The Perfect Present Page 3

  Rae didn’t respond.

  ‘Are you going to answer me?’ Melody snapped.

  ‘What’s the point? You already know the answer,’ she said with resignation.

  Melody slapped the side of her head with the palm of her hand. ‘I must be the biggest mug going.’

  ‘Mel—’

  ‘—Jesus! Rae, enough. Just go. Please. If you have any feelings left for me, just go.’

  Melody watched Rae through blurred vision as she picked up a box and took it outside into the hallway. It seemed to take an age for Rae to shift the rest of the boxes as everything appeared to be moving in slow motion.

  ‘You know,’ Rae said as she stood outside the front door. ‘It doesn’t have to be like this. We can work through it.’ She gave Melody the smile that used to turn her heart inside out. Now all it did was fill her with disgust.

  ‘Desperate is one thing I’m not,’ Melody said as she slammed the door in Rae’s face. She crumbled to the floor. Christmas was getting greedy. That was another loved one it had taken from her. She dreaded to think what it had in store for her next.

  Chapter Five

  Holly decided against going home for dinner. Instead she made her way to Rudolf’s café. Its warm lights and bright impersonal interior was just what she needed. The place was crowded with workers and a buzz of conversation filled the air with life.

  Holly’s stomach growled. Her only meal that day had been the bacon sandwich she’d had for breakfast. Opening a menu, she sighed at the array of Christmas themed food. She managed to catch one of the waitresses’ eyes who then walked over with a smile on her face.

  ‘What can I get you, Holly?’ she asked, her head bobbing to the side.

  ‘Just want a burger please, Cinders.’ Holly pushed the menu aside.

  ‘What kind of burger?’ Cinders asked with an annoyingly cheerful voice.

  ‘Oh I dunno. Whatever’s your most popular.’

  Cinders looked a little taken aback by Holly’s lack of enthusiasm. ‘Well okay then, and you want fries and a drink with that?’

  ‘Sure, why not,’ Holly said with a tired smile.

  ‘That’s the spirit, sunshine.’ Cinders walked away and Holly was relieved she hadn’t stopped to talk for longer. Maybe she thinks my misery’s contagious. Looking down at the table in front of her, Holly’s shoulders sunk into her body as she thought about her life and immediate future.

  Holly was at her wits end. For the life of her, she could not think of a solution. She didn’t want to hurt her dad, but she couldn’t do what he did. The thought of it made her feel as if she couldn’t breathe. How was she going to convince him that she wasn’t the right person to take over once he retired? Holly didn’t want to spend her life only thinking about Christmas. She wanted something real. Something that would last all year round instead of just one stupid day a year. All that time and effort spent on one day out of 365 was just ludicrous! Her dad was wrong—the good will and hope did not last all year round. Not everyone was like he was. She sat at the table brooding, her finger idly tracing the letters of the restaurant’s name on the cheap menu. Her thoughts were broken by Cinders arriving back at the table, laden with food.

  ‘Here you go.’ Cinders placed the food in front of her with a smile. ‘You look like you’ve got a lot on your mind, so I’ll leave you to it.’ She hesitated then said, ‘If you want to talk…’

  Holly reached out and grabbed Cinders’ hand and gave it a tight squeeze before releasing it. ‘I appreciate that.’ She gave her friend a grateful smile.

  When Cinders moved on to the next table, Holly looked at the burger in front of her. It was, naturally, on a festive plate painted with images of Christmas trees in all their glory. She groaned, and focused on the food instead. The burger itself looked appetising; with cheese oozing out from the edges of the bun. Holly picked it up and took a bite, pushing all other thoughts aside while she ate. She was tired of thinking dark thoughts and feeling miserable when everybody else around her always seemed so cheerful.

  Holly finished eating and rubbed her stomach, pleasantly full. She could feel eyes on her as she leant back in her seat. She knew what most of the elves thought of her. They thought she was strange and different because she didn’t share her father’s disposition for happiness. If it ever did come down to Holly taking over, the elves would most likely revolt. Holly sighed. What type of person is disliked by Santa’s elves? I really must be a terrible person to have elves hate me.

  Holly dug around in her pocket and pulled out several notes then dropped them on the table. It was time to go. She stood up and walked out of the cafe without making eye contact with anybody.

  The air was even colder now that the sun had fully dropped behind the horizon and it held a bitter chill that seeped into her bones. She ignored it as she walked through the pretty town with its little wooden cottages lining the streets. Each cottage was colourfully decorated and each tree shone with white Christmas lights. Christmas all year round. Yay!

  Holly felt as if the air was being sucked out of her lungs and she quickened her pace until she left the happy, colourful town behind and was out in the complete darkness of the tundra. The town was a small dot in a vast nothingness. Holly looked up at the thousands of stars that created a soft blanket of light across the wilderness. Why can’t I just be happy? she silently asked the universe. What had gone wrong with her? She had a childhood that was the dream of children everywhere. Her dad was the father of Christmas for heaven’s sake and that in itself should make her happy, but it just didn’t. She was grown up now and the magic and wonder of Christmas had long since been left behind with her childhood.

  Holly thought about all the places on earth that she could go. She fantasised about the person she could be if only she could find the courage to leave the North Pole. A burning sensation developed behind her eyes. I am not going to cry. Think positive. Maybe next year will be different.

  As Holly stood in the dark she heard a noise behind her. She jumped involuntarily and then shook her head at her foolishness. There was nothing to be afraid of here, nothing bad ever happened. It was Santa’s home town, after all. A town of good, happy people doing good, happy things. As she was about to turn around, her woollen cap was plucked off her head. ‘Prancer! Come on, give it back, I am so not in the mood for your games.’ She swung round to be met with a pair of large, chocolate brown eyes looking at her.

  Her brightly striped woollen hat was hanging from his mouth by the pompom. ‘What is it with you and pompoms?’ she asked affectionately. The reindeer dropped his head, looking guilty, with the hat still firmly in his mouth. Holly rubbed the soft skin of his cheek and laid her head against him. He dropped her hat in the snow and rubbed his face against her. ‘Can’t you just fly me out of here?’

  He snorted and bumped her with his head. Not even the reindeer could understand why she wanted a different life. She sighed and scratched him behind his antler, his favourite place. He made a rumbling noise of happiness. Normal people have dogs for pets, not reindeer!

  In the background the town bell struck seven o’clock. Holly knew her mum would be wondering why she hadn’t returned home for dinner. She’d been so wrapped up in her misery that she’d totally forgotten to call her. Holly gave Prancer one last pat and, wrapping her arms around her chest, walked quickly along the slush filled path that led her home.

  Holly could feel each step sap the life force out of her spirit as she pushed herself forward. She didn’t want to go home. She wanted to walk out into the openness and not stop until she had found somewhere new.

  Holly stopped at her front door and waited for a moment. The house that she had grown up in was a pretty wooden one, with ornate wooden filigree carvings on the eaves and lights around the entire house, giving it a warm, festive air. Her hand on the door, Holly waited a few seconds before entering. She knew that her mum would want to see her looking happy and that was going to take energy that she just wasn’t sure she had.
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  Holly pushed the handle down and stepped over the threshold. The smell of wood burning and bubbling stew filled her nose and she let out a deep breath.

  ‘Where have you been?’ Eve asked, her head popping out from the kitchen.

  ‘I just went for a walk.’

  ‘But it’s freezing out there,’ Eve said with a soft frown.

  ‘That’s not surprising,’ Holly said taking off her jacket. ‘It is Christmas after all.’

  Chapter Six

  Melody walked into the low lit bar and looked around. It was crowded, but she had expected it to be, so close to Christmas. She rolled her eyes when she saw a large tree in the corner, bright with lights and decorations. It even had the obligatory angel perched on top. The room smelt of stale beer and a heavy mixture of perfume and aftershave, but Melody didn’t care as she made her way over to the busy bar.

  ‘Beer, please,’ Melody said when one of the barmen caught her eye.

  He nodded and turned to a fridge that was behind him.

  ‘You want anything else?’ he asked, but his eyes never made it past Melody’s cleavage.

  ‘No that’s everything,’ she said and passed over the money.

  Melody turned back to the crowded room and scanned the faces of the people sitting at the tables. She was meant to be meeting her best friend. He should have been there already because she was late. Her eyes stopped when she noticed the familiar mop of curly brown hair, and thin drawn face of James.

  ‘Dumped at Christmas huh?’ James asked as soon as Melody sat down at the table.

  ‘Shut up,’ Melody said. ‘I didn’t get dumped. I dumped her and I don’t want to talk about it. I came here to forget about my troubles not pour oil on the flames. Plus, it isn’t even Christmas yet. It’s Christmas Eve.’

  ‘It’s nearly nine o’clock, which means we’re only a few hours away.’

  ‘I don’t care,’ Melody said truthfully.

  ‘So are you spending Christmas alone then?’ James asked with pity in his eyes. ‘Why don’t you come round to my house? We can play Xbox? I’ll even let you play my Assassin’s Creed game.’

  ‘Jesus, you must feel sorry for me.’ Melody laughed. ‘Don’t worry, James. I’ll be fine,’ she said. ‘I’m choosing to spend Christmas on my own. Choosing being the operative word.’

  ‘Oh yeah?’ James arched an eyebrow.

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘Who chooses to spend Christmas on their own?’ James asked as though the idea was ridiculous.

  ‘I do.’ Melody took a gulp of beer and put the bottle back on the table.

  ‘Well you’re a stronger woman than I am,’ James said without realising the irony.

  ‘And prettier too,’ Melody shot back.

  James laughed and then took a drink from his glass. ‘So what are you gonna do all day?’

  ‘Sleep, eat and drink,’ Melody said as she rose her bottle to the dream.

  ‘So simplistic,’ James said and then tutted. ‘There’s more to Christmas than getting pissed and overeating. Don’t you have any Christmas wishes at all?’

  Melody stared at him for a few moments, before finally saying, ‘What’s the point in wishes? They don’t come true.’

  ‘Well they won’t if you don’t make them, silly,’ he said rolling his eyes and ignoring the sombre look on Melody’s face.

  ‘You’re such a child sometimes, James,’ Melody said as she glanced around the room.

  It looked as if Christmas had been drunk and subsequently vomited up everywhere. Everything was sparkling or glistening against the lighting. There were ornaments of Santa and Rudolph and Snowmen everywhere. It looked like a Christmas grotto and it seemed oddly out of place in a dimly lit bar.

  Melody’s eyes stopped when they landed on a small red and white post box that had been placed close to an arcade game. She squinted to read the sloppily written sign on the front. It was a post box for letters to Santa. Melody laughed out loud.

  ‘What’s so funny?’ James asked her and his eyes followed her line of sight. ‘What is that?’

  ‘It’s for letters to Santa,’ Melody said with a smirk on her face. ‘Is this place for real?’

  James looked impressed. ‘That’s kind of cool actually.’

  ‘Why would they have something like that in a bar?’ Melody pulled a face. ‘Do people bring their kids into bars like these?’

  ‘Well you know,’ James said slowly. ‘Christmas isn’t just for children.’

  ‘Oh grow up,’ Melody said.

  ‘Well I don’t know about you but I’ve got plenty of wishes I wouldn’t mind Santa granting,’ James said as he stood up.

  Melody watched James walk over to the small post box that she was sure was made out of cardboard. He had a little wobble in his walk that told her that he’d crossed the line from tipsy to drunk. She stood up and followed him.

  ‘I knew you couldn’t resist,’ James said with a grin.

  ‘I’m only here to make sure you don’t fall over and show yourself up,’ Melody said dryly.

  ‘I don’t believe you.’

  ‘I don’t care what you believe,’ Melody countered.

  ‘Just write one wish down.’ He pushed out his bottom lip. ‘Please, for me,’ James said with a whiny voice of a child.

  ‘Would it make you happy if I did?’ Melody asked with her voice full of condescending mothering.

  He gave a lopsided grin. ‘It would make me the happiest man alive.’

  ‘Fine,’ Melody said. She picked up a cheap pen from the bar and one of the cheerfully framed pieces of paper.

  ‘What are you going to wish for?’ James asked as he tried to look over her shoulder.

  ‘If I tell you then it won’t come true.’ Melody moved her hand to cover the writing.

  ‘But you don’t believe that they come true anyway.’

  ‘No point increasing the probability,’ Melody said with a shrug.

  She folded the paper over and placed it through the opening of the letter box, which was made out of cardboard as she’d expected. She let go of the paper and it drifted out of her hand. Melody wasn’t sure why, but as she walked away she felt lighter. She shook her head at how silly that was. The beer was obviously doing its work on her.

  ‘So now I’ve done that, will Santa bring me what I want on Christmas day?’ Melody asked James when they returned to their table.

  ‘Only if you’ve been a good girl,’ James said jokingly.

  ‘If that’s the case, Rae won’t be getting anything tomorrow,’ Melody said with a self-satisfied smile.

  Chapter Seven

  Holly looked out of the window into the darkness. It was nearly time to double check the night’s deliveries. Snow had started to fall lazily from the sky and the stars had been covered by large white fluffy clouds. Holly could hear the bustle coming from the sleigh room, even though it was on the other side of town. It was Christmas Eve and all the year’s work came to fruition on this one night.

  Holly stepped away from the window and went to join her mum in the kitchen. She frowned when she noted the red around her mother’s eyes. Holly had never seen her mum cry before. Not once. Disturbed, she was at Eve’s side in seconds.

  ‘Hey, are you okay, Mum?’

  Eve was silent for a moment. She looked up into Holly’s eyes and Holly couldn’t help but see the sadness in them.

  ‘I’m fine, darling.’ Eve reached up and stroked Holly’s face. ‘Have I told you how much I love you? And how proud I am to have you as my daughter?’

  Holly covered Eve’s hand with her own. ‘All the time,’ she said softly.

  ‘Good. Don’t you ever forget it?’

  Holly felt a stir of panic. ‘Mum, is something wrong? Where’s Dad? Is he okay?’

  Eve gently squeezed Holly’s cheek. ‘Nothing’s wrong, sweet pea. Dad is fine. I just realised that you’re getting older and one day you’ll be living in your own house.’

  Holly was relieved it was nothing more than her m
um worrying about being an ‘empty nester’. ‘Mum, the town really isn’t very big. Even if I had my own place, I’d still visit a lot,’ she said with a smile that she hoped covered all her inner turmoil.

  Eve looked down at the package she held in her hand. ‘Here you go. I made you this.’

  Holly removed the plain wrapping paper. She forced a smile onto her face that felt to her like a grimace. Eve had made her a Santa outfit that was the exact replica of the one her father wore, except for the fact that it was a much smaller fit.

  ‘Wow,’ Holly said trying to contain the horror in her voice.

  ‘I know. Great isn’t it!’ Eve said when Holly took it from her and held it up in the air. ‘People won’t know the difference.’

  ‘Oh, I’m sure they will,’ Holly said frowning as she looked down at her own slender body.

  ‘Don’t be like that. Come on—be happy. It’s a big night tonight.’

  ‘For Dad,’ Holly pointed out.

  ‘For you too,’ Eve said before quickly averting her gaze.

  Holly squeezed her mum’s shoulder. ‘Do you think I could speak to Dad quickly?’ she said, finally deciding it was now or never.

  ‘Well you know he’s busy doing—’

  ‘—it’s important.’

  ‘Go on then. But make it quick. He’s upstairs getting ready,’ Eve said, a flicker of sadness covering her features.

  ‘Great,’ Holly said, bending down to peck her cheek.

  Before Eve could respond Holly hurried to the door and up the stairs to her dad’s room. She knocked on the door quickly, before she could lose courage and back out of what she was about to do.

  ‘Who is it?’ Her dad’s voice called out from behind the door.

  ‘It’s me. Can I come in?’ Holly asked.

  ‘Sure, sweetheart.’

  Holly pushed open the door and saw that her dad was already dressed. He was in his red coat and trousers that everybody had come to expect, and was running a comb through his white beard.

  ‘I need to talk to you,’ Holly said as she walked into the room.