Christmas at Thistlecombe Cottage

Chapter 12

Maya had set her alarm for six in the morning. She had packed the night before, so she only needed to get changed and she'd be ready to go. She brushed her teeth over the kitchen sink, seeing as the door to the bedroom had been locked. She left a small note to Eudora in the basket she'd brought over on Christmas Eve.

The cottage was quiet. There was no noise coming from the bedroom. Maya wished she could say a proper goodbye to Asher, but it wasn't possible. Just as well—she was probably never going to see him again anyway.

As soundlessly as she could, she rolled her luggage out the door, and just as she was about to close it behind her, she heard a voice.

"Maya? Where are you going?" Asher looked disoriented, unsure of what he was seeing.

But Maya had prepared for this moment. She was ready with an excuse.

"Nate—my ex—wants to get back together. He's back in London, so I'm going back to meet him."

That sufficiently woke up Asher. "You still want to get back together with him?"

"I . . . I don't know," she lied.

"Listen, it's none of my business, but I don't think you should. From what I've heard from you, he seems like bad news."

Maya could only scoff. "You're one to talk." She glanced at the bedroom.

"That's different. She's . . ."

"Listen, it's none of my business. Sorry I said anything. I should just go."

"You're leaving? Just like that?"

Maya shrugged. "Thank you for letting me stay over."

"Thank you . . . for staying with me. But Maya, wait, I—"

"Asher?" Zoe called from the bedroom.

Maya and Asher locked eyes one last time. When Zoe called from the bedroom again, Maya took it as her cue to leave.

***

As if things couldn't get any worse for Maya, the earliest train back to London was full. Where was everybody going on New Year's Eve? Though she'd gotten to the station rather early, the only ticket she could get was for the train at noon.

She sat on one of the benches, hungry, sleepy, and tired even though her trip back hadn't even started.

She had somehow survived being alone on Christmas Eve, but New Year's Eve was going to be a different story. Somehow, she was certain there was no way she wouldn't be alone tonight.

Alone, and likely lonely.

Time ticked by slowly, but soon enough it was almost noon. She stood by the tracks as she watched the train approaching from a distance. The platform was full of vacationers from the nearby villages in the Cotswolds. One of them was wearing a shirt that said "Thistlecombe Village: A Place for Lovers."

That was when it hit her. She wasn't going to get driven away from this beautiful village. There would be fairy lights and fireworks! And she hadn't had her fill of macarons yet! And she hadn't even bought a bottle of her favorite wine! And she hadn't gotten to say goodbye to everyone!

It wasn't fair that Thistlecombe Village was just known for traveling couples. Single girls deserved a magical New Year's Eve too.

So she gave up her ticket, left the platform, and walked back to the village with a purpose.

She walked the familiar streets, lugging her two-wheeled trolley. The uneven pavement didn't bother her anymore.

She visited all the shops in the village square and got supplies before they closed: Macarons. Bread. Cheese. Wine. Her last stop was The Crown and Thistle, where she rented the room upstairs for the night. She dumped her shopping on the bed and went back downstairs to the pub to sit by the counter. Now all she needed to do was have her New Year's Eve meal of bangers and mash, and she could go back to her room and hunker down for the night.