Helena Fairfax

Every year, in the week before Christmas, we Round Robin authors share a new festive story with our readers, and I have a special story below…

First, though, perhaps you might like a little bit of background.

This year I’ve been obsessed with Meet Cutes London. If you haven’t seen their short, uplifting videos (you can find them on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok), I urge you to check out their posts. Their on-the-spot chats with couples they bump into show how love in all its many guises is alive and well and flourishing all around us – something I find thoroughly heartwarming in these dark days.

And so I’ve taken Meet Cutes London as the inspiration for my Christmas short story. Sometimes Christmas can be stressful, even when people love each other, and I wanted to show how a chance encounter put the fun back into Christmas shopping.

I hope you enjoy!

(*A  note to my editing clients: the point of view in my short story shifts throughout. But as my heroine would say, ‘It’s Christmas  – let’s chuck out the “rules”!’ 😊)

A Meet-Cute Surprise at Christmas

Holly didn’t often go into town these days. Her arthritis was beginning to play up, and sometimes it was much easier to sit at home in her comfy slippers, ordering presents online. Still, it was a lovely, clear start to the morning. The shops were just opening up, their windows casting welcome squares of light on the pavements; there was the smell of fresh coffee mixed with cinnamon, and the jingly sound of Christmas music.

She was just about to take her husband’s arm, to thank him for persuading her to come into town, when he moved away to feel for something inside his overcoat pocket.

Her heart sank. ‘Don’t tell me you’ve brought a list.’

He caught the way her eyes rolled and produced a sheet of paper – neatly printed on both sides – like it was some piece of essential evidence from the days he was a barrister.

‘Don’t tell me I’m “sucking all the fun” out of things,’ he said with a humph.

These were the exact words Holly had used – how many years ago? Too many to  count. It was that time they’d been on holiday in Manhattan, and her husband had stood in the middle of Central Park, waving his printed list of all the things he wanted to see, and the order he wanted to see them in, when all she wanted to do was walk the paths, soak up the atmosphere and chat to people.

Why did everything have to be so rigidly organised? But today Holly raised her hands, as if in surrender. ‘I’d hate to ruin things by mentioning fun,’ she said.

Robin humphed again. Holly ignored it.

‘I think we should start at the top of town,’ he said, running his eyes down the row of items. ‘We can head up to Waterstone’s and get some books for Freddie and that picture book for Kitty, then do Selfridge’s for Alice, and then Hamley’s for the rest of the grandchildren.’

Holly had to admit it was sensible. Robin was nothing if not sensible. But wouldn’t it be nice to call in at a few of the vintage shops on the way? Wouldn’t it be nice to just… browse? Sometimes it was exciting to find things not on the list.

But Robin was already striding purposefully ahead. Holly followed in his footsteps. It wasn’t long before an antique shop caught her eye. There in the window was the cutest-looking doll. A vintage Barbie in a 1960s’ mini-dress, sitting legs akimbo next to a tiny, doll-sized record-player.

Holly stopped in her tracks. She’d had exactly that same doll and record-player as a child! She remembered pretending to be Dusty Springfield, and how –

‘Oh, for goodness’ sake!’ Her husband’s cross voice broke into her reverie. Here he was beside her, still gripping his list. ‘Can we not even get five yards before you go off somewhere –’

‘Excuse me,’ came a pleasant voice.

Robin and Holly turned to find a young woman behind them, well wrapped up in a fake-fur hat and stylish red coat. She was clutching a microphone. Beside her stood an equally young man in a duffel coat, holding up what looked like one of those small video cameras.

‘I’m sorry…’ the young woman apologised, in that vague, British way. ‘Can I ask… Are you a couple?’

Robin and Holly looked at one another in amused surprise.

‘Yes, we are,’ Robin said.

‘My name’s Carol,’ the young woman said. ‘And this is Noel. We’re from Meet Cutes?’

She introduced herself as though it was a question, in that way Robin always found irritating, but Holly’s eyes lit up. ‘Meet Cutes? Oh, I’m obsessed with Meet Cutes. How lovely to meet you!’

Typical, Robin thought. Just the sort of nonsense his wife would like. But the boy called Noel was beaming back at her, moving the camera in her direction.

‘Can I ask how long you’ve been together?’ Carol asked.

‘Oh.’ Holly glanced up at her husband with a smile. ‘Nearly fifty years.’

‘Fifty years. Wow! And how did you first meet?’

Robin actually smiled too. ‘It was at a train station in Delhi. We were back-packing.’

Holly’s expression softened at the memory. ‘We called it “doing the hippie trail” back then. Oh, that station was a mass of people. I had no idea which train to get, or where to go, and I’d got myself in a real panic. If it wasn’t for him,’ she indicated Robin, ‘I’d probably still be there, wandering from platform to platform, crying my eyes out.’

She remembered her relief at encountering this sensible, calm, organised person who was seemingly unflappable. And who had dark, curly hair and a brilliant smile, besides. She cast him another sideways glance. Although long retired, he was still a solid, reassuring presence. And his eyes twinkled as he caught her gaze, his cheeks dimpling in that way they still did.

‘Is there anything that’s surprised you about her over the years?’ Carol asked him.

Holly bit her lip, her expression brimming with a mixture of laughter and trepidation at what he might say.

Robin was thinking of their first outing together in India, shortly after they’d met. Holly had persuaded him to put his meticulously planned itinerary aside and take a trip to some nearby wetlands. What a morning it had been! The orange dawn filled with the beating wings of migratory birds, in hundreds and thousands. A sight he’d never forget.

And then he thought of their ridiculous argument in Central Park. It was just after her second miscarriage. Even now his heart twisted at the terrible look on her face. He’d put his list away and asked her if she’d like to get out of the city – take a subway to the beach. They’d gone all the way to Coney Island, but when they got off, they’d found crowds of people, and some sort of hot-dog-eating competition going on. There was music, and people dressed up as hot dogs and Uncle Sam, and he’d worried it would all be too much for her. But his wife had laughed and laughed for the first time in months.

He took her gloved hand in his. ‘Everything about her surprises me every day. I’ve never had a moment’s boredom since the moment we met.’

Holly’s cheeks, already pink with cold, flushed to the tip of her knitted hat, and she gave a shy smile to the camera Noel was holding.

‘And you?’ Carol moved the mic nearer Holly. ‘What’s surprised you about him?’

‘He’s very brave,’ she said instantly. Robin shifted his feet, clearing his throat in an embarrassed way, but she thought about how she’d underestimated him at first, this young, studious law student with his posh accent. She remembered that frightening morning on the tube, when a man had gone crazy, threatening a woman with some sort of bat, and how everyone had looked the other way, and how Robin had stood up and spoken in that composed, calm way he had, and the man had put the bat down, shame-faced.

‘What do you like most about her?’ Carol asked, moving the mic to Robin.

‘She’s such a warm person,’ he said. His face glowed as he  squeezed her hand. ‘It’s easy to love her. Everybody does.’

‘And you?’ Carol asked Holly. ‘What do you like most about him?’

Holly remembered the list Robin had brought, and how thoughtful he was with their two children and the grandchildren. ‘He really cares about others,’ she said. ‘He’s very generous, not just with money, but spending time with people.’

‘What would your advice be to someone just starting out on a relationship?’

‘To be kind and tolerant,’ Holly said.

‘Yes,’ her husband agreed. ‘Sometimes people’s weaknesses can also be their strengths.’

Behind the camera, Noel nodded and  gave a thumbs-up.

‘And now,’ Carol  said, ‘what are you both looking forward to in the future?’

‘Erm…’ Holly pressed her lips together in thought. ‘I’m looking forward to having the house full at Christmas, with all our friends and family round, and our children and their partners and our grandchildren.’

‘And you?’ Carol asked Robin.

‘I’m looking forward to some me time.’

Holly nudged him with her elbow. ‘Did I mention his sense of humour?’ she said.

Noel laughed.

‘And finally, what are your names?’ Carol asked.

‘I’m Holly,’ said Holly.

‘And I’m Robin.’

Carol’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Holly and Robin?’ She face split in an enormous grin. ‘Perfect. Happy Christmas!’

‘Happy Christmas, Carol. Happy Christmas, Noel,’ Robin said.

Carol stowed her microphone away. ‘Thank you both so much. You were brilliant.’

They said their goodbyes, and Robin and Holly watched them walk away.

‘Well,’ said Robin, putting his list back in his pocket. ‘There’s lots to do. But first, I’m going to go in this shop and buy that doll you had your eye on.’

‘Oh,’ Holly said. ‘I mean, don’t you think Kitty’s a bit too young? Barbies aren’t really for toddlers.’

‘It’s not for Kitty. I saw how your eyes lit up. It’s for you.’ He bent to kiss her flushed cheek. ‘And then what do you say to going to one of those stalls in Soho and getting a mulled wine and some of that awful gingerbread you like?’

She laughed up at him. ‘Mulled wine? We’ve only just had  breakfast.’

He swung her hand in his as he pushed open the door of the shop. ‘Who cares? It’s Christmas!’

THE END

I hope you enjoyed this year’s festive story. If you’d like to explore more of our authors’ stories, please click on the links below.

Wishing you a happy and peaceful Christmas!

(Bauble image by Holger Grybsch from Pixabay)

Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea

Anne Stenhouse http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com (Graham)

Connie Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com/

Diane Bator https://escapewithawriter.wordpress.com/

Bob Rich https://wp.me/p3Xihq-3BZ

Victoria Chatham http://www.victoriachatham.com

Sally Odgers https://behindsallysbooksmark2.blogspot.com