Chapter Twenty-Nine
Wednesday, 6 th December
‘Of course I can walk to Kim’s! It doesn’t take ten minutes, and I’m almost back to normal.’
Rico glared across the living room, and heck, Stacy was sighing again. He had that effect on her now, and he wasn’t enjoying it. He probably wasn’t the easiest patient she’d ever had, but it was so frustrating, wanting to be fit again but not quite there yet.
He stood at the window and stared into the night. Thin snowflakes were floating down, and the streets were white, but that would only add to the atmosphere of tonight’s party. And how pathetic it was that a Samiclaus party was all he had in his social diary. Fear wormed its way into Rico’s middle. Stacy had gone out to dinner with Martin last night. What was happening there? She’d been bright and breezy when she came in, but she’d gone to her room a few minutes later. All Rico wanted was to sweep her into his arms and never let her go, but apart from the fact that his ribs wouldn’t let him do anything so physical, there was the small matter of Stacy not wanting him to sweep her off her feet. If she did, she’d never have gone out with Martin, would she? What a mess he was in.
She was still frowning out of the window. ‘I’m sure I’d be able to drive us there. Like you said, it’s not far.’
Rico shook off the doom and gloom. He needed to a) get fit again ASAP, and b) find out if he was chasing the impossible with Stacy. Because if he was, he should stand to the side with dignity and let her choose who she wanted to share her life. And he would show her that they were friends, no matter what.
He made himself grin at her. ‘You want to try the mulled wine, don’t you? Get your snow boots on, woman. It’s time to go.’
He strode into the hallway for his jacket. He could do this. At least she was laughing again.
The party was in full swing when they arrived, with seven or eight children running up and down in the snow while a foot-stamping group of adults huddled round a little bonfire in the middle of the back garden.
‘Rico! Stacy! The Samiclaus is coming!’ Elijah ran up as soon as he saw them, then Kim appeared with two steaming mugs.
‘Mulled wine for Stacy, non-alcoholic punch for Rico.’
Rico peered glumly into the orange syrup. ‘I hope I’ll be off the painkillers by Christmas. I love mulled wine.’
Kim clinked mugs with them both. ‘Fingers crossed you will be. You’re just in time, the Samiclaus’ll be here in a– Kids? Did I hear a bell?’
A bell tinkled again and the children shrieked, gathering by the adults as a tall, red-robed figure wearing a white and golden bishop’s hat walked majestically up the garden path, a long staff in one hand. Rico grinned as Stacy gasped beside him. What must this look like to someone who’d never seen the tradition before? The Samiclaus had a large golden book under his arm, and his white beard and moustache were obliterating his features. After him came Schmützli, a dark-robed figure with a grey beard, a sack over one shoulder.
Silence fell as the Samiclaus stood in front of the group, opened the golden book, and addressed the children one by one. They were all giggling and shy, and the adults were grinning broadly – all except Stacy, whose eyes were as round as the children’s. A lump came into Rico’s throat. How gorgeous she was. Each child was presented with a little sack from Schmützli’s large one before the two visitors bowed, and moved away silently into the night.
‘Well! What did he say?’ Stacy gaped from Rico to Kim, who was helping Ben open his sack.
‘Nüssli! Und Mandarinli!’ Und Schocki!’ The little boy’s eyes were huge.
‘Nuts and mandarins and chocolate,’ agreed his mother. ‘The Samiclaus was very impressed by how good the kids have been this year,’ she said, winking at Stacy. ‘Though he did mention Elijah could be tidier with his toys, and a couple of the others aren’t so hot at replacing the lid on the toothpaste, etcetera. Fun, huh?’
‘Huge fun,’ said Stacy. ‘I’ve never seen anything like that. How did you–’
Rico grabbed her arm as shocking greyness swirled in front of his eyes and sweat broke out on his brow. Hell on earth, he was going to pass out. He swayed, and Stacy took hold of him with both hands.
‘Rico? Can he have a chair, Kim?’
‘I’m fine,’ said Rico, but he was glad of the dining chair Tobias shoved under him. Slowly, the world stopped revolving, and he took a couple of deep breaths. That had been close.
Stacy slid her fingers under his sleeve to take his pulse. ‘A bit fast,’ she said. ‘Sit quietly for a moment. Maybe another hot drink, Kim – or do you want to go inside, Rico? Lie down?’
Rico shook his head. No way could he walk to the house right this minute, but if his pulse was fast, it was her touch that had done it. What a bummer this was. He wasn’t as strong as he wanted to be, and it was a scary feeling.
‘I’ll be okay,’ he managed. ‘Just a bit dizzy, but it’s passed now.’
Kim brought him more punch, and he sipped, then looked up at Stacy. ‘Better. I guess it was standing still for so long.’
‘You’ll be fine,’ she said stoutly. ‘But we’re going home by taxi, okay?’
‘Max can take you,’ said one of the women. ‘He’s off the booze too.’
Rico managed to smile round the group. ‘Thanks. We’ll stay until the end, though. I’m okay now.’
The party broke up around eight, and Rico was secretly glad to be ushered into Max’s car and returned to Lakeside in style. Upstairs, Stacy took his pulse again.
‘You’ll live. But tomorrow I’m going to buy a blood pressure monitor and check you over properly. I’ll need one when the spa opens, and we might as well test it on you.’
He shook his head at her. ‘You’re lucky the Samiclaus didn’t cart you off to the Black Forest. That’s what he does with bad children, you know.’
Stacy stuck out her tongue, and Rico relaxed. They’d been kidding more today. That was good, because it was what friends did. Or was she simply playing nurse, cheering her patient along? He had no idea, and didn’t that tell him she was just being professional?
***
To Stacy’s relief, the monitor she bought the following day was reassuring about Rico’s blood pressure, and she began to enjoy her first Advent in Switzerland. The Samiclaus party had been amazing – Kim told her later that parents could book a stop on one of the Samiclaus tours which took place in the week around the sixth, the official Samiclaus day. They had to provide him with the traditional little bags of chocolate and nuts for the children beforehand, as well as a few personal things he could say to them. It was a charming custom, thought Stacy – every bit as fun as Santa, but without the commercialism. She’d be back home in England at Christmas, when the Christ Child brought presents to Switzerland, and oh, she was so looking forward to seeing her lovely big crazy family again, and Emmy and Alan, and – everything. Most of all, it would be great to talk to Emily about what was going on in her life.
Snow was everywhere now, and over the next week or two Stacy got used to pulling on thick and clunky snow boots every time she left the house. According to the weatherman, it was the snowiest winter since records began, and Rico was itching to get onto the ski slopes.
‘I’ve to wait until my final check-up in January,’ he said glumly on Saturday, hands thrust into his jeans pockets as he stood in the front doorway while a large and noisy snow plough cleared the road of white stuff.
Stacy pulled him inside. ‘Close the door or you’ll catch your death.’ And heavens, there was her mother speaking again. ‘Kim and I are going to the Christmas market in St Gallen this afternoon. Anything you want me to buy?’
He shrugged. ‘Not for me. You’ll see plenty of great tree decorations. You should get your family something Swiss.’
‘Good idea.’
Her phone pinged as another text from Martin came in. He’d been away a lot on business, catching up with things after his illness, so they’d only gone out once more after the second dinner at Amore. He’d taken her to the theatre in St Gallen to see an American company perform West Side Story, but while she’d thoroughly enjoyed the production and getting dressed up and drinking fizz in the interval, they hadn’t had nearly enough time to talk. Home again, he kissed her goodnight on the hotel steps, a proper kiss this time, one that had made her feel it would be good to ask him in, but it might be better to set some flat rules with Rico about things like that first. It was a school night, too. Martin murmured, ‘We’ll do this again, shall we?’ but afterwards, it all felt rather – lame. Was it her? Maybe she wasn’t as ready for love as she wanted to be.
Upstairs again, Rico went to make coffee, and Stacy flopped down on the sofa. Apart from an Advent crown on the coffee table, they had no decorations up – Rico assured her the custom here was to put up the tree on the twenty-fourth, when he’d be in Lugano and she’d be in Elton Abbey. She was flying back on Wednesday morning, and Rico was going to Lugano by train on the Friday. And Martin was going to his brother’s in Zug for their usual family Christmas.
The Christmas market was bustling and noisy – and great fun. Stacy found some painted wooden tree ornaments, and bought a selection for her family and Emily. They’d be a nice memento of her Swiss Advent, another year. What would she be doing next December? It seemed unlikely that she and Martin would be together, and it would be complicated, too. As for Rico – Stacy rubbed her face. She liked him, yes, she liked him a lot. She worried about him, she couldn’t wait for him to be properly fit again because only then would he be happy; he was an important part of her world, yes, that was it. But he didn’t make her pulse race. And to be brutally honest, neither did Martin.
And maybe it was better that way. After all, she wanted to go home at the end of her time here, and live and work in England again. Didn’t she? Oh, to talk things over with Emily, and in four days’ time she’d be able to do just that. It was the best thought she’d had all day.