The Perfect Present Read online

  ‘I expected nothing less.’

  Holly frowned at her dad’s reaction. She wondered whether he already knew what she had to say.

  ‘I’ve made my mind up. I don’t want to do this anymore, Dad. None of it.’

  ‘I know,’ he said sadly.

  Holly took a deep breath. She wasn’t going to leave the room until she finally got through to him. ‘I don’t want to be the next Santa, not now not ever. I don’t want to live in a town that only ever thinks about Christmas. I want a career that doesn’t involve making presents for people I will never know. I want to work where I can meet like-minded people, not tiny people with those damn annoying bells on their shoes!’ She hurried on, knowing it was too late to go back now. ‘I want to go dancing and get drunk…’ She paused when she saw her dad raise a disapproving eyebrow. ‘Oh Dad, you know what I mean. I want to live a normal life. Not a forever Christmas one!’ Holly stopped, having ran out of words but with each word she had spoken, a weight was lifted from her shoulders.

  ‘You’re free to do as you wish, Holly.’ He looked at her with his big blue eyes, and she was surprised to see love in them, not the anger she had expected.

  ‘Aren’t you even going to try and argue with me?’

  Holly felt confused. She had been sure her dad would put up a fight and she would be forced to stay. That he would be totally against her building her own life that didn’t revolve around Christmas. After all, she was the only child of Father Christmas; someone had to be the next Santa.

  ‘Why would I do that?’ he asked her with a bemused smile.

  ‘Because you want me to take after you, don’t you?’

  ‘Well of course I do. But I’ve been thinking about what you said in my office.’ He paused. ‘I do want you to follow in my footsteps; you’re right, but more than that I want you to be happy.’ He finished with a warm and supportive smile.

  ‘So I can leave?’ Holly asked in a little disbelief.

  ‘Of course you can, if that is what you want to do. You’re not a prisoner here, pumpkin,’ he said with a wry, sad smile. ‘But can I ask you one thing?’

  ‘Sure,’ Holly said with a nod.

  ‘Just come out with me tonight and leave tomorrow?’

  ‘What? Come with you on your sleigh? But you always do that alone.’

  ‘It’s about time you came along for the ride. Do this for me.’

  Holly thought about it for a second before agreeing. ‘Of course.’

  ‘Then it’s sorted.’ He cheerfully clapped his hands together.

  ‘I guess it is,’ Holly said, her voice betraying her feelings of disbelief that he had relented this easily.

  ‘Off you go now. You better go and get ready then.’

  Holly nodded and turned to leave the room. For the first time in months a genuine smile curved her lips. She opened the door and realised that she was free. She couldn’t believe how well her dad had taken it. Suspiciously well. She’d spent her entire adult life dreaming of leaving the North Pole and tomorrow it was going to be a reality. I wonder why he had a change of heart? Holly went to her room and put on the Santa suit that her mother had made. It fitted perfectly, of course. She turned to take a look in the mirror and shook her head at how ridiculous she felt in the red velvet suit with its white fluffy trim and matching hat. She blew a raspberry at her reflection and then headed downstairs to show her parents.

  ‘Oh you do look a treat!’ Eve said, as she got to the bottom of the staircase. ‘Doesn’t she, Nicholas?’

  ‘Beautiful,’ he said, scraping his hand over his face, his blue eyes shiny.

  ‘Thanks,’ Holly mumbled and rolled her eyes. She pulled on her black boots that were a smaller version of the ones on her dad’s feet. ‘Did dad tell you I’m leaving tomorrow?’

  ‘Yes,’ Eve said with a sad look in her eyes, but a warm reassuring smile on her face.

  Holly pulled her mum into a hug. ‘It’s time to make my own wishes come true.’

  ‘I’m going to miss you so much.’

  ‘I’ll miss you too, Mum, but I have to do this. For me.’ Holly’s voice was thick with emotion as she held her mother and breathed in the cinnamon and honey scent, committing it to memory.

  Chapter Eight

  Melody switched the television off and let the silence surround her. She gazed out of the window at the city skyline and beyond to the sky above. It had started to snow when they left the bar and now all the houses opposite had white roofs and frosted windows. A real white Christmas. Sighing gently, she pulled her blanket up around her legs. She wasn’t cold, but liked the soft touch of it against her skin. It made her feel safe and protected. She felt drowsy from the effects of the alcohol. Her head became heavier so she closed her eyes and let sleep wash over her.

  Her eyes flew open when her mobile phone started to vibrate on the coffee table. Melody picked it up without looking at the caller ID and answered it.

  ‘Hello?’ she said, groggily.

  ‘Melody, I’m glad you picked up,’ Rae said with relief in her voice.

  ‘What do you want?’ Melody asked and considered hanging up, before she had a chance to answer.

  ‘I just want to talk.’

  ‘We have nothing to talk about,’ Melody said with a voice that was devoid of emotion.

  ‘We were together for two years, Melody, of course we have things to talk about,’ Rae said in an irritated voice.

  ‘No I don’t think we do.’

  ‘I know you’re pissed off with me, but you don’t need to be such a bitch,’ Rae said bitterly.

  ‘Actually, Rae,’ Melody said. ‘I think that you’ll find that I do. You cheated on me and you think that what? We can just get back together and pretend like it never happened? That you deserve even a tiny shred of forgiveness?’

  ‘It’s Christmas.’

  ‘Go and tell somebody that cares,’ Melody said and disconnected the call.

  Melody couldn’t believe that Rae thought she still stood a chance with her. She pushed away her blanket angrily, then stood up and walked into the kitchen. Her conversation with Rae had left a cold feeling inside her and she needed a hot chocolate to soothe and warm her. As she put the milk on to boil her mind flashed back to the last time she had begun to make a hot chocolate. Quickly pushing the memory aside, Melody shook her head as her Christmas wish came to mind. She had wished for love. Real love, the kind that takes you away from all your sadness and makes sense out of the world. She hadn’t meant that she wanted her cheating ex-lover back.

  Melody poured the hot chocolate into a mug and walked back through to the living room. A tidal wave of emotions raged on inside of her although she was oddly calm on the surface.

  Melody wanted to scream. To let out all of her frustrations. She wanted to weep so deeply and for so long that it washed away all of the pain inside, but her eyes remained dry and her frustrations remained trapped within her. She hadn’t asked for this life. She hadn’t asked to lose her parents. She hadn’t asked for a girlfriend who would cheat on her. All she had ever asked for was a little bit of happiness. All she had ever wanted was a moment of release from the unfair hand of fate, but obviously that was too much to ask for. It was as if fate had it in for her.

  Melody looked down at her phone and wondered whether Rae was the best that she would ever have. She reasoned with herself that their relationship hadn’t been all bad. Melody thought of all the times Rae held her when she’d cried. All the times Rae had made her smile, when she had felt like breaking into a thousand pieces.

  Melody reached out for her phone and then stopped herself. She couldn’t take her back. Rae would cheat on her again and she knew that for sure. She was just being weak and letting Christmas get under her skin. I need to be stronger than this. I am stronger than this. She shook her head at the stupidity and then stood up. Leaving her phone on the table, she walked to her bedroom and lay down on her bed. As her eyes closed, she willed sleep to take her into the bliss of oblivion.


  Chapter Nine

  Holly glanced over at her dad. Her heart raced as the sleigh started to pull away from the station and into the town ahead. Sounds of excited gasps and cheering filled the air as the sleigh travelled through the narrow streets of the town, drowning out the ‘Here comes Santa Claus’ song that played every year as Santa left on his deliveries.

  Holly copied her dad and waved from her seat, smiling at the people who lined the streets and even laughing at the elves that were jumping up and down in excitement, the bells on their felt boots tinkling. The two red clad figures waved and smiled until the town was behind them and the reindeer started to accelerate through the snow.

  Holly jolted forward as the sleigh bounced off the ground. She could feel a strange sensation as they started to glide through the air. The wind whipped past her face and her long fair hair was blown behind her. Now she knew why her mother put those elastics around the hats! They would blow off in the first minute. Tears prickled her eyes at the thought of leaving her wonderful mum behind. She pushed the thought aside. If I start thinking like this, I’ll never leave.

  Her dad spoke to each reindeer by name, thanking them for being part of this special trip. Holly found she had a lump in her throat. He was such a good man; he was so kind to everyone. The slight swaying from side to side of the sleigh in the air was making Holly’s stomach turn.

  ‘How did you ever get used to this motion?’ Holly asked loudly.

  ‘I never have,’ he said with a smile. ‘But that doesn’t mean I can’t still enjoy it.’

  Holly looked into her dad’s eyes and saw the pure excitement in them. She stared at the reindeer ahead, flying through the night, the bells on their reins tinkling softly. She finally got it. It had taken her a while to figure it out, but being on the sleigh with her dad, Holly could see why he looked forward to Christmas so much. He was intent on filling the world with happiness. He delivered more than just gifts, he answered those letters dropped in red Santa boxes all over the world and by doing so, he gave people hope. That was the real gift Santa gave people. He was truly an amazing man.

  ‘This is incredible,’ Holly cried almost breathlessly.

  She looked over the side of the sleigh at the dotted lights of cities that she would get to visit. They looked like stars and the vision was beautiful. The sleigh started to slow down and they drifted out of the sky like a snowflake, before landing on a rooftop.

  ‘So you’ve really never been caught?’ Holly asked her dad when he squeezed himself out from a chimney.

  ‘Not once,’ he said shaking his head as though to confirm that fact. ‘The simple truth is that people only see what they want to see.’

  ‘But you’re breaking into their homes,’ Holly said with disbelief.

  ‘But I’m a fairy tale,’ he replied with a smile and then they moved across to the next rooftop.

  For the next few hours, Holly sat watching her dad work—loading presents into his sack and disappearing down a hole, only to return several minutes later munching on a mince pie, the crumbs getting caught in his long beard. Holly smiled to herself. So that’s why he puts on so much weight.

  Nicholas pulled himself out of yet another chimney and walked back to the sleigh.

  ‘So where have we got left?’ Holly asked as she looked down at a list full of names.

  ‘Just London,’ he said with a wink and then the sleigh took off once again.

  They travelled for a while and Holly was sure that at one point they had flown directly over the ocean, as it was dark below for a long time, but they travelled so fast it was difficult to tell. Out of the darkness, lights began to glisten on the horizon.

  ‘This place looks incredible,’ Holly said with wide eyes as she took in the busy streets and glistening windows of the skyscrapers. The roads had been decorated with lights, and all the shop windows were lit up. Holly hated to admit it, but the Christmas cheer that was so evident below her, didn’t make her grimace.

  ‘I thought you’d like it,’ Nicholas said with an approving nod. ‘That’s why I picked here as our last stop.’ His smile held a secret that Holly couldn’t quite decipher.

  ‘Are you up to something?’

  Nicholas tapped his nose. ‘Well that’s for me to know,’ he said with a chuckle.

  They moved from rooftop to rooftop until they got to one where Nicholas said, ‘Last stop for the night.’ His brows furrowed. ‘I want you to deliver this one.’

  ‘What if I get caught?’ Holly asked as she shook her head, feeling the weight of Santa’s secret heavy on her shoulders. ‘It’s better if you do it.’

  ‘No.’ He put the gift on the edge of the sleigh then took her face gently between his hands. He stared at her intently. ‘I really think that this one needs to be you,’ he said sadly as he moved his hands away and adjusted her hat.

  ‘Okay, Dad. If you insist,’ Holly said hesitantly as she took the gift wrapped box off of the side.

  Suddenly her dad pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. ‘I’ll see you soon okay and never forget that your mum and I love you more than all the stars in the sky. Promise me you’ll never forget that?’ he said in a choked voice.

  Holly drew back slightly and looked at him for a few seconds. A sob caught in her throat as she reached up and wiped away the single tear that rolled down his cheek.

  ‘Is everything alright, Dad?’ she asked, tears welling in her own eyes.

  ‘Everything is just fine,’ he replied, gently dabbing his cheek. ‘Go on, off you go. You can’t be late.’

  Holly stepped off the sleigh, turning when her dad called her.

  ‘Holly?’

  She looked at the big man dressed in his very large red outfit, his cheeks pink in the cold air. ‘Yes, Dad?’

  ‘Happy Christmas,’ he said and his eyes sparkled with unshed tears. The reindeers snorted and shifted on the roof, eager to fly once more.

  ‘Where’re you going?’ Holly called out, but the sleigh was already heading off.

  She looked at the present in her hand then to the sleigh that was now only a dot on the horizon. What was her dad doing? Why had he left her on top of a roof in the middle of a strange city? I’m sure he’ll come back for me in a minute. Maybe he forgot someone’s present.

  Feeling reassured, Holly looked down at the present again and read the label. It said: To Melody, Sometimes wishes don’t come true, but at least when you make them they have a chance.

  It took Holly a few seconds to realise that there wasn’t a chimney on the rooftop and that she would need to enter via a window to access the property. She walked over to the edge of the roof and started to climb down the drain pipe.

  The building was full of windows that were heavily decorated in the spirit of Christmas. She climbed past them. Eventually she stopped at a window that was unlike the others.

  The room inside was dark and Holly couldn’t see a Christmas tree or tinsel anywhere. Placing her fingertips on the edge of the window, she slowly pushed it open and climbed in. From Christmas gift co-ordinator to a reverse burglar in one night! Something told her that this was the place. My Santie-sense, she thought laughing silently. The room was quiet, but the gentle sound of breathing from the other room told her that Melody was in.

  Holly walked over to a coffee table quietly, put the gift down and was about to leave again when a shelf with several framed photos caught her eye. She walked over and picked up one of the pictures. A woman, similar in age to herself, stared out from the photo.

  Thick black hair, glimmering with vitality, bounced on her slender shoulders. Her verdant green eyes looked as unhappy as Holly’s own. Yet in some strange way, her sadness seemed to add an extra element to her beauty. Holly replaced the picture and looked at the others. The sad looking woman was in all of them. Holly wondered what could have caused the woman so much pain.

  She picked up another photo of a child; the same bright green eyes told her that it was the same person as in the other photographs.
Only she was smiling in this picture, with her small hand touching a woman’s pregnant belly. Before Holly could ponder any further, the picture slipped out of her hand and fell crashing to the ground.

  Chapter Ten

  Melody woke up with a start. A noise from the living room had pulled her out of her sleep and she lay, frozen with fear, her heart pounding inside her chest. There was no further noise, just silence. Had Rae come back?

  Slipping out of the bed, Melody tiptoed to the chest of drawers. She felt for the cricket bat she kept leaning against it and gripped the handle tightly. Head cocked to one side, Melody made her way down the hallway with the stealth of a cat. A blast of cold air hit her. She was certain she hadn’t left the window open. Or had she? What if it really was a burglar? Anger rose in her. No way was fate going to walk all over her again. Her fury made her brave. Heaven help the person if it was a burglar, she was ready to use her bat if necessary to defend herself.

  ‘Rae is that you?’ she called out into the darkness.

  Melody could hear her heart beating in her ears as she stepped forward and put her hand on the door knob.

  ‘I’m warning you, I’m armed,’ she called out, but her voice sounded shaky and gave away the fear rising up in her body. Great, you sound like a mouse. She cleared her throat and said in a stronger voice, ‘You’ve been warned. I’m coming in!’

  Melody pushed the door open and waited for her eyes to adjust to the dim light. Holding the bat tightly as she walked into the room, she searched for the light switch and flipped it on. Melody blinked in disbelief at the sight before her.

  ‘Who the hell are you?’ she asked.

  In the corner of the room stood a blonde-haired woman in a fully-fledged Santa outfit. The hat even had a bell on the end. Melody let her eyes scan every inch of the stranger as she tried to work out who she might be. Melody could tell from the look in her crystal blue eyes that she wasn’t there to hurt her, but it still took her another few minutes to lower the bat from the swinging position she was holding it in.