The Clerembeax Palace Hotel and Spa – The Second Sunday of Advent

 

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 Yvonne Labuschagne inherited it from her cousin, the last remaining Clerembeax, she undertook the task of modernizing the Palace and opening a Hotel and Spa offering, fitness classes, gym, rock sauna, infra-red sauna, aroma steam room, ice fountain, drench showers, Jacuzzi, a Romanesque pool, Reflexology, Raki, facials, scalp massage, hand massage, Manicure and Pedicure, while also providing accommodation, meeting and function rooms, a superior restaurant and whatever temptation might attract potential visitors.

She was by profession a masseuse and had worked for many years along with her late husband at the Dancingdean Spa Hotel in Childean.

Staffing the Hotel and Spa was crucial, and Yvonne used her contacts in the Spa world to find the right specialist people in her field of expertise’s and employed Hannah Morgan to fill the remainder of the roles, on the understanding that she 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.

It was a profitable concern and gave them all a modest living but when the Palace opened, it gave them a chance to supplement their incomes without having to travel to Abbeyvale.

They were all hard-working girls and didn’t care what work they did so Hannah Morgan didn’t hesitate to offer them all housekeeping jobs.

Felicity was the second oldest at twenty-three and the tallest at 5ft 8, but she was also the least confident, and was oblivious to how attractive she was, with her willowy figure and long brown hair.

Unlike her siblings she was painfully shy, and was a quiet studious girl, who never went out, preferring to immerse herself in books, in fact she only ever left the farm for work and church, and she hadn’t left the village since she left school.

but the one thing that she shared with her sisters was her work ethic.

 

At the beginning of November Stephen Shepherd arrived as Hospitality manager.

He was in his mid-twenties, tall, with a military bearing, blonde hair, blue eyes and a smile that melted Felicity’s heart the first time she saw it, and if that alone hadn’t been enough to catch her eye, Stephen was also an immaculate dresser, Blazer, Slacks, collar and tie, finished off with tie pin and cufflinks.

 

As the Palace was doing so well, with the Spa, Hotel and hospitality out performing expectations, Hannah Morgan was stretched to breaking point, so Yvonne decided she should bring someone else in to share the burden, so at the beginning of November Stephen Shepherd arrived as Hospitality manager.

He was in his mid-twenties, tall, with a military bearing, blonde hair, blue eyes and a smile that melted Felicity’s heart the first time she saw it, and if that alone hadn’t been enough to catch her eye, Stephen was also an immaculate dresser, Blazer, Slacks, collar and tie, finished off with tie pin and cufflinks.

Some of the girls in housekeeping thought his “uniform” was odd and made fun of him behind his back, but Flis liked it.

 

After about a week in the job he asked Hannah if he could have the assistance of someone from housekeeping to assist him with the linens, table cloths and napkins etc.

Hannah had no problem with his request and was about to assign someone when much to hers, and everyone else’s surprise, Felicity volunteered.

“Ok then off you go” Hannah said with a smile.

 

“Hi, I’m Stephen” he said, rather pleased that his helper was the attractive girl he’d seen busying around everywhere.

“Felicity” she said

“That’s a lovely name” he said, “Doesn’t it mean Happy or is it lucky?”

“Good fortune, or happy” she replied

“Much more interesting than mine” he said “I’ve always thought Stephen was rather a dull name”

“Nonsense it’s a great name, which means “garland, crown”” she explained

“Really? I didn’t know that” he responded and chastised himself for thinking that just because she worked in housekeeping she wouldn’t be very bright, having spoken to her for only a few minutes it was clear he was in error.

“I’ve seen you quite a lot, busying around the place” he said

“That’s right” Felicity said “There’s not much going on at the farm at present, so my sisters and I have increased our hours up here”

 

Felicity worked with him on and off all that week and in the weeks that followed whenever he needed help he asked for her, and every time they talked she surprised him anew.

But although it was clear to everyone that there was more to their relationship than Hospitality Manager and Housekeeping girl, it didn’t become evident to the two of them until

The Second Sunday of Advent.

 

The Ward family had always been churchgoers and not out of a sense of duty, the whole family had very strong faiths, and they only missed in exceptional circumstances, and the same was true of Olive Ward’s family Sunday Lunch.

 

The family arrived at St Giles’ en masse and milled around at the back of the church chatting to some of the other congregants, although Felicity tended to just hover until it was time to take their seats.

But after only a few minutes of shuffling around staring at her feet, she was interrupted.

“Hello Lucky” a voice said and when she looked up it was Stephen

“Oh hello” she responded “I’ve never seen you here before”

“No, I normally work on Sundays” he replied

“Yes, I know, I thought that was because you didn’t do church” she said

“No, I do it so people with family can get the most from the day” he explained “Then I come to the evening service”

“Oh, I see” Felicity said, “So why not this week?”

“I need to go and do my Christmas shopping” he said “I’m going to Abbottsford straight after the service”

“Oh”

“Why don’t you come with me?” he asked

“Me?”

“Yes” he said

“We always have a big lunch on Sunday” she said

“I’ll buy you lunch”

“Mum wouldn’t like it” she said resignedly

“What wouldn’t mum like?” Olive Ward asked, having seen her daughter with her head up talking to a man, so she had to investigate.

“Stephen just asked if I wanted to go Christmas Shopping in Abbottsford” Felicity explained “But I said you didn’t like us to miss lunch”

“Nonsense” Olive said “Of course you can go, as long as Stephen promises to feed and water you”

“Absolutely” he assured her and then Olive nodded and left them alone, and as she joined her husband she was wearing a broad grin.

“So that’s settled then” he said “You can go home and get what you need, and I’ll pick you up from the Farm, agreed”

“That’s a date then” she said and then got flustered

“I mean…sorry… I didn’t mean date”

“Really?” Stephen said “I did”

Snippets of Downshire Life – St Nicholas’ Day

 

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.

 

Hanratty’s Department store and the Abbottsford’s Phoenix Shopping Centre 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.

 

On the evening of the sixth of December there was a party in the staff canteen, with a first-class buffet and plenty of booze, in fact too much of the latter for lightweight Lily who Krissy had to escort to the ladies.

“Is she ok?” Alice asked

“She will be” Krissy replied “But I think I’d better take her home”

“Ok love” Alice said and returned to the party

 

Krissy took her into the disabled toilet, as it was more spacious, and knelt Lily down in front of the bowl, but she wasn’t sick she just fell asleep and as Krissy sat and watched so did she.

 

Krissy was woken up by the sound of Lily’s phone going off, so Krissy took it out of her pocket and answered it.

“Hello”

“Lily! thank God, where are you?”

“It’s not Lily, its Krissy Grandma” she said, she always called her grandma even though she was no relation

“Why? where’s Lily?”

“She’s asleep” she said and opened the toilet door “We both fell asleep, and now everywhere is dark, and I think were locked in Grandma”

“Well at least your safe” she said, audibly releived

“What should we do?” Krissy asked

“Well just sleep there tonight” she said, “What floor are you on?”

“Six”

“Good, just go through soft furnishings and sleep on one of the beds” she said “just avoid the main thoroughfares and you won’t appear on the CCTV”

“I’m sorry Grandma” Krissy said

“Don’t be silly” she said “you’re safe, that’s the main thing, look after Lily and I’ll bring fresh clothes with me in the morning”

“Thanks Grandma”

 

“Come on sleepy” she said as she tried to get Lily on her feet

“I’m tired” she protested

“So am I honey, so the sooner we get going the sooner we can lay down on a nice soft bed”

“A real bed?” Lily asked sleepily

“Yes”

“Oooh lovely”

 

Even with the incentive of a comfy bed and the fact that she was a skinny little thing it was difficult for Krissy to steer her comfortably to their destination without appearing on the cameras, but she managed it, and dumped Lily on the first bed they came to.

Then she grabbed some pillows off a nearby display and a throw off an adjacent chair and after arranging the pillows and Lily, she covered her with the throw and the slipped under it with her.

 

Krissy had had the presence of mind to set an alarm on her phone, so they could be up and hidden away before the early staff started to arrive, and the contented couple slept soundly all night and the alarm was an unwelcome sound when it went off.

“Wake up Lily” she said and kissed the top of her head as she lay with it on her chest

“Wake up Lily” she said

“What?” she said sleepily

“Wake up” she said “We need to move”

“What! Why what time is it?” Lily retorted

“Late” Krissy retorted

“That was a lovely sleep” Lily said as she lifted her head to look at her

“It was nice wasn’t it” Krissy agreed

“But how did we get here?” Lily asked

“I’ll tell you later but for now we need to get moving”

“No, we need to have our good morning kiss first” Lily pointed out

“You can have your morning kiss when we are safely hidden from the security guard” Krissy said

“Ok” she said and reluctantly slipped out of bed, and Krissy put the pillows back where she got them, even the one Lily had drooled on, and folded the throw and put it back on the chair, and once she was sure they hadn’t left anything behind they made their way stealthily back to the disabled loo.

 

Once they were safely hidden Krissy filled her in on the events of the previous night and explained about Grandma bringing them clean clothes and then just after 8 o’clock Lily got a text message

“Where are you?”

She looked quizzically at Krissy, who raised her eye brows and took the phone from her and typed: 

“Disabled toilet 6^th floor”

“On my way up”

 

“I’m starving” Lily said as they waited

“You’re always hungry” her girlfriend pointed out just as there was a light knocking on the door and Krissy got up and unlocked the door.

“Grandma” they both exclaimed, and she rushed in and hugged them both.

“Oh, girls I’m so glad to see” she said as they hugged “I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to either of you”

 

When the group hug broke up she said

“There are clean clothes, fresh underwear and toiletries in the bag there”

“Thank you” they said

“And there are bacon rolls in here” she said holding up a white paper bag

“Breakfast!” Lily shouted

“I love you grandma” Krissy said and kissed her

“Me too” Lily said having already taken a bite out of her roll

“I love you both as well” she said “Very much”

Snippets of Downshire Life – Feast of St Nicholas

 

The traditional seaside resort of Sharpington-by-Sea with its Victorian Pier, seafront hotels, crazy golf, The Palladium ballroom, well maintained gardens, promenade, theatre and illuminations, has all the usual things to have a great time by the seaside, as well as amusement arcades and of course the Sharpington Fun Park and it was in the grand neighbourhood of Granite Hill, which in a nod to San Francisco, the locals had nicknamed Nob Hill where Church Warden of St Lucy’s, Henry Appleby, was attending a dinner on St Andrew’s Day, at the home of a local celebrity, children’s author, Alesha Khan.

Henry was a popular figure in Sharpington society who dedicated all of his free time to the church and good works, so it would have been of little surprise to find him on the guest list, but he on the other hand was surprised at some of the other guests.

In addition to the hostess Alesha, was Kim Labuschagne, an illustrator, who was an old school friend of hers, and she also assisted in the kitchen, Alesha’s brother artist Zach, Curate of St Lucy’s, Russell Glavin, Literary agents, Jayson and Kathryn Mercer, Actresses Kerry Freeborn and Sharon Blackburn and Tim Street who was a Local Historian, so it was an interesting bunch, but his interest was overwhelmingly in Kathryn.

Henry had known Kathryn since she was a girl, he was an old family friend, but it wasn’t friendship that he felt for her, but he had not shared his feelings with her, because he thought it would have been a betrayal of her parents trust, but following their deaths in a car accident, but he said nothing then because he had to fulfill more of an avuncular role, and then she married so he resigned himself to the fact that there could never be any other role for him in her life.

 

When the time came for them to take their seats Henry found that he was seated oposite Alesha and next to Kathryn, and he could tell by the look on the formers face that she had put them beside eachother by design, hoping that her change in circumstances would move things along between them.

 

Kathryn had divorced from her husband Jayson 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.

 

The conversation between Henry and Kathryn during dinner was as easy and relaxed as it always had been, so much so that it actually felt like they were a couple, but they wernt.

Over coffee Kathryn said

“I’ve been asked to organise the St Nicholas gifts this year”

“Really? I did them for a couple of years” he said “before I became Church Warden”

“Yes I remember” she said “Which is why…”

“Why what?”

“Which is why I could use your help” she replied

“Of course I’ll help” he said

“We could meet tomorrow”

“Perfect” she said

 

They met the next day at his house after Church and over coffee they compiled a long list of items she needed to get from the cash and carry and afterwards they walked along the promenade to Albies Coffee Shop and Café where they had lunch.

“Thanks for your help Henry” she sadi

“My pleasure Kathryn, you just need to drive over to Purplemere and pick it up”

“I might need your help again with that” she said “I’ll never get that lot in my car”

“Why? You’ll easily get it all into your SUV”

“Erm… Its in the garage until Wednesday, so I’ve only got the Mini”

“What about Jayson’s car?”

“He’s gone to Millmoor, and won’t be back for a fortnight” she replied

“Well in that case we can go in mine” he said

 

They couldn’t go on Sunday afternoon as it was the first Sunday of Advent and as he was Church Warden and she was the Verger they needed to be on hand for the evening service, so he picked her up early on Monday morning and drove her over to the cash and carry.

 

It was an amazing place, and they were very impressed even though they had both been to one before, it was like an Aladdin’s cave of Christmas goodies, and they soon filled their trolley.

But Kathryn seemed to be in no particular hurry to leave because although they had everything that was on the list she kept Henry there for another hour wandering up and down the aisles but added nothing to the trolley before she accepted they had finished the shopping and went to the checkout.

Henry and Kathryn loaded the shopping into his car and then they exited the car park with the sound of thunder in the distance.

On the way out of the gate it started to rain, and as he turned onto the Sharpington road the sky had grown really dark and the thunder cracks grew closer and the rain fell harder.

Twenty minutes later the rain was falling ever harder until the wipers could barely cope.

As luck would have it they were just approaching a lay-by, so Henry turned into it to wait for the rain to abate.

He had barely applied the handbrake when there was a clap thunder above that shook the car and Kathrine screamed and launched herself at Henry.

“Hold me” she begged “the thunder frightens me”

 

“Don’t worry honey” he said putting his arm around her “I’ve got you”

 

The thunder storm went on for almost half an hour before it moved away, and the rain eased off and Henry said

“I think it’s safe to go now”

“Are you sure?” she said “it might come back”

“No, it’s moved away now” he said and released his hold on her and he thought he heard her sigh.

 

When they got back to Sharpington they went back to her house and unloaded the car.

“So where do you want them?” he asked as he walked in carrying two boxes

“In the Dining room” she replied “I’ll make a start on them after lunch”

And then almost as an afterthought she added

“You’ll stay for lunch of course? “

“That would be lovely, I can stay and help after” he suggested

“Really? Would you?

“Of course,” he replied “and I’m free tomorrow so I can help you box them up and deliver them” 

 

The St Nicholas Day gifts could come in different forms but were almost always presented in boots or shoes.

The ones that St Lucy’s Church were giving out consisted of a small red plastic Santa Boot, complete with white fur trim and filled with chocolates and candy.

Each one contained Chocolate Coins, Candy Canes, Bonbons, Fudge, Chocolate Santa, a small toy and a puzzle.

So, after lunch they set up a production line and when the Boot was filled the whole thing was completed by putting the filled Boot inside a cellophane bag tied at the top with a red ribbon.

working together right through until 10 o’clock, only stopping for pizza, they got them all filled, bagged and tied, but left the packing of them until the next morning.

 

Henry arrived at Kathryn’s just after ten the next morning and they packed the gifts in boxes for the various destinations, and then they loaded the car, before making the deliveries.

Jubilee Primary School, Whitecliffe Hill Primary, St Lucy’s Church, for the Sunday School, and Sharpington Library for the reading club and then back to Kathryn’s.

“I can’t thank you enough Henry” she said

“It was my pleasure” he said “I enjoyed it”

“Nonetheless I’m very grateful” he said “Let me take you to dinner tomorrow night as a thank you, L'uccello Canto”

“That’s my favourite restaurant”

“I know it is” she said, “so is that a yes?”

 

It was a lovely meal and the conversation was easy, witty and stimulating but Henry drank more than he probably should have but he was having such a good time.

“A perfect end to a perfect evening” she said when the liqueurs arrived

“Your perfect” he said, and then he realized he had said it out loud, and he glanced at her and she was smiling, but not in a derisory way, so he decided, aided by all the wine, to tell her how he felt.

“I’ve always thought you were perfect, in everyway”

“Before you go any further I have a confession to make” she said

“You don’t have to say anything, I just need to say how I feel” he replied

“But I really do” she insisted

“Ok” Henry replied, a little concerned at what might follow and then

Kathryn took a deep breath and blurted out

“I planned all of this”

“All what?”

“Everything in order to get you here tonight” she said, and Henry thought for a moment and then said

“Did you arrange for me to be sitting next to you at the Dinner Party?” He asked

“Yes, but that was the easy bit” she confessed “because I had an ally in Alesha, but after that, it was up to me to take advantage of the situation”

“Which of course you did” he said

“Indeed, I did” she admitted, “The rest however took a bit more planning”

“And a bit more deceitfulness” she continued, and Henry took a moment to think before he said

“You didn’t need my help with the planning, did you?”

“No” she confessed

“And the SUV being in the garage?”

“Was a lie” Kathryn confirmed

“And your being scared of the thunder?”

“Also, a lie” she confirmed again “I just wanted to hug you”

“So why?”

“So that I could be close to you and hopefully pluck up the courage to tell you how special you are to me”

“So, does that mean what I think it means?” he asked

“If that’s what you want now that you know that I’m he not perfect” she said

“I do” he said and held her hand

“You don’t think less of me?” she asked

“I’m shocked and stunned” he said “but only that you want me”

“I’ve always wanted you” she said and kissed his hand

 

As he walked her home arm in arm he asked

“So, are you pleased with the outcome of your scheming?”

“Oh yes” she said “pleased and surprised”

“Surprised?” he queried

“Yes, I’ve never done anything like it before, and I’m surprised how conniving I’ve been” she said

“Well you’ve got me now” he said

“Yes, and that’s perfect” Kathryn said

Uncanny Love Tales – (003) Girl in The Floral Dress

 

The day began early for Jerry as he reluctantly left the arms of his lover, it was first light and the dawn chorus were in full voice.

His full name was Edwin Jeremiah Dootson, which he always thought was like something out of Charles Dickens novel, a villain more than likely knowing his luck, and he hated his name, Edwin was so old fashioned, so he used his middle name Jeremiah which he didn’t like much better so he shortened it to Jerry and everyone assumed falsely that it was short for Jeremy, but he didn’t enlighten them.

As he prepared to slip out of her bed his companions rolled over and put her arm across his chest.

“Don’t go Jez” she implored

“I have to Zyggy” he replied “I’ve got a long drive ahead of me”

They were in her University digs, which was a room in a house she shared with three friends.

“Oh, stay a bit longer” she begged, and he kissed her on the forehead

“I wish I could darling” he said, and she kissed his chest

He really did want to stay with her, but he had a wedding to go to, a family wedding that required his attendance, on pain of death, according to his mother.

Before getting out of bed he picked up her phone from the bedside table and tapped in his own number and sent a text to himself so they then both had each other’s numbers.

 

He had only met her the day before and he’d fallen head over heels for her.

Jerry arrived in the Seaside town of Sharpington-By-Sea on Thursday for a stag do and he had met Zyggy, who was wearing a floral dress, on the following morning at a coffee shop on the pier.

He was preparing for the long drive home with an Americana to go and she was in front of him ordering a Macchiato, as they waited for their orders they got talking and sat and drank their coffees at a table outside and ended up spending the whole day together, and the night.

They hit it off immediately and it was like they’d known each other all their lives.

 

On the long drive home Jerry couldn’t get Zyggy out of his thoughts.

It was funny how thing worked out he hadn’t gone to Sharpington to meet someone, in fact if truth be told he hadn’t really wanted to go at all, he wasn’t particularly close to the groom, but he was family and according to his mother that was what counted.

But having met someone, which was unexpected in itself, everything that followed was not only unexpected it was completely out of character.

He was not the sort of person to do things on a whim, he was an accountant and therefore by definition a planner, very definitely not a make it up as you go along kind of guy.

Nor was he the sleep with the first girl you meet type of guy so the event’s in Sharpington the day and night before were quite significant for him, and he hoped for her also.

Because he was convinced, she was “the one”, as she fitted “the template” perfectly.

He had carried the template with him in his brain almost since the moment of his sexual awakening.

Long brown hair falling across her shoulders in generous waves.

Hazel eyes, intelligent, warm and full of familiarity that screwed tight shut when she laughed.

A pretty face, which hers was, pretty but also full of imperfections, an aquiline nose, a small scar above her right eye, a lopsided smile and freckled cheeks, an exquisitely defined jawline as if chiselled from marble and a strong and resolute chin.

She was very tall, almost as tall as him in her heels and he was six-foot two, and slim as a willow and lithe as a dancer.

But all of that was superficial, just an accident of heritage, what made Zyggy special and by extension “the one” was that she was funny, intelligent, insightful, caring, romantic and grounded

In fact, she ticked every box, plus numerous other boxes he didn’t even know existed.

Jerry wasn’t exactly sure where that template came from, but he had always had it and he had begun to wonder if he would ever meet the girl to fit it or if indeed such a girl even existed, but that was before he met the girl in the floral dress.

 

He got back to his flat in plenty of time to change for the wedding and drive to Childean to pick up his mum, who was wearing a spectacularly ridiculous hat.

The wedding at St Andrew’s Church passed off without a hitch and the reception at the Dancingdean Spa Hotel was very lavish, but he spent much of that happy day in Childean wishing he was somewhere else and he cursed his luck at having to be there.

“Why did I have to meet her this weekend of all weekends” he pondered, but then if it hadn’t been that weekend, he wouldn’t have been in Sharpington in the first place.

“Why didn’t I invite her to the wedding then?” he asked himself

“No that wouldn’t have worked either” he concluded as he wasn’t ready to introduce her to his mum, he thought that might frighten her away.

He decided to just feel grateful that he had met her at all and to look forward to the moment he would see her again.

 

However there was a fly in the ointment because although the wedding all went off according to plan there was from his point of view a distinct downside on the whole day and that was that he couldn’t get a phone signal which drove him crazy so he wasn’t able to get through to Zyggy at all.

 

On Sunday there was a succession of family farewells and hug fests as he waved goodbye to three generations of his extended family and after the weekend was over it was back to work in the thrilling world of accountancy on Monday morning.

It was a particularly tedious start to the week as he began by trying to get hold of Zyggy on the phone again, but he had no more good fortune than he had done at the weekend.

In fact, all week long they had kept missing each other on the phone and for the first half of it they communicated solely by voice mail, if you could call that communication.

Zyggy was in lectures all week and had several approaching deadlines and for Jerry it was the financial year end for the company he worked for, so Jerry was having to work late every night and spend a disproportionate amount of time in meetings with other accountants, department managers and auditors.

He was reassured however that she seemed to be as anxious to talk to him as he was to talk to her.

If it hadn’t been such a hellish week at work he would have driven back down to the house in Sharpington to see her, but that wasn’t an option, firstly because he was just too busy, but the main reason was because she wasn’t there, she had gone home so she could work on her assignments without any distractions.

 

By Thursday he was getting increasingly frustrated by his failure to make contact with her and he could tell by her tone that she was too.

Then he had a brain wave and he texted her his email address and then he cursed himself and his stupidity for not thinking of it earlier.

He just hoped she would see it in the same light as he did, and they could finally converse and makes plans that didn’t consist of talking to each other’s voice mail.

Luckily he needn’t have worried, Zyggy thought it was a great idea and wished that she had thought of it and then the email traffic flowed between them and the volume and content was quite epic and were tantamount to love letters and woven amongst the sentimental words of love were the minutiae of the everyday, the mundane and the ordinary that would make up the fabric of their budding relationship. 

But despite the fluidity of the email traffic they were still no nearer actually seeing each other face to face.

 

On Saturday Jerry had to work a 12-hour day to put the finishing touches to the yearend accounts and on Sunday it was his mum’s birthday, so he had planned to spend the whole day with her.

He had at least succeeded in talking to Zyggy and it turned out she was tied up all weekend too, but they were hopeful that the following week would offer an opportunity for them to actually get together.

 

Jerry picked his mum up from Childean on Sunday morning and took her to St Andrew’s Church and afterwards out for lunch to The Huntsman’s Lodge restaurant and from there he drove her home and then went inside to have tea with her.

“Put the kettle on Edwin” she said, and he winced at the sound of the name, but he duly obliged.

While he was in the kitchen there was a knock at the door.

His mum answered the it and an exchange of exited chatter ensued, he recognised the other voice as that of Aunty Edith, she wasn’t really an auntie just a family friend who was particularly close to his mum.

Jerry hadn’t seen her since he was at school, but throughout his childhood she and her family had featured heavily.

“I thought I would just pop in and wish you a happy birthday dear” Edith said

“And I brought Alex along, she’s just back from University”

Jerry’s heart sank, he remembered Alex very well, she was younger than him by about 3 years and she was a clumsy gawky girl who used to trail after him, and she had been a blight on his childhood summer holidays.

“Oh, it’s so lovely to see you Alex” his mum said

“Edwin is in the kitchen”

Just at that moment Jerry got his first sight at the young woman called Alex, narrow hipped, round pert buttocks, small breasts, firm to the touch and soft-silky skin, and that last part wasn’t wishful thinking on his part either, he knew this to be true and not to be a fanciful notion, because it was her bed he had reluctantly vacated the previous weekend, and as if to dispel any doubts she was wearing the same floral dress she wore when they first met.

“I thought it would be nice for them to see each other again” Edith said

It was nice to see her, he thought but not as nice as the last time they met.

So, it was Alex, Alexandra Zygmunt, he didn’t realise the Alex of his childhood was the same girl who called herself Zyggy.

So, it turned out they really had known each other for ever, that’s why she seemed to fit the template so well, because she was the template.

“So, you’re Edwin” Zyggy said

“And you’re Alex” Jerry responded

“It’s nice to see you again” she said formally “After all these years”

“Yes, perhaps we might go out while you’re home and catch up” he replied and then whispered

“Did you know?”

Zyggy just shook her head in the negative and said

“Yes, that would be nice”

Uncanny Christmas Tales – (009) The Avuncular and the Christmas stocking

 

Three months had passed since Hannah Castle and I had made love in my room at the Cleddau Bridge Hotel and two days short of three months since she said she wasn’t sure we could be together.

Not that she didn’t love me or enjoy being with me, and I can say without being boastful that it wasn’t because she didn’t enjoy making love with me.

Nor did she think that was a mistake, a moment of madness or because she had drunk too much.

“I don’t regret it for a second” she said as we lay entwined beneath the duvet “I just have doubts”

Hannah just wasn’t sure if she could or should give over her heart, soul and life to a man 12 years older than herself.

I can’t say I wasn’t disappointed and I wasn’t happy about it but nor was I angry with her, in fact I agreed with her to a point, and I wanted her to be sure as much as she did.

After all I had no words to convince a 29 year old woman to give her life to a man the wrong side of 40, and nor would I have wished to use them if they were in my possession.

 

“I love you Tom, but I just have to be certain sure” she said the moment before she drove away it was heart-breaking to watch her drive away because I had no such doubts.

For me that first night together was the blissful culmination of eight years of hope and desire, not just the love making but to hear my declaration of love returned in word and delicious deed.

It had been pretty much love at first sight for me, but then she was a beautiful sight to behold, but for her it was a more gradual falling and one that she desperately fought against tooth and claw whereas I simply surrendered to her.

 

Even before our chance meeting at the Hotel Hannah had agreed to take a three month secondment in Milford Haven where she could be close to her sister and the twins, so she suggested they take that time to think, and in that time she would either get over me or know for certain sure I was the one.

 

While she was away I convinced myself almost on a daily basis that it was over, and rightly so I thought at times.

If the worst came to the worst I consoled myself with the thought that I would always have the memory of that wonderful weekend when my love for her was finally validated.

In my darkest moments I did question if it was a moment of madness that brought Hannah to my bed, but I was glad for that madness if that’s what it was.

Though if Hannah did resolve that it was a mistake and it was over I would at least have the memory of that wonderful weekend to sustain me forever.

Personally I prefer to think it was fate that brought us together on that wonderful weekend.

 

I would have liked to have exchanged the occasional text or email with her, but Hannah had asked for total separation.

All I could do was throw myself into my work totally and fill my every waking moment with thoughts of anything and everything that wasn’t her.

Impossible of course, but if in the unlikely event that I could exclude her from my thoughts I couldn’t stop her invading my dreams, and when I slept I dared to dream, so in the small hours of the sleepless night I resorted to the only thing that prevented me from being driven insane.

I wrote in a diary, I called it a dream diary, it was where I wrote every detail, every thought that filled my troubled sleep nightly,   thoughts of love for the girl of my dreams, and the closer the end of the three months got, the more intense the dreams became and evermore vivid with each passing day.

 

It was the day before Christmas Eve when I got the long awaited phone call, and I took a deep breath and hit the button.

“Hello, Tom Flood” I said

“Hey Tom” she said

“Hannah?” I asked “God it’s good to hear your voice”

“Ditto” Hannah replied, “Where are you?”

“I’m in London” I replied, “Are you still in Milford Haven?”

“No, I’m back home” she replied, “When are you back?”

“Tonight” I replied

“Can we meet?” Hannah asked

“Yes, of course” I said, “Have you made a decision?”

“Yes, I have” she replied

“And?” I enquired trying to keep the anxiety out of my voice

“I don’t want to say on the phone” she answered “I want to do it face to face”

“Ok” I said not knowing if that meant it would be good or bad

“Come to the house tonight” I said

“What time?” she asked

“Around seven” I replied “Let yourself in if I’m late; you know where the key is”

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

“Ok, bye”

 

The journey out of London was an absolute mare and consequently I was late getting home and it was nearly 8 o’clock when I drove onto the drive.

Since her phone call my stomach had been in absolute knots and arriving home late didn’t untangle it in the least.

The lights were on in the house so Hannah had let herself in I only hoped she was still there and hadn’t got tired of waiting.

As I sat in the pre-Christmas traffic I tried to ring her to warn her of my delay but my phone died.

So I sat on the drive trying to summon up the courage to go in, I was so desperate to know her answer but equally terrified of what it might be, yes or no.

“Yes” meaning she was sure, and she would give all of herself to me unreservedly

Or “No” and we would never be together.

I reran the earlier conversation in my head over and over again and tried to read between the lines to find some hidden meaning or some indication as to her decision, but I was none the wiser. 

I slowly opened the front door and stepped in.

“Hi Hannah” I called “I’m sorry I’m late, traffic was hell”

No answer, so I supposed she must have got fed up of waiting after all.

“Shit” I exclaimed and took off my coat, but as I hung it on the peg in the hall, I noticed an unfamiliar coat already hanging there.

“She is here” I said, but where? Where was she exactly?

I hung my coat and walked into the lounge and that’s when I knew.

I knew because I saw the black stockings hanging from the mantel anchored beneath a Christmas candle so I knew where to find her, and stood on the mantel next to the candle was a Christmas card; I opened it and read the words

“Happy Christmas Tommy

All my love

Hannah”

Beneath her signature there appeared to be an abundance of the obligatory small x’s but on closer examination each kiss was in fact the word “Yes” and so I had my answer and my dreams were fulfilled.

Uncanny Love Tales – (026) An Avuncular and his Mentee

 

It was towards the end of September and I was sat in the lounge bar of the Cleddau Bridge Hotel in Pembrokeshire enjoying a pint when she walked in, I didn’t recognise her at first and I had to do a bit of double take.

She was still as beautiful as ever but her lustrous brown hair that used to be cut in a bob now flowed in brunette waves over her narrow shoulders and the business suit she customarily used to wear had been replaced by faded denim jeans, a pink top and a long flowing cardigan cut in the style of an Afghan coat with fake fur trim and bright brocade panels.

Hannah Castle looked so different from the young woman I had last seen 18 months earlier at our mutual friend Gary Yap’s Chinese New Year party.

Her eyes were sharp and intelligent behind her gold rimmed spectacles that sat on her aquiline nose, and with her finely chiselled features she was the attractive side of beautiful but only for the fact she wasn’t wearing a scrap of make up.

But despite the hair, the clothes and a lack of makeup the eyes and the smile could not be disguised.

It was a case of “what you saw was what you got” with Hannah just as it was the first day she walked into the office straight out of University.

That was eight years earlier and as the old man of the team at 33 I adopted the role of the avuncular and took her under my wing and showed her the ropes, and of course try as I might not to, and despite the 12 year age difference I fell in love with her.

There was no double take for Hannah, she recognised me instantly and beamed a broad smile and I realized as she walked towards me I was still in love with her.

“Tommy Flood!” she said “What are you doing here?”

She was never tall, but in her flat shoes she had to stand on tip toes and I had to stoop so we could properly embrace. 

“I had to see a client in Haverfordwest” I said “it ran on later than expected so I decided to put up here for the night”

In truth I always liked booking meeting late on a Friday and then I could stay at a local hotel for the night, two if it suited.

“Not Clive Morgan?” she said “I’ve been trying to nick him off you for two years”

“I know, keep your hands off, Morgan’s is my pension”

I said and we both laughed

“Anyway, what about you?” I asked “What brings you here?”

“My sister lives in Milford Haven” Hannah replied “and she’s just had twins”

“Wow Aunty Hannah” I said “that still doesn’t explain why you’re here”

“Because I’ve only been an aunty for five days and I’m exhausted”

She said and slumped down in her chair

“Oh dear” I said “No stamina, you youngsters”

“Honestly if I don’t get a good night’s sleep before I drive home I won’t make it” she explained

“So this is as far as you got?” I asked

“I so need a good night’s sleep” Hannah said and hugged the cushion to her chest and I was so jealous of that cushion

“Do you think you might stay awake long enough to have dinner?”

I asked

“It depends who’s paying” Hannah answered peering over the top of a cushion.

“My treat” I said and it really was a treat to see Hannah again and I knew in that moment I was hopelessly in love with her.

 

My hand was shaking as I was stood at the bathroom sink to shave and looked at my reflection.

Who was I trying to kid, since I’d last seen her 18 months earlier she hadn’t aged a day while I looked as if I’d aged 10 years, I stood less chance of getting than ever.

Despite my misgivings I shaved and showered and made the best of what I had, such as it was, and went downstairs to the bar to wait for her.  

When I got there she was already sitting at the bar perched on a barstool waiting for me.

Hannah was still wearing jeans, but she now wore a white smock top decorated with tiny pink roses and she was made up to perfection and was already halfway through a large glass of white wine.

“Hi” I said as I leant in and kissed her cheek.

As I lingered by her cheek, perhaps a little longer than I should have, I noticed the smell of her hair, which was freshly washed and was subtly scented with the fragrance of apples, while her skin exuded the aroma of coconut and I was in such close proximity to her that my senses were assailed by the scent of just a little too much Channel, which was unusual for her.

She was always subtle, or at least she had been.

“You look lovely” I said when I had come up for air.

“And you smell good enough to eat” I added to myself

“This is the only thing I had left that didn’t smell of baby sick” She confessed “but to make doubly sure I doused myself with perfume”

Well that cleared up that little mystery.

“You smell delicious” I said “not a hint of baby sick”  

“Honestly?” she asked

“Honestly” I replied just as I caught the barman’s eye “Do you want another?”

“Hmm yes please” she replied and drained her glass

When the drinks appeared we made our way to the restaurant it was a walk we had done many times before.

It was a favourite of mine and we had stayed at the Hotel many times before and eaten in the restaurant more often than not.

But that was in the days when I was mentoring her in my avuncular role.

As we ate we talked about the old days and the people we both knew and how both our careers were going.  

However what I really wanted to talk about was her, the personal stuff, what she had been up to in her life over the 18 months since we had last met and the two years since we worked together.

“What about you?” she asked taking me by surprise

“What?” I replied

“What about you?” she repeated this time with more than a hint of a slur “are you spoken for”

To my amusement I watched as she appeared to rerun the question in her head and seemed alarmed by the realization of what she had actually said

“What I meant to say is… um… err… are you… erm…”

It amused me to watch her struggle and getting more flustered but I decided to put her out of her misery.

“I’m still single”

“Oh” she responded trying to appear indifferent “still not met the right girl?

“I wouldn’t say that exactly” I replied and didn’t elaborate, the truth of the matter was I had met the right girl but she didn’t want me.

“What about you?” I asked

“Still footloose and fancy free” Hannah replied

Dinner came and went as did desert and all the time our glasses were refreshed, but it wasn’t until we were having liqueurs that I plucked up the courage to say what was on my mind.

“I’ve really missed you”

She seemed both surprised and pleased by the revelation and I wondered if she heard me correctly or if it was just the wines effect on her processing ability

“I’m sorry” she replied

“Why did you go?” I asked “I never understood why you left”

“I had to” she replied earnestly

“But why?” I asked

“Because I knew how you felt about me” Hannah confessed

“You knew?” I asked aghast

“Yes”  

“You knew and you said nothing?” I asked angrily and she nodded

“That was cruel” I said and then there was an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes as the waiter cleared the empty glasses from the table, and when he had gone she said

“I thought it was for the best”

The waiter hovered just out of earshot as we were the last two diners and he obviously wanted us gone.

“I think we have out stayed our welcome” I said and got up and Hannah followed suit

“Goodnight” I said to the waiter and headed towards reception

“Let me explain” Hannah said as she trotted behind me but I ignored her and pressed on along the corridor but she caught me up as I stopped to allow an elderly lady to go through the fire doors.

“I thought if I put some space between us, you would stop caring about me” she said from behind me and I span round on her

“You thought my feelings were so fickle, so insincere that they would just evaporate away if I couldn’t see you?”

“No” she said crossly

“I did it because I thought mine would”

“What?” I said doubting my own hearing

“I left because I was falling for you” she said

“And did it help?” I asked

“No” she said and fell in to my arms “I fell for you anyway”

“So you made us both unhappy” I said gently

“Yes” Hannah replied and began to cry

“Don’t cry honey” I said and she looked up at me through tear filled eyes and I kissed her, a kiss I had longed for, and dreamt of for eight years, and I was not disappointed.

 

After our long awaited magical first kiss we walked hand in hand to the door of my room where we kissed again.

I unlocked the door and pushed it open, Hannah paused in the doorway.

“Before we go any further I have a confession to make” she said

“You don’t have to say anything honey” I replied

“I really do” she insisted

“Ok” I replied a little concerned at what might follow

Hannah took a deep breath and blurted out

“I haven’t shaved my legs”