to me, she looked very happy last time I saw her on her way out of the ballroom with a bit of fluff.’

  Hannah wanted to ask what she meant by this loaded comment, but instead, she left them without another word, aware of Mitchell’s eyes on her as she made her way up the garden path, fishing for her keys as she went. It wasn’t until she slammed the front door shut and was safe inside that she heard the engine finally rev up to signal they were leaving.

  Kicking off her shoes on the way through to the kitchen, Hannah sent another text to Gina to let her know she was back. She was slightly cross that Gina hadn’t replied to the last one, but realised she was going to have to wait to vent her frustrations. Instead, she busied herself changing into fluffy pyjamas and getting the fire going while she mused on her night. Mitchell’s face kept popping up, his words swimming around in her head, and the awful truth was beginning to dawn on her. He didn’t know his own mind, and his confession of how he felt was most probably flawed and not real at all – but Hannah’s mind was sound, and that made it worse. She could deny it all she wanted but the ache in her heart every time she thought of that kiss, when she recalled his arms around her, told a different story. Through guilt, or a sense of duty, or for whatever reason, Hannah had to accept that she was not going to break them up. Mitchell and Martine had to work out their issues without her muddying the water. So where did that leave her? Even if she gave in to her desires there could there be no future with him.

  *

  Hannah bolted up on the sofa. She shivered, noting that the fire had burned down in the grate while she slept. It probably hadn’t been very good to start with, as she’d been far too drunk to do a decent job of building it. The blanket she’d tucked over herself had slid off too, and now lay in a heap on the floor next to the cold cup of strong tea she’d made and then forgotten to drink. She grabbed it and took a swig anyway, her mouth as dry as sand. It took a few moments to focus, and then she realised that it was a knock at the front door that had woken her.

  It came again, more like impatient hammering this time.

  ‘Alright, alright…’ Hannah muttered as she toppled off the sofa and got to her feet. As soon as she was upright the room began to spin and her head felt as though fireworks were going off in her brain. She hadn’t cared too much about a New Year’s resolution this year, but she made a belated one now: stop drinking! Anything that made you feel like this must be knocking decades off your life expectancy.

  Gina and Ross were standing on the front-door-step. It looked as though Ross was trying to calm her, but it wasn’t working – Gina looked furious.

  ‘What the hell were you thinking?’ she screeched as Hannah appeared. ‘You just walked out! Nobody knew where you were; Briony and Paul were panicking… then I found out you were at home!’

  ‘Sorry…’ Hannah mumbled. She might have given Gina as good as she got, but her brain wasn’t quite firing yet.

  Gina pushed past her and into the house. ‘I’ve been worried sick!’

  Ross gave Hannah an apologetic shrug. This conversation wouldn’t be happening if he and Gina had both shown a bit more restraint. But seeing how relaxed and natural they already were in each other’s company, Hannah couldn’t really be mad about that either.

  ‘I should probably go,’ he said, sticking his hands in his pockets.

  ‘Maybe that’s a good idea,’ Hannah said. ‘Thank you for bringing Gina back.’

  ‘It’s no problem. I would have brought you both back, even if you’d wanted to come away early; all you had to do was ask.’

  ‘I know, and it’s really sweet of you.’ Now was not the time to explain that it had been a teensy bit difficult to ask. ‘Goodnight Ross.’

  He gave her a strained smile, and looked over her shoulder where Gina had just disappeared into the depths of the house. ‘Say goodnight to Gina for me.’

  ‘I will.’ Hannah felt bad for him. Gina shouldn’t have shook him off like that, no matter how annoyed she was with Hannah. ‘I’m sure she’ll call you or something,’ Hannah added, not sure if it was what he wanted to hear but feeling as though she ought to offer him something.

  Ross gave her a brief nod, and then walked out into the night. Hannah closed the front door with a heavy sigh. Gina was in one of those moods where it was impossible to make her see anyone’s viewpoint but her own. She shuffled along to the living room.

  ‘Thanks a lot.’ Gina had flopped onto the sofa in Hannah’s spot. ‘Thanks for worrying me to death.’

  ‘I didn’t mean to. Didn’t you check your phone?’

  ‘Yes, but only after I’d had the whole bloody ballroom searching for you. Briony and Paul told me you looked a bit off and then I had visions of you collapsed under a bush or something freezing to death. It wasn’t until I checked my phone that I realised where you were and by then I looked a right chump.’

  ‘I don’t think you needed any help with that,’ Hannah replied. She sat down in a chair opposite Gina and curled her feet beneath her. ‘You should have checked your phone earlier, but I suppose you were too busy for that.’

  ‘What does that mean?’

  ‘You know what it means.’

  Gina sniffed. ‘I don’t but if you’re going to be cryptic about it then I’m not going to give you the satisfaction of asking. It’s obvious you want to have a pop at me about something. But I’m the aggrieved party here.’

  ‘Of course you are. That’s why I was forced to leave by myself when you were nowhere to be found.’

  ‘I didn’t know you were going to go loco on me and want to run off, did I? If you’d waited for ten minutes then Ross could have taken you home.’

  ‘Ten minutes? Is that how long it takes these days? I don’t think much of your technique.’

  Gina frowned. ‘What the hell are you talking about?’

  ‘You and Ross re-enacting the steamy car windows scene from Titanic.’

  ‘Nope, you’re still not making sense.’

  ‘I saw you… at least I saw the car windows and that was enough. Very classy. You could have booked a room, but no, you chose the really discreet route and messed around in the carpark for everyone to see.’

  Gina’s mouth fell open. Then closed again. Then opened again but nothing came out. Finally, she clamped it shut. ‘I’m going to bed,’ she announced, and left Hann
ah alone by the fire.

  *

  Hannah was up hours before Gina. The events of the evening, followed by her argument with Gina in the early hours, weren’t exactly conducive to peaceful sleep. Finally, she had to give up and took herself down to the kitchen as the grey morning greeted her through the slats of the window blinds. Dropping a couple of soluble paracetamol tablets into a glass of water and downing it to ease her hangover, made her brain a little clearer. She’d overreacted last night – over Gina and Ross, over Mitchell and Martine, over everything – and she’d made herself look an idiot. If Briony ever tried to persuade her to go to a charity dance again, Hannah would make damned sure she booked herself onto the next flight out of the country to be as far away from it as possible.

  There were footsteps on the floor above, and a few minutes later, Gina sloped into the kitchen.

  ‘Well, that wasn’t the best idea we’ve ever had, was it?’ Gina fixed a hand to her head as she sat at the dining table. ‘That’s the last time I let you talk me into going to a charity dance.’

  ‘I was thinking just the same thing,’ Hannah said from her station by the toaster as she waited for her breakfast.

  ‘Ugh… I feel like shit. Why don’t I learn to say no?’

  ‘We had fun, though… at least for most of it… well you did…’ Hannah raised her eyebrows and turned to look at her. She whizzed back around as her toast popped up and she dropped the slices onto a plate.

  ‘You’re seriously eating this morning?’ Gina said, grimacing as Hannah brought the plate to the table and reached for the butter dish.

  ‘Soaks up the alcohol. You should really have something too.’

  ‘Not likely. At least not yet.’

  ‘I could make you some sausage… oh, no, hang on, you already had some last night.’

  ‘You know you’re not funny, don’t you?’

  Hannah grinned. Then she was serious. ‘Look, I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t mean to snipe at you and none of it was your fault.’

  ‘I’m sorry too. I’m not sorry for not being joined at the hip to you, but I am sorry for snapping when I got home. I suppose we were both a bit the worse for wear.’

  ‘I know I was…’ Hannah looked up from the marmalade she was spreading generously over her toast. ‘So… spill the beans about Ross. Was he worth it?’

  ‘Was he worth what?’

  ‘What was he like? Does the reality deliver what the package suggests or are there trade description issues?’

  ‘I wish you’d just ask a straight question. I didn’t have sex with him, if that’s what you’re hinting at.’

  ‘You didn’t?’

  ‘No.’

  Hannah took a sip of her coffee. ‘Blimey.’

  Gina frowned. ‘You always assume the worst of me, don’t you?’

  ‘Of course not. Anyway, would you care if I did?’

  ‘A little bit, yeah. I know I was joking about having sex with Ross before we went out but that didn’t mean I was going to. I work fast but I do have some scruples you know.’

  ‘So… what did happen?’

  ‘I really have to spell it out for you?’

  ‘You were just having a chat?’

  A slow smile spread over Gina’s face. ‘Honestly? I probably would have had sex with him in the car last night if he’d let me – I was that drunk. But he was the sweetest thing. He said he didn’t want to, not like that, and he said he didn’t want a one night stand with me because he liked me too much for that and he didn’t want anything that might start between us to be ruined by a drunken fumble.’

  ‘So there wasn’t even drunken fumbling?’

  ‘Well, there was a little bit of that, but… you know… not a little bit of that.’

  ‘And do you think something might start between you?’

  Gina gave a slight shrug. ‘Who knows?’

  ‘But you like him?’

  ‘Of course I do; he’s gorgeous and funny and very sweet. But he’s also a lot younger than me. We could fool around, but where is it going really?’

  Hannah was thoughtful for a moment as she poured Gina a cup of coffee from the pot. It seemed that Gina’s situation almost echoed her own. She and Mitchell liked each other –more than that – but with so much stacked against them, where could it go?

  ‘Maybe I’d rather like the fooling around bit, though,’ Gina added.

  ‘I think he wants more than that.’

  ‘Possibly. So, what do you think?’

  Hannah blew out a long breath. ‘I think I’m the last person on earth who should be giving out relationship advice.’

  ‘You think it’s a non-starter?’

  ‘I don’t know. What does your heart tell you?’

  Gina threw her a withering look. ‘Trust you. Since when did my heart ever steer me right? Look at what happened with Howard…’

  Hannah pushed the empty plate away and reached for her coffee mug. She was still so hungry she could eat it all over again. ‘You might have a point there. Sometimes life doesn’t give a shit about what your heart wants.’

  Gina folded her arms. ‘So… what happened to you last night? Why the dramatic exit?’

  Hannah sipped her coffee. In the cold light of day she felt such an idiot for her behaviour the previous evening, but Gina had been honest with her, and perhaps she owed it to Gina to be honest in return. Besides, she needed to talk it through with someone and there was no one else she could trust.

  ‘Did you see Mitchell and Martine come in?’ she asked.

  Gina stared at her. ‘No way! They came to the party?’

  Hannah nodded. ‘They know the hotel owners apparently. They decided to come and sit at our table. I don’t know where you’d got to at that point but I guess you’d already gone out with Ross, or at least you were too preoccupied to notice. Mitchell saw you, though, or so Martine told me.’

  ‘I never saw them at all.’

  ‘They had probably come after me by the time you went back into the ballroom.’

  ‘I’m not really firing on all cylinders this morning, so you might have to go at remedial speed for me.’

  ‘Mitchell said some things… it all got a bit weird.’

  ‘What sort of things?’

  Hannah wrinkled her nose. ‘Odd things. I wasn’t even sure what he meant. But I had a feeling that what he meant was trouble, and I needed to get away from him, because it just wasn’t right. Suddenly I was having a shit time and I really didn’t want to be around him – around anyone, and certainly not in the middle of a crowded ballroom. I came to look for you to tell you and… well, you know. Anyway, when I left, Mitchell must have followed me straight out and he caught up with me on the road. Without Martine. And he told me all this stuff again… about how he didn’t want to be with Martine and how he wanted to be with me.’

  ‘He told you that!’

  ‘Sort of. And then he kissed me. I mean, kissed me.’

  ‘Bloody hell!’

  ‘Yeah, my thoughts exactly.’

  ‘What else? What did he say about Martine? Is he going to leave her?’

  ‘He said he didn’t want to be with her but he never said he was leaving her. We didn’t really have time to discuss it further than that because she turned up in the car to find him and she was pissed as a fart as well.’

  ‘Bloody hell!’ Gina repeated.

  ‘Quite. What the fudge do I do?’

  ‘I take it Martine doesn’t know about any of this.’

  ‘No. That bugs me too. If he feels like that, don’t you think he should tell her?’

  ‘Well I’m sure last night wasn’t the right moment for that sort of news. She had just broken about fifty laws driving out to find him and she was probably in a less rational state than she would normally be.’

  ‘Maybe, but I’m sure there must have been plenty of right moments over the past few weeks. He says he hasn’t been feeling right since the accident.’

  ‘There’s your answer.
He must have needed her. Think about it.’

  ‘I am, and I still think he needs to be honest with her.’

  Gina shrugged. ‘So you’re blowing him off?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Harsh.’

  ‘How can I trust him? I barely know him and this… I don’t know what to make of it.’

  ‘What does your heart tell you?’ Gina smiled, echoing Hannah’s own words.

  ‘My heart is a moron,’ Hannah replied as she plonked her mug on the table. ‘I think my track record is proof of that.’

  Gina leaned back in her chair and stretched. ‘So I guess neither of us is any the wiser. I think the only thing to do in this situation is head back to bed for a nap.’

  Hannah smiled. ‘God; that does sound good. I’ve had the crappiest night’s sleep ever.’

  ‘And I’ve had about four hours, so I reckon I’ll see you in another four or so.’

  Hannah laughed. ‘You’ve had way more than four hours!’

  ‘Really? It only feels like four.’

  ‘That’s called a hangover.’

  Gina gave her a weak grin before pushing herself out of the chair. ‘I don’t know about that, but I do know that I really need to lie down again before I fall down.’

  ‘Go on. I’ll just clear up down here first,’ Hannah replied, knowing that really, it was pointless going back to bed the way her thoughts were flirting around her head – there’d be no sleep for her no matter how tired she was or how much of a hangover she was still nursing.

  Gina headed for the door. ‘You’re welcome to that little job.’

  Hannah called her back and she stopped in her tracks.

  ‘Yeah?’ she asked, turning to face her.