THE STORY SO FAR
Kirsten, her nine-year-old daughter Iris and dog Otto are on their way to a hotel on Christmas Eve with Kirsten’s boyfriend Andreas and his daughter Clea, 12. Also in the car is Andrea’s mother Sophia, whose plans to spend Christmas with her daughter fell through at the last minute. But the girls and Sophia are there under duress. Iris would rather be with her dad, who has gone to Gran Canaria with his latest girlfriend, and Clea isn’t over the death of her mother. Kirsten feels that this Christmas will be make or break for her and Andreas – if their girls don’t get on, then it’s over. The weather is terrible and, about 50 miles from the hotel, the car gets stuck in a pothole. Andreas tries to push the car free while Kirsten hits the accelerator, but the car jumps backwards and Andreas disappears from view. Has Kirsten killed him?
As Kirsten slithered through the mud, freezing water sloshed over her ankle boots and soaked her feet. But that was the least of her worries.
A sob broke from her when she saw Andreas flat on his back behind the car, half submerged in muddy water. At least the wheels weren’t on top of him, but he wasn’t moving.
‘Andreas! Andreas!’
He lifted his head and smiled.
Smiled!
‘Oh, thank heavens you’re alive!’ She turned to shout at the others in the car, ‘He’s all right!’
She ran towards him, causing a mini wave to wash over him. ‘Are you hurt? Did you bang your head?
