Page 42 of The Perfect Blend
“Oh, of course,” I said. “I had forgotten that. You know,” I lowered my voice conspiratorially and the children leaned closer, “not too far from here there is a fairy wood where, if you are really lucky, you can see them. Maybe in the new year when it’s spring and all the bluebells are out, we could go there and look for fairies together.”
“Really?” said Katie, the scepticism of her pre-teen years clear on her face.
I turned to her, my face as serious as a funeral. “Truly. My Mum took me there when I was your age. She said her daddy used to take her there, and once, they truly did see a fairy.” I looked each child in the eye, all three of them were hooked on every word I spoke. “You know for sure that that fairies have been about, you see, because there are always fairy rings there.”
“Iknow about fairy rings,” Katie said, looking all serious and knowledgeable.
“Me too!” shouted Jess.
“And me!” James joined in. “It’s in our fairy books!”
I nodded sagely, “I expected nothing less from experts such as yourselves. Shall we all go to the Fairy Woods next spring?”
They all shouted yes and began enthusiastically discussing the best way to spot a fairy. I extracted Beanie with a promise to see them at Christmas and headed downstairs.
The shrieking could be heard all the way down in the kitchen where Sharon was chopping up vegetables.
“I see you’ve hyped them up on something,” she said, precisely slicing a carrot.
“Fairies,” I grinned.
She laughed. “Of course it’s fairies.”
“Thanks for taking care of Beanie for me,” I said seriously.
“You’re welcome. Listen, could you do me a favour?”
My heart sank.
“Sure.”
“Come with me tonight to the Manchester Christmas Markets? Leanne suddenly can’t make it, but I was really looking forward to going and I wanted to get Mum’s present from there. It will be depressing to go alone.”
My heart rose, thank goodness she wasn’t going to lecture me again.
“That sounds like fun, sure! Will your Mum have the kids?”
“Yeah, she’s coming round at 7, I was thinking of getting the half past train in. Want to walk down to the station together?”
“Sounds like a plan. Knock on my shop on the way past?”
“Yup. Don’t forget cash.”
I smiled at her mothering. “I won’t. Thanks again. See you later.” I called out my goodbyes to the kids and Beanie and I walked back home. Now that mine and Zach’s market was finally done, I had to fit in some serious Christmas wrapping. I hoped the day would be slow at the coffee shop.
∞∞∞
At 10 past 7, Sharon rapped on my door and we headed down the hill toward the train station. It was icy and we had to watch where we put our feet, but it was such a short walk it would have been silly to drive down. Especially since Sharon would have had to drive since I left my car at the farm and I knew for a fact she planned on consuming quite a bit of mulled wine whilst we did our Christmas shopping.
On the way down we discussed what presents we’d gotten and what we still had left to get, and ironed out the plans for Christmas day. Sharon's Mum, my Aunt Eileen, always hosted the big Christmas dinner, and we all went there to watch the kids open their presents. Uncle Bert always put on a big show of excitement and wonder to hype them up. There was something truly special about spending Christmas with kids who still believed in Father Christmas, and I looked forward to it every year. It took the edge off my Mum no longer being here for her favourite holiday of the year.
We boarded the train into Manchester, Sharon rolling her eyes and me giggling at the revellers out in force who had already been drinking. One man was in a full Santa suit with a fake bare bottom attached to the backside, and he was already three sheets to the wind.
“It’s going to be carnage,” I said. “Why was it again that you decided to wait till Christmas Eve Eve?”
“It was the only date Leanne could do,” Sharon grumbled, as we miraculously managed to find two seats together.
“Why did she have to cancel at the last minute anyway?” I asked.
