The beautiful Downshire village of Clerembeax St Giles was situated to the west of Abbeyvale located between Grace Hill and Bushy Down and on the outskirts was the Clerembeax Palace Hotel and Spa and when staffing the Hotel, they wanted to employ from the village populous where possible, and that was how the Ward girls came to work at the Palace.
The Ward family had a small holding on the North side of the village, parents Jack and Olive, and daughters Donna, Felicity, Josephine, and Maxine.
Maxine was the youngest at twenty and was 5ft 2, and unlike her siblings, who all had brown hair, she was a redhead.
From almost the first day she started at the Palace she met and fell for Graham Watts, who was a shy young lad of a similar age to her, and although she didn’t know it, he felt the same way.
Everyone else knew, including all of her sisters, but they never told her, subsequently nothing happened.
But on the morning of the Fourth Sunday of Advent she cornered him in the second floor Linen Cupboard and when he turned around and saw her standing there brandishing a sprig of mistletoe above her head, he panicked, blushed and pushed past her to rush out the door and she was left standing there alone, mistletoe in hand.
“Oh great, Merry bloody Christmas”
She was in a foul mood for the rest of the day, which was unusual for her, so her sister Donna got her to one side and asked her flat out.
“What the hell is the matter with you today?”
And in response she burst into tears, and then Donna knew for sure there was something wrong, and when she had calmed her down she got the full story out of her.
“He ran away?” Donna asked
“Yes”
“But he’s mad about you” she said
“Apparently not” Maxine said
When she left her Donna went in search of Graham and when she tracked him down she tore him off a strip.
“I thought you liked her”
“I do”
“So why did you run away?” Donna asked
“I panicked” he admitted “She looked so lovely and I thought…. Oh God I don’t know what I thought”
“You idiot” Donna rebuked
“I know” he said and after a minute or two Donna asked
“Do you want her or not?”
“More than anything” he admitted
“Then come with me” She ordered and took him to the third floor where Maxine was washing glassware in the utility room, then she gestured to him with her head to go in.
He walked in and after a moment he said
“I came to help”
He saw her bristle at his words and then she replied
“I can manage”
“I don’t mind helping” Graham said
“I said I’m ok” she insisted
Graham walked back out into the corridor and was immediately confronted by Donna
“What are you doing out here you idiot?”
“I offered to help, but she said she was ok” he replied
“You have a lot to learn about women” she said shaking her head and thrust a sprig of mistletoe into his hand
“Now get back in there and kiss her”
“But…” Graham protested
“Do you like her or not?” Donna asked
“Well yes” he replied
“Then get back in there” Donna instructed “trust me”
Graham pushed open the utility door and walked in
“You don’t have to help” she snapped “I really can manage”
“I’m not here to help” he said, and he held up the mistletoe and then his voice cracked as he said
“I’ve come for a kiss”
“Oh” she said and dried her hands before she turned around, and he stepped towards her and when they stood facing each other, there was a moment of hesitation but then Graham kissed her, and it was a perfect kiss that brought all the feelings they had harbored bubbling to the surface and Maxine felt the love that filled her generous heart spill out from her every pore and Graham gratefully gathered it up and wrapped her in his everlasting love.
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