Happily Ever After This Christmas

by C. K. Martin

  ‘Stop fussing,’ he slapped her hand away. ‘I do not need you making me feel even more of an old man than I already am.’

  ‘It’s cold. I don’t want you to leave it until it’s too late and you can’t get warm again.’ It was a partial truth. After a cloudy, grey day, the rain had finished pouring and with it came unexpected clear skies. It was a perfect night for a village tradition, but it was colder than she could remember in years. Probably because she was more used to drinking in bars before the icy night air hit her. There was nothing like an alcohol body warmer to make you oblivious to life.

  She was sure several of the tea houses stayed open later tonight in order to take advantage of the crowds. Swapping from their usual caffeinated beverages to mulled wine, she found herself craving a mug, ostensibly to keep herself warm, but really to cheer herself up and numb the rush of emotions.

  ‘Your friend seemed nice.’ It was a sly question, asked at the moment when she was reaching back down in front of him. She knew he wanted to gauge her reaction. Knowing it logically didn’t stop her from tensing.

  ‘She’s not my friend.’

  ‘Oh?’ He left it hanging there as a question and when she didn’t answer, decided not to let the matter go like she hoped he would. ‘The two of you obviously know each other. Work?’

  ‘Sort of.’

  ‘I’m not sure what ‘sort of’ means.’

  ‘How about it means that it’s none of your business.’

  ‘I knew it,’ he smacked his knee in triumph.

  ‘You don’t know anything,’ Jo muttered. She looked around for some kind of distraction — any kind of distraction — but saw nothing that would work as an adequate diversion for someone like him. Once he got an idea in his head then he followed it through.

  ‘I know more than you think young lady. Come on, tell your old man. I can’t believe you’ve secretly been seeing someone right there under my nose since you got back.’

  ‘We are not seeing each other.’ On that, Jo at least could be genuinely emphatic. ‘Do you want me to go and find somewhere that sells mince pies? I could really eat a mince pie right now.’

  ‘Don’t you dare leave me here alone in this thing. And don’t think you can distract me with the prospect of a mince pie either. Although, now you mention it, one or two might be nice.’

  ‘See, I knew you’d want one. I won’t be gone long.’ Despite his protestations, she darted off, glad of her sensible boots against the slippery pavement. She had no intention of leaving him for long, but neither did she wish to discuss Kayleigh out on the street with him. Not before she’d had chance to process what had happened.

  She spotted the tearoom she wanted and ducked into the doorway. A queue was already beginning to form that snaked its way from the counter around the room. It would only get worse as the night wore on. That would be her justification when she returned to face the wrath of her father. For good measure, she’d get them both some mulled wine as well. She was driving, so he’d have to finish hers off, but that might be even better for reducing him to a state of placated calm.

  Jo was debating whether to have two mince pies each or get the special offer bag of six, when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around, her heart pounding. Rob stood behind her, a friendly grin on his face. ‘Hello again.’

  ‘Hi,’ she said, unsure of what was meant to happen next. She barely knew Kayleigh, let alone the man who was probably her boyfriend. The crushing sensation she’d had when he first appeared returned and Jo knew she needed to get this woman out of her head once and for all. What was it about her that was so fascinating anyway? It made no sense, but it was real enough to reduce her to a moment of sheer awkwardness with the man looking at her right now.

  ‘I’m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable back there,’ he said. ‘Kayleigh told me who you were.’

  ‘Wow. I’m surprised you’re still talking to me.’

  ‘I’m not going to lie. You’re not exactly her favourite person right now.’

  ‘Thanks for reminding me. She’s made it perfectly clear without your help though. So if you’ve come over here so you can tell me off as well, then please don’t. I’m here with my father and he doesn’t get out much these days. I understand that you’re probably mad at me too. But I’m not at work now and I deserve to be able to spend time with my family as much as anyone else.’

  ‘Whoa, take it easy. I wasn’t going to have a go at you. I’ve known Kayleigh for a long time. Since we were in school. She’s a lovely person.’

  ‘I’m sure she is, but that doesn’t mean I can change the facts.’

  ‘I’m not asking you to. I understand that she’s not exactly in the right here. But she’s had a rocky road to get here.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘I thought you might.’ He pointed forward and she turned to see that the queue had moved. The two of them shuffled closer to the counter, but not close enough as far as Jo was concerned. She wanted this weird conversation to be over. ‘I just wanted to say, when this all blows over, give her a chance.’

  ‘I’m not sure I understand what you mean.’

  ‘She’s been lonely for a long time. Looking after Emily and that bookstore is all she does. She could use a friend. I don’t know, I just thought the two of you looked like you could…’ he trailed off, clearly unable to put what he was thinking into words. Jo had started the conversation apprehensive, but now she was just confused.

  ‘I’m not sure that our paths are really likely to cross. I told her I’d come out and do a re-inspection before Christmas, but she’s made it clear that she’s not going to be able to get the work done in time.’ Jo shrugged and the helplessness she had been feeling since that first day returned. ‘So there’s not a lot I can do.’

  ‘Okay. But when all this blows over, if for some reason the two of you do end up bumping into each other, give her a chance. This time of year is the worst for her. She’s strong for Emily and she puts all her spare energy into raising funds for that charity, but it’s all to avoid having to deal with her grief. I’m her best friend, but there is only so much I can give her.’

  ‘It must be hard for her.’ Jo nodded, feeling genuine sympathy. Then the last sentence sunk in. He was her best friend? Just her best friend? Maddy’s warnings rang clear in her head. The woman was both complicated and out of her league, even if that was what he was trying to put across. He gave her a giant grin. Yes, that was what he was trying to put across.

  Something a little like hope flared in her chest. He didn’t look like the matchmaking type. She bit her lip, unwilling to say something that would make her look like a fool or tip her hand. But she had to know. ‘Her best friend? I assumed you were her boyfriend.’ It was an innocent enough question when taken out of context but from his smile she could see he knew he had got her hook, line and sinker.

  ‘Boyfriend? Good god no. She’s more like a sister to me. Dating her is the last thing I would ever do. Besides, I’m not really her type either.’

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘No. She’s not dated anyone for years. But when she finally gets back on the horse, I think she’ll be looking for, shall we say, a slightly more feminine touch than the one that I could give.’

  ‘Oh,’ said Jo again, this time with an awkward, nervous swallow that made the word come out as a squeak.

  ‘What? Shit, have I totally misread the situation? I’m sorry, I just assumed…’ It was amusing how the cocky confidence drained away in an instant. She let him flounder for a few seconds more before putting him out of his misery.

  ‘No, you haven’t misread the situation. Well, you have if you think she’s going to forgive me any time this decade, but other than that, I know what you’re saying.’

  ‘Phew. I thought I was about to get a slap there for my matchmaking attempts.’

  ‘I’m sure she will if she finds out. But genuinely, she’s not interested in me. The only reason she didn’t scream at me again this time was because
my father and Emily were there. I think she upset Emily a bit last time.’

  ‘Yes, it probably would. Kayleigh isn’t one for anger. Or any kind of strong emotion these days really, unless you include the protectiveness she feels for Emily. You’re the first person to get under her skin in a long time.’

  ‘Sadly, it’s not in a good way.’ They had reached the front of the counter. Despite the strange elation buzzing in her head, she was also glad the conversation was over.

  ‘Give her a chance,’ he said over her shoulder, like a devil she didn’t need to hear. ‘If for some reason you do see her again under different circumstances, don’t blow her off just because of this one incident.’

  Jo ordered a bag of mince pies and two plastic cups of mulled wine. She tucked the bag under her arm and resisted the urge to drain the hot liquid in one go before she’d even left the shop. Instead, she hurried back to her father, Rob’s words still buzzing in her ears.

  The procession was on the move at the top of the street. Given the relative size of the village, Santa didn’t move at great speed, otherwise the whole thing would be over with before people had chance to go back for the second round of mince pies and mulled wine. It might be a community building spirit, but Jo wasn’t stupid enough to think that it wasn’t motivated, in large part, by money.

  ‘Those mince pies better be good,’ he grumbled, taking one of the plastic cups from her. ‘I told you not to leave me here on my own.’

  ‘I’m sure you were fine.’

  ‘I kept getting worried you hadn’t put the brake on properly and I’d go rolling off down the hill.’

  ‘Don’t be silly. Here, have these.’ She put the bag of mince pies down in his lap, wrapping her hands around the plastic cup. She took a sip, relieved to find it was surprisingly good. The warmth filled her belly and made her feel like she was glowing from the inside.

  ‘I suppose they’re not too bad,’ her father said around a mouthful of pastry. ‘Try one.’

  Jo reached down and pulled one from the bag, feeling for the first time that Christmas was nearly here. Since she had returned, it had been work and her father’s health that had filled her mind and her free hours. The festive season hadn’t really taken hold once she’d been told she was the reason for ruining it. Now, as the crowds around them thickened and the air grew loud with chattering excitement, it felt like the holiday was really upon them.

  ‘I haven’t forgotten, you know,’ he said, polishing off the mince pie with relish and washing it down with mulled wine. ‘The legs might have gone, but my mind is still sharp enough to spot when someone is trying to distract me with food and drink.’

  ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

  ‘Yes you do. You might as well tell me. I know we weren’t really involved with each other’s lives. Not when you were away. And that’s okay. Young people should grow up and live their lives their own way. Do what they want to do. Trust me, it goes by so fast. It doesn’t seem five minutes since I was your age and now I’m here, sitting in this thing.’

  ‘This is meant to be a happy occasion. You’re starting to sound morbid.’

  ‘I’m not saying I’m going to die, just that my dancing days are over, that’s all. But you’re living with me now and I don’t think I’ve told you how much I appreciate that. I wish you didn’t have to and I’ve told you not to, but I am glad that you’re around.’

  ‘I’m glad to be around.’ Jo meant it too. It was a culture shock and yes, she missed her friends. But being with him had given her a different kind of joy and connection. One she was glad to have the chance to explore before it was too late.

  ‘Good. So I don’t want you to feel like you can’t have any life because of me. Or that you can’t tell me about your life either. I know I wasn’t a great dad when you told me, you know, about what you were, but I want you to be happy. That’s the main thing.’

  ‘Thanks.’ God, this was awkward. Jo shoved another mince pie in her mouth to give herself a reason not to have to talk.

  ‘So, go on then.’

  ‘Go on what?’ her mouth was slightly over-stuffed and a crumb popped out, landing on his shoulder. She brushed it away before he noticed.

  ‘Tell me about your friend.’

  ‘Dad, I promise I wasn’t lying when I said she wasn’t my friend. The exact opposite.’

  ‘Surely you haven’t been back here long enough to make an enemy?’

  ‘Yes, apparently I have. It wasn’t really my fault. It was work.’

  ‘Everyone has to work. You shouldn’t feel bad about the fact.’

  ‘Yes, I should. Did you know she does some kind of Christmas thing in the store each year to raise money for charity?’

  ‘I think I’ve read about it in the paper. It’s a good cause. That niece of hers is a brave little thing.’

  ‘Yeah, well it probably won’t be happening this year. I shut it down.’

  ‘Oh.’

  ‘See. Now you can see why she’s not my friend. And before you tell me how terrible it is, there is nothing you can say that’s worse than what I’ve already said to myself. I am a horrible person.’

  ‘Jo, you are a lovely person. I’m not just saying that because you’re my daughter. You are. This is just one thing that feels bad because it makes someone else unhappy. The fact you’re as bothered about it as you are just means you are nice. Not the opposite. Another one?’ he held a mince pie up and she took it from him. Might as well break the diet for Christmas already.

  ‘Thanks. I just wish I could make it better. But I can’t even do that, because I’m not allowed to show any kind of special treatment for anyone. Not even if it means that the charity would get its money.’

  ‘No special treatment?’

  ‘Professional boundaries. It’s part of the job. I’ve already said I would come back and do an inspection if she got it done. I’d do it in my own time. That’s bad enough but I reckon I’d be able to get away with it. But I want to be able to do more. I could do more, but my hands are tied.’

  ‘Look around you. See all these people. See how happy they are? This is what life is about. Especially this time of year. Christmas is for good deeds. Miracles. That little girl we met back there? She’s a miracle and it shines from her. If you can fix this mess, then you should.’

  ‘Dad, that sounds like a lovely thing to say. But be realistic. What if doing it means I lose my job?’

  ‘So?’

  ‘What?’ The mulled wine was either going to his head or hers.

  ‘So what if you lose your job? It’s just a job.’

  ‘I hate to remind you of this, but it’s a job that pays me money. Money I need to live on. To pay the bills. You know what it’s like around here. A good job is hard to find. I was lucky enough to get this one in the first place. I can’t throw it away. I need to be able to stay here with you.’

  ‘Jo, it breaks my heart to think that you would feel that way. I’ve seen you this past week. You’ve not been yourself. Doing this has made you so unhappy. I know it’s part of the job, but it’s a job you wouldn’t be doing if it wasn’t for me. I don’t want you to ever sacrifice your happiness for me like that. Or your integrity. I think you know the right thing to do.’

  ‘Do you really think so?’ His words made sense on the surface, but she wasn’t sure he really understood the implications of what he was saying. If she got caught doing something so against the rules while she was still in her probationary period, then there wouldn’t be a slap on the wrist. She wouldn’t have to go through a mountain of HR paperwork and meetings so they could fire her. The desk would be emptied before she even had chance to think about it.

  On the other hand, he was right. She had been unhappy. For Emily as much as Kayleigh, she had wanted to wave a magic wand and make it all better.

  Perhaps it was the mulled wine. Perhaps, for the first time since she was a child, she was listening to her father’s advice, rather than just rolling her eyes at the old m
an. She wiped her greasy fingers on her jeans and pulled the phone from her pocket. Before she could change her mind, she scrolled through her list of contacts and dialled. The jingling of bells from Santa’s sleigh grew louder and she pressed the phone closer to her ear.

  ‘Maddy? I need you to do me a massive favour.’

  CHAPTER NINE

  Kayleigh was emotionally and physically exhausted.

  The anniversary of her sister’s death was a day to keep busy, a day to wear herself out in the hope that sheer exhaustion would carry her through the tears and into a deep and dreamless sleep. This year, she had taken it to a whole new level.

  She should really have double-checked the weather forecast that morning before she had got herself ready for work and Emily packed up ready for school. With Emily she was always overcautious regardless. With herself, not so much. The sudden changes in wind direction and the clear skies it brought with them had caused the temperature to plummet. At some point, Rob had noticed she was wracked with violent shivers and had given her his scarf to help. It had, for a little while, before the seeping cold had taken hold once more.

  As she unlocked the front door and ushered a tired Emily inside, she thought back to his behaviour that evening. He had been true to his word and not mentioned Jo again. The two of them had known each other for so long he was an open book. In his silence, she noticed something else.

  As she stripped off her boots and tried to squeeze life back into her freezing toes, she tried to work out the moment at which he went from playful to something slightly more devious. It was after he had gone to get the mince pies. He had returned looking smug in a way that pastry and alcohol alone could not achieve. Throughout the evening, he kept bumping her shoulder, like he was bursting with some strange secret that he knew and wanted to share but couldn’t. It was annoying.

  He hadn’t even tried to convince her to have a glass of mulled wine. Not today. There was no way she would be getting behind the wheel with even the tiniest drop of alcohol in her system. Not that Jack had been over the limit when he crashed the car. But to even risk it, tonight of all nights, seemed to be tempting fate. He knew she felt that way, and instead had dutifully brought her a cup of tea with her food.