Page 121 of Barging In

Tired groans of protest echoed around the room.

After they’d all said goodbye, Clem’s mum and dad walked them to the door.

“We’ll give you some money for Florence,” her dad said, giving her a hug. “It’s only fair we buy her from you.”

“If you’re sure,” she said. “I could certainly use the cash.”

“We’re sure,” he replied firmly.

“Maybe you could use it at a sperm bank,” her mum slurred in a tipsy whisper.

Clem spat out a laugh. “Mum! You did not just say that.”

Her mum giggled guiltily, but soon they were all laughing. Clem reached out her hand for Victoria and was given a steadying squeeze.

“Come on, Vic,” she said as she tried to regain her breath. “We should leave before she tries to lend us her turkey baster.”

Having said their goodbyes, they walked across the drive hand in hand, swaying a little as they walked.

“That went better than I expected. It was lovely to see everyone,” Clem said, feeling content with the world and the life-changing decisions she’d made in the last twelve hours.

“It was,” Victoria agreed. “I really enjoyed it… bar a few of your mum’s comments.”

“Yeah, sorry about that,” Clem said with a sheepish smile.

“It was still far better than previous Christmases, that’s for sure,” Victoria said, her tone thoughtful as she gazed up at the dark sky. “I’m not sure where I’d be now if you hadn’tbargedinto my life the way you did.”

“Oh, we’re doing canal puns, are we? Anyway, you were the one doing thebarging. You came for my sign, remember?”

“Only because youbargedinto my territory. There I was, happily minding my own business, when Storm Clem whipped along the canal, stopping right outside my window.”

“Like I said to you then, no one was forcing you to look,” Clem teased.

“Oh, but you were, and I couldn’t keep my eyes off you,” Victoria said, kissing the back of Clem’s hand as they reached their front doorstep. “Just like you couldn’t keep yours off my nipples after Max fished me out of the canal.”

Clem laughed. “I remember. And you don’t have to keep your gaze off me, anymore, you canlockeyes with me every morning,”

“And I couldn’t be happier,” Victoria said, kissing Clem under the mistletoe hanging from the porch. She pulled back suddenly. “Hey, was that another canal pun?”

“Might have been.” Clem smiled as she stole another kiss. “And now you see you were wrong. Love isn’t overrated — or for the young. It finds you when you least expect it. And sometimes, it’s the best thing you could ever hope for.”

Victoria’s lips curved into a soft smile as she unlockedthe front door and pulled Clem inside. “I’d say you’re that best thing,” she whispered.

“I think you already did, multiple times,” Clem teased.

The scent of home enveloped her, as Victoria closed the door behind them.

THE END