It was just
another dream
That I
awoke from that morn
It was a
very familiar dream
A regular
one rather well worn
The theme
was the same as usual
The dream
was all about you
Just
another stupid dream
That will
never come true
But it
wasn’t exactly the same
It was a
variation on a theme
This time
it had changed
It was a
Christmas dream
But this
time it felt so real
Will it
ever come true?
This
Christmas dream of mine
About
spending Christmas with you
In the small but thriving English county of Downshire people go about the tasks of their everyday existence in ways that range from the mundane to the extraordinary as their forebears had done for centuries before, in the varied and diverse landscape, from 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, to the beautiful Finchbottom Vale and the short but beautiful coastline to the east, but it’s in the village of Clarence, a mile or so from Purplemere, where our story takes place.
Fifty
percent of the village of Clarence was full of posh houses and posh people and
as it was a village, everyone knew each other’s business, and at the center of
village life was the Rose and Crown.
It was
three weeks after Graham Lovell and Nia Farrell had first kissed beneath
the mistletoe in the Rose and Crown, a kiss that led to them making love in his
house later that night, which subsequently led to many more nights, evenings,
mornings spent in similar vein.
Graham
managed to get Nia out of bed long enough to take her into Abbottsford to do
some Christmas shopping.
“I’ve never
been Christmas shopping in Abbottsford before” Nia said
Graham was
one of the posh people in the posh houses in the village, whereas Nia was a
country girl, and she had rarely left the village.
There were
several other things she had never done before because she had led a sheltered
life.
It was only
a week from the big day and Graham was unaccustomed to leaving his Christmas
shopping so late.
He liked to
get things done early but he had got behind because he’d been preoccupied with
Nia.
It had been
a long, long time since he’d had to buy presents for anyone special.
But now he
did have someone special to buy for, so he took Nia into Abbottsford to the
Phoenix Shopping Centre.
The Centre
had been dressed for Christmas in tinsel and foil and twinkling lights almost
since the beginning of October.
“My
Goodness” Nia said “It’s huge”
“It is
rather” Graham agreed
“Have you
never been here before?”
Nia began
to speak but Graham interrupted her
“That was a
silly question, wasn’t it?”
Nia nodded
“So, look
around and remember where you are, and we will meet back here in an hour and a
half” he said
“Can’t we
go around together?” she asked sounding very small
“Well not
really” he said “as we’re buying for each other, they are supposed to be
surprises”
“Oh yes I
see what you mean” she said, she was going to add sorry but I’m new to this,
but Graham took hold of her hand and kissed her which gave her strength.
“Ok then
back here at 11.30” she said, and they went their separate ways.
Graham knew
where he was going first, he knew exactly what main present to get for her, so
that wasn’t a problem, it was the little extras, the stocking fillers that took
the time, those little things that made Christmas morning extra special.
For Nia
everything was new and fresh and rather wonderful, but
she didn’t
know where to start, until she passed a dazzling shop window that held her
entranced.
“That’s
absolutely perfect” she said, and her eyes fixed on the prize.
Graham was
first back to the meeting place and Nia trotted up about five minutes later.
“I thought
I’d lost you” he said
“Sorry, I
lost track of time” she said, “It’s very exciting, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it
is” he replied and smiled at his little sweetheart loaded with bags.
“Once I got
started, I didn’t know how to stop” Nia said and giggled
“You’re
really lovely” he said and kissed her
They went
and had Coffee and a cake in the food court and assessed their progress.
I would give to you
On
Christmas morning
The gift of
love
Contained
within my heart
So I could
deliver it
And to show
good faith
I would
wrap it in my soul
Then you
would have the best of me
For with no
heart and soul
I am but an
empty shell
So I would
give you that as well
And then
you would have all of me
The village
of Brocklington was situated on the River Brooke about six miles downstream
from Sharping St Mary in the Finchbottom Vale, and it was in Riverside Cottage
on a cold, damp and foggy December morning, where Shani Orchard
and Marian
Yacoub lay naked beneath the duvet of the formers King-size bed and in its
coziness, they were both silently contemplating their situation and reflecting
that it was not how they had envisaged the previous night panning out.
Shani was
holding Marian, who had her head on her new lover’s chest, and it was her who
finally broke the silence when she said
“That was
quite a surprise”
“Which
part?” Shani asked
“All of it”
she replied “but it was a very nice surprise”
“Which
part?” Shani asked
“All of it”
she replied and giggled
“I’d never
done it before” She confessed, in fact she had never done anything before, with
anyone, she was a virgin in every conceivable sense of the word.
Which was
not that strange for a seventeen-year-old girl even in the 21st Century, but
she had never been much of a sexual being, or had much of a sex drive, she
hadn’t even touched herself very much, so she just thought she was frigid.
“I know
sweetie” Shani said
“Do you
mind?” the novice asked
“No of
course not” she replied, “You do know that I’ve done it before?”
“God yes”
she replied and giggled again
“But I
didn’t know you were a ….”
Shani
chuckled and kissed her forehead and said
“A lesbian”
“That’s
right, because I automatically assumed you were into men” Marian explained.
“Well to be
more accurate men are into me” Shani said
“Are you
disappointed?”
“What
with?” Marian replied with another question
“The fact
that I’m a Lesbian” she answered
“Are you
kidding? After what we did?”
They both
giggled and then Marian kissed Shani with warmth and passion.
“You
realize that this means you are a Lesbian too now?”
“Really?”
she asked “How exotic”
And she
cuddled up closer still to her lover.
“I am
confused about one thing though” she added
What’s
that?”
“I didn’t
think you liked me” she said
“I think
you may have been mistaken in that belief” Shani pointed out
“Well, you
did a very good impression of someone who didn’t like me” Marian said “Even at
the restaurant last night you were very cold”
The night
before was the Brocklington Broadcast International Christmas meal at the
Mulberry Tree.
“That’s a
defense mechanism” Shani explained, and they lay quiet again for a few minutes
before Marian said sheepishly
“I do have
one other question”
“What’s
that sweetie?” Shani asked
“I was just
wondering when we might um…” she began
“You were
wondering what?” she asked suspiciously
“Well, when
we could do it again?” she asked and buried her face in Shani’s chest to hide
her embarrassment
“That’s
very bold” she said
“I know”
Marian said without lifting her head
“Well as
it’s a foggy morning and we’re all cozy warm in bed already I suppose we could
do it again right now”
“Oh yes”
Marian purred “I really like the sound of that”
Though my love for Christ is boundless
On
Christmas day I cannot be untrue
For my love
for you is over flowing
And he must
share my heart with you
The village
of Brocklington was situated on the River Brooke about six miles downstream
from Sharping St Mary in the Finchbottom Vale, and thirty-year-old Hollie
Stanford was on her way home from work one cold December evening and had to
pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming that she was happy or that she
was just remembering the plot of book she once enjoyed, because she was
enjoying her life and her new love so much.
She had
been so lonely and unhappy for so long she hadn’t realized just how unhappy she
was until it was over.
It was only
six months since she moved to Brocklington, but it seemed like a lifetime and
in those six short months she had begun to live and begun to love.
She never
in her wildest dreams imagined she could ever be happier than she was at that
moment.
It was all
as a result of her taking a chance, which was something she had never done
before in her life.
Hollie was
doing the same job that she’d had since leaving school, which she hated, living
in a dingy flat that she couldn’t really afford, in a town she really didn’t
like, so when she saw a job advert online for a cook/housekeeper, for a Doctor,
Stephen Williams, which came with accommodation, she applied for the job, on a
whim, and to her great surprise she got an interview.
She was
impressed with Brocklington the moment she stepped off the train and fell in
love with St Cuthbert’s Church the moment she saw it, so she was in a good
frame of mind for her interview with Dr Williams, she felt at ease with him
immediately, so the interview went really well, and she was offered the job
there and then.
The
accommodation turned out to be a converted stable block at the end of the
Doctor’s Garden which was so quaint, it made her heart skip a beat.
After three
months in the village her heart skipped again when she met Sam Austin a very
pleasant soft-spoken widower, and at Halloween, a few weeks after that he asked
her out.
It was a
big step for both of them, him because it was the first time anyone had got
into his heart in the five years since his wife, Karen, passed, and she hadn’t
opened up to anyone since her heart was broken 3 years earlier.
Despite
their misgivings they decided to take a chance, and very soon fell in love.
She had
always had a strong Christian faith and one of the first things she did was to
join the congregation of St Cuthbert’s
She was a
little nervous as she walked in, she was quite self-conscious about being the
newcomer, but she was made very welcome, firstly by Stephen Williams, the
Doctor, and then by his sister Olivia, who took her under her wing and
introduced her to some of the other congregants.
When she
got home from work one cold December evening, she phoned Sam to say she was
planning to go to the Carol Service at St Cuthbert’s and asked him if he’d go
with her and his response surprised her.
“No, no”
Sam said adamantly “I haven’t set foot inside a Church since Karen passed”
“But it’s
only Carols” Hollie said
“No! I am
still too angry with God for taking my Karen” he said
“Well, if
you’re sure” she said brightly
“Quite
sure”
“Ok then
I’ll see you tomorrow” she said and left it at that, Hollie didn’t want to push
him too hard because she didn’t want to risk upsetting him, their relationship
was too important to her, and it was still new, and she didn’t want to
jeopardize that.
As for Sam
he felt guilty as he hung up the phone, and he hoped he hadn’t been too blunt
with her, the last thing he wanted to do was hurt Hollie in anyway, just
because he wasn’t ready to forgive God, yet.
Hollie went
to the Carol service alone and thoroughly enjoyed it and went to the Sunday
service a few days later but she didn’t ask Sam on that occasion, though she
hadn’t given up on him, she would just have to bide her time.
On
Christmas Eve, Hollie walked to St Cuthbert’s Church, she had been a regular at
the Church since she’d moved there and in December alone, she had attended all
four Advent services, the Christingle and the Carol service.
She had
asked Sam to join her a couple of times but as he hadn’t been to Church since
his wife passed, and was still angry with God for taking her, he was quite
unforgiving on the subject, and was totally unmovable on the matter, for now.
Hollie
thought she would probably wear him down eventually, but she didn’t want to
push it.
Sam even
declined on Christmas Eve but for Hollie Midnight Mass was an unmissable event,
so she went alone again.
Hollie said
a few hellos and thought to herself that there was a good-sized congregation
for the service.
She always
found the Midnight Mass very moving and quite atmospheric, it was possible that
as it was conducted in the semi darkness it added to the magic, when at
midnight the light of Christ was born into the world.
So, she
took her seat and settled herself and then she bowed her head, closed her eyes
and took a few moments to pray, when she opened them again, she was not alone.
“You came”
Hollie said and took Sam’s hand and she cried
“Don’t cry
sweetheart” he said
“But I’m so
happy that you’re here” she said wiping her eyes
“I’m still
angry with him for taking her” he said defiantly looking to the heavens
“But now I
know he only took her so he could give me you”
Sam said
and Hollie was crying again
“I love you
Sam Austin” she said
“I love you
too” he replied
Merry Christmas sweetheart, the one I love,
On this day
when love is keenest felt,
The day
when closed minds are opened
And even
the coldest hearts can melt
