Page 83 of A Festive Surprise

‘We’ve been trying to reach you all day.’

‘I don’t always get reception. Get on messenger if you want to contact me.’

‘Yes, yes,’ said her father. ‘We’re considering it for the new year.’

‘You are?’ Holly pulled a face at the screen. Could they change the habit of a lifetime? Could she? Once she’d been on a path where she wanted to settle, commit to a partner, and become a family. Her humiliating attempt to secure that had knocked her off course. But Farid had pulled her back on. Now, the road was twisting back towards a future she’d thought long gone.

‘We are. Now, tell us, what are you doing for Christmas Day?’

‘I’m spending it with Farid.’ That was what she wanted. The reality might not play out but her heart told her to say it out loud. Confessing made it real and her intentions clear.

‘Hmm,’ said her father. ‘You’re still hell-bent on seeing this man, are you?’

‘Yes. He’s a great guy, Dad. And one day I’d like you to meet him.’

‘Well, I suppose. We should be able to trust your judgement despite the appalling fiasco with Gavin.’

‘I didn’t turn Gavin down. It was him who turned me down. I proposed.’

‘What? Why didn’t you say so before?’

‘Because it was embarrassing.’

‘Oh dear. And he turned you down. Silly man. Well, I know people who are very friendly with his parents and from all accounts he’s a miserable so and so, so he’s got what he deserved.’

Holly pressed her lips together to restrain her laugh. Her father’s indignation on her behalf was funny and inflated a happy bubble in her chest.

‘Maybe. But I should have considered how he felt before leaping in. It’s not like that with Farid.’

‘Isn’t it? Are you sure?’

‘Yes. I’ve been the opposite with him.’ Ridiculously overcautious in fact. ‘He’s repeatedly told me how he feels.’ And she’d dismissed it. Not only had he told her, but he’d shown her.

‘Well, as long as you’re sure this isn’t some ploy to get into the country.’

‘No, Dad. It’s definitely not that.’

‘I’m glad to hear it.’

That was it? No more remonstrations? He was ok with it? Was this Christmas spirit? Holly rubbed her forehead. ‘Merry Christmas, Dad. Can I chat to Ma for a bit?’

‘Of course, and Merry Christmas to you too.’

Holly continued to browse as she chatted to her mother and made her confession yet again. Ma was as outraged as Dad. Hopefully she wouldn’t crash the Sinclair’s Christmas feast to give Gavin a piece of her mind and whack him round the head with her handbag. These reactions were not what she’d expected. Gavin’s rejection had made her doubt so much.

Her gaze was glued on one little object in the window. With that, Farid’s festive surprise would be complete. The crowd in the shop diminished and Holly approached the till. The assistant smiled. ‘How can I help you?’

‘There’s a little camel in the window. Can I have it, please?’

∞∞∞

Armed with her version of the immortal camel, Holly had a quick sweep of the remaining shops. Most of them were getting ready to close early for the day but Holly found enough traditional stocking fillers to fill a bag. She grabbed the two last rolls of wrapping paper in the Co-op and a pack of tape. The Christmas Eve wrap was on.

Between Tobermory and the Ardnish estate was the village of Dervaig. On the hill above the village was a parking area with a short walk to some standing stones. She pulled into the car park. Inky blackness had descended on the island. Below, the lights of the village twinkled. She had a weird out-of-body moment as she took out the tiny camel figurine. She was one of the Magi poised on a hill above Bethlehem, surveying the town as the stars glowed overhead, seeking something… Someone. Leaning forward she looked out of her windscreen and sure enough, several bright stars sparkled like gems in the night sky. Her imagination surely, but she could have sworn one of them burned brighter than the others. Was it showing the way to a little cottage on the Ardnish estate?

She put on the car light and pulled the gifts from the bag. As soon as she took out the wrapping paper, she realised what was missing. No scissors! This could be interesting. She rummaged through her handbag. What a miracle, she had a pair of nail scissors. Cutting the paper off the roll with them was like carving a turkey with a disposable plastic knife but she did it. Slowly and steadily, the socks, chocolates, beer, wash set, puzzle book, sweets, pens and a beautiful island map rolled up in a tube were wrapped and ready. She’d bought nothing extravagant because that wasn’t what Christmas was about. The festive season was, as Farid had said, about celebrating love and warmth in the coldest, darkest season of the year. Any traditions and fun they opted into along the way could be adapted and made to fit. Giving Farid a stocking full of gifts on Christmas morning was more precious than forking out on something expensive that would be forgotten in a couple of months. She didn’t even have a stocking but she did have an idea.

Her heart thumped wildly as she approached the cottage at Ardnish. The track was icy but it wasn’t that. How to initiate her plan? Should she go and talk to him now? Or wait until the dead of night and sneak in like Santa?

His pickup was there but his side of the cottage was in darkness. The whole building was almost invisible unless you knew it was there. Holly tapped the wheel. Was he in bed already? Surely not at six o’clock. She parked the car around the side, out of sight, killed the engine and sat in the car. What now?

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