The traditional seaside resort of Sharpington-by-Sea with its Victorian
Pier, seafront hotels, crazy golf, The Palladium ballroom, well maintained
gardens, promenade, theatre and illuminations, has all the usual things to have
a great time by the seaside, as well as amusement arcades and of course the
Sharpington Fun Park and it was in the grand neighbourhood of Granite Hill,
which in a nod to San Francisco, the locals had nicknamed Nob Hill where Church Warden of St Lucy’s, Henry Appleby, was attending a dinner on St
Andrew’s Day, at the home of a local celebrity, children’s author, Alesha Khan.
Henry was a popular figure in Sharpington society who dedicated all of
his free time to the church and good works, so it would have been of little
surprise to find him on the guest list, but he on the other hand was surprised
at some of the other guests.
In addition to the
hostess Alesha, was Kim Labuschagne, an illustrator, who was an old school
friend of hers, and she also assisted in the kitchen, Alesha’s brother artist
Zach, Curate of St Lucy’s, Russell Glavin, Literary agents, Jayson and Kathryn
Mercer, Actresses Kerry Freeborn and Sharon Blackburn and Tim Street who was a
Local Historian, so it was an interesting bunch, but his interest was
overwhelmingly in Kathryn.
Henry had known Kathryn since she was a girl, he was an old family
friend, but it wasn’t friendship that he felt for her, but he had not shared
his feelings with her, because he thought it would have been a betrayal of her
parents trust, but following their deaths in a car accident, but he said
nothing then because he had to fulfill more of an avuncular role, and then she
married so he resigned himself to the fact that there could never be any other
role for him in her life.
When
the time came for them to take their seats Henry found that he was seated
oposite Alesha and next to Kathryn, and he could tell by the look on the
formers face that she had put them beside eachother by design, hoping that her
change in circumstances would move things along between them.
Kathryn had divorced
from her husband Jayson the year before, but it was a completely amicable split
because after eight years of marriage they both realised it wasn’t really
working, they loved each other, and still did, but they were not in love.
In fact, they still
lived under the same roof, in the same house, after the split, and planned to
sell the house, or buy the other one out, if and when their personal
circumstances changed.
So domestic life for
them wasn’t really very different to when they were married, and it really
should have been if they belonged together as a couple, so they knew they had
made the right decision, and even after the divorce they were still best
friends, and of course they still worked together at the Literary Agency they
founded, Mercer and associates.
The
conversation between Henry and Kathryn during dinner was as easy and relaxed as
it always had been, so much so that it actually felt like they were a couple,
but they wernt.
Over
coffee Kathryn said
“I’ve
been asked to organise the St Nicholas gifts this year”
“Really?
I did them for a couple of years” he said “before I became Church Warden”
“Yes
I remember” she said “Which is why…”
“Why
what?”
“Which
is why I could use your help” she replied
“Of
course I’ll help” he said
“We
could meet tomorrow”
“Perfect”
she said
They
met the next day at his house after Church and over coffee they compiled a long
list of items she needed to get from the cash and carry and afterwards they
walked along the promenade to Albies Coffee Shop and Café where they had lunch.
“Thanks
for your help Henry” she sadi
“My
pleasure Kathryn, you just need to drive over to Purplemere and pick it up”
“I
might need your help again with that” she said “I’ll never get that lot in my
car”
“Why?
You’ll easily get it all into your SUV”
“Erm…
Its in the
garage until Wednesday, so I’ve only got the Mini”
“What about Jayson’s car?”
“He’s gone to Millmoor, and won’t be back for a fortnight” she replied
“Well in that case we can go in mine” he said
They couldn’t go on Sunday afternoon as it was the first Sunday of Advent
and as he was Church Warden and she was the Verger they needed to be on hand
for the evening service, so he picked her
up early on Monday morning and drove her over to the cash and carry.
It was an amazing
place, and they were very impressed even though they had both been to one
before, it was like an Aladdin’s cave of Christmas goodies, and they soon
filled their trolley.
But Kathryn seemed to
be in no particular hurry to leave because although they had everything that
was on the list she kept Henry there for another hour wandering up and down the
aisles but added nothing to the trolley before she accepted they had finished
the shopping and went to the checkout.
Henry and Kathryn
loaded the shopping into his car and then they exited the car park with the
sound of thunder in the distance.
On the way out of the
gate it started to rain, and as he turned onto the Sharpington road the sky had
grown really dark and the thunder cracks grew closer and the rain fell harder.
Twenty minutes later
the rain was falling ever harder until the wipers could barely cope.
As luck would have it they were just approaching a lay-by, so Henry
turned into it to wait for the rain to abate.
He had barely applied
the handbrake when there was a clap thunder above that shook the car and
Kathrine screamed and launched herself at Henry.
“Hold me” she begged “the
thunder frightens me”
“Don’t worry honey” he said putting his arm around her “I’ve got you”
The thunder storm went
on for almost half an hour before it moved away, and the rain eased off and
Henry said
“I think it’s safe to
go now”
“Are you sure?” she
said “it might come back”
“No, it’s moved away
now” he said and released his hold on her and he thought he heard her sigh.
When they got back to
Sharpington they went back to her house and unloaded the car.
“So where do you want
them?” he asked as he walked in carrying two boxes
“In the Dining room”
she replied “I’ll make a start on them after lunch”
And then almost as an
afterthought she added
“You’ll stay for lunch
of course? “
“That would be lovely,
I can stay and help after” he suggested
“Really? Would you?
“Of course,” he
replied “and I’m free tomorrow so I can help you box them up and deliver them”
The St Nicholas Day
gifts could come in different forms but were almost always presented in boots
or shoes.
The ones that St
Lucy’s Church were giving out consisted of a small red plastic Santa Boot,
complete with white fur trim and filled with chocolates and candy.
Each one contained
Chocolate Coins, Candy Canes, Bonbons, Fudge, Chocolate Santa, a small toy and
a puzzle.
So, after lunch they
set up a production line and when the Boot was filled the whole thing was
completed by putting the filled Boot inside a cellophane bag tied at the top
with a red ribbon.
working together right
through until 10 o’clock, only stopping for pizza, they got them all filled,
bagged and tied, but left the packing of them until the next morning.
Henry arrived at
Kathryn’s just after ten the next morning and they packed the gifts in boxes
for the various destinations, and then they loaded the car, before making the
deliveries.
Jubilee Primary
School, Whitecliffe Hill Primary, St Lucy’s Church, for the Sunday School, and
Sharpington Library for the reading club and then back to Kathryn’s.
“I can’t thank you
enough Henry” she said
“It was my pleasure”
he said “I enjoyed it”
“Nonetheless I’m very
grateful” he said “Let me take you to dinner tomorrow night as a thank you,
L'uccello Canto”
“That’s my favourite
restaurant”
“I know it is” she
said, “so is that a yes?”
It was a lovely meal
and the conversation was easy, witty and stimulating but Henry drank more than
he probably should have but he was having such a good time.
“A perfect end to a perfect evening” she said when the liqueurs arrived
“Your perfect” he said, and then he realized he had said it out loud,
and he glanced at her and she was smiling, but not in a derisory way, so he
decided, aided by all the wine, to tell her how he felt.
“I’ve always thought you were perfect, in everyway”
“Before you go any further I have a confession to make” she said
“You don’t have to say anything, I just need to say how I feel” he
replied
“But I really do” she insisted
“Ok” Henry replied, a little concerned at what might follow and then
Kathryn took a deep breath and blurted out
“I planned all of this”
“All what?”
“Everything in order to get you here tonight” she said, and Henry thought for a moment and then said
“Did you arrange for
me to be sitting next to you at the Dinner Party?” He asked
“Yes, but that was the
easy bit” she confessed “because I had an ally in Alesha, but after that, it
was up to me to take advantage of the situation”
“Which of course you
did” he said
“Indeed, I did” she
admitted, “The rest however took a bit more planning”
“And a bit more
deceitfulness” she continued, and Henry took a moment to think before he said
“You didn’t need my
help with the planning, did you?”
“No” she confessed
“And the SUV being in
the garage?”
“Was a lie” Kathryn
confirmed
“And your being scared
of the thunder?”
“Also, a lie” she
confirmed again “I just wanted to hug you”
“So why?”
“So that I could be close to you and hopefully pluck up the courage to
tell you how special you are to me”
“So, does that mean
what I think it means?” he asked
“If that’s what you
want now that you know that I’m he not perfect” she said
“I do” he said and
held her hand
“You don’t think less
of me?” she asked
“I’m shocked and
stunned” he said “but only that you want me”
“I’ve always wanted
you” she said and kissed his hand
As he walked her home arm in arm he asked
“So, are you pleased
with the outcome of your scheming?”
“Oh yes” she said “pleased
and surprised”
“Surprised?” he
queried
“Yes, I’ve never done
anything like it before, and I’m surprised how conniving I’ve been” she said
“Well you’ve got me
now” he said
“Yes, and that’s
perfect” Kathryn said
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