Uncanny Christmas Tales – (078) Christmas Carole

 

The village of Kettlewell sits in the rolling Pepperstock Hills that form the northwest border of the Finchbottom Vale and it is half a mile from the hamlet of Kettlewell-on-the-Hill, the two of which made up the parish of St Augustine’s Church, and Kettlewell is 1.5 miles from its largest neighbour, Highfinch where Carole Bond was born and raised.

On Christmas Eve she was driving through the village she had lived in her whole life and could never imagine living anywhere else.

Carole had come close to losing the house after her husband left and had to work hard to keep a roof over her children's heads after the divorce.

She had had to make sacrifices over the years and one of those was romantic attachments which was why she hadn’t found a significant other in her life.

However, her sons, were now both engaged to fine young women, so time was running out for her to find love again before the grandchildren came along.

 

When she arrived at the Downshire Arms she parked the car and went in, once inside the pub she removed her coat, she was wearing a Christmas outfit bought specially for the occasion.

Black leather ankle boots, green Christmas tights with holly motif on her shapely legs, and a red velvet dress, mid-thigh with gold trim.

Her first stop was the ladies so she could check her make up.

She looked in the mirror and considering her age she was very happy with what she was seeing, her skin was glowing, she had her fair share of lines but then she did have a smiling open face, her hazel eyes were still stunning, her hair was honey coloured and was her one vanity as it came from a bottle.

She smiled at her reflection because her children had been talking about wanting to find someone for her, but they didn’t know that she already had her sights set on the new Doctor at the surgery where she worked as a receptionist.

So, when he invited her out for a pub lunch, she treated it as an early Christmas Present.

After a final look in the mirror, Carole smiled at her reflection and said.

“Happy Christmas Carole”

Then she went into the restaurant and when she saw her lunch date, who was sitting waiting for her, turn and smile at her, she felt sure she would have a Happy New Year as well.