THE STORY SO FAR
Kirsten and Andreas have been seeing each other for a year, but Andreas’ 12-year-old daughter Clea resents Kirsten, believing she is trying to replace her late mother, while Kirsten’s daughter Iris, nine, is hoping her parents will get back together. Kirsten thinks she and Andreas might have to break up. They decide to go to a hotel for Christmas, hoping that being on neutral ground will help, but when Andreas arrives to pick them up on Christmas Eve, his mother Sophia is with him. She was supposed to spend Christmas with Andreas’ sister, but the family fell ill with flu. Sophia seems to dislike Kirsten more than Clea does. Then, as the weather turns bad, Kirsten’s neighbour says she can’t look after the dog, Otto. Kirsten decides to give up on the whole idea of going away. Is this the end of her relationship?
Standing on the drive of her house, Kirsten felt as if she was in a whirlwind, and it had nothing to do with the storm.
The girls and Sophia were talking over each other, insisting that they didn’t want to go away for Christmas, and Andreas was desperately trying to reason with them.
‘Stop it! All of you!’ Kirsten shouted, and they finally fell silent and looked at her.
‘Iris and I will stay here and the rest of you can go to the hotel.’
‘We’re not leaving anyone behind!’ Andreas said in frustration. ‘Please, everyone, get in the car. We’re going to have a fantastic time. Clea, sit behind me. Mum, you’ll
