AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘Yeah. It’s nine, already. I’ve been up for three hours,’ she tells me.
‘Did Santa come?’ I whisper.
‘Of course. He’s been here as well.’ We both shift our glances over to Leo, still asleep and I hand Cassie a pillow urging her to throw it at her uncle. She may be tiny but the throw has power and it rouses Leo instantly.
‘What now?’ he mumbles.
‘It’s Christmas, Uncle Leo! Get up! Granny Sandy wants to know if you both want tea?’
He puts a thumb up into the air and rolls over, pulling his duvet over him, his eyes bleary and hair all ruffled. It’s a sleepy version of him that makes him look like a bear just come out of hibernation. I put a thumb up to the tea too and she scurries away while Leo sits up, the duvet around his shoulders to keep him warm.
‘Please tell me it’s after eight,’ he mumbles, closing his eyes again.
‘It’s nine. Santa’s been too. Merry Christmas,’ I tell him.
He laughs and opens his eyes to look at me. ‘Merry Christmas, Maggie.’ He leans forward and kisses me on the forehead and it’s surprisingly sweet and considerate so we can avoid a touch of morning breath. ‘Did you hear Santa?’
I laugh. ‘Unfortunately, no. I was out for the count. Did you?’
‘I think I heard some jingle bells, possibly some hooves?’
‘Really?’
‘Honest to god,’ he tells me, putting a hand to his heart. ‘Let me chuck on some clothes and we can go check.’
I stand there as he leans over his bag to find a hoodie and PJ bottoms. I might look at his bottom in the process. I mean, it is Christmas. He then opens the door to the room. To be fair, I’m not sure how we slept through any of this noise – the house is train station busy. A few kids run past us and I see two or three figures milling around in the kitchen, smells of turkey and bacon wafting through the air. I can hear Nat King Cole andthe crackle of a fire already blasting in the front room. As Leo presses against the door of the front room though, my mouth drops. Amidst the wonder of their tree, immaculately decorated, are piles of gifts, obviously for all the kids but also hanging by the mantel are two stockings, one of which has my name embroidered on it. I tear up, immediately thinking of my mum, and stand there for a moment taking in the kindness of it all.
‘Told you I heard Santa,’ Leo says, nudging me, but then seeing the obvious emotion in my face, ‘You alright?’
‘Yeah. It’s just…Christmas, innit?’
‘Innit?’ he sounds, mimicking my London accent.
‘My mum does the same for me – the stockings. It’s…’
Leo puts his arm around my shoulder. It’s quite the thing to miss my parents at this moment, not helped as Sandy suddenly walks in with a tray of tea and pastries, a wonderfully Christmassy pinny on and holly earrings hanging from her lobes. She seems to be carried by a magical Christmas energy. I only hope she got some sleep last night. She then looks over to the fireplace. ‘Bloody hell, Ray. I told you not to light the fire. There are chocolates in them stockings!’ She puts the tray down and runs over to save them.
‘How do you know there are chocolates in there?’ a curious Cassie says from the doorframe.
‘I had a peek,’ she tells her. ‘Merry Christmas, Maggie,’ she says, handing over the stocking but giving me the biggest of hugs. ‘You too, Chops. Come here and hug your mother.’ I watch as he wraps her up in his arms and squeezes her tightly.
‘This really is too much,’ I tell her.
‘Shush now, it’s Christmas,’ she tells me, looking over to the doorframe for children. ‘It’s little things really. Smellies and chocolates, and I know you’re all into your computers like my Leo so I bought you both these cable organiser things I saw in the market in town.’
Leo smiles. ‘And she does the embroidery herself.’
‘It’s something to do when I’m watching my quiz shows and shouting at the telly. I couldn’t have Maggie come in my house and have her think Santa brought her nowt.’
Leo laughs and puts an arm around her. ‘Right, get them gifts open and that tea down you. I’ve told Ray to change the heating so we should have two more hours of hot water when you’re done.’
‘And everyone else?’
‘Oh, the kids were running riot so I’ve sent some of them out on a dog walk, Uncle Rich is helping me with the ham, Nana and Cassie are putting the finishing touches to the Christmas cake.’
‘SANDY! Your potatoes are turning to mash!’ a voice echoes through from the kitchen.
‘Main gifts at eleven, lunch at one. We’ve hidden the sherry from Nana, she’s only allowed one glass every two hours. Love you both!’ she sings, even though she’s known me for less than twenty-four hours, and she suddenly disappears again.
