Page 45 of The Day After Christmas
Valerie straightened. ‘Well,’ she said, ‘thank God you found her. Donkeys don’t do well on their own.’
‘That’s what I said,’ added James proudly.
Felicity gave him a sideways glance from her awkward position crouching on the floor, where their new friend was balancing her soft chin on Felicity’s head.
‘All right, calm down, Donkey Man,’ she said with a laugh.
Valerie gave a snort, examining him. ‘You’d better not be from Jersey,’ she said mysteriously.
Felicity shifted position so she could sit on the floor and cross her legs, all the better to cuddle the donkey, who was standingwith her eyes closed and bottom lip drooping, looking even more cute than before.
‘From Jersey? No, we’re both from England. Why did you…?’
Valerie tutted as if they were idiots. ‘Jersey people call us Guernsey folk “donkeys”. Didn’t you know that?’
‘That’s a bit rude,’ said James with a laugh.
Valerie smiled for the first time and she looked like a completely different – much friendlier – person.
‘Well, it is but to be fair we are all stubborn as hell, and people always think donkeys are stubborn… so. Mules might be a better word although actually they are even sharper than donkeys. Don’t miss a trick, mules don’t. And anyway, we call that lot “toads”, so we’re even.’
James shrugged. ‘I’d rather be a donkey than a toad.’
‘Me too,’ said Felicity with a nod.
‘I’d quite like to be that donkey right now,’ muttered James under his breath.
‘Yes, I’ve got a new love now I’m afraid,’ said Felicity, laughing, her fingers buried in the little donkey’s fur.
‘I can see that.’
‘That’s why people kept thinking we were prank-calling them,’ said Felicity, recognition dawning. ‘It’s a Guernsey thing.’
‘That’ll be it,’ said Valerie. ‘Good job you found me.’
It wasn’t long before they had to say their goodbyes. Valerie had brought a small trailer and after a little bit of negotiation and only a tiny bit of argy-bargy they managed to persuade the little donkey into the back with some ginger biscuits of all things. ‘Their absolute favourites,’ Valerie declared. And so it proved. She loaded without so much as a look back. Felicity felt bereft.
‘Could we… I mean, if we ever came back would we be able to…?’ Her voice tailed off. She felt a bit daft even asking.
‘You want to come and visit her?’ said Valerie, her stern voice softening.
‘If that would be okay?’
‘Sure, anytime. We’ve got thirty donkeys. Thirty-one, now. You’d love it.’
Felicity felt flushed with happiness at the thought of their rescued donkey having so many new friends.
‘But I should warn you I won’t be doing this forever,’ said Valerie as she scribbled down her address and phone number. ‘I’m getting far too old for this.’
‘Surely not,’ said James, his voice teasing.
‘Flattery won’t get you anywhere, young man.’
James looked chastened and Felicity bit her lip to keep from laughing.
‘But…’ said Valerie, pausing at the door to her car. ‘Look, why don’t you name her? She doesn’t have a name as far as we know, although I’m damned if I know where she’s come from. Would you like that?’
Felicity and James exchanged a long look.
