Page 63 of A Miracle on Hope Street
Gloria arrives as we are unpacking the food shopping and, when I open the door to let her in, I can hardly see her behind the huge hamper that she carries which almost covers her face.
‘We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!’ she sings from behind the giant box of goodies.
‘Wow, Gloria, let me get that from you,’ I say in surprise. ‘Only for your fine singing voice I’d have had no idea who you were.’
I take the hamper from her and lead her into the dining room on the left then through to the kitchen where Michael is dancing to Christmas tunes from the radio while measuring up the oven to make sure it can cope with the giant turkey we’re planning to cook.
‘Aren’t you two just the A Team!’ says Gloria. ‘What a fantastic thing you are doing! I’m so flippin’ proud of you. Come ’ere and give old Gloria a Christmas hug!’
We do exactly as she says and, as the three of us stand there with Bruce Springsteen giving it all in the background, I get such a flutter in my heart for people like Gloria who reminds me so often of all the goodness there can be in a sometimes very bleak world.
‘I brought you some goodies to share with your guests,’ she says, referring to the huge hamper that now sits on the table. ‘There’s a bit of everything in there – some cakes, buns, soft drinks, not so soft drinks, chutneys, crackers for cheese, crackers for pulling, patés, cheeses for the crackers – ah, I dunno exactly but let’s just say I sent Richard shopping and he came back with a mountain.’
‘You’re so good,’ I say to Gloria. ‘Thank you a million times over. Are you all set for visiting your in-laws?’
Gloria rolls her eyes.
‘Yes, yes of course I am,’ she chuckles. ‘No point breaking tradition at this stage of my life and aren’t we so lucky to have Richard’s mum to share it with. She’s a ripe one for her eighty seven years and she still knows how to knock us out with her huge servings and a warm welcome, soI’ve closed up the café, I’ve ditched the apron and I’m looking forward to putting my feet up after dinner tomorrow and counting my blessings for another festive season with family and good friends. And how are you, my darling Michael?’
Michael smiles and glances at me.
‘We’ve had a fun and eventful week preparing for this and getting to know each other,’ he says to her. ‘Thank you, Gloria. You were right about this one. They sure did break the mould when they made Ruth Ryans.’
Gloria clasps her hands to her chest.
‘Your daddy would be so proud,’ she says to me, her eyes glistening over. ‘He would be so, so proud of you and all that you are doing. You know, I reckon if you listen carefully enough in this house you could probably hear him say it. Now, you two have a great time tomorrow, you hear? Don’t work too hard and remember to enjoy it for yourselves also. I knew exactly what I was doing when I suggested Michael was the one to help you out today, even if it did mean I had to tell a little white lie about Suzi.’
I’m totally taken aback. Gloria told me a white lie about Suzi?
‘Well, I didn’t tell a lie exactly,’ she says to us both. ‘I kinda just jumped the gun a little. Suzi wanted to go to London to see her sister but she didn’t have enough money, so yes, she could have helped you here today, but I had a better idea in store for you all. Let’s just say I gave her a little Christmas bonus to see her on her way. She was over the moon and I think it all worked out for the best, don’t you?’
Gloria winks and then waves as she makes her way out into the hall, singing again at the top of her voice.
‘You’re a rascal, Miss Gloria!’ I shout after her. ‘An absolute rascal and I love you for it!’
Michael looks even more shocked than I am.
‘I can’t speak,’ he says, shaking his head and following us both to the door. ‘You’re always about ten steps ahead of us, Gloria, aren’t you? Just when I think you have done all you can for me, you come up with something even better that makes my life turn around in a totally different direction, and all for the better.’
Gloria stops at the threshold and gives us both a farewell peck on the cheek.
‘Have a super Christmas and give Richard a big hug from us both,’ I say to her as she dances down the steps. ‘You’re the best, you know that! The best in the whole wide world!’
Michael stands beside me as we watch her get into her car and she beeps the horn when she is driving off into the afternoon traffic. I close the door and stand in the hallway, taking a moment to absorb how Gloria made a lot of this happen.
‘How on earth can we ever thank her?’ Michael says to me.
‘By having a bloody good time this Christmas,’ I say to him with a beaming smile. ‘I think that’s what would make Gloria happiest of all. She loves it when a plan comes together.’
‘Don’t we all,’ says Michael. ‘Now, let’s get back to the kitchen. I have plans for you to pour a glass of something bubbly, put your feet up, and let me at it in the kitchen.’
‘I’m with you on the bubbly,’ I say to him, ‘but I’ve presents to wrap, and one of them is still in the boot of my car, so you’re going to have to turn up the music in the kitchen and let me at it for a while. No peeping, you hear?’
‘You’re such a hard taskmaster, Ruth Ryans,’ says Michael. ‘But I absolutely love it.’
As darkness falls on Christmas Eve, I have all my presents wrapped, the dining-room table is decorated, we’ve nibbled enough goodies from Michael’s shopping and Gloria’s hamper to fill us up until dinner later, which we’ve planned to go all Italian with and cook ‘seven fish’ and pasta just like my mother did for us throughout our childhood every Christmas Eve as we waited for Santa. I decided not to tell Gloria about my mother coming tomorrow. I don’t want to weigh her down with anything heavy when she has her own family and her own Christmas to deal with, but I look forward to filling her in when the festivities are over.
I’ve had just two glasses of bubbly but I feel swirly and happy and the smell of cooked ham as it boils on the stove takes me back to such happy, positive times when everything was innocent and new and all I had to worry about on Christmas Eve was what time I needed to be asleep by for Santa’s grand arrival.
