Rod McGregor was cold to his core as he hurried towards Shallowfield, it was three days before Christmas and 24 hours earlier he had been in Brisbane, which had been his home for the previous 24 years, where he worked as a conservationist for the Enoggera Forest Reserves, and it was his first time back in Downshire since he emigrated, and he never expected to see it again, in fact he had promised that he would never return.
But it was the person to whom he had made that promise, Anna Abbiss, who had summoned him back, so he couldn’t refuse.
Anna was the love of his life, and the only woman he had ever truly loved, and he loved her still, and she had loved him in equal measure, the only problem was that she was married, to his brother.
A two year affair between them resulted in her falling pregnant, Rod was sure that he was the father because Bob had mumps when he was in his teens and what Rod knew, and his brother didn’t was that such an affliction at that time at the age he was almost without exception resulted in rendering the recipient sterile.
However Bob was in blissful ignorance and because of his obvious delight at his impending fatherhood, Rod and Anna decided they should draw their affair to a close, but because they had tried previously and failed she said the only way was for him to leave, and he agreed, so he emigrated to Queensland.
Obviously because they were his family he couldn’t sever all contact but he maintained the distance although there had been close calls over the years when Bob would invite his brother to stay or would himself plan a trip to Australia, something always came up, something fabricated, to prevent it.
As he drove across the Vale he listened to the Radio and the weather forecast predicted a White Christmas and the artic winds were already blowing and had brought little flurries of hailstones and sleet throughout the day, but the slushy particles dissolved as they hit the ground.
However as he got closer to the Dancingdean Forest wet sleet turned to powdery snow, and the snowflakes floated and swirled through the air and formed a soft white carpet over the silent countryside and dusted the trees and turned the landscape into a magical wonderland.
He pulled up outside the Larkspur Hospice and took a few deep breaths before he got out of the car to steel himself for what was ahead.
He walked inside and the first person he saw was his brother Bob, who beamed a radiant smile at him as they approached each other and then they hugged
“Thanks for coming bro”
He stood by the door and looked into the room, and there she was, a pale imitation of what she had been, and beside her bed was a younger woman, clearly her daughter, their daughter, and she was the spitting image of Anna.
When she saw him she got up and walked towards him with tears in her eyes, because although they had never met she recognised him and exclaimed
“Uncle Rod!”
“Sweet Amy” he retorted
Because he was unable to cut the family ties he had managed to conduct relationships with his brother and his niece via email and maintained one with Anna vicariously.
What they hadn’t told him in their chatty email exchanges, at Anna’s request, was that Anna was battling breast cancer, but as each successive treatments failed and hope was finally replaced by palliative care, she had to see him one last time before she died.
“How is she doing?” he asked
“It won’t be long now” Amy said and the tears welled up and she broke down, in her father’s arms.
“Go and sit with her” Bob suggested “The morphine has her but talk to her”
He sat beside her bed and held her hand and said
“I love you my Anna”
He felt her hand move in his and then her eyes slowly opened and a glimmer of recognition spread across her face and she licked her lips and retorted
“Hello my only love”
They held each other’s gaze for what seemed an eternity, but in reality it was only seconds before she closed her eyes and she was gone back beneath the morphine veil.
Sunday 4 June 2017
Friday 2 June 2017
Mornington-By-Mere – (92) The Good Samaritan
(Part 01)
David Ball lived in the small country village of Mornington-By-Mere in the Finchbottom Vale nestled between the Ancient Dancingdean Forest and the rolling Pepperstock Hills.
It was a quaint picturesque village, a proper chocolate box picturesque idyll, with a Manor House, 12th Century Church, a Coaching Inn, Windmills, an Old Forge, a Schoolhouse, a River and a Mere.
He lived and worked up at Mornington Field which had once been an RAF base but had been converted into a mixture of commercial and residential units.
David lived in apartment 7 of Lancaster House, which was converted into flats from the old Officers Mess.
He lived alone, and had done since he left home at the age of 18 and he had got to his mid 30’s and had needed no other company than his dog, or a dog, as there had been several incarnations of Kelvin.
He was employed by Light of Day, who were Led Lighting Specialists, and he was well regarded in the business but he became wider regarded after the events of his first Christmas in Mornington.
It was a week before Christmas when David was woken by Kelvin, his West of Argyle Terrier, it was 4 am and Kelvin clearly needed to go out despite the fact the wind was howling.
So reluctantly he got dressed and bundled up and they started out but when they got to the foot of the stairwell, Kelvin started to bark.
“Quiet you stupid creature” David said but Kelvin persisted his outburst until David opened the door and then he just became agitated and started pulling on the lead, but not along the path like he normally did, this time he turned immediately left to a slumped figure huddled in the corner of the porch, on closer examination Dave saw that it was a woman.
He tutted because his first reaction was that she was drunk, not something he had much tolerance with.
He took a penlight torch from his pocket and shone it in the woman’s face which was when he saw who it was, she was a woman from that building, Selina Tilley.
It was at that moment when he became more concerned because all though he didn’t know her well he did know one thing about her and that was that she was a Methodist and she didn’t drink, so he thought it was more likely to be hypothermia.
It looked like her lips were blue and when he touched her cheek it felt icy cold, then he checked her pulse which was weak, but it was present.
He let Kelvin off his lead while he got Selina to her feet and manhandled her inside the foyer to get her out of the bitter wind.
He lay her on the carpeted floor and draped his coat over her and then used his mobile phone to call for an ambulance.
Kelvin had done his business so David let him and he sat and held Selina’s hand while he waited for the ambulance and Kelvin cuddled up to the other side of Selina.
The ambulance was mercifully quick and came roaring up to Lancaster House with flashing lights and David told them what he knew, which was hardly enough, in fact it was very little, but the paramedics went quickly about their work.
They laid her on the trolley and started to check vital signs and then off they went to the hospital, with his name and number.
He called the Winston Churchill Hospital several times but he was told “Family only” every time he called.
So he tried a different tack. There were several nurses in the village, Rosie Parsons, Lorraine Chapman and Jane Hall to name but three and Jane was not only a friend his but was also a Staff Nurse at the Winston Churchill so he asked her if she could find out how the patient was and she agreed.
He was right about it not being alcohol related and he was also correct about her having hypothermia but it turned out that her underlying condition was diabetes which on that night had led to Hypoglycaemia.
Thankfully there would be no lasting effects but they were going to keep her in for a couple of days.
News of the events of that night quickly went around the village and David’s street cred went through the roof and he and Kelvin gained celebrity status.
Kelvin loved all the extra attention but David was less comfortable with it, and his thoughts kept straying to his stricken damsel in distress.
Selina Tilley was 27 years old and had worked for Crazy Chocolatiers since she left school, in fact she was the very first employee.
She also lived in the old Officers Mess, Lancaster House, in apartment 11 where she lived alone.
Selina hadn’t always done so, but she had been for a number of years and had become accustomed to it, but Christmas was fast approaching which was one of those times that she felt her solitude most keenly.
But as she lay in her hospital bed at the Royal Downshire it wasn’t Christmas that was occupying her mind.
She was patently aware that had it not been for David Ball and his little dog that she would have died and she really needed to do something to say thank you in some way but wasn’t sure what or how, she would of course say thank you, but it didn’t solve the essential problem of how to show her gratitude.
(Part 02)
Alexandra Quarit was the founder and owner of Crazy Chocolatier’s who were the makers and purveyors of handmade chocolates and to many they made the best handmade chocolates in Downshire.
She began with a shop in the Abbottsford’s Phoenix Centre but she now had shops all over Downshire as well as several factory’s including the one at Mornington Field where Selina worked.
Alexandra was a good boss and everyone that worked for her, liked her, because she cared about the people she employed which was why she insisted on picking Selina up from the hospital two days before Christmas Eve.
As they drove towards Mornington Alexandra said
“I don’t want you back to work until the New Year”
“But I’m fully recovered” Selina said “thanks to David Ball, he saved my life”
“Which is why I don’t want you to come back to work too soon”
Alex said
“You had a lucky escape”
“Yes I did” she agreed “And I am very grateful for everything David did, and I want to get him a thank you gift”
“I’m sure he would appreciate that” Alex concurred
“But what?” Selina asked “What do you get for someone who saves your life?”
“I think Chocolates make a nice gift” Alex said and smiled
“You would say that” Selina retorted with a smile, “But it’s a bit of a cop out”
“Not if you make them yourself” Alex said and after a moment added “Hand made by you”
“I thought I was on enforced leave” Selina pointed out
“You can do it at home, think of it as occupational therapy”
Alex said
“I don’t have enough stuff” she replied
“It’s just as well I had Andrea stock you up then” Alexandra said cockily
“What are you up to?” Selina asked suspiciously
“I don’t know what you mean” she said innocently although she knew very well.
Alex had been encouraged by the fact that Selina spoke a lot about David Hall, not entirely unsurprising given that he had saved her life, but more noteworthy bearing in mind that she had been unconscious throughout the incident.
So she clearly had an interest in him prior to his intervention and because of that Alex was going to fan the flames, because her friend deserved someone in her life.
Selina made a selection of her finest handmade creations and made up a beautiful gift box, she also ordered a small pet hamper from Hanratty’s Department Store in Abbottsford’s Phoenix Centre for Kelvin and then on Christmas Eve she went downstairs and knocked on David Hall’s door.
He was sitting watching Alastair Sim in “Scrooge” when Kelvin heard Selina approach and he was on his feet, ears pricked, tail wagging long before David heard the knock on the door.
He tutted because “Scrooge” was one of his favourite Christmas movies but he got up and walked to the door and looked through the peephole and saw it was Selina and his heart rate quickened, he had heard she was home and he had thought about going to see if she was ok, he had even bought her a Christmas present, but he lost his nerve because he didn’t know what to say to her.
But now she was knocking on his door and there was no escape, unless of course he pretended not to be in, but he would have regretted that because he wanted to see her, but he still didn’t know what to say.
So he took a deep breath and opened the door.
“Hello” he said “it’s nice to see you fully recovered”
“Hello David and hello Kelvin” she said “I am much better thanks to you two”
“Come in” he said side stepping her comment
“Oh ok”
Once inside she sat on the sofa and made a fuss of Kelvin and when David had taken his seat
“I cannot express how grateful I am” she began
“Nonsense” he retorted “it was Kelvin who found you”
“Well I am very grateful to both of you” she said and rummaged in her bag “so I have these gifts as a token of my gratitude”
“Oh” he said “you didn’t have to do that”
“It was the least I could do” she said
“It really wasn’t necessary” he insisted
“If you prefer you can consider them Christmas presents” Salina said and put them under the tree
“That’s very kind, thank you” David said
“We have a present under the tree for you too, don’t we Kelvin” he said
“Really? How nice” Selina said taken aback and that was when David gathered up all his courage and said
“Come for lunch tomorrow and we can open them together”
“Oh yes what a lovely idea, thank you” Selina said happily
So they spent Christmas Day together, which was to be the first of many.
It turned out that when David and Kelvin saved Selina’s life that dark December morning he saved her life in more ways than one and saved his own in the process.
David Ball lived in the small country village of Mornington-By-Mere in the Finchbottom Vale nestled between the Ancient Dancingdean Forest and the rolling Pepperstock Hills.
It was a quaint picturesque village, a proper chocolate box picturesque idyll, with a Manor House, 12th Century Church, a Coaching Inn, Windmills, an Old Forge, a Schoolhouse, a River and a Mere.
He lived and worked up at Mornington Field which had once been an RAF base but had been converted into a mixture of commercial and residential units.
David lived in apartment 7 of Lancaster House, which was converted into flats from the old Officers Mess.
He lived alone, and had done since he left home at the age of 18 and he had got to his mid 30’s and had needed no other company than his dog, or a dog, as there had been several incarnations of Kelvin.
He was employed by Light of Day, who were Led Lighting Specialists, and he was well regarded in the business but he became wider regarded after the events of his first Christmas in Mornington.
It was a week before Christmas when David was woken by Kelvin, his West of Argyle Terrier, it was 4 am and Kelvin clearly needed to go out despite the fact the wind was howling.
So reluctantly he got dressed and bundled up and they started out but when they got to the foot of the stairwell, Kelvin started to bark.
“Quiet you stupid creature” David said but Kelvin persisted his outburst until David opened the door and then he just became agitated and started pulling on the lead, but not along the path like he normally did, this time he turned immediately left to a slumped figure huddled in the corner of the porch, on closer examination Dave saw that it was a woman.
He tutted because his first reaction was that she was drunk, not something he had much tolerance with.
He took a penlight torch from his pocket and shone it in the woman’s face which was when he saw who it was, she was a woman from that building, Selina Tilley.
It was at that moment when he became more concerned because all though he didn’t know her well he did know one thing about her and that was that she was a Methodist and she didn’t drink, so he thought it was more likely to be hypothermia.
It looked like her lips were blue and when he touched her cheek it felt icy cold, then he checked her pulse which was weak, but it was present.
He let Kelvin off his lead while he got Selina to her feet and manhandled her inside the foyer to get her out of the bitter wind.
He lay her on the carpeted floor and draped his coat over her and then used his mobile phone to call for an ambulance.
Kelvin had done his business so David let him and he sat and held Selina’s hand while he waited for the ambulance and Kelvin cuddled up to the other side of Selina.
The ambulance was mercifully quick and came roaring up to Lancaster House with flashing lights and David told them what he knew, which was hardly enough, in fact it was very little, but the paramedics went quickly about their work.
They laid her on the trolley and started to check vital signs and then off they went to the hospital, with his name and number.
He called the Winston Churchill Hospital several times but he was told “Family only” every time he called.
So he tried a different tack. There were several nurses in the village, Rosie Parsons, Lorraine Chapman and Jane Hall to name but three and Jane was not only a friend his but was also a Staff Nurse at the Winston Churchill so he asked her if she could find out how the patient was and she agreed.
He was right about it not being alcohol related and he was also correct about her having hypothermia but it turned out that her underlying condition was diabetes which on that night had led to Hypoglycaemia.
Thankfully there would be no lasting effects but they were going to keep her in for a couple of days.
News of the events of that night quickly went around the village and David’s street cred went through the roof and he and Kelvin gained celebrity status.
Kelvin loved all the extra attention but David was less comfortable with it, and his thoughts kept straying to his stricken damsel in distress.
Selina Tilley was 27 years old and had worked for Crazy Chocolatiers since she left school, in fact she was the very first employee.
She also lived in the old Officers Mess, Lancaster House, in apartment 11 where she lived alone.
Selina hadn’t always done so, but she had been for a number of years and had become accustomed to it, but Christmas was fast approaching which was one of those times that she felt her solitude most keenly.
But as she lay in her hospital bed at the Royal Downshire it wasn’t Christmas that was occupying her mind.
She was patently aware that had it not been for David Ball and his little dog that she would have died and she really needed to do something to say thank you in some way but wasn’t sure what or how, she would of course say thank you, but it didn’t solve the essential problem of how to show her gratitude.
(Part 02)
Alexandra Quarit was the founder and owner of Crazy Chocolatier’s who were the makers and purveyors of handmade chocolates and to many they made the best handmade chocolates in Downshire.
She began with a shop in the Abbottsford’s Phoenix Centre but she now had shops all over Downshire as well as several factory’s including the one at Mornington Field where Selina worked.
Alexandra was a good boss and everyone that worked for her, liked her, because she cared about the people she employed which was why she insisted on picking Selina up from the hospital two days before Christmas Eve.
As they drove towards Mornington Alexandra said
“I don’t want you back to work until the New Year”
“But I’m fully recovered” Selina said “thanks to David Ball, he saved my life”
“Which is why I don’t want you to come back to work too soon”
Alex said
“You had a lucky escape”
“Yes I did” she agreed “And I am very grateful for everything David did, and I want to get him a thank you gift”
“I’m sure he would appreciate that” Alex concurred
“But what?” Selina asked “What do you get for someone who saves your life?”
“I think Chocolates make a nice gift” Alex said and smiled
“You would say that” Selina retorted with a smile, “But it’s a bit of a cop out”
“Not if you make them yourself” Alex said and after a moment added “Hand made by you”
“I thought I was on enforced leave” Selina pointed out
“You can do it at home, think of it as occupational therapy”
Alex said
“I don’t have enough stuff” she replied
“It’s just as well I had Andrea stock you up then” Alexandra said cockily
“What are you up to?” Selina asked suspiciously
“I don’t know what you mean” she said innocently although she knew very well.
Alex had been encouraged by the fact that Selina spoke a lot about David Hall, not entirely unsurprising given that he had saved her life, but more noteworthy bearing in mind that she had been unconscious throughout the incident.
So she clearly had an interest in him prior to his intervention and because of that Alex was going to fan the flames, because her friend deserved someone in her life.
Selina made a selection of her finest handmade creations and made up a beautiful gift box, she also ordered a small pet hamper from Hanratty’s Department Store in Abbottsford’s Phoenix Centre for Kelvin and then on Christmas Eve she went downstairs and knocked on David Hall’s door.
He was sitting watching Alastair Sim in “Scrooge” when Kelvin heard Selina approach and he was on his feet, ears pricked, tail wagging long before David heard the knock on the door.
He tutted because “Scrooge” was one of his favourite Christmas movies but he got up and walked to the door and looked through the peephole and saw it was Selina and his heart rate quickened, he had heard she was home and he had thought about going to see if she was ok, he had even bought her a Christmas present, but he lost his nerve because he didn’t know what to say to her.
But now she was knocking on his door and there was no escape, unless of course he pretended not to be in, but he would have regretted that because he wanted to see her, but he still didn’t know what to say.
So he took a deep breath and opened the door.
“Hello” he said “it’s nice to see you fully recovered”
“Hello David and hello Kelvin” she said “I am much better thanks to you two”
“Come in” he said side stepping her comment
“Oh ok”
Once inside she sat on the sofa and made a fuss of Kelvin and when David had taken his seat
“I cannot express how grateful I am” she began
“Nonsense” he retorted “it was Kelvin who found you”
“Well I am very grateful to both of you” she said and rummaged in her bag “so I have these gifts as a token of my gratitude”
“Oh” he said “you didn’t have to do that”
“It was the least I could do” she said
“It really wasn’t necessary” he insisted
“If you prefer you can consider them Christmas presents” Salina said and put them under the tree
“That’s very kind, thank you” David said
“We have a present under the tree for you too, don’t we Kelvin” he said
“Really? How nice” Selina said taken aback and that was when David gathered up all his courage and said
“Come for lunch tomorrow and we can open them together”
“Oh yes what a lovely idea, thank you” Selina said happily
So they spent Christmas Day together, which was to be the first of many.
It turned out that when David and Kelvin saved Selina’s life that dark December morning he saved her life in more ways than one and saved his own in the process.
Those Memories Made on Teardrop Lake – (91) Yuletide at the Claremont Hotel
(Part 01)
Shallowfield sat on the southern edge of the Finchbottom Vale and was bordered on the other side by the Dancingdean forest and the town’s fortunes had always relied largely upon forestry and agriculture for its survival.
In the post war years with rationing and a shortage of work a lot of people moved away from the area and it only just survived and the community around Teardrop Lake fared even worse.
Only a few of the houses around the Lake were thriving, a lot of the houses had been rented out and those that hadn’t were in a poor state of repair, some too such an extent they were little more than ruins.
But by the 70s however things were beginning to change, thanks mainly to tourism as a result of an increase in leisure time.
This trend was reflected by the fact that the previously derelict Shallowfield Lodge, which had been inherited by a young couple from Lincolnshire, Rob and Sheryl Brown, was being turned into a Hotel.
From then on Shallowfield went from strength to strength which was echoed by the fortunes of the Claremont Hotel.
It was once the home of a wealthy Downshire family but like so many similar great houses in the county it fell into disuse as the fortunes of the owners suffered after the Great War.
It had had many reincarnations since then, particularly in the years between the wars and had been used for many things over the post war years but it wasn’t until the 60s that it became The Claremont Hotel.
However things had got tough in the Hotel trade with the success of Travelodge, Premier Inn and Holiday Inn Express and so places like the Claremont needed to offer something extra to attract the guests.
In the early summer a new manager was appointed, Matthew Millward, and he was an instant hit with the locals because he was young, tall, dark and handsome, physically fit, well-toned and had a reputation as a fair minded guy, which had very much preceded him.
He was 28 years old and his father owned the Millward Manor chain of hotels and he was grooming him to one day take over the reins of his worldwide hotel empire, the problem was that Matt had no head for business and he felt that he was more of an artistic soul.
Which could possibly have been ignored but for the fact that he had broken off his engagement with the granddaughter of his father’s oldest friend.
However that in itself wasn’t what had him exiled, it was Elaine’s attempted suicide, not that his action had caused her mental meltdown, it was rather more her mental instability being the deciding factor that forced him to end the engagement.
So it was decided to send Matt to the Claremont Hotel where he could do no real harm until the dust settled.
When he first found out he was being sent to Shallowfield, Matt was very unhappy, he was a city boy, born and bred, and he viewed being sent to the country as purgatory, but no one was more surprised than he was when he found that he actually loved it, it was a beautiful place, it was quiet and the air was clean and he felt immediately at home.
(Part 02)
When he first found out he was being sent to Shallowfield Matt was very unhappy, he was a city boy, born and bred, and he viewed being sent to the country as purgatory, but no one was more surprised than he was when he found that he actually loved it, it was a beautiful place, it was quiet and the air was clean and he felt immediately at home.
After the broken engagement and the resulting fall out Matthew Millward decided that he would not under any circumstances get himself romantically entangled while he was on punishment duty.
But there is a very apt saying which goes “never on your own doorstep” which he had clearly never heard because on his first day he fell head over heels for the Hospitality Manager, Sarah Poole, although in his defence the feeling was mutual.
Although apart from two very passionate kisses, the first initiated by her and the second by him, and the fact they were hopelessly in love with each other nothing else happened.
She was five foot eight with short red hair, in a pixie cut, mesmerizing green eyes and a cute figure with curves in all the right places and long slender legs.
Sarah was 26 years old and wasn’t looking for a relationship either because she was married, albeit to an alcoholic who hadn’t had shown her any marital attention for two years but she was still married to him nonetheless.
Sarah had worked at the hotel for since she left school, five years in housekeeping, five more in hospitality, and for two of those as Manager and she loved her job.
Despite the fact that Matthew was sent to the Claremont as a punishment and possessed no head for business he surprised his father as well as himself by doing a very acceptable job of managing the hotel and had grown the corporate side of the business and it was becoming a very popular venue for functions.
This was as a result in no small measure to his decision to promote the former Hospitality Manager Sarah Poole.
This was after Martin Tyrer tendered his resignation, he had been a loyal employee of the Millward Manor group for ten years and had been the Assistant Manager at the Claremont for 5 of those and when the Manager’s vacancy came up he believed he was a shoe in for the job.
So when Matthew Millward was parachuted in over his head it was just too much for him to take.
It left Matthew in a very difficult position as he needed someone who knew the place inside out and Sarah Poole was the only person that really fitted the bill so he offered her the job.
Matthews father was particularly pleased with him, there had been no reported mishaps and he had turned around the fortunes of the hotel, and so he invited him up to Abbottsford for the weekend for a celebratory meal but as he was conscious that his success was due more to Sarah Poole’s efforts than his own he dragged her along as well.
The following weekend he went on his own, the meal was very good and it was nice to see his parents but he didn’t stay the whole weekend as he was missing the quiet of Claremont.
And in truth he was a little embarrassed taking all the credit for the success at the Claremont plus he rather missed Sarah.
Matthew felt very pleased with himself for persuading Sarah to take the assistant Managers job although it was for purely selfish reasons.
Having Sarah as assistant manager, who was not only hard working and diligent but could also handle the guests very well, meant he could comfortably leave her in charge while he was doing what he did best, letting other people get on with it.
(Part 03)
Sarah Poole was five foot eight with long shapely legs, but in his leather chair she looked quite small, almost childlike, her head, with her pixie cut red hair was turned to the side and she had an angelic look on her face.
It was a pretty face that he was very familiar with, he saw it every day at work and every night in his dreams.
Matthew Millward’s arrival at the hotel had a massive impact on Sarah Poole, and not just the fact that she fell in love with him at first sight and the relationship that had developed between them after she had stolen a kiss on his first day.
She had been promoted from Hospitality Manager into the assistant manager’s position and she had been able to leave her alcoholic husband because she was living in the Gate Lodge.
And Matthew had decided that because she had done such a wonderful job, to such an extent that she was making him look good, coupled with the fact that he was in love with her, he decided she deserved a reward, and he knew just the thing, her own office.
Which he surprised her with in November after Sarah had a week off to move the remainder of her possessions from her former marital home in the village to her new home at the Gate Lodge and she was thrilled with it.
Although Sarah was living in the gate lodge and had started the process of divorcing her alcoholic husband, and had completely lost her heart to her boss, they had not progressed from sharing the occasional spine-tingling kiss.
She knew though that he was just being the gentleman and was waiting until she was ready, well by December she was.
It was on Christmas Eve when Sarah was sitting in her office opening the mail and she had a rather large parcel addressed to her personally, she opened it and found a gift wrapped present inside but she didn’t open it, she just read the card instead
“Have a very Merry Christmas Sarah, with love from a very grateful Guest”
“Well that’s lovely” she said to herself and then she remembered that she had a present to deliver as well.
After she had finished opening the mail she ordered what sounded like a very interesting sandwich from the kitchen which turned out to be rather boring so she drank the cup of tea that came with it and decided to go and deliver a present of her own.
Sarah stood in the hall holding a Christmas package when she knocked on the door of his suite.
When the door opened she found Matthew Millward standing there wearing a dressing gown.
“Happy Christmas Matthew” she said beaming a big smile and holding out the package.
“Wow Happy Christmas Sarah” he responded, “come in”
“Ok” she said still smiling broadly “but no impropriety”
“No impropriety” he agreed and Sarah stepped inside
“You didn’t have to get me a gift,” he said to her as she sat down on the sofa.
“I think I did though because last Christmas Ken was drunk for ten days in a row, we had no decorations, because he ripped them all down in a drunken rage, no tree for the same reason, no Christmas dinner because he spent all the housekeeping money on booze and there were no presents” she said and tears were beginning to form in her eyes
“This year, I have a new job, which I love, I have somewhere I can call home, which I love, I have my own office, which I also love, I have money in the bank and a bright future ahead and it’s all thanks to you”
He tried to interrupt but Sarah continued
“If you hadn’t helped me, believed in me, I wouldn’t be here now having the best Christmas I’ve ever had since I was child, and I will always be grateful for that, and the other things of course” she added and blushed as she stood up and produced a sprig of mistletoe.
“Doesn’t that constitute “impropriety”?” he asked
“No this doesn’t count” she explained
“We have to kiss, it’s the law”
“What law?” he asked
“Christmas law” Sarah replied
“Oh ok then” he conceded and they kissed and afterwards she said
“I don’t want to have to use mistletoe like this again”
“Ok I’ll try and remember for next year”
“No that’s not what I mean” She said and smiled “I want to be able to kiss you at any time I want, wherever I want, no matter who might be looking”
“Are you sure?” he asked
“Absolutely, it’s time for me to be happy” she replied and kissed him again.
After satisfying the Christmas ritual and establishing the new status of their relationship, she left his suite.
Matthew was leaving to spend Christmas in Abbottsford with his parents while she was on duty.
She had volunteered to give people with family the time off, but they would be spending New Year’s Eve together and the New Year would be their new beginning.
“Happy Christmas to me, I’ve got a boyfriend” she said as she walked down the hall smiling broadly.
Shallowfield sat on the southern edge of the Finchbottom Vale and was bordered on the other side by the Dancingdean forest and the town’s fortunes had always relied largely upon forestry and agriculture for its survival.
In the post war years with rationing and a shortage of work a lot of people moved away from the area and it only just survived and the community around Teardrop Lake fared even worse.
Only a few of the houses around the Lake were thriving, a lot of the houses had been rented out and those that hadn’t were in a poor state of repair, some too such an extent they were little more than ruins.
But by the 70s however things were beginning to change, thanks mainly to tourism as a result of an increase in leisure time.
This trend was reflected by the fact that the previously derelict Shallowfield Lodge, which had been inherited by a young couple from Lincolnshire, Rob and Sheryl Brown, was being turned into a Hotel.
From then on Shallowfield went from strength to strength which was echoed by the fortunes of the Claremont Hotel.
It was once the home of a wealthy Downshire family but like so many similar great houses in the county it fell into disuse as the fortunes of the owners suffered after the Great War.
It had had many reincarnations since then, particularly in the years between the wars and had been used for many things over the post war years but it wasn’t until the 60s that it became The Claremont Hotel.
However things had got tough in the Hotel trade with the success of Travelodge, Premier Inn and Holiday Inn Express and so places like the Claremont needed to offer something extra to attract the guests.
In the early summer a new manager was appointed, Matthew Millward, and he was an instant hit with the locals because he was young, tall, dark and handsome, physically fit, well-toned and had a reputation as a fair minded guy, which had very much preceded him.
He was 28 years old and his father owned the Millward Manor chain of hotels and he was grooming him to one day take over the reins of his worldwide hotel empire, the problem was that Matt had no head for business and he felt that he was more of an artistic soul.
Which could possibly have been ignored but for the fact that he had broken off his engagement with the granddaughter of his father’s oldest friend.
However that in itself wasn’t what had him exiled, it was Elaine’s attempted suicide, not that his action had caused her mental meltdown, it was rather more her mental instability being the deciding factor that forced him to end the engagement.
So it was decided to send Matt to the Claremont Hotel where he could do no real harm until the dust settled.
When he first found out he was being sent to Shallowfield, Matt was very unhappy, he was a city boy, born and bred, and he viewed being sent to the country as purgatory, but no one was more surprised than he was when he found that he actually loved it, it was a beautiful place, it was quiet and the air was clean and he felt immediately at home.
(Part 02)
When he first found out he was being sent to Shallowfield Matt was very unhappy, he was a city boy, born and bred, and he viewed being sent to the country as purgatory, but no one was more surprised than he was when he found that he actually loved it, it was a beautiful place, it was quiet and the air was clean and he felt immediately at home.
After the broken engagement and the resulting fall out Matthew Millward decided that he would not under any circumstances get himself romantically entangled while he was on punishment duty.
But there is a very apt saying which goes “never on your own doorstep” which he had clearly never heard because on his first day he fell head over heels for the Hospitality Manager, Sarah Poole, although in his defence the feeling was mutual.
Although apart from two very passionate kisses, the first initiated by her and the second by him, and the fact they were hopelessly in love with each other nothing else happened.
She was five foot eight with short red hair, in a pixie cut, mesmerizing green eyes and a cute figure with curves in all the right places and long slender legs.
Sarah was 26 years old and wasn’t looking for a relationship either because she was married, albeit to an alcoholic who hadn’t had shown her any marital attention for two years but she was still married to him nonetheless.
Sarah had worked at the hotel for since she left school, five years in housekeeping, five more in hospitality, and for two of those as Manager and she loved her job.
Despite the fact that Matthew was sent to the Claremont as a punishment and possessed no head for business he surprised his father as well as himself by doing a very acceptable job of managing the hotel and had grown the corporate side of the business and it was becoming a very popular venue for functions.
This was as a result in no small measure to his decision to promote the former Hospitality Manager Sarah Poole.
This was after Martin Tyrer tendered his resignation, he had been a loyal employee of the Millward Manor group for ten years and had been the Assistant Manager at the Claremont for 5 of those and when the Manager’s vacancy came up he believed he was a shoe in for the job.
So when Matthew Millward was parachuted in over his head it was just too much for him to take.
It left Matthew in a very difficult position as he needed someone who knew the place inside out and Sarah Poole was the only person that really fitted the bill so he offered her the job.
Matthews father was particularly pleased with him, there had been no reported mishaps and he had turned around the fortunes of the hotel, and so he invited him up to Abbottsford for the weekend for a celebratory meal but as he was conscious that his success was due more to Sarah Poole’s efforts than his own he dragged her along as well.
The following weekend he went on his own, the meal was very good and it was nice to see his parents but he didn’t stay the whole weekend as he was missing the quiet of Claremont.
And in truth he was a little embarrassed taking all the credit for the success at the Claremont plus he rather missed Sarah.
Matthew felt very pleased with himself for persuading Sarah to take the assistant Managers job although it was for purely selfish reasons.
Having Sarah as assistant manager, who was not only hard working and diligent but could also handle the guests very well, meant he could comfortably leave her in charge while he was doing what he did best, letting other people get on with it.
(Part 03)
Sarah Poole was five foot eight with long shapely legs, but in his leather chair she looked quite small, almost childlike, her head, with her pixie cut red hair was turned to the side and she had an angelic look on her face.
It was a pretty face that he was very familiar with, he saw it every day at work and every night in his dreams.
Matthew Millward’s arrival at the hotel had a massive impact on Sarah Poole, and not just the fact that she fell in love with him at first sight and the relationship that had developed between them after she had stolen a kiss on his first day.
She had been promoted from Hospitality Manager into the assistant manager’s position and she had been able to leave her alcoholic husband because she was living in the Gate Lodge.
And Matthew had decided that because she had done such a wonderful job, to such an extent that she was making him look good, coupled with the fact that he was in love with her, he decided she deserved a reward, and he knew just the thing, her own office.
Which he surprised her with in November after Sarah had a week off to move the remainder of her possessions from her former marital home in the village to her new home at the Gate Lodge and she was thrilled with it.
Although Sarah was living in the gate lodge and had started the process of divorcing her alcoholic husband, and had completely lost her heart to her boss, they had not progressed from sharing the occasional spine-tingling kiss.
She knew though that he was just being the gentleman and was waiting until she was ready, well by December she was.
It was on Christmas Eve when Sarah was sitting in her office opening the mail and she had a rather large parcel addressed to her personally, she opened it and found a gift wrapped present inside but she didn’t open it, she just read the card instead
“Have a very Merry Christmas Sarah, with love from a very grateful Guest”
“Well that’s lovely” she said to herself and then she remembered that she had a present to deliver as well.
After she had finished opening the mail she ordered what sounded like a very interesting sandwich from the kitchen which turned out to be rather boring so she drank the cup of tea that came with it and decided to go and deliver a present of her own.
Sarah stood in the hall holding a Christmas package when she knocked on the door of his suite.
When the door opened she found Matthew Millward standing there wearing a dressing gown.
“Happy Christmas Matthew” she said beaming a big smile and holding out the package.
“Wow Happy Christmas Sarah” he responded, “come in”
“Ok” she said still smiling broadly “but no impropriety”
“No impropriety” he agreed and Sarah stepped inside
“You didn’t have to get me a gift,” he said to her as she sat down on the sofa.
“I think I did though because last Christmas Ken was drunk for ten days in a row, we had no decorations, because he ripped them all down in a drunken rage, no tree for the same reason, no Christmas dinner because he spent all the housekeeping money on booze and there were no presents” she said and tears were beginning to form in her eyes
“This year, I have a new job, which I love, I have somewhere I can call home, which I love, I have my own office, which I also love, I have money in the bank and a bright future ahead and it’s all thanks to you”
He tried to interrupt but Sarah continued
“If you hadn’t helped me, believed in me, I wouldn’t be here now having the best Christmas I’ve ever had since I was child, and I will always be grateful for that, and the other things of course” she added and blushed as she stood up and produced a sprig of mistletoe.
“Doesn’t that constitute “impropriety”?” he asked
“No this doesn’t count” she explained
“We have to kiss, it’s the law”
“What law?” he asked
“Christmas law” Sarah replied
“Oh ok then” he conceded and they kissed and afterwards she said
“I don’t want to have to use mistletoe like this again”
“Ok I’ll try and remember for next year”
“No that’s not what I mean” She said and smiled “I want to be able to kiss you at any time I want, wherever I want, no matter who might be looking”
“Are you sure?” he asked
“Absolutely, it’s time for me to be happy” she replied and kissed him again.
After satisfying the Christmas ritual and establishing the new status of their relationship, she left his suite.
Matthew was leaving to spend Christmas in Abbottsford with his parents while she was on duty.
She had volunteered to give people with family the time off, but they would be spending New Year’s Eve together and the New Year would be their new beginning.
“Happy Christmas to me, I’ve got a boyfriend” she said as she walked down the hall smiling broadly.
Thursday 1 June 2017
Tales from the Finchbottom Vale – (91) Christmas Plans
“I fancy something to eat” she said and the movement of her head caused the golden earrings to glint in the Christmas candlelight.
“Me too” he said
As they left their pews he glance up at the memorial plaques on the wall and one of them in particular
“Lt William Beaumont Killed in Action, Died February 1941 aged 19”
It struck a chord for two reason firstly because his brother was 19 when he lost him, though not in a war, his demise was due to drink driving, his own.
The other thing was that he felt a connection to William Beaumont because his grandfather knew him, in fact they served together in the Downshire’s and was actually present when he was killed and he always spoke well of him.
The reason it struck a chord on that day was that he had been taking stock of his life and had come to the conclusion that life was a participation kind of thing and he hadn’t participated fully and he had lived twice as long as William.
And that was why he had gone to church that day for guidance from on high while enjoying the peace and tranquility and he got an answer of sorts
“You know what to do”
And then by divine providence she was there in the church, Caroline Kimber.
“Now it’s up to you” he said to himself
She smiled when she saw him and sat beside him and they chatted as they had many times before, but on this occasion he was more overt in his converse which gave Caroline hope which was why she said
“I fancy something to eat”
They left the church and crossed the street to the corner café where they had often had lunch together.
They used to sit right in the window, never saying much, they just sat there in a comfortable silence, drinking tea and watching the world go by.
But he had decided that other people sitting in café’s should be watching him and Caroline go by.
So on that day as the Christmas shoppers bustled by George was oblivious to them because he had eyes only for Caroline and nor was he silent and as a result she was expectant and then he said
“I was wondering what you were doing for Christmas”
“Nothing, I have no plans” Caroline replied
“Nor do I” George said “so why don’t we plan to do nothing together”
“You mean spend Christmas…. Together”
“Yes”
“I would like that very much” she said
“Merry Christmas” he said and saluted her with his mug and she reciprocated.
“Me too” he said
As they left their pews he glance up at the memorial plaques on the wall and one of them in particular
“Lt William Beaumont Killed in Action, Died February 1941 aged 19”
It struck a chord for two reason firstly because his brother was 19 when he lost him, though not in a war, his demise was due to drink driving, his own.
The other thing was that he felt a connection to William Beaumont because his grandfather knew him, in fact they served together in the Downshire’s and was actually present when he was killed and he always spoke well of him.
The reason it struck a chord on that day was that he had been taking stock of his life and had come to the conclusion that life was a participation kind of thing and he hadn’t participated fully and he had lived twice as long as William.
And that was why he had gone to church that day for guidance from on high while enjoying the peace and tranquility and he got an answer of sorts
“You know what to do”
And then by divine providence she was there in the church, Caroline Kimber.
“Now it’s up to you” he said to himself
She smiled when she saw him and sat beside him and they chatted as they had many times before, but on this occasion he was more overt in his converse which gave Caroline hope which was why she said
“I fancy something to eat”
They left the church and crossed the street to the corner café where they had often had lunch together.
They used to sit right in the window, never saying much, they just sat there in a comfortable silence, drinking tea and watching the world go by.
But he had decided that other people sitting in café’s should be watching him and Caroline go by.
So on that day as the Christmas shoppers bustled by George was oblivious to them because he had eyes only for Caroline and nor was he silent and as a result she was expectant and then he said
“I was wondering what you were doing for Christmas”
“Nothing, I have no plans” Caroline replied
“Nor do I” George said “so why don’t we plan to do nothing together”
“You mean spend Christmas…. Together”
“Yes”
“I would like that very much” she said
“Merry Christmas” he said and saluted her with his mug and she reciprocated.
Tales from the Finchbottom Vale – (79) The Christmas Gift
Claire Jarvis went to the University of Downshire where she studied English at Abbottsford and it was for her, like many girls of her age, a life defining time.
She was the only child of well to do parents, who divorced when she was seven and as a result she had been thoroughly spoilt and was given everything her heart desired, except the one thing she craved most in all the world, their love and as a result she withdrew into her own world.
Although Claire was the oldest of the four girls in her dorm she actually looked the youngest by some distance.
Despite the fact that she had the body of a mature woman she had a baby face but she was destined to bloom into a very beautiful woman.
She was in halls for the first year and she shared with three other girls Amy Coates, a tall big busted redhead, Alison Holmes, a skinny girl with a bad case of OCD and Carole Bean a tall, beautiful and kindly girl who like herself was a brunette.
All four of the girls were studying English in one form or another and apart from their studies they also had in common the fact they were all natives of the Finchbottom Vale.
Claire was from Purplemere, Carole from Childean, Alison from Finchbottom and Amy from Shallowfield.
But being in the close company of the three girls brought her out of herself and the friendship that resulted from, on the face of it, 4 very different characters coming together, lasted for their lifetimes.
And as they got on so well the four of them decided very early on to rent a house between them for the second and third years.
However of all the girls Claire found herself drawn most to Carole Bean.
The fact that the two of them had more lectures and seminars together than the other two partly aided their closeness but it was mainly because they got each other, they shared a sense of humour as well as having similar tastes in music, a love of pizza and old romantic comedies and when it came time to go home to the Vale they normally travelled together, but what really drew them together in her first year was something that would define her world and shake her to the core.
It happened during the Easter Holiday of their first year when Carole returned to the flat to discover Claire laying naked on the sofa and Carole couldn’t take her eyes off of her and when Claire discovered that she had an audience Carole couldn’t keep her hands off her either and they made love for the first time.
Allthough neither of them could fully come to terms with the fact that they might be gay it didn’t prevent them from adding to their lesbian experiences throughout their University years and the fact that they were in love and because of that love they had some very exciting experiences together one of which was particularly memorable and occurred at the house they shared.
At the end of the year they found themselves alone in the rented house on Christmas Eve, they wanted to spend a whole day of their first Christmas together on their own, and they would travel back to the Vale early on Christmas Morning to spend Christmas with their families.
They were all packed for the next day apart from the presents which were still sitting underneath the tree, just to make the place more Christmassy.
And all that afternoon and most of the evening Claire was like a child.
“Can I open a present?” she asked Carole every ten minutes.
“Just one, please, please, please” she begged and after several hours of it, she was getting right on Carole’s tits to tell the truth.
She kept picking up the presents, shaking them, squeezing them, and even listening to them until finally Carole relented and as she headed upstairs to the loo she said.
“We can open one present each before we leave for midnight mass”
“Oh Goody” Claire squealed
When she came back down stairs she was expecting to find Claire waiting impatiently by the tree to open a present.
But instead she found her lying beneath the tree with wrapping paper loosely draped about her body and she wasn’t wearing any clothes.
“You go first” she said
Once Carole had un-wrapped her present and thoroughly enjoyed the contents they were very nearly late for midnight mass.
She was the only child of well to do parents, who divorced when she was seven and as a result she had been thoroughly spoilt and was given everything her heart desired, except the one thing she craved most in all the world, their love and as a result she withdrew into her own world.
Although Claire was the oldest of the four girls in her dorm she actually looked the youngest by some distance.
Despite the fact that she had the body of a mature woman she had a baby face but she was destined to bloom into a very beautiful woman.
She was in halls for the first year and she shared with three other girls Amy Coates, a tall big busted redhead, Alison Holmes, a skinny girl with a bad case of OCD and Carole Bean a tall, beautiful and kindly girl who like herself was a brunette.
All four of the girls were studying English in one form or another and apart from their studies they also had in common the fact they were all natives of the Finchbottom Vale.
Claire was from Purplemere, Carole from Childean, Alison from Finchbottom and Amy from Shallowfield.
But being in the close company of the three girls brought her out of herself and the friendship that resulted from, on the face of it, 4 very different characters coming together, lasted for their lifetimes.
And as they got on so well the four of them decided very early on to rent a house between them for the second and third years.
However of all the girls Claire found herself drawn most to Carole Bean.
The fact that the two of them had more lectures and seminars together than the other two partly aided their closeness but it was mainly because they got each other, they shared a sense of humour as well as having similar tastes in music, a love of pizza and old romantic comedies and when it came time to go home to the Vale they normally travelled together, but what really drew them together in her first year was something that would define her world and shake her to the core.
It happened during the Easter Holiday of their first year when Carole returned to the flat to discover Claire laying naked on the sofa and Carole couldn’t take her eyes off of her and when Claire discovered that she had an audience Carole couldn’t keep her hands off her either and they made love for the first time.
Allthough neither of them could fully come to terms with the fact that they might be gay it didn’t prevent them from adding to their lesbian experiences throughout their University years and the fact that they were in love and because of that love they had some very exciting experiences together one of which was particularly memorable and occurred at the house they shared.
At the end of the year they found themselves alone in the rented house on Christmas Eve, they wanted to spend a whole day of their first Christmas together on their own, and they would travel back to the Vale early on Christmas Morning to spend Christmas with their families.
They were all packed for the next day apart from the presents which were still sitting underneath the tree, just to make the place more Christmassy.
And all that afternoon and most of the evening Claire was like a child.
“Can I open a present?” she asked Carole every ten minutes.
“Just one, please, please, please” she begged and after several hours of it, she was getting right on Carole’s tits to tell the truth.
She kept picking up the presents, shaking them, squeezing them, and even listening to them until finally Carole relented and as she headed upstairs to the loo she said.
“We can open one present each before we leave for midnight mass”
“Oh Goody” Claire squealed
When she came back down stairs she was expecting to find Claire waiting impatiently by the tree to open a present.
But instead she found her lying beneath the tree with wrapping paper loosely draped about her body and she wasn’t wearing any clothes.
“You go first” she said
Once Carole had un-wrapped her present and thoroughly enjoyed the contents they were very nearly late for midnight mass.
Wednesday 31 May 2017
Tales from the Finchbottom Vale – (92) Christmas on the Ward
Kathryn Reed had just turned thirty and she was a nurse, but reaching her milestone birthday she realised she was in a bit of a rut.
She was single and had lived alone for four years since her last boyfriend Dave got his marching orders and although she enjoyed her job she thought she could be doing more.
She was a good nurse, quietly efficient, and very popular with staff and patients alike.
Kath was tall and slim, she was also pretty but with her yellow hair scraped back into a bun and her half-moon glasses perched on her nose she looked a bit severe and her flat hospital shoes did nothing for her long slender legs.
But none of that stopped3 her from being admired.
Because she had no family nearby and no other plans she was working all over Christmas to allow the nurses who did have families to spend it at home with them and because she was doing them a favour they would do the same for her over New Years.
She had done it every year since she broke up with Dave, but that Christmas she had another reason to be on duty, because she had fallen for one of the patients on her ward in a big way.
This was not the done thing on many levels, firstly because nurses and patient’s fraternising was a no no, and very unprofessional, and she was very professional, the second reason was because the patient was a girl.
Kathryn had always been bi, but had made the decision in her early twenties to be either fish or fowl, and she had chosen to be heterosexual, but having turned 30 with no one in her life she had decided to re-evaluate, but that was after Christine Gallaher arrived on her ward.
She was younger than Kath by about six years with Titian hair and pale skin and she thought she was lovely.
Kath was encouraged by the fact that Christine’s only visitors were her parents, and as far as she could tell she had had no romantic visitors.
Christine was only in for some relatively minor surgery and was due to go home on Christmas Eve but it was decided to keep her in as a precaution as her blood pressure was very erratic and had caused some concern.
Kathryn was not concerned because she had discovered the cause of the problem, and it was her.
She made the discovery while she was attending to daily observations, because she very quickly realised she was having a distinct effect on her the painfully shy girl, but Kathryn hoped she might bring her out of herself.
Because Kathryn liked her she took her time, the patients she didn’t like she wasted no time with.
They chatted as she went about her business and updated the chart, then she took her temperature, pulse and finally her blood pressure. Kath attended to the cuff around her arm and pumped the bulb and when she had a reading she took hold of Christine’s hand and said
“Just relax”
But the caress of her hand made her do anything but relax and Kath knew for certain that the attraction was mutual.
“Well I think we have the cure for what ails you” she said and smiled as she gave her hand a squeeze and Christine smiled back and blushed.
Because the hospital always made a concerted effort to get as many patients home as possible over Christmas there were only a few patients left on Clementine Ward and only Kath and one other nurse were on duty to cover it.
So there were times during the day when the staff and patient comings and goings were almost non-existent.
Alice Franklyn, the other nurse took her break at three o’clock on Christmas Day so that Kathryn would be able to take hers and be back before visiting started at 4.
Christine was in a six bed bay at the quiet end of the ward and her bed was at the far end and only one other bed was occupied which was next to hers but Mrs George was in the bathroom.
There were no screens up around Christine’s bed but Mrs George pulled her curtain around her bed so she could get changed in privacy after her shower.
On seeing the screens in place Kathryn decided to make her move as Christine may well be discharged the next day before Kathryn’s shift began on Boxing Day.
So she decided to strike while the iron was hot and walked briskly to her bed and brandished a sprig of mistletoe and said
“Happy Christmas Miss Gallaher”
Then she stooped and softly kissed Christine’s smiling lips, then again, and again until it just became one long sensual kiss, which only ended when Mrs George emerged from the bathroom
“I’ve been wanting to do that for ages” Kathryn whispered
“I’m glad” Christine whispered in reply “I have too”
Kathryn didn’t volunteer to work on Christmas Day the following year as she had a reason to be at home and Christine was very happy about that.
She was single and had lived alone for four years since her last boyfriend Dave got his marching orders and although she enjoyed her job she thought she could be doing more.
She was a good nurse, quietly efficient, and very popular with staff and patients alike.
Kath was tall and slim, she was also pretty but with her yellow hair scraped back into a bun and her half-moon glasses perched on her nose she looked a bit severe and her flat hospital shoes did nothing for her long slender legs.
But none of that stopped3 her from being admired.
Because she had no family nearby and no other plans she was working all over Christmas to allow the nurses who did have families to spend it at home with them and because she was doing them a favour they would do the same for her over New Years.
She had done it every year since she broke up with Dave, but that Christmas she had another reason to be on duty, because she had fallen for one of the patients on her ward in a big way.
This was not the done thing on many levels, firstly because nurses and patient’s fraternising was a no no, and very unprofessional, and she was very professional, the second reason was because the patient was a girl.
Kathryn had always been bi, but had made the decision in her early twenties to be either fish or fowl, and she had chosen to be heterosexual, but having turned 30 with no one in her life she had decided to re-evaluate, but that was after Christine Gallaher arrived on her ward.
She was younger than Kath by about six years with Titian hair and pale skin and she thought she was lovely.
Kath was encouraged by the fact that Christine’s only visitors were her parents, and as far as she could tell she had had no romantic visitors.
Christine was only in for some relatively minor surgery and was due to go home on Christmas Eve but it was decided to keep her in as a precaution as her blood pressure was very erratic and had caused some concern.
Kathryn was not concerned because she had discovered the cause of the problem, and it was her.
She made the discovery while she was attending to daily observations, because she very quickly realised she was having a distinct effect on her the painfully shy girl, but Kathryn hoped she might bring her out of herself.
Because Kathryn liked her she took her time, the patients she didn’t like she wasted no time with.
They chatted as she went about her business and updated the chart, then she took her temperature, pulse and finally her blood pressure. Kath attended to the cuff around her arm and pumped the bulb and when she had a reading she took hold of Christine’s hand and said
“Just relax”
But the caress of her hand made her do anything but relax and Kath knew for certain that the attraction was mutual.
“Well I think we have the cure for what ails you” she said and smiled as she gave her hand a squeeze and Christine smiled back and blushed.
Because the hospital always made a concerted effort to get as many patients home as possible over Christmas there were only a few patients left on Clementine Ward and only Kath and one other nurse were on duty to cover it.
So there were times during the day when the staff and patient comings and goings were almost non-existent.
Alice Franklyn, the other nurse took her break at three o’clock on Christmas Day so that Kathryn would be able to take hers and be back before visiting started at 4.
Christine was in a six bed bay at the quiet end of the ward and her bed was at the far end and only one other bed was occupied which was next to hers but Mrs George was in the bathroom.
There were no screens up around Christine’s bed but Mrs George pulled her curtain around her bed so she could get changed in privacy after her shower.
On seeing the screens in place Kathryn decided to make her move as Christine may well be discharged the next day before Kathryn’s shift began on Boxing Day.
So she decided to strike while the iron was hot and walked briskly to her bed and brandished a sprig of mistletoe and said
“Happy Christmas Miss Gallaher”
Then she stooped and softly kissed Christine’s smiling lips, then again, and again until it just became one long sensual kiss, which only ended when Mrs George emerged from the bathroom
“I’ve been wanting to do that for ages” Kathryn whispered
“I’m glad” Christine whispered in reply “I have too”
Kathryn didn’t volunteer to work on Christmas Day the following year as she had a reason to be at home and Christine was very happy about that.
Those Memories Made on Teardrop Lake – (69) A Poor Little Rich Boy’s Christmas
Phil Marshall was 22 years old and an only child who lived with his parents in a huge 10 bedroom house in the village of Shallowfield on the edge of the Dancingdean Forest, and he had led a very privileged life and he was spoilt and conceited and had grown accustomed to always getting what he wanted.
So when the Purcell’s came to stay for the family Christmas gathering in the 1990’s and he set his cap for their eldest daughter Denise he fully expected to get his wish and sleep her.
She was a year younger than him with flaming red shoulder length hair and a busty undulating form that made his heart race.
He planned on wasting no time in getting in his Cousin Denise’s bed but alas on the first night beneath the Marshall’s roof he fell asleep while he waited for the house to fall silent.
So on the second night he made sure he didn’t succumb to sleep before Denise succumbed to his lust.
It was just after 1 am when he tiptoed across the landing in a Santa Suit, full of expectation but as he slowly opened the door he was greeted by the discouraging sight of Denise cuddled beneath the duvet with the family housekeeper Josie McCalonan.
As he stood watching, Denise suddenly opened her eyes and realised he was there and said
“There’s no one in here for you Santa we’ve had out presents” and she smiled contentedly.
Phil closed the door and turned around to find Denise’s older sister Rachel standing by her open bedroom door and as Rachel had carried a torch for Phil for several years she said.
“If she’s not interested I wouldn’t say no to a present”
Rachel was not as pretty or busty or as sexy as her sister but she was obviously straight, she was willing and she was standing across the landing so Phil decided that she may have been second best but he knew that she would still give him a Christmas to remember.
So when the Purcell’s came to stay for the family Christmas gathering in the 1990’s and he set his cap for their eldest daughter Denise he fully expected to get his wish and sleep her.
She was a year younger than him with flaming red shoulder length hair and a busty undulating form that made his heart race.
He planned on wasting no time in getting in his Cousin Denise’s bed but alas on the first night beneath the Marshall’s roof he fell asleep while he waited for the house to fall silent.
So on the second night he made sure he didn’t succumb to sleep before Denise succumbed to his lust.
It was just after 1 am when he tiptoed across the landing in a Santa Suit, full of expectation but as he slowly opened the door he was greeted by the discouraging sight of Denise cuddled beneath the duvet with the family housekeeper Josie McCalonan.
As he stood watching, Denise suddenly opened her eyes and realised he was there and said
“There’s no one in here for you Santa we’ve had out presents” and she smiled contentedly.
Phil closed the door and turned around to find Denise’s older sister Rachel standing by her open bedroom door and as Rachel had carried a torch for Phil for several years she said.
“If she’s not interested I wouldn’t say no to a present”
Rachel was not as pretty or busty or as sexy as her sister but she was obviously straight, she was willing and she was standing across the landing so Phil decided that she may have been second best but he knew that she would still give him a Christmas to remember.
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