CHRISTMAS LINDA PART 2 - ONE SPECIAL NIGHT

 

I found myself stranded in a strange town

With less than a week to go before Christmas

Stranded two hundred miles from home

With a seriously ill car in the garage

And a lack of will to contemplate train travel

In truth I was in no hurry to return home

To the empty soulless house that once was home

But now held no comfort for me

My wife of twenty-five years had died a year before

Finally losing her battle with cancer

And my children were all grown up now

With homes and families of their own

The house would be full at Christmas

Full of noise and hustle and bustle,

And the usual mix of love, laughter, and tears

But for now, it was cold and empty

So, I booked into a hotel for the weekend

And I would drive home on Monday

So, finding myself in a strange town

Just a few days before Christmas

And with more than a little time to kill

I decided I could fill part of my day

By doing some last-minute Christmas shopping

As I stepped out of the Hotel I shivered

The day was cold, grey and damp

And clouds scudded across the December sky

It was the kind of day that chilled you to the bone

I made my way towards the high street

It was only a five-minute walk

The receptionist assured me with a smile

As she jotted down some brief directions

In an effort to warm myself up

I walked briskly following her directions

Down the narrow almost Dickensian lanes and ally ways

Passing picturesque Victorian and Tudor buildings, well mock Tudor

As I went and it was indeed five minutes when I emerged

Onto the busy cobbled pedestrianized high street

It was a curious mixture of ancient and modern

At one end of the street a Norman church was visible

And at the other was what appeared to be a municipal building

With rather pretentious Georgian columns

There was still evidence of a row of Edwardian shop fronts

But much of the street was modern

With a little too much sixties influence to be easy on the eye

The street was criss-crossed along the full length

With festive lights and decorations

Which did their best to brighten the scene

I decided to familiarize myself with what the town had to offer

In the way of shops so I turned left and joined the throng of shoppers

Faces gloomy to match the weather

And headed towards the Georgian pillared building

This turned out to be the public library

As I dodged between the Christmas Lemmings

I made a mental note of shops I would return to

My progress was hampered by erratic shoppers

Who moved it appeared independently to any logic

Some seemed to zigzag everywhere and very few possessed

The ability to walk in a straight line for more than a few paces

And others would take a few steps then stop for no apparent reason

Then after a few moments pause carry on normally in the same direction

The sound of cheery Christmas songs and carols

Could be heard from every shop I passed

Though the cheeriness of the music

Was clearly not reflected on the faces

Of the shoppers going in and out of them

As I passed one shop Noddy Holder screamed “it’s Christmas”

Just in case any of the reluctant shoppers were in any doubt

When I reached the other end of the high street

Where the church stood there was a little square

Which I wasn’t able to see before

In the centre of which was the war memorial

And to its left was a magnificent Christmas tree

Covered in baubles and adorned by a beautiful angel

Assembled around the tree was the Salvation Army band

I took a few moments to admire the tree and listen to the band

And I was taken back to a distant time and place

The clock chimed and I was brought back to the present

I took a few more moments while I decided on my first port of call

Not realizing just how important a decision it was

I decided on Woolworths, always a favorite of mine at Christmas

But it also happened to be the closest

So, I walked towards the store and pushed open the door

As I entered, I paused to hold the door open for a woman coming the other way

I waited as she put her purse away into a huge handbag

And I wondered what I would get for my trouble

I had found the older I got the less women appreciated courtesy

The simple act of holding open a door could provoke a range of responses

A smile, a thank you, a nod, a sneer, a tut or a colorful mouth full of abuse

And you couldn’t always tell who was going to do what

When she had finished fiddling and securing her bag

She moved to step through the open door

As she passed me, she looked up said “Thank you” and smiled broadly

And then she stopped as I returned her smile and then I just stood there

Both of us stood motionless as slowly the recognition set in

We both stood there dumbstruck not believing our eyes

I’m not sure how long for but long enough for a queue to form behind each of us

We both blushed and excused ourselves

And stepped out onto the street away from the door

Neither of us knew what to say I couldn’t believe it was Linda

Who I last saw 30 years before being driven off in a taxi

Disappearing off through the snow

With her palm pressed against the glass her neck craned to keep sight of me

And here she stood before me as beautiful as ever she was

The soft curls of her brown hair still danced on her shoulders

Yet with fine strands of silver threaded thru it

Her smile was still able to melt my heart even after all those years

Her smiling eyes still had the same sparkle

The years had been kind to her and too me much less so

I was still fumbling for the words to say as I studied her

When she reached up and hugged my neck

Kissing my cheek at the same time

And spoke softly in my ear “Paul, Is it really you?”

I simply said yes, and we stood in that long comfortable embrace

I don’t know how long we stood there not wanting to let go

Then as she relaxed her grip and I kissed her forehead

“It’s so good to see you” I said feebly

She put her head on my chest, squeezed me and sighed

Then released her grip and pulled away slightly

And put her hand up to my cheek and caressed my grey beard

“Do you have time for coffee”? She said almost pleadingly

I said of course and she put her arm through mine and led me across the high street

Asking quick fire questions as we went

And I explained about my car breaking down

And that I was staying at the Cromwell hotel

She said “oh really” and “oh dear” delighting in my misfortune

We sat on a large comfortable sofa in Starbucks

And told the tales of our lives spent apart

Throughout I looked at her with adoring eyes

Pinching myself expecting to awake from a dream

As I had done so very may times before

I told her about my wife and children

She told me of her marriage and subsequent divorce

The good man I gave her up for turned out to be a violent drunk

She had no children which although unsaid was clearly a regret

With the aid of several cups of coffee we managed to talk away the entire morning

I suggested we might spend the day together

And have dinner together at the hotel

She accepted the invitation to dinner with a delightful smile

Then she looked at her watch and suddenly jumped up

“Look at the time, I have to go” she flustered

She said she had a prior commitment

“Lunch with mum” she said rather unconvincingly

She said it was something she couldn’t get out of

As I helped her back into her coat the smell of her hair

Evoked memories of our past embraces

She fished out her mobile phone as we left the coffee shop

From her huge handbag and we exchanged phone numbers

And we firmed up the details for the evening

Then with a hug and a kiss she was off

I stood and watched her walk away her coat tails swishing behind her

She stopped briefly and turned to give me a smile and a wave

Then with the phone to her ear she hurried off again talking animatedly

I stood watching until she disappeared from sight

Then I went back to my Christmas shopping

And treated myself to a new shirt for the evening

I bought the gifts I was looking for and paper, tags, cards etc

And with all my shopping complete I returned to the hotel for lunch

The rest of the day seemed intolerably long

In an effort to kill some time I went for a swim

Used the gym, went for a walk

I got a haircut even though I didn’t need one

I even wrapped the Christmas presents I had bought

But the time passed so interminably slowly

I walked into the hotel bar at 7 o’clock an hour early

Partly for some Dutch courage and in part because I had run out of things to do

I ordered a drink and then sat at the bar

Even though I wasn’t expecting her until eight

Every time the door opened I turned to look for her

And when it wasn’t her self doubt crept in

And with every false alarm the doubts got worse

What if she doesn’t come?

What if she changed her mind?

What if she never intended to come?

What if? What if? What if?

Then at a quarter to the hour the door opened and there she was

There she stood wearing a simple black knee length dress

Black tights or stockings and four-inch stiletto shoes

Her legs as shapely as I remembered them

And in one hand she held a black leather clutch bag

Her face looked a little anxious until I stood up

And then it lit up in the most radiant smile

Then she walked towards me

Almost tottering on her heels and she laughed

I took her hand as she climbed onto a stool

And kissed her cheek the fragrance of her perfume was intoxicating

Going straight to my head like a strong spirit

The combination of her scent and my desire for her almost made me swoon

I ordered her a drink and we nervously made small talk

Like two strangers on a blind date

Until the waitress led us through to the restaurant

Once we were seated at our table

I asked her how her lunch with mum went

And she blushed the deepest red

She told me the lunch date was a little white lie

Because she needed the afternoon to get ready

And the animated phone call was to her sister

To rally the troops to get her presentable

We both laughed and any awkwardness was gone

We talked with such an easy familiarity

As if her departing taxi had only been a week ago

By the time we had finished our coffee the restaurant was empty

Except for us and a weary waitress waiting to clear our table

The evening seemed to have passed in the blink of an eye

And had all too soon come to an end

We got up and made our apologies

Linda went through the door to the ladies and I settled the bill

I said good night and had made my apologies again

Then went in search of Linda through the same door she had used

I found her standing by the Christmas tree

She had retrieved her coat and scarf from the cloakroom

Which were draped over one arm her bag was in her hand

Linda stood with her back to me gazing out of the window

She could see my reflection in the glass and smiled

I gasped at the beauty of her and pinched myself again

I wanted to kiss her so much but I was afraid 

Afraid to break the magic of that special kiss

That perfect moment when we kissed in the snow

All those years ago when I let her slip from my grasp

For 30 years I had revered that moment

Relived it whenever I felt a snowflake on my skin

Or stood in a taxi queue on a winter’s night

Or when I hear the Salvation Army play

Or when the snow falls during Christmas time

For 30 years I had wanted to be back there holding her in the snow

And here I stood a few steps away and I was hesitant

As if sensing my turmoil, she turned away from the window

And I took those few steps to face her

We stood for a few moments just looking at each other

Then she smiled her most heart melting smile  

As she caressed my cheek then she pulled me to her

And kissed me gently on the lips, a tender and sensitive kiss

When our lips met electricity ran down my spine

And it was as if we were young again

Our lips parted for a second then met again

And her kiss became more intense, more passionate

Her coat, scarf and bag fell to the floor as our arms enveloped each other

We stood locked in our passionate embrace as the tree lights twinkled

Then she pulled away for a moment before burying her face in my neck

And spoke softly in my ear “you see that was as good as the first time”

How could I have doubted it would not be perfect?

I slid my fingers beneath her hair caressing her nape

And gently turned her head so I could kiss her sweet lips again

This time when we disengaged, she put her head on my chest

Still holding on to me so tightly

I kissed the top of her head and smelled her hair

I didn’t want to let her go, and then I said “please stay”

“I can’t watch you disappear from my life in another taxi”

She lifted her head and looked at me and said

“I’m not letting you go again, not now not ever”

Then she smiled at me coyly and blushed like a virgin

And buried her face in my chest again

Then she scooped up her coat, scarf and bag from the floor

Took my hand and we walked in silence to my room

Outside the room she looked into my eyes and kissed my mouth

Then I opened the door and let her walk inside

She dropped her coat and bag onto a chair and turned to face me

Reached up and wrapped her arms around my neck

And whispered in my ear “I never stopped loving you”

My arms enfolded her and pulled her to me tightly

Then we kissed at first soft and tender then more urgently

And I began to un-wrap my most special Christmas gift

Wrapped in lace and silk instead of paper and ribbon

Caressing her body from neck to Lacy stocking top

And our love was at last made absolute

When our act of love was complete and our dreams realized

We lay holding each other in the afterglow

Silently content until we drifted off to sleep

I awoke to find her stood silhouetted against the window

Gazing out wearing my shirt to cover her nakedness

She turned her head to me and said “it’s snowing”

I slipped out of bed joined her at the window

Standing behind her and enveloping her in my arms

We watched as the snow settled on the courtyard

She hugged my arms and said “How perfect is that”?

Both of us thinking back to the last time we enjoyed the snowfall together

We stood for a few minutes taking in the snowy scene

Then she inclined her head so I could kiss her

When my hands moved from her soft belly and cupped her breasts

She led me back to the bed and we made love again

I woke early and lay in the half light and held Linda’s sleeping form in my arms

As I lay there I thought how good the fates had been to us

If my car hadn’t broken down, and had I not rejected the idea of taking the train

I would not have been shopping on that cold grey morning

I thought about the moments I spent admiring that tree in the square

And listening to the Salvation Army band

And what thought processes made me do what I did

Was it destiny that I chose Woolworths at that very moment or just blind luck?

All I knew was that 24 hours before my life had been so empty

And now it was full and I was finally with my soul mate

Linda was in my life at last and I wanted her never to leave it again

But if fate decreed that this one special night

Was all we could have I would have to be content

I LOVE CHRISTMAS

 

I love Christmas when it comes around

The smells and tastes, the sights and sounds

I love the Christmassy Cinnamon smells

The Carol singers and chiming church bells

I love to see the advent candle burning

The excited faces all the children yearning

I love the gifts done up with ribbons and bows

And Red faced Santa’s calling ho ho ho

I love the merry songs about the season of Yule

And handmade decs brought home from school

I love trimming the tree with festive things

Like candy canes and popcorn strings

I love the twinkling of the Christmas lights

And the garlands hanging colourful and bright

But the thing that makes the season for me

Is kissing my love beside the Christmas tree

UNDER A BITTER SKY

 

Beneath the marbled skies

Of broken, fractured cloud

And the myriad of winter hues

Coloured with greys and blues

I waited in the bitter frosty air

Feeling the sting of winters bite

Until the moment I saw you

And warmed instantly by the view

Tales from the Finchbottom Vale – (60) Christmas Came Early

 

Twenty eight year old Paul Ingram was involved with an older woman, a forty year old woman to be precise, who was a beautiful unhappily married, soon to be divorced Carrington Chase educated woman, called Francesca Carrington-Webber.

Paul and Francesca both lived in the village of Forest Dean situated equidistant between Shallowfield and Childean, she lived in a huge house that backed onto the The Forest Ridge Golf Club, and coincidentally Paul worked for the Golf Club.

 

They became involved after three chance meetings, two on a train and the third more significant one was on the Promenade in Sharpington, where he came upon her small huddled figure on the bench ahead of him in some distress and after some tender moments of consolation lead to them making love in his caravan.

 

Since that night they had had a non-physical relationship and on the rare occasions that they managed to get to spend some time together they always made the most of it, sometimes they had to create opportunities and sometimes they just happened and sometimes one of them managed to surprise the other but the biggest surprise came on the Halloween weekend when she arrived at his caravan dressed as a witch and announced that not only was she divorcing her husband David but that she was staying the night.

 

But after that, on the rare occasions that they managed to get to spend the night together they always made the most of it, but most of the time they just stole a few hours here and there.

However in December, for a variety of reasons, several weeks had passed and they hadn’t been able to grab even a few minutes together.  

In fact the first time he had seen her in a fortnight was on the day when he had driven over to Abbottsford to do a bit of Christmas shopping, which was when he bumped into Francesca coming out of a very expensive lingerie shop, Silk and Lace, in the Phoenix Shopping Centre.

“Hello darling” she said and air kissed him and then she spotted him looking at the designer carrier bag she was carrying.

“No you can’t look at them” she replied to his unasked question

“Ok I don’t mind seeing them on you, if you insist” he offered

“You’re incorrigible,” she said

“Is that a maybe?” he asked

Unmoved she shook her head disappointedly.

“The chance would be a fine thing anyway” she said quietly

“Have you got time for a coffee?”

“I do” he replied

They went into the Espresso Phoenix coffee house, a really nice one, not one of the chains, and he ordered the drinks as Francesca sat in the corner.

When he joined her he asked

“How about Saturday?”

“For what?” she asked innocently

“To show me your new underwear” he said

“No” she replied

“Why not?” he asked,

“I have to go to a dinner party at Mornington Manor”

She replied “but I don’t really want to go”

He looked at her with puzzlement and then said

“So don’t go, and let me spend the night doing all those things to you that fill your imagination when you’re alone” 

That made her blush scarlet and avert her gaze but after a few moments she looked back at him and smiled.

“I have to go, I’m expected” she said but she reached under the table and held his hand

“But I want what you want”

“I understand” he said

“It will be soon though wont it?” she asked earnestly and held his hand tightly under the table.

“Yes” he replied

When they left the coffee house they air kissed and went their separate ways.

 

Paul was working all day Saturday, so he wasn’t able to get away to the caravan in Sharpington, as he normally would, so he was at home in his flat and spent Saturday night watching a movie and drinking wine but at some point he leant back against the cushions and promptly fell asleep.

He woke up just after eleven o’clock, and he only woke up then because he needed a pee, so he got up and attended to the matter in hand.

When he finished answering his call of nature he was decidedly peckish so he went to the kitchen and made himself a snack.

Paul then returned to his sofa, restarted the movie he had begun watching four hours earlier and sat eating cheese and biscuits’ as he watched Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood taking on the Nazis.

At the end of the film he was still wide-awake so he got up and chose another DVD off the shelf.

He was about a quarter of the way through “The Fifth Element” when he detected the tell-tale clip clop sound of a woman in high heels from outside in the corridor.

He glanced at the clock and thought it must be his neighbour Elaine arriving home from somewhere so he returned his attention back to the action.

A moment later there was a knock on the front door and he checked the clock again before he got up and walked out into the hall, he guessed that Elaine had locked herself out and was knocking for the spare key.

So he opened the door and to his surprise a rather tipsy Francesca almost fell through it.

“Hello Paulie” she said with a flourish.

Francesca was immaculately dressed as usual in a full length green halter necked designer evening dress and a lavish faux fur shrug.

“Wow” he said, “you look stunning”

“Bless you darling” she responded

“You had a nice time then” he said as he helped her into the house.

“I had a wonderful time” she exclaimed

She tottered a few steps then kicked off her shoes, which made her a little more stable on her feet, and then she quickly progressed into the lounge.

All the while talking nine to the dozen about how marvelous the evening was, who was there, what they ate, who said what, and to who.

“And plenty of wine” he asked as she plopped down on the sofa.

“I did,” she said smiling and giggling

“I’m glad you had fun” he said

“Me too” she said coyly

“Good” Paul said as he sat down next to her

“So what are you doing here then?”

“Well I saw your lights were still on from the taxi and I thought I’d come and tell you all about my evening” she explained.

“Why were you in a taxi?” he asked, “I thought you went there with the Conway’s”

“I did” Francesca said

“So why didn’t you come back with them?” he asked

“They left early” she said

“Could no one else give you a lift?” he asked

“David someone offered” she replied

“So why didn’t you accept?”

“What kind of a woman do you think I am? I couldn’t get in a car with a complete stranger” she said affronted

“You weren’t that discerning with me” he said 

“That’s different” she said “with you it doesn’t really count because you’re such a tart”

The statement caused her to roar with laughter to such an extent that she ended up collapsing in a heap with her head and shoulders on his lap.

“You’re my bit of rough” she said and then she disintegrated into laughter again.

“So you decided not to have David drive you home” he said

“It would have been cruel to tantalize him with my gorgeousness for the whole journey only to dash his hopes” she said

This bought about another burst of laughter and when she eventually composed herself she was laying at full stretch on her back looking up at Paul

“Do you still think I’m gorgeous?” she asked, regally draped before him.

“Quite gorgeous” he conceded

“Well quite gorgeous won’t get you a look at the new underwear I bought in Abbottsford the other day” she said

“I bet it does,” he said as he slowly moved his right hand, which had been resting on her chuckling belly, up to caress the roundness of her breast.

“Well maybe” Francesca murmured as she tipped her head back and closed her eyes and then he began tickling her and she was giggling so much she could barely breathe and Francesca wriggled and squirmed beneath his gaze.

But when she got control, Francesca suddenly sat bolt upright and she squealed frantically

“Ok, I’ll let you see my knickers”

And then she pulled herself up so she was seated on his lap and kissed him, he loved kissing her, he thought she was such a great kisser, the best in his experience.

The quality of a kiss is difficult to define and it is like many other things of a sexual nature, which is dependent on the perspective of the participants.

With kissing it can be the thickness of the lips, the width of the mouth, the size of the tongue, the size of the oral cavity and the amount of saliva produced.

For Paul, Francesca scored highly on every criterion and as she kissed him, he thought he had died and gone to heaven.

 

Once they had finished she stood up and looked at him smugly and then took hold of his hand and she said.

“Now come and enjoy my gorgeousness”

Paul got to his feet and they kissed again and then he said

“Just one question before your deliciousness distracts me”

“What’s that darling” she retorted

“How are we going to get you out of here in the morning dressed like that, without anyone noticing?” Paul said

“Let’s cross that bridge when we come to it darling” She purred

“I just might have to stay here with you all day, until I can leave again under the cover of darkness”

“That sounds like a wonderful plan” Paul said and walked her towards the bedroom and took Francesca off to bed and let her take him to paradise.

 

Christmas came early for Paul and Francesca as she did indeed stay with him until after dark on Sunday afternoon.

She would have stayed longer but she had to get back for the girls.

Getting her out of the flat unnoticed was less of a problem than either of them anticipated as he had a draw full of his sisters clothes in the spare room and they fitted his lover well enough and as he walked her home across the golf course they were aided in their stealth by some well-timed freezing fog.

Uncanny Christmas Tales – (001) The Girl in The Red Dress

 

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 parents were alcoholics and each year their Christmas came in a bottle and thanks to his father, Steve’s came with a slap.

So, his childhood Christmases were memories he would rather have forgotten, but as he grew up he found that adulthood brought no relief and it always seemed to him that when shit happened at that time of the year, Christmas just magnified the misery.

For example, if someone dies at Christmas the very season makes it more keenly felt.

He could testify to that from personal experience, as his mother died on Christmas Eve when he was only 19.

He has no idea where his father was and quite frankly, he didn’t care, he never showed up for the funeral and he could have been dead as well for all he knew.

So as a result, he has never trusted Christmas, because he knows that horror lurks beneath the coloured lights, tinsel, and paper chains.

 

He used to dream of getting away at Christmas and going somewhere that doesn’t celebrate the jolly season in any way shape or form.

But where exactly is that place?

If anyone had any idea, then answers on a postcard to Steve Berry would have been appreciated.

So, each year like the rest of us he is subjected to all the usual false jollity, Christmas Parties, Secret Santa’s and Christmas Lunches, Paper hats, crackers and all that festive shit, and everywhere he went from October onwards was bedecked with tinsel, garlands, bells, baubles and led lights.

Each and every shop plays endless spools of regurgitated Christmas tunes and God forbid you ever broach the subject of the morons who decorate the outside of their houses with a myriad of twinkling lights.

 

Steve never had a girlfriend at Christmas, he always dumped them well in advance or got himself dumped, when they started to get too jolly.

So, when he was 21, he developed the perfect anti Christmas strategy, he would always save a chunk of annual leave and finished work at least one week before the big day and returned after the New Year debacle.

He would stock up with enough food for three weeks, even though it meant doing battle with the festive numpties in the supermarket and armed with a stack of DVD box sets he became a Christmas recluse until the year turned.

He exercised that strategy for 9 years and his philosophy is

“so far so good”.

In recent years he found it had become easier with the advent of catch up TV, he just needed to avoid the adverts that reminded him that it’s Christmas or that he can’t afford a holiday.

 

So, he was in the Pig and Whistle, not exactly a real shit hole of a pub, but close, however it was the only one in town guaranteed not to play Christmas stuff, because the landlord Phil hated Christmas almost as much as Steve did.

It was his last night out before his Christmas exile and it was his intention to get totally shitfaced as he had almost three weeks to recover.

He was not a social animal; he liked his own company and if he ever engaged in conversation with fellow patrons it was because he had initiated it, Steve was not averse to being rude if someone else spoke first.

So, he was sat in the furthest most corner of the bar reading his book and enjoying his third pint, when it happened.

“Hello” she said

Steve ignored her, normally if he didn’t respond they’d get the message and go away

“Hello” she said louder “Are you ok?”

“I was” he sighed

“Oh, dear Mr Grinch” she said “what you need is some Christmas spirit”

“I’m fine” he insisted

“I don’t think you are, sitting on your own in the furthest most corner” she said

Steve looked at her for the first time, she was roughly his age, maybe a little younger, and she was wearing a red dress and red and white striped stockings and had tinsel in her mousy hair.

“Who are you? The Christmas fairy?” he asked gruffly, he really wanted to tell her to fuck off and take her Christmas cheer with her, but he thought she was quite cute.

“No, I’m Holly, Phil’s niece” she said

“Holly? How very festive” He said sarcastically

“Yes, I’m going to instil a little Christmas spirit in the place” Holly said

“But Phil hates Christmas” Steve informed her

“I know” she said “which is why he’s going to Las Vegas until the New Year”

“When?” He asked

“Half an hour ago” she replied

“So, are you going to come and join the rest of us?”

“No thanks I don’t do Christmas” he said and returned to his book

“Oh well perhaps some Christmas music will get you in the mood” she said resolutely

“Oh God” he said

 

The Christmas party mix was really grating on him, but he was too far along with his Christmas strategy to go off hunting for another Christmas free pub, so he had to put up with it.

As the evening wore on, she persisted in trying to draw him out of his corner, but to no avail.

He left the corner only to go to the bar and get another drink and then returned to his solitude.

Apart from the music upsetting his plans there was the added annoyance of customers, more arriving every hour, word had got out that Phil “The Grinch who stole Christmas” had gone for the duration, and that there was a new Santa in town. 

This only became a problem however when, while he was at the bar, somebody took over his corner, so he had to return to the bar again.

“Back again already Steve?” Holly asked

“Someone is in my seat” he said

“Well pull up a stool” she suggested

“Do I have a choice?” he said grumpily

“You’re just a little ray of sunshine” she said and laughed

“I can see I’m going to have to use all my magic on you”

He settled himself down on the stool and said

“I’ve never seen it so busy in here”

“I know” Holly said “I’m going to need more staff at this rate”

“Good luck with that” he said

 

Steve woke up the next morning with his face stuck to the mock leather of a bench seat and when he painfully sat himself up, he saw he was in the lounge bar of the Pig and Whistle. 

Well he had intended getting shit faced the night before, so mission accomplished there, he had also expected to wake up with a hangover, so another box ticked, but it was never part of the plan to wake up at the pub. 

“Good morning sunshine” Holly called as she crashed through the door wearing a dressing gown and slippers.

“Ow” he said “have some respect for the dead”

She put a mug of black coffee on the table in front of him and peered at his bloodshot eyes

“Blimey! Can you actually see through those?” she asked

“I hope you don’t drink like that when you’re working”

“Well I don’t need to worry about work until January” he said and sipped at his coffee

“Don’t you remember anything about last night?” Holly asked with a wry smile on her lips

He closed his eyes and replied

“I remember I don’t like Christmas”

“Anything else?” Holly persisted

“It was very busy, very noisy” Steve said but could remember nothing else

“Do you remember me saying I needed more staff?” she asked

“Yes, I do remember that” he replied

“Good” she said “because your it”

“What?” he said loudly and then winced

“You volunteered to work right through till New Year’s Eve”

“I can’t have” Steve said

“Well you did” She insisted and showed him a piece of paper detailing the fore mentioned offer signed by Steve.

“That doesn’t count” he said “I was pissed”

“It’s legally binding” Holly stated “It’s notarized by a solicitor”

Steve stared at the signature

“Sam Culver?” he said “he’s not a solicitor he’s a forklift driver”

“Be that as it may, but he has still witnessed your signature on this contract” she said coolly

“Contract?” he said in disbelieve

“Contract” she confirmed

“Oh, please you’re not really going to hold me to this?” Steve said waving the “contract” in her direction

“You start tonight” she informed him

“Oh God I’ve sold my soul to the Christmas fairy” he said with his head in his hands

“I prefer Christmas angel” she said “But I’m not the one with tinsel in my hair”

“Oh shit” he exclaimed

“Get yourself a hair of the dog, I’m going to get dressed” Holly said smiling

“Oh, and there’s no drinking on the job, by the way”

 

Over the week and a half that followed his entrapment, between his first shift and Christmas Eve, Holly had done her best to elicit the details of why it was that Steve hated Christmas so much.

Holly had noticed right at the beginning that he was not the miserable git that she first thought.

In fact, that first night when he was forced to sit at the bar, he had been very funny, once he managed to forget it was Christmas.

But every time he heard someone utter the words happy Christmas it was like he’d been stabbed.   

So, she relentlessly picked away at the scab every day, but she couldn’t get him to open up, but she wasn’t prepared to give up under any circumstances.

 

Steve would never have admitted it and despite his initial protests he was rather enjoying working behind a bar again.

He hadn’t done it since he left university and started working as an accountant.

The repetitive festive music still grated on him, though less so, even the Christmas t-shirts and jumpers that Holly made him wear had become less onerous.

Holly herself led by example and wore an almost inexhaustible supply of festive outfits and he had to admit she still looked cute in which ever one she was wearing.

She was a nosey cow though and kept poking and prodding at him trying to find out what made him tick, but it amused him that his not playing ball was driving her crackers.

 

On Christmas Eve Steve Berry drove to the pub, arriving at 9.30am, and thought

“It’s going to be a long day”

It was bitterly cold and the sky was grey and overcast, he sniffed the air and knocked on the front door which Holly opened within a couple of minutes and she was already dressed in her Christmas outfit, namely Mrs. Clause.

“Morning Steve” she said “Happy Christmas Eve”

“Why are you always so cheerful?” he asked in response

“Because “it’s a wonderful life”” she said

“Oh God are you going to throw festive film titles at me all day?”

“I hadn’t thought of that” she said “but it sounds like fun”

He took his coat off and revealed his jumper of the day adorned with a reindeer’s head.

“There’s snow in the air” he said hanging up his coat

“Lovely” she replied with a chuckle “White Christmas”

“Stop it” Steve said

Holly had walked to the bar picked something up and returned with it behind her back.

“What’s that?” he asked suspiciously

“Antlers” she said triumphantly and put them on his head

“Please no” he said “that’s too much”

“Stop whining Grinch or I’ll put the Christmas tape on” she threatened

 

They knew it was going to be busy in the pub that day so in addition to Holly and Steve there were barmaids Clare and Petra and in the kitchen were Stefano and Ausra.

It wasn’t manically busy but there was a steady flow all day, shoppers popping in for a warm, that kind of thing, and as it was such a bitter cold day the kitchen did a roaring trade in warming chili, casseroles and stews so much so that they kept the kitchen going right through the afternoon, it was not however a day for cold desserts.

However, by five o’clock they had sold out and the till drawers were stuffed.

Holly kept taking them away to the office, but they kept filling up.

 

While Holly counted the takings in the office, Steve and Petra manned the bar and Clare helped Steph and Ausra clear away.

Job done they joined Steve at the bar and were enjoying a well-earned drink when Holly came out.

“Well done you lot” she said “I hope that drink is on the house”

“It is” Steve said

“We have had a phenomenal day” she said handing out pay packets “so there’s a little something extra in there”

“Thanks boss” Stephanos said

“Cheers Holl” Petra

“Thanks Holly” Clare and Ausra said simultaneously

What she didn’t tell them was that the little extra was 100 pounds per head, they wouldn’t find that out until later.

“Where’s mine?” Steve asked

“Grinch tax” Holly said to the great amusement of the others and patted his cheek

“Charming” he replied but was laughing when he said it, he knew that the others were finished until after Christmas, but he still had the evening shift.

Although he wasn’t bothered about the money particularly, he knew he would get it, he had actually enjoyed Christmas Eve for the first time ever.

 

They all finished their drinks and it was the moment that Steve hated most, the final farewell when Christmas wishes were exchanged.

“Merry Christmas” Clare said and kissed Steve

“And you” he replied

“Happy Christmas Stevie” Ausra said kissing him

“Yes, you too” said Steve

“Happy, Happy Christmas” Petra said planting a very exuberant kiss on his mouth

“Ditto” he replied

“A very happy Christmas my friend” Stephanos said extravagantly and feigned to kiss him but shook his hand instead and roared with laughter.

“Have a good one” Steve said also laughing.

 

When they had gone Steve noticed it had started snowing lightly.

“So why can’t you say Happy Christmas?” Holly asked

“I told you it was going to snow” he said

“Don’t change the subject” Holly persisted

“I can say it, I just didn’t need to as everyone else said it”

He answered “I didn’t want to wear the phrase out”

“Baubles” Holly retorted

 

Holly disappeared upstairs for half an hour between the afternoon and evening sessions, and when she came down, she had changed outfits and she wore a different red Dress with white trim and a more daring neckline, but instead of her customary red and white stripy tights she was wearing black ones with holly motifs, how appropriate Steve thought as he was wiping down the tables in readiness for the next wave of punters.

As he looked at her Steve thought she was really very cute, but because of his Christmas phobia he would probably have to liberate her from the Christmas stuff first if she was ever to progress further than cute.

“I wish I’d asked Steph to keep some Chili back” Holly said “I’m starving”

“Don’t worry” he said “when Debbie arrives, I’ll go over the road and get a takeaway”

“Ok” she concurred “but what takeaway”

“Your choice, my treat” he replied

“What? a Christmas treat?” Holly asked

“No, just a treat” he replied and smiled

Debbie arrived right on time.

“The snows settling” she said as she went behind the bar

“Hi Debbie” Holly said

“So, what’s your poison?” Steve asked

“Pizza” She replied very definitely “Pepperoni”

“Have you eaten Debbie?” he shouted

“Yes, but I can eat a slice or two” she replied

 

As he walked across the road to Dominoes, he noticed the snow was falling faster and would lay quite deep if it persisted.

Despite Debbie saying she would only eat a piece or two he decided to get a pizza each, he’d seen Debbie eat before and for a skinny bird she could really pack it away.

When he got back to the pub the clientele had almost doubled so he thought it was the beginning of the evening rush and wasn’t sure if they’d have time to enjoy the pizzas, but he needn’t have worried as it proved to be a false dawn and the rush never materialized.

He was right about one thing though; Debbie demolished a whole pizza.

By seven o’clock the numbers hadn’t really changed even if the faces had and by eight with the snow falling thick and fast in near blizzard conditions it was fairly obvious punters weren’t going to be venturing out in any significant numbers.

Knowing that Debbie had a ten-mile journey home Holly said

“I think you’d better get off hon or you won’t get home at all”

“Are you sure Holl?” Debbie asked

“Absolutely” She said and handed Debbie her coat and her pay packet.

“Thanks Holly” she said “Happy Christmas”

“Happy Christmas and drive safely” she said “Text me when your home”

 “Ok, happy Christmas Steve” she said

“And you Deb” he replied

Holly had walked to the door with Debbie and stared out the window for a long time as she watched her get underway, when she returned to the bar, she said

“You’d better get off as well Steve”

“No, I’ll stay a bit longer” he replied

“This might be your last chance” she said “it’s coming down like billy-o”

“That’s ok” he said “I can always kip in the lounge bar again”

 

It was a strange night although there weren’t many customers, they still managed to sell quite a lot of beer.

They had a succession of punters coming in for jugs of ale, so much so that they ran out of jugs.

But all in all, it was very quiet, so by 9 o’clock Holly said

“Right let’s have a drink”

“I thought you didn’t like the staff drinking on duty” he said

“What the hell its Christmas” she replied and noticed that he visibly tensed at the word Christmas, she pulled him a pint and poured a glass of wine for herself, and they sat on stools on the punters side of the bar to drink them.

“Do you mind if I crash here tonight Holly? He asked

“I’d rather you crashed here than out there” She replied

“And it looks like my plans for tomorrow will need to be revised, so we can spend the day together, if you like”

“Ok thanks” he said

They were well into their second drink when Holly asked

“So, what exactly is the deal with you and Christmas?”

“Do we have to go there” he asked

“Yes, we do” she said “I’ve been watching you this week and every time someone wishes you a happy Christmas you react as if you’ve been stabbed”

“Well I wouldn’t go that far” Steve responded

“I would” she said but he just shrugged

“Come on Steve” she insisted “You are such an infuriating man, cough it up”

“Can’t you just leave it alone?” he said

“You can’t tell me you haven’t enjoyed this week” she said “or that you would have preferred to be locked away in your flat pretending that Christmas was just a bad dream”

Steve drained his glass and went through the hatch and pulled himself another one.

“I don’t want to go into all the details, suffice is to say that for me there was no happy little boy waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve” he said painfully

“My childhood was unbearable, and Christmas was even more so”

Holly didn’t speak but sat with head sympathetically inclined

“Not everyone is raised by Mary Poppins” he said factiously

“That’s not very fare” Holly said hurtfully

“I suppose you think my Christmases were happy?”

Steve merely snorted

“I had lousy Christmases as a child, my parents didn’t believe in it, so we didn’t celebrate it,” she said forcefully, though Steve looked unconvinced

“My parents are hippies” She stated “Christmases for me were spent in a VW Camper van on Salisbury plain, don’t get me wrong, I love my parents and for me at the time it seemed perfectly normal and I was perfectly happy”

Holly paused

“And I would get a present, though it was never wrapped in Christmas paper, and there were no Christmas trees, no baubles or tinsel, no garlands or colored lights, in short in my childhood Christmas just didn’t exist”

“So now you’re overcompensating” Steve said and took another drink.

“Not at all I decided that feeling sorry for myself was not an option, and I refused to be dictated to by the past” she said “I decided I would make new memories and stop looking back”

“I was 17 when I first experience a proper Christmas, and I thought it was wonderful, and magical and I’ve made sure I’ve enjoyed everyone since”

“There is no similarity between our childhoods” he said

“Your childhood was happy it just didn’t include Christmas, mine was desperately unhappy”

“And you blame Christmas for it” Holly said “I know for you, life was different, but I want to squeeze the most joy I can from every moment”

Steve just looked at her as she took a brief pause

“Just as you should” She said and put her hand on his knee at the precise moment the doors burst open and a new group of punters came through the door.

 

Steve stood behind the bar drying glasses as he watched Holly as she chatted to the clientele, each table in turn.

He liked it as she walked from table to table, she had a gait that was easy on the eye and the way the flared skirt moved across her legs was quite sensual.

However, one by one the meagre band of customers disappeared into the snowy night after the usual exchange of Christmas Greetings.

It was midnight and as the last customer left for the night, Holly wished them a happy Christmas and locked the front doors and as she slipped the last bolt across and drew the curtain, Steve appeared behind her just as the church bells chimed.

Holly turned and faced him

“Merry Christmas Holly” he said and kissed her

Mornington-By-Mere – (28) Exchanging Gifts on Christmas Eve

There are four Windmill Cottages in the village of Mornington-By-Mere and they are as quaintly picturesque as the rest of the village.

They stand detached in a neat row alongside the southern bank of the River Brooke situated between the East Bridge and Church Hall.

The Chapman family live in number 1 and Jo Williamson and her daughter Cassandra live next door at number 2.

 

Alan Chapman was a 50 year old widowed Farm Labourer and was very highly regarded and as such he was never out of work as a result and because of that he could easily pick and choose where he worked.

As a consequence of his outdoor life he was a lean fit man with a full head of sandy hair and a weathered complexion.

As a result of his children’s independent existences Alan spent a lot of his leisure time on his own.

He wasn’t altogether happy with that but he had been a widower for ten years so he was getting used to it.

He was not an unsociable man however and was well liked by those who knew him and he got on well with his neighbour’s.

 

One of his neighbour’s was Josephine Williamson who he knew very well and had wanted very much to have known her better for some time.

But what held him back was that she was 8 years younger than him.

So he admired her from a distance, and there was much to admire, she was five foot eight with luscious thick ginger curls tumbling down onto her shoulders and mesmerizing green eyes, with a lovely figure, curvaceous and perfectly proportioned.

Jo was a divorcee but had raised her daughter single handed and had to stand on her own two feet, she had managed to get a full time job with one of the new firms up at Mornington Field, Paige Turners and things were going well for her so she was happy-ish.

 

However everything changed on a Friday afternoon two weeks before Christmas when he opened the front door and found a rather tipsy Jo Williamson leaning against the doorframe.

“Alan darling” she slurred, “I am a damsel in distress”

 

Once inside she told him that she had been to the Paige Turners Christmas lunch at the Old Mill Inn and she had enjoyed it very much but she was locked out of her house and her daughter Caz had gone Christmas shopping in Abbottsford for the day.

 

After having to pay a visit to the loo she tottered into the lounge, make up repaired, outfit perfect, and in one hand she held a sprig of mistletoe.

“Look what I have found,” she said and as she reached him she raised it above her head.  

So he stood up to face her, puckered up and gave her a Christmas kiss and as his lips touched hers her it was evident that it was a more intrusive kind of Christmas kiss she was interested in, which took him by surprise, but it was a nice surprise, so in the spirit of the season and just to be neighbourly he responded in kind.

But the greater surprise came when they ended up making love in his bed.

 

Jo and Alan lay silently in the afterglow in his bed and after a few minutes Jo turned her head to look at him.

“My goodness that was really powerful mistletoe” Jo said from beneath the duvet.

“It was that” he agreed

“This isn’t quiet how I envisaged the day going” she said

“Well we Chapmans take hospitality very seriously” he said

“I don’t make a habit of this” she said

“Nor do I” Alan said “And this isn’t something I envisaged happening either, but it’s something I pictured in my dreams, often”

He reached out and put his arm around her and she lay her head on his chest.

Holding the bubbly redhead in his arms was something he had often imagined doing but he never expected for a moment that it would actually happen.

But as if it wasn’t enough of a surprise to have enjoyed some afternoon delight with the woman he had admired from afar for so long, it transpired that she felt the same way about him.

 

 

17^th December

 

Almost a week had passed since they made love in his house and they had barely spoken a word.

Though not out of guilt or regret it was merely the time of year and they just couldn’t get a moment alone.

They did text, in fact the very next day he received one which read

“Merry Christmas Alan, with love from a grateful Damsel in Distress” It should have been simple enough to communicate as they were next door neighbours but it was complicated by the fact they had family.

They both wanted to take it to the next level but they wanted to speak to their children first and pre warn them.

 

He walked into the village to do some shopping, and first he went to Normans General Store. 

It was full of all the usual trappings of the season, selection boxes, tinsel, wrapping paper and cards but his eyes were immediately drawn to a large stack of magazines.

The Radio Times to be precise, the bumper Christmas edition of the Radio Times.

He got a lot of stick from his kids over it, because they thought it was a bit sad but he really looked forward to getting the Bumper Christmas Edition of the Radio Times, (other TV Guides were available).

It is one of the highlights of the season for him, and to make it even sadder, he bought two copies.

 

After leaving Norman’s he crossed to road and went to Legg’s Farm shop, then he crossed the road again and went to Addison’s Bakers and finally Boddingtons to get some mince.

It was as he was leaving the latter that he bumped into Jo coming the other way.

“Hello Alan” she said

“Hi Jo, you surprised me” he said then she surprised him again by giving him a bear hug almost crushing his Radio Times and kissed his cheek several times.

“I’ve missed you” she whispered

“Likewise” he whispered back

“Are you going to The Carol Concert on Saturday night?” She asked

“Yes I am” he replied

“If you’re going as well then perhaps we could go together”

“That would be nice” Jo said “I’ll see you on Saturday”

 

On Saturday Night the Chapmans and the Williamson walked together the short distance to St Winifred’s and even sat together and as it was a candlelit service Jo took the opportunity to hold Alan’s hand in the semi darkness.

 

On Christmas Eve Alan rose early and took advantage of the fact the house was empty to get the chores done.

His daughter Lorraine didn’t live with him full time as she was a Nurse at the Winston Churchill Hospital in Abbottsford and rather than commute back and forth she shared a flat with two other Nurses, Jane Hall, and Rosie Parsons who also lived in Mornington and worked at the Churchill, she herself was working the night shift and wouldn’t be home until Christmas Day.

His son James was a Farm Labourer and worked at Windmill Farm and they were working in the morning and then having Christmas Dinner followed by drinks.

And Subhan was babysitting Hannah Hills kids all day.

 

He loaded the washing machine and set the program to wash and then went upstairs and remade the beds with fresh linen in preparation for Christmas, then he hoovered, dusted and polished throughout the house.

His exceptionally early start to the day enabled him to complete all his chores with ease by lunchtime and after a long leisurely shower he made himself a sandwich.

 

Alan was just drying his hands after washing up his lunch plate when there was a knock at the door.

When he opened it, he found Jo Williamson on the other side of it, wearing a Christmas jumper and wearing tinsel in her hair, holding a Christmas parcel.

“Happy Christmas” she said beaming.

“Hey! Happy Christmas hon” he responded, “come in”

“Ok” she said still smiling broadly “but no funny business”

“No funny business” he agreed and Jo stepped inside.

“You didn’t have to get me a gift,” he said to her as he took her coat.

“But it was a nice thing to do, thank you”

As Jo sat down on the sofa he reached under the Christmas Tree and picked up a little gift bag and handed it to her.

“Merry Christmas” he said and sat down beside her.

 

But she seemed not to notice the gift and took a deep breath and blurted out.

“I’ve told Caz about us”

“Really?” he said

“She saw us holding hands at the Carol Service” She explained “So I had to”

“Good” he said

“Then you’re not angry?”

“No of course not” he said “What did she say?”

“She said that she was thrilled for me” and tears were beginning to form in her eyes.

Alan put his arms around her and said

“I told Jimmy last night and he said it was about time”

“What about the others?” she asked

“I spoke to Siobhan before she went out this morning” Alan said

“And what did she say?” Jo said urgently, knowing that she would be the most likely to be upset by the news as she was only 7 when her mum died.

“Cool” he replied and she sighed

“So only Lorraine to tell then”

“Yes I’ll tell her tomorrow” he said “But she’s been telling me for years I needed to find someone, so she won’t be a problem”

“So what do we do now?” she asked

“Well I don’t know” he replied “but once I’ve spoken to Lorraine it means you can kiss me anytime you want without the aid of mistletoe”

“Oh I like the sound of that” She said and gave him a big hug and an hour later they were snuggled beneath the freshly laundered duvet.

“So much for no funny business” he thought as she lay her head on his chest and sighed.