Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop

by Jessica Redland

  Over the past few weeks, Jodie and I had become good friends with Sarah from Seaside Blooms. Despite having her own business to run, she’d been exceptionally generous with her time, regularly stopping off before she went home to help us get ready for opening day. Last Saturday, I had a bit of a meltdown about all the work still needed before tomorrow’s grand opening. The following day, she turned up with her entire family and several friends to help. There were people everywhere. You couldn’t move without tripping over someone. But there was laughter everywhere too and, despite the frenzied activity, I’d never felt more relaxed.

  Sarah had introduced me to several of the other shop owners who’d all given me advice and encouragement, and a helping hand where possible. For the first time since I was a child, I felt part of a community and I absolutely loved it. Those feelings of loneliness had ebbed away and Whitsborough Bay definitely felt like home.

  ‘I can’t believe it’s opening day tomorrow,’ Jodie said. ‘How do you feel?’

  ‘Nervous. What if nobody comes?’

  ‘They will.’

  ‘But what if they don’t?’

  ‘I remember feeling the exact same way when I took over Seaside Blooms,’ Sarah said. ‘I never stopped all day, though. People love new shops and December is a great time of year to open. I reckon you’ll barely pause for breath all day.’

  ‘That would be amazing.’

  ‘It’ll happen. You have the only chocolate shop in town and I think you’re exactly what we need. I bet your chocolate-making events will be fully booked by the end of the day too and you’ll be scheduling in new dates.’ Sarah paused to answer her phone while Jodie and I continued tweaking the window displays.

  ‘I’ve got to go,’ Sarah said when she hung up. ‘I’ll pop over at some point tomorrow to see how it’s going, but I’ll be watching those queues from my window.’

  She collected her bag and coat from the back and wrapped her scarf round her neck. Giving us both a hug and wishing us luck, she left.

  ‘She’s amazing,’ Jodie said when the door had closed. ‘I can’t believe how helpful she’s been in getting things ready.’

  ‘I know. I’m so glad I met her.’

  ‘Shall I tell you who I don’t think is amazing and who hasn’t been very helpful?’

  She didn’t need to. Ricky.

  ‘What’s his excuse this time?’ she asked.

  ‘It’s not his fault. The build’s behind schedule and they’re all having to put in overtime to catch up. His boss told him that if he wasn’t willing to do it, there were plenty of others who’d welcome a well-paid job with regular overtime. What could he do?’

  ‘Do the overtime. Can’t say I blame him for that. But he should have spent his spare time fitting out his girlfriend’s shop instead of going out on the lash with his mates. That spending time together agreement barely lasted five minutes.’

  ‘I hear you and I hate that I’ve turned into one of those women who says “but” all the time but I have too much going on right now to deal with another argument or a potential break-up. Let’s get opening day done and the first week out the way and then I’ll take stock.’

  ‘And then it will be Christmas and who wants to break up with their boyfriend at Christmas?’

  ‘I don’t know that I do want to break up with him. I know we don’t get much time together but the time we do have is better than ever.’

  She shook her head. ‘I just hope you know what you’re doing.’

  I turned back to adjust my display. That was the problem. I didn’t know what I was doing anymore but I didn’t have the headspace to work through it. Yes, the time together had been better than ever but only because I never raised my building list of niggles. A bunch of strangers should not have had to come to my rescue. Ricky should have been helping. My boyfriend should have been the one creating the wooden fireplace for me instead of Matt, especially when he was a joiner and could have knocked it up in no time.

  Matt had even apologised for not being able to help out as often as he’d have liked and he’d already put in way more hours than Ricky. Matt told Jodie and me that Libby was very insecure and didn’t like him having female friends. He wasn’t going to let her dictate who he was friends with but he was careful not to push things. Jodie suggested that he lie about where he was because, unless Libby actually came to the shop to check, she’d never know. His response was that he believed in complete honesty in a relationship and, if he was going to be the sort of man who lied to his partner, then he was the sort of man who didn’t deserve to have a partner. My stomach did a little backflip when he said that. I, on the other hand, didn’t so much lie to Ricky as omit to mention Matt’s presence. It was easier that way given the blazing row we’d had the night of the plumbing emergency.

  While Jodie took the empty Christmas baubles crates through to the storeroom, I gazed round the room, pride bursting in me. We’d done it and it looked better than I’d ever imagined. On one side of the room was the serving counter with a glass display unit containing individual white, milk and plain chocolates. There were truffles, caramels and fondants in a variety of shapes, textures, flavours and colours. Customers could have a bag or box made up of their favourites and I had pre-prepared collections of the most popular ones.

  Along the back and far wall were two dressers and several tall shelving units, each made from sturdy painted grey oak to convey a homely feeling rather than having a posh and unaffordable chocolate shop vibe. It was important for customers to feel comfortable in the shop. Comfortable customers spent more money and they came back!

  The cupboards and drawers at the bottom of each piece of furniture provided storage space for boxes and spare stock. The small drawers at eye-height on the dressers had bags of chocolates sticking out of them, begging customers to take them home. Wicker baskets displayed other products, all beautifully arranged.

  A tiered plinth on a round wooden table at that side of the shop displayed seasonal products and there was a carousel unit with a cheaper – but still delicious – range of chocolates than those in the glass display unit.

  Saloon doors into the workshop allowed customers to see into the area if they were interested in a chocolate-making party but gave a clear signal the area was closed to the public otherwise. We could hook the doors back when we needed easy access like now.

  I took several photos on my phone.

  ‘Are those to send to Pierre?’ Jodie asked, returning to the shop side.

  ‘Yes. And social media. And for me to gaze at tonight when I can’t sleep.’

  She took my phone from me. ‘Pierre will want to see some of you.’

  ‘My hair’s a mess and my cheeks are probably glowing red.’

  ‘The only thing that’s glowing is how happy you look right now. I’m so damn proud of you.’

  Tears rushed to my eyes and I blinked them back. ‘Don’t! You’ll set me off.’

  Jodie took several photos and then we posed for a couple of selfies.

  ‘Is there anything else to do?’ she asked.

  I checked the list on my phone. ‘Sarah’s put the lights up, you’ve done the tree, I’ve done the other window, the shelves are fully stocked, the fliers are out, the chocolate-making booking forms are printed and just need adding to the clipboard. The free samples are ready and I’ve got plenty of spares. Business cards! I’ve got a packet of them somewhere that I need to put under the till. And I think that’s it!’

  ‘I’ll put the booking forms on the clipboard and you sort the business cards,’ Jodie said, disappearing into the workshop.

  ‘Anything else?’ she asked when she returned, clipboard in hand.

  I scanned down my list again and shook my head. ‘All done. Oh my God, Jodie! I’ve got my very own chocolate shop and we open for business tomorrow. I can’t believe it.’

  She grinned at me. ‘I can imagine your Nanna and Grandpa looking down on you right now and doing a happy jig.’

  ‘I can imagin
e that too.’

  ‘Charlee’s Chocolates is going to be an amazing success. I know it.’

  ‘And I couldn’t have done it without you. I hope you know how grateful I am for the phenomenal number of hours and aching muscles you’ve put into getting it to this point.’ Jodie really had been a Godsend. In exchange for helping me get the shop ready, I’d refused to accept any rent from her or money towards bills, although I’d chosen not to mention that to Ricky. She’d tried her hand at making some chocolate drops and, after a few miss-shaped trays, had got the hang of it, but her real strength was in packaging and displaying. She was exceptionally neat and seemed to have an eye for how to present stock in the best possible way, so she was going to be a definite asset.

  ‘Hey, it’s me who should be grateful,’ Jodie said. ‘You’ve given me a home and a job in the place I’ve always dreamed of living. Best early Christmas presents ever!’ We hugged each other.

  ‘How about a celebratory drink?’ I suggested. ‘We’ve more than earned it.’

  ‘Now you’re talking. I’ll grab our bags.’

  A knock on the door made me jump and I spotted Matt and Libby were outside.

  ‘I wasn’t sure I’d catch you,’ he said when I opened the door and ushered them both in from the cold. ‘That window display looks amazing, doesn’t it Libby?’

  Libby smiled sweetly at me and I got the distinct impression that she was under strict instructions from Matt to be nice. ‘It’s very impressive. Wish I could arrange a couple of chocolate statues like that.’

  Matt frowned. ‘Libby! Charlee didn’t just arrange them. She made them from scratch.’

  ‘Clever Charlee.’ Libby’s sing-song tone suggested that she thought I was anything but clever. ‘I’ll wait outside.’ If she could have, I’m convinced she’d have banged the door on her way out but the soft-close mechanism prevented it.

  ‘Sorry, Charlee,’ Matt said, watching Libby wander down the street with her phone pressed to her ear. ‘One day you’ll meet her and I won’t have to apologise for her behaviour. She’s not normally like this.’

  ‘I seem to remember saying something very similar to you about Ricky.’

  ‘Hi, Matt,’ Jodie said, coming back through to the shop with our bags and coats. ‘How’s it going?’

  ‘Good, thanks. I’m sure you both have loads to do but I wanted to drop something off for Charlee. He lifted up a plain paper carrier bag. ‘Libby was meant to get me some wrapping paper today but, perhaps conveniently, she forgot. I suppose it’s the gift that’s important, and not the packaging.’ He handed me the bag. ‘This is for you to say good luck on opening day.’

  ‘Aw, thank you. You didn’t have to get me anything.’

  ‘What is it?’ Jodie asked, stepping forward.

  I lifted out a wooden picture frame and, for a moment, I was speechless. Various words were arranged on the image to create a large four-leaf clover. As I looked more closely, I spotted the name of the shop, the street, Whitsborough Bay, my name and Jodie’s, and various words connected with chocolate and the process of making it like tempering, moulding, cocoa, truffle, chocolatier.

  ‘Oh, Matt,’ I whispered. ‘It’s amazing.’ My eyes darted from word to word, then tears pricked my eyes and I looked up at him again. ‘You’ve got my grandparents’ names in there and the name of Grandpa’s shop. How did you know?’

  He glanced towards Jodie. ‘I did a bit of sleuthing.’

  ‘Thank you. Thank you so much. This is so kind and thoughtful. I’d hug you, but I don’t want to start a domestic.’

  Matt glanced towards the window. ‘She’s on her phone. She’ll be yakking to Gina as usual so I doubt she’ll notice. And if she does, so what? We’re friends.’

  I passed Jodie the picture and hugged Matt tightly. ‘Thank you,’ I whispered into his ear.

  ‘You deserve it. I’m so proud of what you’ve achieved.’

  As I clung to him, heart racing, I closed my eyes. An image of kissing him filled my mind and, for a moment, I wished it wasn’t just in my imagination. Shocked at my unfaithful thoughts, I stepped back.

  ‘Good luck tomorrow,’ Matt said. ‘My nieces can’t wait to meet the chocolate lady, as they call you. I’ve got a job on during the morning, but I’ll be down with them at some point in the afternoon.’

  A loud rap on the door signalled Libby’s growing impatience.

  ‘I’d better go,’ he said. He gave me another brief hug, and gave Jodie one too, then left.

  ‘You lurve him,’ Jodie said, in a singsong voice.

  I touched my burning cheeks with my fingertips. ‘I don’t! I just—’

  ‘You just seriously have the hots for him.’

  I bit my lip. ‘Okay. I admit it. I’ve got a teeny tiny soft spot for him. Who wouldn’t? He’s gorgeous and he’s so lovely. Do you think he knows?’

  She shook her head. ‘Your secret’s safe. For now.’

  Looking out the window, my heart sank as I watched him put his arms round Libby and gently kiss her. He said something that made her laugh then they headed off down Castle Street, arm in arm. They both looked relaxed and happy, like a perfectly-matched couple. I obviously brought out the worst in her but Matt brought out the best and that was why they were together.

  ‘Shame he doesn’t feel the same way,’ I said, turning back to Jodie, feeling quite deflated.

  ‘Oh, he does. He just isn’t prepared to admit it yet.’

  ‘Who turned you into a clairvoyant?’

  She laughed. ‘It’s not clairvoyancy. I’m just great at reading people. Well, everyone except that knobhead Karl, that is. My “gift” obviously doesn’t work on my own love life.’

  I sighed. ‘How can I have a crush on Matt when I love Ricky?’

  ‘Simple,’ she said. ‘You don’t really love Ricky.’

  13

  ‘There’s a queue!’ I squealed the following morning, tying my chocolate brown apron behind my back in the dimly-lit shop. ‘There’s actually a queue! Do you think we should open early?’

  ‘No!’ Jodie cried. ‘We should open at nine as planned. It’s only seven more minutes. Let the excitement build. There’ll be an even bigger queue by then.’

  I shook my head. ‘I can’t believe there’s a queue.’ Taking a deep breath, I turned to my new sixteen-year-old apprentice, Ashleigh Denholm. ‘Are you all set? You know how to use the till?’

  She smiled. ‘It’s the same one as we had at the farm shop so I’m all good.’

  Ashleigh had been a brilliant find. A first year student studying catering at Whitsborough Bay TEC, her dream was to become a chocolatier. She already had valuable retail experience and confidence round customers having worked in her uncle’s farm shop for the past two years. She’d work Saturdays and after college if I needed her for parties or events. In return, I’d train her in chocolate-making twice a week.

  ‘I need to give you my gift,’ Jodie said. ‘It’s not quite as amazing as Matt’s but I think you’ll like it.’

  ‘Jodie! There was no need, especially after all the work you’ve done already.’

  She reached behind the counter and handed me a bright pink gift bag.

  I pulled out a wooden sign with the phrase, ‘She believed she could, so she did,’ written on it. It was one of my favourite sayings. ‘Thanks, Jodie. I love it.’

  ‘You’re welcome. It seemed very apt for what you’ve achieved in such a short space of time. It’s been inspiring watching it all come together.’

  ‘I’ll have to put this up in the workshop later with Matt’s picture. They’ll look great on the wall. I’ve been so spoilt. When I got home last night, there was a huge bouquet of flowers and a good luck teddy bear waiting from Pierre.’

  ‘Aw. He’s so adorable. What did Ricky get you?’

  I busied myself putting the sign back in the bag.

  ‘Charlee?’ she prompted.

  ‘Ricky gave me a card.’

  ‘Ooh, a card. How very thoughtful a
nd generous of him.’

  ‘He’s a bit skint. I was surprised he even got me a card.’

  ‘How’s he skint when he does so much overtime?’

  It was a good question and one I’d often wondered myself. ‘He built up a lot of credit card debt when he was living in Hull so he’s working hard to clear it.’

  ‘I’m surprised he hasn’t asked you to use your inheritance to clear it.’ She shook her head when I didn’t respond. ‘The cheeky git has, hasn’t he?’

  ‘I’m just going to nip to the loo before we open,’ Ashleigh said, hurrying out the back, obviously uncomfortable about the turn in the conversation.

  ‘Charlee?’ Jodie demanded.

  I bit my lip again. ‘Sort of. He hasn’t directly come out with it but he’s dropped a few very unsubtle hints. A couple of weeks ago, I actually said to him, “I’d love to pay off your debts for you but, until I know how well the shop’s going to do, I need to hang onto every penny I have”. He tried to make out that he’d never have expected me to give him any money, but I could tell he was lying. Am I being mean for not helping him out?’

  ‘No! Don’t do it, Charlee.’

  ‘But I could afford to.’

  ‘That’s beside the point. If it was the other way round, would you expect him to settle your debts?’

  ‘Of course not.’

  ‘There you go, then. Don’t settle his. It would be different if you’d been together for years or you were married, but it’s been less than nine months and we both know you’ve been having problems. Make sure he does a free balance transfer thingy so his debt doesn’t keep rising and, if you’re still together this time next year, maybe you could help him out a bit. Except you won’t be together because you’ll be with Matt.’

  I couldn’t help smiling at her persistence.

  ‘Should I switch the shop lights on?’ Ashleigh asked, returning from the toilet.

  I looked at my watch. ‘Eek! It’s time! Yes, please, Ashleigh.’

  Wiping my sweaty palms down my apron, I turned round the sign to ‘open’ and unlocked the door. I grinned when I saw that the first people in the queue were Sarah, her husband, her two best friends, Clare and Elise, and their partners. She’d said she’d pop over at some point so it was a lovely surprise and very touching to see her right at the front.