Weight Till Christmas by Ruth Saberton Page A

and a battered leather jacket and my heart trampolines into my mouth.  I’d thought he was long gone.
    “You made jump out of my skin!” I exclaim, my hand on my chest.  Yep, there’s my heart playing squash against my rib cage.
    “Sorry.  I just wanted to catch you on your own before you leave.”
    I stare at him, concerned.  He looks tired though today.  Blue shadows smudge his eyes and his skin is taut over his high cheekbones.
    “Are you OK?  Rick and Nick were going to have a quick drink in the Coach before getting ready for the party.  Aren’t you coming?”
    Sam shrugs. “Just not in the mood, I guess.  Well done on the job, by the way.  I always knew you could do it.”
    “You’re the only one then,” I sigh. “Nobody else thought I was anywhere near capable of selling the luxury cars until I lost weight.”
    He digs his hands deep into his pockets and regards me thoughtfully.
    “Losing weight isn’t quite what we thought, is it?”
    This is so true and I nod.
    “You’re way too good for this place,” Sam remarks. “Why don’t you look for something else?”
    “I don’t know,” I admit.  “Maybe before I didn’t have the guts to try?   Things feel so different now though.  Mum is happier, I’m free of Luke and I actually feel I can do anything.”
    “Of course you can!  Ellie, you can do anything you put your mind to, haven’t you already proved that over the last few weeks?”
    I nod.  He’s right. 
    “And I’ve been thinking the same,” Sam continues.  His face is serious as he says this, the green eyes dark with thought.  “It’s time to move on and make a change from being here and being the person I used to be. “
    I stare at him.  I’ve known Sam a long time and I can tell when he’s on the brink of saying something important.
    “I’ve handed in my notice,” he says. “I’m going to go back to college and study fitness and nutrition, make a real change.   I’d like to go into teaching if I can.”
    “You’re leaving?” I echo.
    He nods.  “This is my last day here.”
    I can’t speak.  Normally I chat so much you could use my vocal cords to power the national grid, but now I’m robbed of language.  Sam has resigned?  He’s leaving the company?  No wonder he’s been so preoccupied.  But why didn’t he tell me?  I thought we told each other everything?
    “So I guess that’s it,” Sam says when I don’t reply.  “New jobs and new starts for both of us.”
    “I’ll miss you,” I whisper, dangerously close to tears. “You’re my best friend.”
    He looks away. “Yeah.  Me too.  Look El, I’m no good at this.  Maybe I’ll see you tonight at the party?  We can catch up then.”
    The party?  I’d nearly forgotten about that. 
    “I wanted you to have this now.  It was meant to be a surprise for tonight.  Open it when I’m gone.” He reaches into his rucksack and pulls out a parcel wrapped in white tissue paper and lovingly tied with yellow ribbons.  He places it into my arms and smiles, a sad smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Happy Christmas, Ellie Summers.  I hope all your Christmas wishes come true.”
    And then he’s gone, out into the fading light of the December afternoon.  The lengthening shadows swallow him up and although I stare after him for what feels like ages, he has vanished.
    The parcel is in my arms, soft and rustling.  Slowly realization starts to dawn.  Is this what I think I it is?  Slowly, and with shaking hands I unwrap it and when I see that I am right, I gasp, almost unable to believe it. 
    In my hands, surrounded by gossamer soft tissue paper, is my beautiful green dress.  I close my eyes and open them slowly, but it makes no difference.  It’s still here.
    Sam has bought my dream dress for me.
     

Chapter 11
     
     
    “Thanks so much!  Keep the change and have a lovely Christmas!”
    My taxi pulls away, scrunching across the immaculate gravel drive that leads up to