by Amy Dunne
Holly kissed a lingering peck on Catherine’s cheek and whispered, “Me neither.” She pulled away. “Oh yeah, we need to talk about the presents.”
“Presents?” Catherine was surprised she’d managed to form the word. Her head was spinning from a potent mix of adrenaline and lust.
“Yes. We can’t have Christmas Day without presents. I was thinking if we agree on an amount, say thirty pounds, and buy each other presents. That way we’ll have some surprises to open tomorrow morning. What do you think?”
“Thirty pounds sounds fine,” Catherine said. She forced an enthusiastic smile. Previous occasions which had included conversations regarding money had always been full of contention. But if Holly was happy to suggest that amount, Catherine would match it. A barrage of thoughts flooded her mind.
What the hell am I going to get her?
I’ve always been terrible at buying gifts.
Paula hated every single thing I ever got her.
Is there a shop in this ghost of a town?
Shit! It’s her birthday tomorrow, too.
Do I get her a birthday present as well?
What if I do and she’s offended?
What if I don’t and she’s disappointed?
She’s gone to so much effort already to make this special.
I need to do something equally special.
“Excellent,” Holly said, beaming with enthusiasm. “This is going to be the best Christmas ever. I just know it.”
*
Dressed in jeans, two pairs of thick socks, three tops, and her coat, Catherine joined Holly in the living room and noticed Kimmy sporting a bright red harness. Catherine pulled on her hat, grateful it covered the lump, and then her gloves. “Ready?”
Holly clipped the lead onto Kimmy’s harness and nodded. “Let’s go explore Athegither.”
The sky outside was thick with clouds and snow continued to fall, but there was no wind to drive it. The air chilled, but nothing compared to what they’d experienced the previous day.
Someone had done the backbreaking job of clearing snow for them, from their door to the pavement leading up to the main road, and they didn’t have a clue who to thank. She made a mental note to ask Fiona when she next saw her. They quickly found their bearings and made their way onto the high street. Snow covered the pavements, and they found it easier to walk on the deserted roads. Catherine hated that she only had her sneakers. While she kept slipping and struggling for grip, Holly’s boots crunched along without a problem. She regretted not bringing the wellies from the car.
“I can’t stop thinking about what would have happened if Angus hadn’t rescued us,” Holly said with a shudder.
“It’s probably best we don’t dwell on that. Let’s just consider ourselves very lucky.” Catherine’s small steps were carefully placed, and she struggled to match Holly’s and Kimmy’s pace. “I didn’t get a chance to ask you last night. How did Beth take the news that we aren’t going to make it for Christmas?”
“It was obvious she was disappointed, but I think ultimately, she was just relieved we’re okay.” Holly slowed down. “So, you went to university with Beth?”
Catherine’s feet skidded on a particularly slippery patch of black ice. She flung her arms out and managed to regain her balance. “Yeah. We were roommates in the first year and remained friends ever since.” Warily, she started walking again.
“She talks about you often. Both Katie and she obviously think very highly of you.”
“I think very highly of them, too. They’re the closest I have to family.” Catherine felt guilt weigh down on her shoulders. It was true. They were the closest to family, and that brought back with perfect clarity the promise she’d made to Beth during their first semester.
Beth had broken down one night and revealed the source of her distress. Her mum’s best friend from childhood had married her mum’s brother five years previously. The marriage had taken a turn for the worse and ended badly. Although everyone in the family was upset, Beth’s mum bore the brunt of the hostility from both sides. The divorce was savage, and the horrendous battle for custody of their two small children was under way. The entire family was divided with animosity, and Beth’s mum was caught up in the middle. Even now, years later, Beth’s family remained split. After the family pressure had gotten too much, Beth’s mum chose to support her brother’s fight for custody. Her ex-best friend was awarded custody, and Beth’s family hadn’t had contact with the children in years. Beth’s mum suffered a mental breakdown not long afterward, no doubt caused in part by the stress. Caring for her mum while completing her studies had taken its toll on Beth.
Beth had begged Catherine to make a pact: that neither of them would ever pursue a romantic relationship with a member of each other’s family, or with a close friend. Catherine had agreed without hesitation—and why not? Up until the last few days, she’d never come close to considering breaking her promise. That was until she met Holly. Now she was torn between her promise to Beth and her growing attraction toward Holly.
“Have you ever met Beth’s family?” Catherine asked.
“I met her mum, dad, and brother at their wedding and Florence’s christening, but that’s it. Beth doesn’t really speak about them. I figured they’re very quiet and like to keep to themselves. Have you met them?”
Catherine nodded. “The same times you have, and also at our graduation.” She’d secretly hoped Holly might already know about Beth’s family history. If she did, Catherine could have told her about the promise she’d made to Beth, but as it was, she couldn’t divulge Beth’s secrets. It wouldn’t be fair.
“This must be where the carols are being held later,” Holly said, leading them onto the pavement outside the church’s graveyard. The church wasn’t huge, but the pointed steeple and skilled masonry distinguished it from the surrounding buildings. On the opposite side of the road, a hairdresser’s and dentist’s practice were open for business.
Catherine’s feet skidded from under her again. “Shit,” she said, grabbing onto the iron railings to stop her fall.
“Do you want to hold on to me?” Holly asked.
It was tempting, but guilt weighed heavily on her conscience. She wanted to try to build some distance between herself and Holly. “I’ll be okay,” she said. They followed the curve of the road and came across a big convenience store, with a post office next door. A man exited the store, looked across the road, and waved cheerily to them. “Is that Alistair?” Catherine asked, struggling to make him out because her glasses were steamed up.
“Yes,” Holly said, waving back. “That’s a huge box of chocolates he’s carrying. Fiona’s a lucky lady.” They watched as he disappeared in the direction they’d come. “Shall we turn back and go explore what’s down the road from The Inn?” Holly asked. Her cheeks were rosy and her breath formed clouds of steam.
Catherine nodded. “Sure.” She glanced at Kimmy and noticed clumps of snow clinging to her little legs. “Do you think those lumps of snow are hurting her?”
Holly bent and examined Kimmy’s legs. “She seems okay, but we’ll try to keep her off the thick patches to be safe.” Kimmy jumped up and licked Holly’s face. “Ugh.”
Catherine laughed. “You were asking for that.”
“You’re just jealous,” Holly playfully bumped shoulders with Catherine as they began walking. “Has Beth ever tried to set you up with anyone? You know, like a blind date?”
Catherine was surprised by the question, but answered honestly. “She’s always trying to set me up. She created a Facebook account for me under the pretence of us keeping in touch when she moved up here. I kept getting messages from random lesbians who happened to be single. She claimed it was a coincidence.”
Holly laughed. “She’s not subtle. She keeps trying to set me up, too. I wondered if…”
“Go on,” Catherine said.
“Well, do you think she’s trying to set us up?”
“Oh. I don’t know,” Cat
herine said. Her mind raced with the possibility. Could Beth be trying to set them up? If that was the case, then she didn’t need to feel guilty for breaking her promise. “What makes you think that?”
“For the last six months, she’s been trying to set me up. Every time I visit, there’s another single acquaintance who happens to be a lesbian that she wants me to meet. I wonder if arranging for us to travel together and then spend Christmas with them is just another attempt? It wouldn’t surprise me.”
“Me neither,” Catherine said, unable to hide her grin. The more she thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Perhaps their long-ago pact had simply arisen out of passion and anguish. Perhaps it didn’t matter to Beth anymore. Perhaps she’d forgotten about it?
“If it is another one of her matchmaking schemes, I’d say she’s done very well this time.” Holly shot Catherine a flirtatious wink. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Ye—” before Catherine could finish her sentence, her feet flew out in front of her and she went up in the air. A second later, gravity came into play, and she crashed down to earth with a thud. Her backside took most of the brunt.
“Are you okay?” Holly asked. She rushed to Catherine’s side.
Catherine wasn’t sure what was more painful, the bump to her right bum cheek or the sting to her pride. To add insult to injury, cold and wetness seeped through the material of her jeans.
She accepted Holly’s hand and slowly got to her feet. Her backside was definitely more painful, she decided. “I’m okay.” She brushed herself off and winced at both the dampness and pain from her rear. Why was she such a klutz? Especially in front of Holly. It was beyond embarrassing.
“You went down with a proper thump.” Holly was clearly trying not to laugh.
Kimmy climbed on her back legs and rested her front paws on Catherine’s legs. She licked some of the snow from her knees. “Thanks, Kimmy,” Catherine said. She ruffled her furry head. “I think we might have to cut this adventure short. I need to change.”
“Okay.” Holly enticed Kimmy away and offered Catherine her arm to link. “Do you want to hold on to me now?”
Catherine was going to say no, but then her feet skidded again and she changed her mind. “Yes, please.” She linked her arm through Holly’s and they started walking back. With each step, her backside throbbed. She appreciated Holly refraining from pointing out her gangster limp.
Fifteen minutes later, Catherine was inspecting her newly acquired bruise in the bathroom mirror. It was going to be a big one. Why she was so accident prone around Holly was beyond her. As much as she’d like to blame Holly for sweeping her off her feet, it definitely had more to do with lack of grip, ice, and gravity. Her thoughts were distracted when Holly knocked on the door.
“Catherine? Angus is here with the car.”
“I’ll be out in a minute,” Catherine said, wincing as she pulled up her knickers.
*
After unloading their belongings from the car, Holly left with Angus to go meet with the mechanic. Catherine insisted she take the spare key with her, because she reluctantly planned on biting the bullet and going Christmas shopping. While Catherine was unpacking her suitcase, Kimmy gave everything an inspective sniff before settling down in the middle of the bedroom floor and watching.
“What am I going to do?” Catherine said. She’d put everything away and tidied up, both of which had helped with her Christmas shopping procrastination. “She’s gone to all this effort and I need to do something special for her in return. Any ideas?”
Kimmy wagged her tail, looked Catherine right in the eye, opened her mouth, and yawned.
“I’m actually talking to a dog. What would Eve say?” She’d no doubt tut loudly and proclaim Catherine had lost her mind. Putting off leaving for a little bit longer, she decided to count how much money she had with her. While she riffled through the notes, Kimmy stood on her hind legs, nudging Catherine’s hand with her wet nose. “I’ll fuss with you in a minute. Let me finish counting.”
Undeterred, Kimmy nudged more forcefully.
“You’re so demanding.” Catherine shoved the money back into her purse, tossed it on the bed beside her, and ruffled Kimmy’s face. “What’s up? You can’t need to go out again so soon.” The little dog dropped back down onto all fours and strolled to the bottom of the bed. A moment later, she was back up on her hind legs, her front paws planted beside Catherine’s tablet.
“Hey, get down from there.” Catherine rushed over and scooped up the tablet before it was scratched or marinated in dog slobber.
Kimmy sat and once again looked Catherine in the eyes.
Raising her chin slightly, Catherine felt compelled to keep the eye contact. It was weird how Kimmy held her gaze like this—almost like she was trying to communicate. Perhaps all dogs did it? It wasn’t as if Catherine was an expert.
“Or maybe I’ve lost my mind,” Catherine said, relieved when Kimmy slumped down in the middle of the room. Catherine decided to put the tablet away. She wouldn’t be reading for a while, and without Wi-Fi, she’d have no access to her email or social media. She started walking, but stopped abruptly when an idea struck. It was too good to resist. It was perfect. After a few minutes of thinking it through, she had a plan to make tomorrow extra special for Holly. She needed to talk to Fiona and find out if the components of her scheme were possible.
“You’re a genius, Kimmy.” She ruffled the mop of grey hair. “I’ve got to go out for a bit, so you need to go into your crate. Come on.”
Catherine tossed her purse and the tablet into her bag and hurriedly pulled her coat on. She rushed into the living room and opened the door to the dog crate. Kimmy trundled unenthusiastically behind her.
“Come on,” Catherine said. She pointed inside the crate. Kimmy gave a tiny huff but obediently climbed into her bed. “Good girl. I’ll be back soon.” She squeezed her feet into Holly’s wellies, grabbed her bag, and left the cabin, locking the door behind her.
*
“Is that everything?” Fiona asked from behind the reception counter.
Catherine handed back the phone. “Thank you.” She watched as the final download completed on her tablet before switching it off. “I think that’s everything. Are you sure you’re okay with me using your Wi-Fi and messing up the dinner plans for tomorrow? If it’s too much trouble—”
“It’s nay bother,” Fiona said cheerily. “I only wish I could see her expression. She’s a very lucky lady.”
Catherine blushed. “Well, hopefully she’ll like them.” She packed away the tablet and took out her purse. “Now, before you argue, please hear me out. You’ve been so generous and kind to Holly and me. We really appreciate everything you’ve done for us.” Catherine braced herself for an argument. “Please let me pay the full price for the cabin? I’ve got more than enough money and it’s worth every single penny.”
Fiona glowered. “We’ve been through this, Catherine. You’ll pay half price, as previously agreed. And if you ask again, I’ll feel insulted.”
Catherine accepted defeat. She made a mental note to ask Eve to come up with a way to repay Fiona and Alistair’s generosity.
“Okay. Here you go.” She handed over her bankcard and entered her PIN.
“It’s a pleasure doing business with you,” Fiona said. “Now, is there anything else I can help you with? Later on this evening, I may not get a chance. Madness tends to descend on this place as soon as dusk settles.”
“Actually, there is something else.” Catherine’s anxiety spiked. “I need to buy Christmas presents, and I haven’t got a clue what to get or where to go. Help me, please?”
Fiona laughed and slapped the counter. “You look like a woman condemned. It’s the same expression the old man wore today before he decided to go out for a walk. He never goes for walks, unless it’s the morning of our anniversary, my birthday, or Christmas. I bet you a hundred pounds I’ll get a box of chocolates tomorrow. I don’t even like chocolate, but it’s the sa
me every year. I swear he does it on purpose, so he can end up eating them. I suppose I should be grateful. He made the effort to go out today, even though we’re so busy.”
Catherine shoved her hands in her pockets, deciding to keep quiet about seeing Alistair earlier. Her own panic took priority. “I really don’t want to disappoint her.”
“Oh, you won’t. The surprises you’ve organised are lovely.” Fiona scribbled a map on a crumpled piece of paper. “Here are the directions to the convenience store, and there’s a post office next door.”
“Thanks. We passed them earlier today.” Catherine accepted the slip of paper and tried to mask her disappointment.
“Why the long face?”
“I was hoping there might be somewhere else in the village. I want to buy something special,” Catherine said, nibbling on a fingernail.
“I swear, I wouldn’t remember my head if it wasn’t screwed on.” Fiona tapped her head dramatically. “There’s a quaint boutique shop a little way down the road. It sells some nice jewellery and other knickknacks. The tourists in summer can’t get enough of it. It’s not cheap, though.” Fiona looked at the clock and tutted. “And it’s only open for another hour or so. She doesn’t usually open during winter, but as today’s Christmas Eve, there’s bound to be some business from the male villagers. I’m not holding my breath that I’ll be lucky enough to get anything from there, mind. Chance would be a fine thing.”
Catherine’s spirits rose. The boutique shop sounded exactly what she was after. “It sounds perfect.”
“It’s down the road a wee while and then you turn left.” Fiona gestured with her hands.
“Thank you, Fiona. You’re a lifesaver.” Catherine turned to leave, but only managed three steps.
“Don’t you forget about coming here after the carol service tonight and having a wee festive dram with us. I’ve already mentioned it to Holly. I’ll be looking out for you.”
Catherine gave a nod, trying to be uncommitted. “Thanks again.”
“See you tonight.”
*
Catherine passed the Chinese takeaway and glanced at the opening times. A card was stuck to the door saying they would open at 7:30 p.m., after the carol service. She made a mental note of its whereabouts so she could lead Holly back later that evening. Almost ready to give up on the shop and head to the convenience store instead, she spotted a man leave a building with a shopping bag in tow. It was worth a shot.