At Terrell’s Acre’s down in Spaniards Creek 30-year-old widow Ava Adderley was on notice from her sister Sarah to allow herself to be courted again, after spending too long in virtual “widows weeds”.
Ava was the younger sister at
thirty and the tallest at 5ft 8, but she was also the least confident, and was
oblivious to how attractive she was, with her willowy figure and long brown
hair.
Unlike her sibling she was
painfully shy, and was a quiet studious girl, who never went out, preferring to
immerse herself in books, in fact she only ever left the home for deliveries
and Church, and she hadn’t left the island since her husband died.
She had attracted the
attention of Courier Driver Max Dickinson who was a regular visitor to the
Acre’s picking up packages of plants and seeds for delivery.
He had asked Ava out a number
of times and she had always said no, but Sarah insisted
“The next time he asks you
out, say yes”
The
problem was since she had resolved to follow her sister’s advice, he hadn’t
asked her again.
So
when he called for the parcels on Friday afternoon, she acted completely out of
character by taking the initiative and when he knocked on the door, she greeted
him by standing in the doorway brandishing a sprig of mistletoe above her head.
Her
boldness took him completely by surprise, so he stuttered, blushed and
basically ignored her as her brushed past her and went to find the packages.
“Merry
sodding Christmas” she exclaimed and threw the mistletoe across the room.
Ava
slammed the door and went to find Sarah and was on the verge of tears when she
found her
“What’s
happened?”
Sarah
asked and Ava blurted out the full story out of her.
“He
ignored you?” Sarah asked
“Yes”
“But
he’s crazy about you” Sarah said
“Not
so much apparently” Ava said
When
she left her, Sarah went in search of Max and when she tracked him down, she
read him the riot act.
“I
thought you liked her”
“I
do”
“So
why did you ignore her?” Sarah asked
“I
panicked” he admitted “She took me by surprise”
“You’re
an idiot” Sarah rebuked him
“I
know” he said and after a minute or two Sarah asked
“Do
you want her or not?”
“More
than anything” he admitted
“Then
come with me” She ordered and took him to the poly tunnel she was working in,
where Ava was watering, then she gestured to him with her head to go in.
He
walked in and after a moment he said
“I
came to apologize”
He
saw her bristle at his words and then she replied
“I’m
not bothered”
“But
I am” he said
“I
don’t care” she insisted
Max
walked back out of the tunnel and was immediately confronted by Sarah
“What
are you doing out here you idiot?”
“I
said I was sorry, but she said she didn’t care” he replied
“You
have a lot to learn about women” she said shaking her head and thrust a sprig
of mistletoe into his hand
“Now
get back in there and kiss her”
“But…”
Max protested
“Do
you like her or not?” she asked
“Well
yes” he replied
“Then
get back in there” Sarah instructed “trust me”
Max
pushed open the door and walked in
“You
don’t have to apologize again” she snapped “I really don’t care”
“I’m
not here to apologize” he said, and he held up the mistletoe and then his voice
cracked as he said
“I’ve
come for a kiss”
“A
what?” she asked and turned around “Oh”
And
then he stepped towards her and when they stood facing each other, there was a
moment of hesitation but then Max kissed her, and it was a perfect kiss that
brought all the feelings that she had been suppressing bubbling to the surface
and Max felt the love that filled her generous heart spill out from her every
pore and gratefully gathered it up and wrapped her in his everlasting love.
Molly and Danny arrived back
on the island with their Christmas shopping mid-afternoon which gave them
plenty of time to freshen up before walking to St Clara’s for the Christingle.
All three main Churches on
the island where holding their Christingle Service’s on Friday evening.
Christingle has become
ingrained in Anglican worship though it has its origins in Eastern Europe and
the Christingle Service is a Service of candle lights, where very many years
ago people gathered in the street, sang carols and collected gifts to help the
less fortunate in the community.
It is a beautiful candle lit
service of hymns, carols, recitations and bible readings, but Christingle goes
beyond a candlelight service, and it tells a story.
A story is told with the
symbolic use of the following items:
An orange representing the world.
A red ribbon tied around the orange to symbolize the blood of Jesus shed for
his people.
Toothpicks decorated with dried fruits and sweets are placed at the four
corners of the orange representing all the people of the world.
A lighted candle in the centre of the orange represents the gift of the light
of Christ to the world.
Firstly the children make the
Christingle lights in Sunday school, and then they carry them proudly in
procession into the church where they are lit for the service.
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