Snippets of Downshire Life – Christmas Eve

 

The Dulcets were a collection of villages and hamlets comprising of Dulcet Meadow, Dulcet St Mary, Dulcet Green and Dulcet-on-Brooke, to name but a few, and of course Dulcet-on-Willow which was a large sprawling village beside the gentle shallow River Willow, which ran unhurriedly from the Pepperstock Hills to the more vibrant River Brooke, and

30 years old, Kerry Freeborn woke up very early on Christmas Eve feeling apprehensive.

It was the first time she’d spent the night in her own home since November, she had spent the time in between at the Seaview Hotel in Sharpington, where she and her best friend Sharon Blackburn were appearing at the Bluebird Theatre in Cinderella.

The theatre was dark on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so she returned home after the last performance on the 23^rd.

But it was not her return home, nor her waking alone that had left her feeling apprehensive, it was something that had first begun on St Andrew’s Day at a dinner party.

 

It was in the part of Sharpington called Granite Hill, which in a nod to San Francisco, the locals had nicknamed Nob Hill, and it was where local Children’s Writer, Alesha Khan, lived.

The hostess had first met Kerry after they both took part in the World Book Day events at Sharpington library and they became friends.

Also, at the party was Jayson Mercer, Alesha’s Literary agent, who Kerry first met just after the World Book Day events, when she was starring in a play at the Bluebird Theatre, and there was an instant attraction, but Kerry found out he was married to his business partner Kathryn, so she backed off, however she had since discovered that they were not a couple.

Jayson and Kathryn had divorced the year before, but it was a completely amicable split, because after eight years of marriage they both realised it wasn’t really working, they loved each other, and still did, but they were not in love.

In fact, they still lived under the same roof, in the same house, after the split, and planned to sell the house, or buy the other one out, if and when their personal circumstances changed.

So domestic life for them wasn’t really very different to when they were married, and it really should have been if they belonged together as a couple, so they knew they had made the right decision, and even after the divorce they were still best friends, and of course they still worked together at the Literary Agency they founded, Mercer and associates.

Even after they stopped living as man and wife, the split was so amicable that they kept up their long-standing routine of travelling to and from work together.

So, it was no wonder that Kerry jumped to the wrong conclusion, and she’d left Sharpington when the theatre Company took the play to Abbottsford, when she discovered the truth of the arrangement.

But when she was back in Sharpington, so was he and he was in touching distance, although his ex was also at the dinner party, so she thought she should be forgiven for getting the wrong end of the stick again.

From the first moment she got “eyes on” she kept them on and when the time came for them to take their seats she found that she was seated opposite him and focussed all her attension on him and made it patently obvious she only had eyes for him.

 

At the end of the evening and they had said good night to Alesha her BFF Sharon had “Eyes on” a man of her own so Jayson offered to walk her back to the hotel.

So, they walked down to Sharpington Promenade from the heights of Granite Hill and chatted much as they had all evening and then they were suddenly at the hotel almost before they had time to blink.

“Do you want to come in for a nightcap?” she asked desperately

“Ok just a quick one” he said, and she was feeling very smug as they went inside

 

When she was half way down the glass of wine she said

“Perhaps we can do something over the weekend, dinner, maybe” she suggested

“The Panto doesn’t open until Monday, so I’m completely free”

“Ah” he responded

“Ah?” she repeated “I don’t like the sound of “Ah”, is it an “Ah” I’m back with my wife or “Ah” I’m with someone else or “Ah” I’m gay”

“None of the above” he said

“Phew”

“Do you remember me telling you during dinner that my sister Lizzie had twins?”

“Yes” she replied, “Oh God are they ill?”

“Not them” he replied

“Lizzie has PPD, Postpartum depression” he replied “and she’s not coping and nor is her husband”

“Oh dear”

The upshot was that he had to go to Millmoor to help out and would be away for a couple of weeks.

She knew that her next day off wasn’t until the 13^th so she invited him to dinner and he said he would try and make it back.

 

They parted company in reception where he kissed her cheek and then she watched him leave, and it hurt, it really hurt and that really surprised her, why did it hurt? She knew she liked him, but obviously it was more than that if it hurt.

“Why does it hurt?” she asked herself as she walked towards the stairs and then she stopped

“My God I love him” she exclaimed

 

The time hung heavy until the 13^th, St Lucy’s Day, but he did make it back for their dinner date.

She was sitting at the bar, perched on a barstool drinking a brandy, and feeling its warmth spread through her, and still wearing jeans and a sweater after the St Lucy events, when Jayson arrived

“Hi” he said as he leant in and kissed her cheek and breathed in the fragrance of apples on her hair, the aroma of coconut on her skin and an overall presence of expensive perfume.

“Oh bugger” she screamed inside her head, she had planned to wear a brand new white silk dress decorated with tiny pink roses, over some recently purchased very classy lingerie, and be made up to perfection, and instead she was wearing jeans and a sweater.

“You look lovely” he said as he sat down on the vacant stool.

“And you smell good enough to eat”

“I am supposed to look gorgeous” she said sadly

“You do look gorgeous” he said

 

During the dinner Kelly drank more than was good for her and she inadvertently told him she loved him.

“I used the “L” word, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you did” he confirmed “and it’s ok because I think I love you too, but”

“But….”

“Oh shit, why is there a “but” I don’t like the “but”, one little bit”

 “But….” He continued “I have to go back to Millmoor tomorrow, and I’ll probably won’t be back until Christmas”

She looked crestfallen, so he took hold of her hand.

“I have to be there for my sister’s family right now, but I want there to be an “us”, but I can’t give you that right now” he said as he held her hand “But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to, do you understand?”

“Yes, I think so”

“Can you wait?”

“Yes” she said “on one condition”

“Name it”

“That you give me your mobile number, so I can talk to you or text you or something” she said

“I’ve already put it in your phone”

“You have?”

“Yes” he replied “Now I think it’s time to get you to bed”

“Oh goody, I like the sound of that”

“Calm down hot stuff” he said “I need to get you to bed so you have a good night’s sleep and then we can spend an enjoyable few hours together tomorrow morning, before I have to leave for Millmoor and you have to be at the theatre”

 

Kelly tottered along the corridor beside him but when they paused to allow an elderly lady to go through the fire doors ahead of them, she looked up at him through soulful eyes and he kissed her, a kiss she had longed for since the moment she first met him.

After the long-awaited kiss, they walked hand in hand to the door of her room where they kissed again before he unlocked the door and pushed it open, but Kelly paused in the doorway

“I’m sorry” she said

“For what?”

“For being so needy”

“You’re not needy, so don’t apologize for being you” he said and kissed her once more.

 

They met for breakfast the next morning and stayed together until lunchtime when he had to leave and it was heart-breaking to watch him drive away but she knew he was doing the right thing and it was only going to be ten days, she had done longer before and this time she could contact him, and she had the memory of hearing her declaration of love returned in word and deed and that would sustain her.

The panto kept her distracted as did Sharon, when she wasn’t off with her new man, but it was impossible of course to exclude him from her thoughts or stop him invading her dreams.

They were inconstant touch vie text, phone and email, though it wasn’t easy to find a mutually convenient time for a lengthy converse, due to her keeping different hours, but they managed somehow.

 

It was just before lunch on Christmas Eve when he phoned, she had just finished putting the last of the decorations up, and she didn’t look at the caller ID she just took a deep breath and hit the button.

“Hello” she said

“Hey Kelly” he said

“Jayson?” she asked “God it’s good to hear your voice”

“Ditto” he replied, “Where are you?”

“I’m in the Dulcets” she replied, “Are you still in Millmoor?”

“No, I’m back in Sharpington” he replied

“When are you coming?”

“Tonight” he replied “I need to spend a couple of hours in the office first”

“I can’t wait” she said “Have you made a decision? About us”

“Yes, I have” he replied

“And?” she enquired trying to keep the anxiety out of her voice

“Well let me put it this way, you remember that sexy outfit you were going to wear when we went out for dinner?”

“Yes”

“Wear it tonight” he said

“Really?”

“Really” he confirmed

“So what time tonight?”

“Around seven” he replied

“I’d better get to the shop, I’ve got nothing in” she said excitedly

“Let yourself in if I’m not back, I’ll email you a map to the house and the secret hiding place, so you know where the key is”

“Ok, I’ll see you tonight then” he said

“Ok, bye”

 

She immediately left the house after hanging up the phone and drove to the nearest Stephenson’s Supermarket to stock up on essentials and while she was there she bought the makings of a Christmas dinner, just in case Jayson stayed over, and to make sure she made an unrelated purchase.

After the shopping expedition, she put the groceries away and tidied up, then she changed the bedding before having a shower, she would have preferred a leisurely bath but she didn’t have time, and then she got perfumed, powdered, preened and made up to perfection, then she put on the outfit she had planned to wear when they met for dinner at the Hotel, her brand new bought for the occasion white silk dress decorated with tiny pink roses, over the very classy lingerie she bought at the same time, the only addition were the stockings she’d bought that afternoon.

After slipping on her shoes she looked at the slim figure in the mirror and smiled at her reflection.

“Not bad” she declared and flicked at her shoulder length brunette hair.

Then she looked at the clock and realised she had almost an hour before he was due, so she sat in the armchair and checked her phone.

 

It was after six o’clock when Jayson left Sharpington and travelled the short distance to Dulcet-on-Willow.

He had used the post code Kelly had given him, and almost as soon as it informed him

“You have arrived”

Her house came into view, so he indicated and pulled onto the drive, there were lights on downstairs, so he knocked on the door, but there was no answer.

So as per Kelly’s instructions he reached up under the right-hand side of the porch and retrieved the key and let himself in.

He dropped his bag quietly in the hall and opened the lounge door and when he walked into the room he saw her, and his heart soared.

She was wearing a beautiful silk dress and was curled up in an arm chair with her feet tucked beneath her, and beneath the folds of her dress he could just make out her stocking top.

Kelly was hugging a cushion to her chest, and instantly an unabated wave of love washed over him, and he immediately knew he wanted her in his life forever.

He had missed her so much while he was away, but there she was, stunningly attractive, and staggeringly sexy, and furthermore she loved him.
The first time he saw her he thought she was the sexiest girl he’d ever seen, and he thought so still.

He stood over Kelly and stared affectionately down at her for the longest time, as she slept so soundly.
He didn’t really want to wake her, she looked so at peace, he should have let her sleep, but if he had she would not have thanked him, in fact she would have been very miffed.
So he knelt beside her and roused her gently and as she stirred from her slumber, her eyes slowly opened and then widened.

“Hello Darling” he said and when she saw him she smiled.

“I fell asleep” she said “While I was waiting for you”

“I know honey” he said

“I was having a lovely dream”

“Were you? What was it about?”

“It was about you” she replied

“Tell me about it?” he asked

“I can’t”

“Why not?”

“It was rude” she replied coyly and blushed

“Tell me later then” he said and kissed her

“Hmmm” she responded “I’ve missed you”

“I missed you too” he replied and then he scooped the woman he loved in his arms and carried her to bed.

Snippets of Downshire Life – The Joint Present’s

 

Downshire is a relatively small English county but like a pocket battleship it packs a lot in, a short but beautiful coastline, a channel port, the Ancient forests of Dancingdean and Pepperstock, the craggy ridges and manmade lakes of the Pepperstock Hills National Park, the rolling hills of the Downshire Downs, the beautiful Finchbottom Vale and farm land as far as the eye can see from the Trotwood’s and the Grace’s in the south to the home of the Downshire Light infantry, Nettlefield, and their affluent neighbour’s, Roespring and Tipton in the north but our story takes place in the southern town off Abbottsford which was the biggest in Downshire, its administrative capital and the seat of the Downshire government.

It was also a place of learning thanks to the Downshire University and was a Cathedral City and was also home to Abbottsford Town football club.

Abbottsford was also the location of the Abbottsford’s Phoenix Shopping Centre and Hanratty’s Department Store therein.

It was at Hanratty’s where lifelong friends, Kristine Perrin and Lily Parsons, worked.

Krissy was the eldest of the pair by two weeks and was a very slim, very pretty girl with dark brown pixie cut hair, while Lily was a small skinny girl with long curly chestnut hair.

Neither of them had particularly happy home lives so they were naturally drawn to each other from an early age.

So, they did everything together and were seldom ever home as they were always off on some adventure or other.

 

They spent all their spare time together and when they were at school and college they also worked together, evenings and weekends at Stephenson’s Supermarket.

Most of their adventurous escapades were during the holidays and they chalked up a lot of happy times and their friendship was their most precious possession and they loved each other, and they complimented each other.

 

Although there were similarities between them, they were both pretty for a start, their likes and dislikes, their sense of humour, but really as individuals they couldn’t be more different.

Kristine had no fear whereas Lily would tremble in the shadows on her own.

Krissy was an extrovert, confident, self-assured and brave, though not cocky in any way.

Lily on the other hand, was shy and she lacked self-confidence but being with Krissy made her feel more confident, daring to do things she would never have done alone, such as leaving Northchapel and moving to Abbottsford.

 

Abbottsford was a place of particular significance to the girls because it was on one of their adventures, to see the Mardis Gras Parade, where they both declared that the unquenchable love they felt for each other was not one of sorority or friendship. 

 

When they had finished college, life at home for Krissy became intolerable so she left, and because of the love they shared, Lily left too.

Luckily Lily had a maternal Grandmother living in Abbottsford who had also fallen out with the family, so they went there, and Grandma Alice was hesitant, from past experience, to get involved but she reluctantly agreed they could stay for a couple of weeks, it was only sleeping bags in the spare room, but they didn’t mind that, they had had plenty of experience of sleeping bags.

Staying with her was conditional upon them getting work, and paying their way, but that didn’t bother them as they had always been hard workers.

Despite the two-week limitation they were still there six months later, because her worst fears were not realised.

Initially the girls got work at Stephenson’s because they had a history with the stores and a couple of phone calls to Northchapel had them vouched for. 

On the other hand, Alice Parsons, worked for Hanratty’s Department Store, and had done for more than twenty years and once she knew how reliable they were she was able to get them jobs at the store, which gave them full time hours, and Hanratty’s paid better than Stephenson’s.

 

They really enjoyed living with grandma Alice and working at Hanratty’s and as their lives were so content there had been a curtailing of their adventures, apart from the night they got drunk at the Christmas party and fell asleep in the disabled toilet and got locked in the store for the night.

 

Other than that, they had grown into very responsible young women and had impressed Grandma Alice and their employers which earned them a Christmas bonus.

The store had been dressed in tinselled Christmas garb and twinkling lights almost from the beginning of October and the girls found it very exciting as it was a constant reminder of the fact that they were heading for their first Christmas as a couple.

But they knew that their happiness was due in no small part to Grandma Alice, so they wanted to use some of their bonus to get her something special for Christmas, and it didn’t take long for them to decide on the very thing, a Clock.

Or to be more precise a Stylish chiming Mantel clock with Roman numerals and a wooden case, and a loud tick because Grandma Alice always said a ticking clock was the heartbeat of a home.

 

They used some of their bonus and their staff discount to buy it and they had it gift wrapped at the store as well, as they were both rubbish wrappers.

They bought a few other little bits over the weeks as well, but they wrapped them themselves.

 

The girls had to work right up until six o’clock on Christmas Eve, but Alice had the 23^rd and 24^th off so she could get ready for the best Christmas she’d had in years, ever since her estrangement from her daughter she had celebrated Christmas alone, but this year it was going to be different, plus there was an important delivery to the house on Christmas Eve.

 

It was a really busy day at Hanratty’s and the girls were exhausted by the time they got home at 7 o’clock.

“Hi Grandma!” Lily called “We’re home”

“Hello darlings” she retorted as she came to greet them “Dinner is almost ready”

“Great we’re starved” Lily said and laughed

“Have we got time to change?” Krissy asked

“Yes, but before you go up I’ve got a surprise for you both, a joint Christmas present, but you have to have it today because, I can’t keep it hidden until tomorrow, you’ll understand what I mean when you see it” she said “go up and see”

“It’s upstairs?” Krissy asked

“Yes”

“Tell us, tell us” Lily insisted

“All I will say is that I’ve got you something to sleep on” she said, and the girls waited for her to elaborate.

“Well you’ve been sleeping on the floor in sleeping bags for six months, so I’ve got you something proper to sleep on”

And the girls looked at each other and then ran upstairs, but then they stopped at the top of the stairs.

“Go on, in you go” Grandma urged

So, Lily pushed open the door and then they stood open mouthed as they looked at the King Size bed with a pink velvet Queen Anne headboard and made up in contrasting shades of pink, with a Patchwork quilt Duvet Cover decorated with Flowers & Butterflies

“It’s a bed” Lily said “A beautiful bed”

“What were you expecting a hammock?” Alice asked and laughed

“I was expecting bunk beds” Krissy said 

“Why would I get two beds, when you’d only use one of them anyway?” she retorted

“You know?” Lily asked

“Oh darling, I’m not blind, it’s clear to anyone who cares to look at the two of you” she replied

“And you don’t mind?” Krissy asked

“Why would I mind? I’m hardly going to chastise you for being in love”

“You can tell that too?” Lily asked

“You are adorable” Grandma Alice said

“She is, isn’t she?” Krissy said

“And so are you” 

“We love you Grandma” they both exclaimed and they all merged into a hug fest

“This is going to be the best Christmas ever” Grandma said

“It already is” Lily said

“For me too” Krissy agreed

After a few minutes Krissy said urgently

“Ooh, you have to open yours now”

“Yes, yes” Lily agreed “Come on it’s under the tree”

 

By the time Alice got down the stairs Lily was already on her hands and knees under the tree

“This is the one” Lily said and pushed the brightly coloured beribboned package towards her. 

“Ok but let me sit down first” Grandma said laughing

When she was seated, Krissy sat beside her, and the she took the package and began unwrapping

 “Open it, open it” Lily urged her

“I’m savouring it” Alice said

When she had carefully removed the paper and put it aside she opened the box.

“Wow” she exclaimed and began to cry

“Do you like it?” Lily asked

“The beating heart” she replied “that’s what you girls are to me, you are the beating heart in my life”

Then all three were hugging, crying and laughing.

Snippets of Downshire Life – Midnight Mass

The medieval Village of Withery, was located between Purplemere and Finchbottom, which was where at one time the Monks of St Vitus Abbey were the first to grow grapes in the county.

The Abbey was long ago reduced to rubble and provided much of the fabric of the Village cottages surviving from 15^th and 16^th centuries, and one of them was occupied by a 45-year-old woman, Annette Slocombe, who was Deputy Warden, at Withery Grange Nursing Home, which was the 21^st century incarnation of the old Manor House.

 

In the six months since her husband’s death, Annette had changed beyond all recognition, she had moved to the village, partly to fulfil a lifelong dream to live in the country, and partly to escape the marital home that she viewed as a prison.

She also did all the things her husband heartily disapproved of, so she was now the proud owner of a dog called Scamp, and a new car which she named Seve, because it was a Golf, and she also watched trash on television, and she was free to practice her faith without fear of ridicule.

However, at the age of 45, the one thing she had dared not dream of was falling in love, and that was something else Malcolm would have disapproved of but fall in love she did.

 

George Rushworth on the other hand hadn’t dreamt of falling in love for a very different reason, he had closed his heart to it, and had drawn a line under such emotions.

For the five years since the death of his beloved wife Katie he never thought of love for a second.

It wasn’t just that he was reluctant to fall in love, he merely accepted that that chapter of his life was over and done with because he felt when Katie died, part of him died too, and that he would never find another mate who would measure up to her.

And then he met a funny little mousy haired woman wandering the woods with a Spaniel and he felt alive again.

When Katie passed, George had pledged never to love again to protect himself against another broken heart.

But that was like living a half-life, yes there might be pain, but the joy far outweighed the risk.

 

Since Annette had moved to Withery she had discovered that life was actually rather wonderful, she had also discovered that there were a lot of trashy things on TV and a lot more on Television that wasn’t, and she realised that it was a Wonderful Life, when she kissed George beneath the mistletoe and they began their relationship in earnest.

 

On Christmas Eve, Annette drove “Seve” down to St Vitus’ Church, because of her shifts she hadn’t been a regular at the Church since she’d moved to Withery, but she had attended three Sunday services, the Christingle and the Carol service.

She had asked George to join her a couple of times, but he hadn’t been to Church since Katie passed, and he was still angry with God for taking her and he was quite unforgiving on the subject, and was totally unmovable on the matter, for now.

Annette thought she would probably wear him down eventually, but she didn’t want to push it.

Although George had declined, for Annette, Midnight Mass was an un-missable event, so she went alone.

 

Annette said a few hello’s 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, possibly because it was conducted in the semi darkness which added to the magic.

So, she took her seat and settled herself and then she bowed her head, closed her eyes and took a few moments to pray and when she opened them again she was not alone.

“You came” Annette said and took George’s hand and cried

“Don’t cry darling” George 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 I would be free to love you”

George said, and Annette was crying again

“I love you George Rushworth” she said

“I love you too” he replied “and I really want to kiss you”

“There will be time enough for that” she said and squeezed his hand

 

After midnight, Annette and George shared the peace with their fellow worshippers and then when they went outside George got his kiss and then they went back to George’s cottage.

Uncanny Christmas Tales – (008) The Girl in the Maternity Dress

Holly walked around the lounge talking to the customers, as was her usual habit, she had a less graceful gait than she used to but Steve still felt a great sense of pride that he was her husband, and the reason for her lack of grace was that Holly was pregnant, very pregnant.

It had been two years since they had met and she had changed the course of his life entirely.

 

It was Christmas again and Steve Berry had always had a dislike for Christmas, despite all the jollity and faux fun, because unlike many of his Christmas mad friends he had no happy Christmas memories to anesthetise him against the season.

His childhood Christmases were memories he would rather have forgotten, so he never trusted Christmas, he believed that shit lurked beneath the coloured lights and paper chains.

That was until Holly Davis opened his eyes to new possibilities and he realised that Christmas could also magnify joy and as a result Steve had been cured of his Christmas phobia.

 

Due to Holly, Steve had found himself working behind the bar in her Uncle Phil’s pub, the Pig and Whistle.

He was still uncertain quite how she managed to affect that, but affect it she did and during the ten days working for her she had turned his life upside down and it culminated on Christmas Eve with him wishing her a Merry Christmas at closing time and kissing her.

Judging by the way Holly responded Steve hoped that kiss on Christmas Eve might have been the start of something but alas for him it didn’t lead anywhere.

Holly had indeed responded to his advance and in fact had been hoping for it, but she knew it was far too soon to throw caution to the wind.

The effects of the kiss proved to be a slow burner which didn’t burst into flames until the early hours of New Year’s Day

 

The two years since had been very eventful, they became partners in January, engaged at Easter and Married in September. 

However, it wasn’t only Steve and Holly’s fortunes that had changed over the preceding two years since they had met, so had those of the Pig and Whistle.

It had gone from a rundown dive to a thriving pub with a growing reputation as a gastro pub.

The restaurant had always been busy right from the outset but when Steve and Stephanos were in the kitchen it was good pub grub and no more because they didn’t have the repertoire to take it to the next level.

However since Steve and Holly had returned from their New Forest honeymoon the previous year with Chef Simon Clarke the restaurant had really taken off.

Simon had been working as a Sous Chef for an arrogant sadistic bully at the same country house hotel that the Berry’s were staying at, but now he was a Chef in his own right and Steve and Stephanos had grown as cooks under him, and this contributed to the general business that night.

It was Christmas Eve and Holly, despite being told to rest by Steve and everybody else was doing her usual walkabout as hostess and as Steve looked at her he sighed because he was so in love with that girl in the maternity dress.

 

Just like Christmas Eve two years earlier it was snowing, not as hard, but enough not to want to make any unnecessary journeys.

She had had a twinge or two which she just laughed it off, she said the baby had been really active all day.

“She’s dancing to the Christmas songs” she said to Steve “she really likes the Puppini Sisters”

But by 9 o’clock in the evening it was obvious the twinges were more than Christmas Dancing and she was having contractions.

Luckily Clare Andrews was dining in the restaurant with friends

“Get Doc Andrews” he said to Petra

“Ok” she replied and ran off while Steve and one of the regulars helped Holly in the private room at the back of the bar.

 

“Where is she?” The Doctor asked

“In here” Steve called

Dr Andrews threw her car keys to Petra

“Can you get my bag from the car please?”

“Yes doc” she replied

“Ooooooh” Holly exclaimed through gritted teeth “that was a big one”   

After Dr Andrews examined her she said

“She’s definitely in labour”

“I’ll call an ambulance” Steve suggested

“No, she’s too far along” Clare said “the baby is going to be born here, and soon”  

“I’d be happier if we got her to hospital” Steve said

“So, would I” Dr Andrews replied

“But she’ll never make it to the hospital”

“She’s really too close?” Steve asked

“Yes” Clare replied “so under the circumstance, here is going to have to do”

 “Upstairs it is then” Steve said “but the first sign of an angel and three wise men and we’re calling an ambulance”

 

“This was certainly different to all my previous Christmases’ Steve thought to himself as he said goodnight to the stragglers and looked out the door, it was still snowing but still not hard.

He locked the doors and went back to where the staff were sitting, no one wanted to go to bed until the baby had been born.  

So they sat around a table in the bar until half past one when Noelle Clare Berry was born, trust Holly Berry to have the baby on Christmas Day.