was walking towards her.
It couldn’t be. Could it?
Marie blinked away the snowflakes on her eyelashes as a surge of pure happiness glowed through her.
‘Dad! Oh, Dad! It’s really you!’
Laughing and crying at the same time, she flew towards him and threw herself into his arms. He gave her a huge hug. ‘Hello, angel,’ he said in English.
He took a present wrapped in sparkly paper out of his pocket. ‘Open it now. This one’s special.’
Marie tore open the wrapping and looked at a tiny snow-globe in wonderment. Inside was a tiny white reindeer with lots of other reindeer around him.
‘I’m glad you made it home safely, Starshine!’ she whispered. ‘Thank you for being my friend.’