Beatrice was rather looking forward to it and had happily agreed to work Saturdays on the run-up to the ‘Big Day’ because it meant more money to buy presents. However, she wasn’tdoing thisjustfor the money. Beatrice was also doing it for herself. The pride she’d felt knowing she had a job, had made her glow all last night, and as soon as the children were tucked up in bed, she’d got straight on the phone to Lisa.
Lisa had been thrilled for her, and suggested they go out for a drink to celebrate but Beatrice had declined – she was already putting her mum out by asking her to collect the children from school. She could hardly ask her to babysit this evening as well, while she went out boozing with her best friend.
Dulcie was serving a customer when Beatrice entered the shop, so she quietly stowed her bag and coat underneath the counter and had a quick look at the chillers and shelves to see what was for sale today.
The farm’s staples of milk, cheese, eggs, soaps and scented candles were well stocked, and she was also pleased to see a selection of festive-themed biscuits, milkshakes and chilled soups.
Dulcie greeted her warmly, looking frazzled. ‘Am I glad to see you! I’ve got such a lot to do today. I’ve got a Grinch’s grotto to finish, a seating area to set up, a—’ She stopped. ‘I could go on, but if I do I’ll be jabbering away until lunchtime. Will you be alright in here on your own?’
‘I’ll be fine.’
‘Shout if you need me. Oh, and do you think you could have a go at making up some festive hampers? I want to post photos on the website later.’ Dulcie pointed to a box behind the counter. ‘Here’s one I made earlier,’ she said. ‘I’d like to offer different products and a couple of different sizes.’
‘Is there anything else I can do to help?’ Beatrice offered.
‘You might regret saying that.’ Dulcie pulled a face. ‘I’d better get going. I’ve got smelly socks to fill. Actually, you don’t happen to have any odd socks lying around at home, do you?’
Beatrice chuckled. Knowing that the farm had a Grinch theme going on, she realised immediately why Dulcie wanted them. ‘I’ve got a drawer full. I’ll bring them in tomorrow. How many do you need?’
‘All of them? I’m scared we won’t have enough, but I’m also worried that I’ve ordered too much, and we’ll have loads of stuff left over.’
‘What are you putting in them?’
‘Grinch dust – you sprinkle it on your doorstep to stop the Grinch stealing your Christmas – bags of green sweets, a Grinch bauble for the tree, Grinch Stickers and a stretchy Grinch toy.’
‘I sense a theme,’ Beatrice laughed. ‘It’s also rather a lot, don’t you think?’
‘Is it?’ Dulcie’s expression was dubious.
‘It must have cost a bit, and whenever my two visited Santa in his grotto, the gift was usually something inexpensive. How many children are you expecting? By the way, is it alright if my parents bring the girls to see the Grinch tomorrow?’
‘Of course it is! As for how many kids – I honestly don’t know.’
Beatrice had an idea, but she hadn’t been here five minutes yet, so she wasn’t sure how well it would be received. ‘I’ve got a suggestion – and please tell me if I’m speaking out of turn because you know more about this than I do.’
‘Don’t bet on it,’ Dulcie said.
‘Why don’t you keep some stuff back, and add a Grinch biscuit to the sock instead?’ She looked at the iced snowflake biscuits as she spoke, thinking it would be easy to make a green version.
Dulcie was staring at her and shaking her head.
Oh dear, Beatrice thought, that didn’t go down well.
‘I could kiss you!’ her new boss declared with a smile.
‘You could?’
‘That’s a perfect solution. Otto can make an endless supply of Grinch cookies, and if we do have any non-food items left over, they’ll keep until next year. The Grinch isn’t going away – I’m determined to get my use out of the outfits I bought, and the grotto.’
Beatrice offered, ‘If you want, I can fill the socks for you tomorrow.’
From the grateful expression on Dulcie’s face, shedidwant.
Pleased that she’d already managed to make herself useful, Beatrice settled down to enjoy the day. She had a feeling that this job was going to be the best thing to have happened to her in a very long time.
For Mark, driving up Muddypuddle Lane on Saturday afternoon brought back boyhood memories of warm summer days playing in the ferns on the hillsides above Picklewick with his friends,making dens and building makeshift dams across the tumbling mountain streams.
It also brought back memories of when he was quite a bit older and had gone on long walks on this very hillside with his first love.
