The village
of Brocklington was situated on the River Brooke about six miles downstream
from Sharping St Mary in the Finchbottom Vale, and thirty-year-old Hollie
Stanford was on her way home from work one cold December evening and had to
pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming that she was happy or that she
was just remembering the plot of book she once enjoyed, because she was
enjoying her life and her new love so much.
She had
been so lonely and unhappy for so long she hadn’t realized just how unhappy she
was until it was over.
It was only
six months since she moved to Brocklington, but it seemed like a lifetime and
in those six short months she had begun to live and begun to love.
She never
in her wildest dreams imagined she could ever be happier than she was at that
moment.
It was all
as a result of her taking a chance, which was something she had never done
before in her life.
Hollie was
doing the same job that she’d had since leaving school, which she hated, living
in a dingy flat that she couldn’t really afford, in a town she really didn’t
like, so when she saw a job advert online for a cook/housekeeper, for a Doctor,
Stephen Williams, which came with accommodation, she applied for the job, on a
whim, and to her great surprise she got an interview.
She was
impressed with Brocklington the moment she stepped off the train and fell in
love with St Cuthbert’s Church the moment she saw it, so she was in a good
frame of mind for her interview with Dr Williams, she felt at ease with him
immediately, so the interview went really well, and she was offered the job
there and then.
The
accommodation turned out to be a converted stable block at the end of the
Doctor’s Garden which was so quaint, it made her heart skip a beat.
After three
months in the village her heart skipped again when she met Sam Austin a very
pleasant soft-spoken widower, and at Halloween, a few weeks after that he asked
her out.
It was a
big step for both of them, him because it was the first time anyone had got
into his heart in the five years since his wife, Karen, passed, and she hadn’t
opened up to anyone since her heart was broken 3 years earlier.
Despite
their misgivings they decided to take a chance, and very soon fell in love.
She had
always had a strong Christian faith and one of the first things she did was to
join the congregation of St Cuthbert’s
She was a
little nervous as she walked in, she was quite self-conscious about being the
newcomer, but she was made very welcome, firstly by Stephen Williams, the
Doctor, and then by his sister Olivia, who took her under her wing and
introduced her to some of the other congregants.
When she
got home from work one cold December evening, she phoned Sam to say she was
planning to go to the Carol Service at St Cuthbert’s and asked him if he’d go
with her and his response surprised her.
“No, no”
Sam said adamantly “I haven’t set foot inside a Church since Karen passed”
“But it’s
only Carols” Hollie said
“No! I am
still too angry with God for taking my Karen” he said
“Well, if
you’re sure” she said brightly
“Quite
sure”
“Ok then
I’ll see you tomorrow” she said and left it at that, Hollie didn’t want to push
him too hard because she didn’t want to risk upsetting him, their relationship
was too important to her, and it was still new, and she didn’t want to
jeopardize that.
As for Sam
he felt guilty as he hung up the phone, and he hoped he hadn’t been too blunt
with her, the last thing he wanted to do was hurt Hollie in anyway, just
because he wasn’t ready to forgive God, yet.
Hollie went
to the Carol service alone and thoroughly enjoyed it and went to the Sunday
service a few days later but she didn’t ask Sam on that occasion, though she
hadn’t given up on him, she would just have to bide her time.
On
Christmas Eve, Hollie walked to St Cuthbert’s Church, she had been a regular at
the Church since she’d moved there and in December alone, she had attended all
four Advent services, the Christingle and the Carol service.
She had
asked Sam to join her a couple of times but as he hadn’t been to Church since
his wife passed, and was still angry with God for taking her, he was quite
unforgiving on the subject, and was totally unmovable on the matter, for now.
Hollie
thought she would probably wear him down eventually, but she didn’t want to
push it.
Sam even
declined on Christmas Eve but for Hollie Midnight Mass was an unmissable event,
so she went alone again.
Hollie said
a few hellos and thought to herself that there was a good-sized congregation
for the service.
She always
found the Midnight Mass very moving and quite atmospheric, it was possible that
as it was conducted in the semi darkness it added to the magic, when at
midnight the light of Christ was born into the world.
So, she
took her seat and settled herself and then she bowed her head, closed her eyes
and took a few moments to pray, when she opened them again, she was not alone.
“You came”
Hollie said and took Sam’s hand and she cried
“Don’t cry
sweetheart” he said
“But I’m so
happy that you’re here” she said wiping her eyes
“I’m still
angry with him for taking her” he said defiantly looking to the heavens
“But now I
know he only took her so he could give me you”
Sam said
and Hollie was crying again
“I love you
Sam Austin” she said
“I love you
too” he replied
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