The Christmas Stocking and Other Stories

by Katie Fforde

  Rebecca stood up. ‘Come with me! I am the real thing.’

  Two minutes later Ella was looking at a row of wellington boots large enough for a small primary school. ‘Wow! Where did you get all those?’

  Rebecca laughed. ‘Well, you know, it’s like that dog charity, we never throw away a healthy pair of wellies. And people donate them. Just like the dogs really.’

  ‘But why on earth would you need so many pairs? I know you’ve got three children but—’

  ‘For the puffer. When we visit some of the more remote islands, there isn’t much for people to do once they’ve got there – and for puffer passengers it’s often all about the travelling. So James takes them on hikes. That’s why we need so many pairs of boots.’

  ‘But lots of these are children’s wellies—’

  ‘I know, but once people know they’ve got a good home for their old pairs, they bring them all along.’

  Ella laughed. ‘If we need them, can I bring the family down to find a pair to fit them?’

  ‘Absolutely! I’ve been dying to get a look at them all!’

  Two hours later, Rebecca was granted her wish. They arrived sticky with golden syrup and slightly sick from eating too many crumpets.

  ‘Oh, Brent is quite nice-looking,’ she murmured to Ella as everyone tried on boots.

  ‘It would be unethical for me to fancy him, though,’ said Ella wistfully.

  ‘Would it? Why?’

  ‘Because I’m the Christmas Fairy! We don’t fancy people!’

  ‘To be honest, honey, there would be no point in fancying him if he was a fairy and not a person.’

  Ella giggled. ‘You know what I mean!’

  ‘And I think you can fancy him if you want to, or if you do, if you know what I mean.’

  Ella sighed. ‘He’s quite a bit older than me; we don’t exactly run in the same circles. I probably won’t ever see him again after Christmas, so no point.’

  ‘You don’t know that,’ said Rebecca. But she gave Ella’s arm a rub, indicating she understood and probably agreed.

  Ella parked her car behind the big old Volvo that had brought the Phillips family from the south of England to Scotland. She retrieved her backpack, which had equipment for various beach games in it, including a microscope that she’d borrowed from her brother and a book about seaside life so there was no excuse for anyone to get bored, even if they didn’t like playing rounders or beach quoits. She had more equipment in her car and many more ideas for activities.

  The Phillips family exploded on to the beach, energised by the sight of clean sand and waves. Ella hurried and caught up with Brent. ‘Good day for the beach, don’t you think?’

  ‘Definitely. Good to get them out of the house to have a run around,’ Brent agreed.

  ‘Good for me too,’ said Ella. ‘I mean, good for me in that I can tell Jenny that Bill didn’t spend all the time playing Minecraft, or whatever.’ She looked up at him questioningly. ‘Hang on, I thought you said there was no Wi-Fi at the house? But he was definitely playing on his tablet when I arrived this morning.’

  ‘You can play it offline,’ said Brent. ‘Now, I want to talk to you about something.’

  ‘If it’s plans for this afternoon I was going to see how everyone felt, but if they’re up for it, I thought we could cook sausages over a fire. Here, on the beach. What do you think?’

  ‘I think that’s an excellent idea, but that wasn’t what I was going—’ He broke off. ‘Oh look, another family. And they’ve got a puppy!’

  Ella looked and saw a girl, who seemed to be a little older than Mia, running along with an Irish setter. Behind them, jumping and cavorting, was a puppy of indeterminate breed, and a couple who were presumably the girl’s parents.

  Mia instantly ran towards the puppy, which caused the other girl to approach them.

  ‘I’m Kate. This is Rupert,’ the girl was saying to Mia, indicating the Irish setter. ‘We’ve had him since before I was born so he’s quite old now, and that’s Hamish. He loves meeting people.’

  ‘I’m Mia,’ volunteered Mia shyly.

  Judith and Bill knelt down at once so they could play with the pup, who made tiny whimpering noises as he jumped up to reach them. ‘He’s so sweet!’ said Judith.

  ‘Aye,’ said the girl. ‘But he does chew things.’

  ‘You must be the family who are renting Arden House for Christmas,’ said the woman. ‘I hope you’re having a nice time.’

  ‘Great, thanks,’ said Bill, who was also cuddling Hamish.

  Ella noticed the girl look at him admiringly, and saw that Mia was looking at the girl, also admiringly. Ella decided to bite the bullet. ‘Does anyone fancy a game of rounders or French cricket or anything?’ she suggested.

  The couple looked at each other, silently conferring. ‘Well,’ said the woman. ‘You’ve time for a quick game, Kate. We’ll take the dogs along to the end and back. If you’d like that.’

  Kate made ‘I don’t mind’ gestures that Ella interpreted as ‘Yes please, but I just don’t want to show too much enthusiasm’.

  ‘So, rounders or French cricket?’ said Ella, swinging down her backpack and rummaging about. ‘Oh, here are some sausages. I thought they were in the car.’

  ‘You have sausages in your backpack?’ asked Kate. ‘You’re like my dad. He has things like that with him.’

  The man shrugged. ‘Never travel without a pound of bangers is my motto. Are you planning to cook them on the beach?’

  ‘I think we are,’ said Ella, ‘if everyone’s not too freezing cold. Would you like to join us? There’s plenty.’

  ‘What do you think, darling?’ the man asked his wife. ‘Fancy a hot sausage on a cold day?’

  ‘I certainly do. But let’s work up an appetite first.’ She smiled. ‘I’m Emily, by the way, and this is Alasdair. You know Kate, and the dogs.’

  After an exchange of introductions and a quick run-down of the rules, there was a very hectic game of rounders that everyone joined in with except for Rupert, the senior dog, who observed it all from a safe distance.

  Ella withdrew from the game early, and started to light a fire, using useful things from her backpack. (Rebecca had been very helpful, and generous with her firewood.) Emily joined her and found a good amount of dry driftwood. Soon the sausages threaded on sticks were sizzling away.

  ‘You’re very good at this!’ Ella said to her, impressed.

  ‘We like outdoor cooking and it’s a good idea at Christmas, when there’s always so much clearing up to do.’ She paused. ‘So, if you don’t mind me asking, are you all related?’

  Ella laughed. ‘The children – young people – are Brent’s nieces and nephew, but I’m the hired help.’

  ‘Golly! You’re good! Where does one hire someone like you? And what’s your job title? Mother’s help? Au pair? Surely you’re not a nanny.’

  ‘I think I’m all those things,’ said Ella, ‘but also party organiser. I’m the Christmas Fairy.’

  Emily laughed. ‘Is that a thing?’

  ‘It is now. I invented it. I’m an out-of-work actor and wanted to find a way of earning something while I waited for an acting job. I’ve got a website.’ She frowned. ‘This is the moment when I pull a business card out of my back pocket, but I haven’t got one. This is my first job.’

  ‘So, how did you get it?’ asked Emily, turning the sausages.

  ‘Jenny – Mrs Phillips – was desperate and found me online. She and her husband had to go to France to look after his elderly parents. The children really didn’t want to go as the grandparents live in quite a small flat. Brent offered to take on the kids and give them Christmas. Jenny thought it would be far too hard for him on his own and hired me.’

  ‘And is it going well? If you don’t mind me asking?’

  ‘Brilliantly! I love them and I love being a fairy. It would be easier if I actually was a fairy, of course.’ She got up and brushed the sand off her knees. ‘I’ll just pop back to the car
. I’ve got rolls for the sausages, and ketchup.’

  ‘I’ve never had a barbeque on Christmas Eve before,’ declared Mia, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

  ‘Nor have any of us, have we?’ said Brent. ‘I think it should be a new family tradition.’

  ‘Eating on the beach is great,’ said Bill. ‘No vegetables.’

  ‘You could have vegetables,’ said Ella, wondering if she should have provided some and then deciding that no, fairies were for fun, not for broccoli.

  ‘Except there aren’t any beaches near us at home,’ complained Mia. ‘I like Christmas at home.’

  Mia was shivering and her expression told Ella that a change of activity was required.

  ‘Tell you what, let’s take some seawater back to the house with us, and we’ll examine it under the microscope,’ Ella suggested. ‘Brent will get the wood burner going and help you, and while all that’s going on, I’ll make special hot chocolate.’

  ‘Why is it special?’ asked Bill.

  ‘Wait and see!’ said Ella. ‘And then maybe we can ring your parents, see what they’re up to.’

  ‘Probably something quite boring,’ said Emily, getting the message that Ella was trying to make the children’s Christmas seem preferable. ‘It would cheer them up to hear from you lot.’

  ‘You can tell them about the barbeque on the beach,’ suggested Kate. ‘Are they near a beach?’

  ‘Not very,’ said Brent. ‘But that all sounds like a plan. So, come on, guys. Seawater and hot chocolate!’

  ‘Great combo, Uncle Brent,’ said Judith witheringly.

  ‘It’s time we were off, too,’ said Emily. ‘Oh, and happy Christmas!’

  ‘I do have to say, Judith,’ said Ella, whisking hot chocolate in a pan, ‘being the Christmas Fairy is a lot easier with you around. Not sure how I’d have managed without you.’

  Ella glanced at the girl, who was leaning against the kitchen counter, staring into space. Ella could tell her heart, if not her mind, was somewhere else.

  ‘Well, I’m glad it’s worked out well for someone,’ said Judith.

  ‘Is it not working out for you? I thought we were having fun.’ Ella managed not to sound resentful, although she’d tried so hard to keep everyone happy. This wasn’t about her.

  ‘It’s not your fault, Ella. Even fairies can’t sort out everything.’ Judith sighed hard and then sniffed.

  ‘Are you missing your parents? Worrying about your grandparents?’

  ‘If it was that, I wouldn’t feel so bad about not being happy!’

  ‘So, what is it? Listening to people’s problems is part of my remit.’

  Judith couldn’t answer immediately. Eventually she said, hesitantly, ‘It’s this party. I’ve never fitted in that well at school but I was invited to a party. There’s a boy I really like and he’ll be going. If I’m not there he’ll get off with Sylvie, who’s the girl everyone wants to be like …’ Once she had started, Judith let it all out. ‘By the time I go back to school they’ll be a couple. No chance for me.’

  Ella didn’t rush to reply. She needed to think. ‘I so remember that!’

  ‘What, you? I can’t imagine you were ever unpopular. You’re so pretty and cool and everything!’

  ‘Really, I’m glad you think that about me, but it’s mostly pretend. I went to drama school. I learnt acting. And being cool is a lot about pretending that’s what you are. People believe the act.’

  ‘You haven’t got spots.’

  ‘Nor have you! At least, not more than a couple, and I had my share of zits in my time. Thank God for make-up, is what I say.’

  Judith tried for a chuckle. ‘I know I’m not the spottiest, or the fattest, but I am a bit fat and a bit spotty.’

  ‘You’ve got a lovely figure! Trust me, men – boys – don’t really care about girls not being a size zero. It’s just not on their radar. What you need is a good old dose of confidence.’

  ‘You’ve got a shot of that, have you? In your magic bag of fairy equipment?’

  It was Ella’s turn to sigh. ‘Well, no. But it doesn’t mean I can’t arrange such a thing. It’ll just take some thought, that’s all.’

  Although she kept up her air of the calm but constant provider of fun, her mind was churning away. She totally understood Judith and her disappointment. You get invited to the one party you want to go to and then you get dragged off to Scotland so you can’t go.

  And it wasn’t just a case of her missing one party that was troubling her, Ella was sure. She did need her confidence boosted.

  Having dispensed special hot chocolate – topped with whipped cream, marshmallows, chocolate sprinkles and the secret ingredient: popping candy – Ella left Brent in charge of the roulette wheel and gambling set she’d brought with her. The seawater seemed to have fallen by the wayside in favour of this more subversive but immediately popular entertainment. She needed to go back to Rebecca’s, and Ella hoped Rebecca wasn’t too busy to see her.

  James, Rebecca’s husband, showed her into the bedroom, without explanation. Ella went, worried she’d find Rebecca in bed. But no, she was sitting on the floor surrounded by wrapping paper and presents, a harassed expression on her face.

  ‘Oh, hi!’ said Rebecca, taking a dangerous-looking penknife out of the hands of her toddler, Nell. ‘Did James headhunt you to help me? If ever I needed a Christmas Fairy it’s now.’

  Ella laughed and joined Rebecca on the floor. ‘Well, no, I came because I need your help – advice really – but I’m more than happy to wrap.’

  After Nell was handed over to James, instructions as to wrapping paper and items were delivered and another pair of scissors and roll of sticky tape were found. When they were ready Rebecca said, ‘OK. What do you need?’

  ‘It’s Judith.’ Ella went on to explain her party disappointment and her lack of confidence. ‘I know you won’t be able to do anything about it – if the Christmas Fairy can’t help, I don’t know what a mere mortal could do – but I thought talking it over might be useful.’

  ‘Tell me a bit more about her,’ said Rebecca, starting to stuff a stocking, having put an orange in the toe.

  ‘She’s quite reserved. I think she probably spends more time playing her violin than socialising, which is why it was so important for her to go to this party. She’s very pretty – well, you’ve seen her—’

  ‘She plays the violin?’

  ‘Yup.’

  ‘To what sort of standard? I mean, is she still just scraping away or can you recognise the tune?’

  ‘Oh no! You can definitely recognise the tunes and I think her mother said she was Grade Eight or something.’

  ‘You know what? I think the mere mortal can crack it this time!’

  ‘What do you mean?’ Although pleased for Judith, Ella would have liked to be the one to sort this out.

  ‘My brother-in-law Alasdair – actually I think I heard from James that you met his family on the beach earlier?’

  ‘Oh yes. They shared our barbeque.’

  ‘Well, he’s got a band.’

  ‘I thought he was a doctor?’

  ‘And he has a band! It just so happens they could use a fiddle player. It’s for a gig tonight, and their usual guy has been – um, struck down, shall we say.’

  ‘But how on earth—’ Ella, although excited by the coincidence, didn’t see how it could help Judith.

  ‘I’m not sure,’ said Rebecca, ‘but leave it with me. I’ll tell Alasdair, and, who knows, maybe they’ll want her for the gig. But even if she only tried out with the band, before the gig, she’ll have fun. They’re a great group of lads, they’d make her feel special.’

  ‘Especially if you told them they must?’

  ‘That would help, yes,’ Rebecca confirmed, ‘and if they want some casual work on the puffer in the summer.’

  Ella smiled. ‘Well, it’s a great plan!’

  ‘You leave it with me and I’ll be in touch. But if she’s going to try out it’ll ha
ve to be soon. It’s an early gig, starts at seven o’clock, and it’s four now.’

  ‘Well, I won’t say anything to Judith in case Alasdair says no way is he having some random teenager in his band.’

  ‘I’ll let you know as soon as possible,’ said Rebecca. ‘And thank you for helping me here. You’re a demon wrapper, I’ll say that for you.’

  ‘I’m a fairy wrapper! They’re the best kind! But please don’t ask me to sing about it in rhyme.’

  Ella left, Rebecca’s laughter following her out of the room. She was smiling herself as she headed back to Arden House. She had a weakness for puns.

  Ella hardly had time to wash the hot-chocolate saucepan she’d left soaking before there was a knock on the door. She went to open it. It was Alasdair, the man they’d met on the beach and – she now knew – Rebecca’s brother-in-law. She looked up at him with a welcoming expression.

  ‘Hello,’ said Alasdair. ‘I’m hoping you can help me.’

  ‘I’m sure I will if I can. Why don’t you come in?’

  ‘I don’t want to disturb you.’

  Something about him made you instinctively trust him, Ella thought. It was probably something to do with him being a GP.

  ‘Oh, it’s all right. The family are playing roulette. Brent is a surprisingly good croupier. That’s probably part of the job description for an uncle.’

  Alasdair laughed. ‘Then I’m afraid I’m not a good uncle. I have no gambling skills whatsoever.’ He paused. ‘I am in a band though.’

  Ella sent him a conspiratorial smile. ‘Which makes you perfect for my purposes.’

  ‘Hello,’ said Alasdair, walking into the casino-cum-living room. Everyone looked up. ‘I’m hoping one of you can help me. I’m looking for a fiddle player.’

  Judith gasped. ‘What sort?’

  ‘Well, it would help if you can read music, but I have a band and some of the things we play are traditional. Our violin player has a nasty case of D and V. Er – that means tummy bug.’

  ‘Oh!’ said Judith.

  Ella studied her intently. Was she excited? Or terrified? Would she give this a go?

  Alasdair went on. ‘Ella happened to mention to Rebecca that you played, Judith.’ He addressed her directly now. ‘When she was helping Rebecca with …’ He hesitated, looked round and noticed Mia. ‘… Christmas stuff.’