The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (027) Christmas Tradition

 

On Wednesday, George drove to Woodside farm and picked up their Christmas tree while Gwen made up the spare bedrooms ready for the guests, and Molly and Danny spent their time wrapping presents in separate rooms so as not to spoil the surprises, then in the evening they threaded popcorn strings.

 

David Leggett was the first mate on the Empress Victoria and lived in a quiet suburb of Pipershaven and was expecting Christmas to be a rather dull, quiet, affair and lacking any festive cheer.

There was only to be him, and his wife Janis and she had stage 4 pancreatic cancer and was close to the end of her journey, she was unlikely to last more than a month or two and spent more and more time sleeping.

 

On the morning of the day before Christmas Eve Janis’s younger sister June Stonard called at the house, having caught the early ferry from St Pierre, as she lived in Saxvirdan with her husband.

She wanted to pop in and wish them both a Happy Christmas and a drop off some presents, but mainly it was to see her sister, on what was going to be her last Christmas.

 

George was back again the next day as it was time to put the tree up and for Molly’s traditional tree dressing, and just after 10 o’clock Gwen arrived with her daughters Maisie and Elsie who were very excited, they never got to go with her mum when she was working, and they were going to help decorate the Christmas Tree.

Had they known that snow was forecast later that day their excitement would have gone off the scale.

 

Ruth Weaver lived in the idyllic village of Mornington-By-Mere, situated in the beautiful Finchbottom Vale, with her husband Jack, and was very happy.

Unfortunately, Jack, who was a Sgt in the Downshire Light Infantry, was on a training exercise in Norway.

Rather than spend Christmas alone she accepted an invitation to spend Christmas with her sister and her nieces.

Ruth had been trying to get Gwen to move back to the mainland following her divorce, so she would be closer, but she didn’t want to leave Spaniards Creek.

However, she couldn’t deny that it was a lovely place to live, and the girls loved it.

The only thing that was missing was a special someone in her life and there was a light on that particular horizon in the form of Phil Holgate who had shown a good deal of interest in Gwen.

Hopefully, it might well bear fruit, if heavily encouraged by Ruth.

While she was packing for the trip, she had seen on the weather forecast that there was snow on the way, so she set off from Mornington earlier than planned and got the 11 o’clock ferry.

 

The tree was finished, and looked amazing, complete with candy canes and popcorn strands, they had all eaten lunch, and Danny was entertaining the girls while Molly and Gwen sat in the kitchen drinking coffee and chatting when Gwen’s phone rang.

“It’s my sister” she said excitedly.

“Hi Ruthy”

“Hi sis, where are you?” Ruth asked, “I’m at the house.”

“We’re up at Cliff Haven.”

“Where’s that?” Ruth asked.

“Last house on Cliff Top Road” Gwen replied, “I’ll get the girls we’ll be on our way.”

“Ok I’ll start walking and I’ll meet you halfway” Ruth said.

“We have to go” Gwen said unable to keep the excitement out of her voice “My sister’s here.”

“So, I gathered” Molly said and chuckled.

“Time to go girls.”

“Aww mum, can’t we stay a bit longer?” Maisie said.

“We’re having fun” Elsie Added

“Aunty Ruth is waiting for us” their mum said, and the decibel level went through the roof.

 

When Gwen and the girls were wrapped up in their outdoor clothes and said their goodbyes Molly appeared with a large Christmas gift bag.

“Here are a few things for you and the girls.”

“Oh wow, you shouldn’t have,” Gwen said, “thank you.”

“What do you say girls.”

“Thank you” they chorused. “Happy Christmas”

 

When she arrived, June found Janis was having a good day, but sadly it didn’t last, and by the evening she was in a morphine induced sleep.

Because Janis had been in such good spirits June stayed later than intended and missed the last ferry, so she stayed the night so she could get the first ferry the next morning to go back to the island.

 

When the girls saw their Auntie, they ran headlong down the hill shouting “Auntie Ruth, Auntie Ruth,”

And after the hugs and kisses they headed towards home.

“You can go and look at boats but be careful” Gwen said.

 

The light was beginning to fade as Phil started the engines of the Ocean Breeze.

The Water Taxi was a 40ft Downshire Duchy 22 Motor Launch which did thrice daily crossings from Spaniards Creek to Cabot Town on St Giles.

He also did seasonal pleasure trips round the islands or out to see the seals on the sandbanks, but that day he was preparing to leave Spaniards Creek for the last trip before Christmas when he saw Gwen walking down the hill with her kids and another woman who he assumed was her sister.

 

“Hello Gwen” Phil called cheerfully as she walked past the boat.

“Hello” Gwen replied coyly and then continued towards the house.

“He’s cute” Ruth said, and Gwen sneaked another look over her shoulder as Phil steered the boat away from the quay, and the first flurries of snow began.