Chapter 9 #2
Everyone started to clap eagerly, cheering and stamping their feet, the noise so loud Liam wondered if the residents of Yulebury – a village five miles away – would be able to hear them too.
He heard Clara let out a soft ‘Wow’ and felt her shuffle closer to his side. Liam wasn’t sure if she was nervous or overwhelmed – but he found himself leaning into her, trying to offer comfort, as if his body had a mind of its own.
‘This is amazing,’ she said. When he turned to check she was okay, he found her eyes sparkling and a bright smile stretched across her face. Something inside his chest thumped, but he didn’t move.
‘Mr and Mrs Christmas are going to start by singing and I want you all to join in,’ Eleanor instructed as the crowd finally fell into a hushed silence.
‘Then those of you with tickets can go up in turn and introduce yourselves. Make sure you let them know what you want for Christmas before taking a gift from Santa’s sack. ’
Liam knew there was a postbag filled with presents behind the café counter and either Danny or Sam would be bringing it out soon – if they stopped arguing for long enough.
They’d been spluttering about some girl at school they were both in a maths class with.
They were gaga about her and were fighting about who was going to ask her on a date first.
The children at the front started chatting excitedly and Liam found himself grinning, trying to forget about his problems: the rift with his brother, Mia, his attraction to Clara, how lonely he was.
There was just so much happiness in the room, it almost felt like he was absorbing it into his bones – and he knew he had to let it happen, had to go with the flow.
‘This really is amazing!’ Clara repeated, pressing herself closer to his side.
‘It is. All the visits are… None are the same, but everyone reacts like this. People love Christmas. It seems to bring out the best in everyone.’ Unless you were married to them, that is.
‘It makes you realise just how much joy there is out there. It’s easy to forget that sometimes.’ She sounded wistful.
Liam didn’t look at Clara because she’d just articulated everything he felt. So he just grunted and inched his body a little to the right so they weren’t touching anymore, surprised by how much he wanted to wrap an arm around Clara’s waist and pull her into his side.
‘So, shall we let Mr and Mrs Christmas start their song?’ Eleanor asked. ‘I hope you’ve all been practising the words, because they’re going to need some help.’
‘So much help,’ Clara muttered.
The crowd cheered again and Liam saw Ezra raise his camera and take a photo, before he swivelled around and took a quick one of Eleanor too. Then the older woman went to switch on the sound system and Liam cleared his throat.
‘Remember, don’t be nervous,’ he whispered as the music began to play.
‘I don’t think that’s possible,’ Clara said before they both began to sing.
‘I want a sheep for Christmas. A big one, huge,’ a small boy with shiny red cheeks who Liam recognised from Charlie’s preschool class beamed at him, before offering a similar smile to Clara.
They’d been speaking to kids for almost an hour and the queue of eager faces was at an end.
It was one of his favourite parts of playing Mr Christmas, listening to children’s hopes and dreams – it made him feel like he was on top of the world.
Then again, it was easy to make promises when you were playing a part; you could consider all ideas no matter how outlandish, ignore practicalities and most importantly, give someone hope.
It was so much easier than being a single parent, when most of the news Liam had to deliver to his son involved eating vegetables he hated, enforcing sensible limits on his iPad use and insisting that he sleep in his own bed.
‘A sheep?’ Clara asked earnestly. She’d been doing a great job of playing Mrs Christmas.
It was clear she didn’t have a lot of experience with young children – but she’d been positive, thoughtful and her patience had been endless so far.
Tabitha would often get distracted by now, and Mia. Well, the less said about her…
‘Any particular colour?’ Clara turned to a new page on the glittery notepad Eleanor had given her and leaned closer, looking serious.
‘Green, no, I think blue,’ the boy said after a moment of consideration, his eyes narrowing as he tried to decide. ‘They’re my two favourite colours.’
‘I’m quite fond of them myself, actually.
’ Clara nodded, looking thoughtful, and scribbled a couple of notes onto a fresh page.
She’d almost filled the whole booklet up, so she’d need a new one when they did the next event.
‘Why don’t I talk to the elves back at the North Pole and we’ll see what we can do?
’ she said soberly. ‘Was there anything else you wanted if they’ve run out of sheep?
I believe they’ve been quite popular this year. ’
Liam smothered a smile as the boy considered his options before nodding. ‘An electric toothbrush,’ he said.
‘Ah.’ Clara scribbled a few more words, looking serious. She was playing the part perfectly, giving the children exactly what they wanted. If Liam didn’t know better, he’d almost believe she was Mrs Christmas for real. ‘Also in blue or green?’ She looked up, her holly-green eyes warm.
She was rewarded with an enthusiastic nod.
‘Have you mentioned that idea to anyone else?’ she probed, clearly ensuring the boy would at least get one thing on his list, which was thoughtful of her.
‘I told my mum,’ the boy whispered. ‘She said I had to tell you.’
‘That was excellent advice,’ Clara said, giving the child a sincere smile that made Liam’s stomach somersault again. ‘I’ve written it down.’ She tapped the pen on the pad.
‘Well,’ Eleanor interrupted suddenly clapping her hands.
‘I think that’s it for today, why don’t you choose a gift from Santa’s sack and take your seat again?
Mr and Mrs Christmas are about to head off.
’ She cupped a hand to her ear and wriggled her head as if listening for something.
‘In fact, I think I can hear the reindeer outside now. Can’t you? ’
There was a collective gasp from the children in the front row, and they all turned in quick succession so they could gaze towards the door.
Joe Abbot usually put in an appearance at the end of their events with the kids so he could mention he’d just seen a sleigh with reindeer flying overhead.
Liam heard the bell jangle at the front of the shop and his lips curved as he waited for the magic shop owner’s wrinkled face to appear.
Then the smile dropped from his lips and his whole body froze, when Mia, his ex-wife, strode in.