‘It’s okay. I’m happy to go.’ As she made her way towards the back of the room, Merri grinned. It was true. She was happy to go and she’d be even happier if she happened to run into Felix there. He’d been so kind and lovely when he’d helped her with the fairy lights earlier and she felt a strange pull towards him. A pull she hadn’t experienced since Nile.
‘Thank you, Merri. I really appreciate it.’ Elsie called across the room.
‘No worries.’ Picking up the key, Merri grabbed her coat and headed towards the back door, the cold evening air hitting her as soon as she stepped outside. She shivered at the drop in temperature before shrugging into her coat. Felix would be working late, wouldn’t he? She imagined at this time of the year, it would be a case of all hands on deck at the Christmas tree farm.
She shook her head as she pulled open the wooden gate at the back of the small courtyard. There she was daydreaming again. First off, she was allowing herself to believe swapping careers would be easy and actually doable and now she imagining a connection between her and Felix. There hadn’t been. He wasjust a nice guy who had stepped up and helped her. Anyone would have done the same, wouldn’t they?
Chapter Six
Walking down the narrow pathway leading from the car park into the centre of Nick’s Christmas Tree farm, Merri couldn’t help but feel a little nostalgic for the handful of times her grandparents had taken her to a festive event. The twinkling fairy lights strung up in the trees, the little wooden Santas, fairies and snowmen hanging from the branches mixed in with the cheerful Christmas music wafting through the scold still air from wherever this pathway lead reminded her of the ambience at the garden centres her grandparents had taken her to where she’d have five minutes to tell Santa what she’d like for Christmas.
Stepping aside, she let a family of four walk past her, the couple holding hands and chatting whilst their two young children ran ahead clutching brightly wrapped presents they must have been given by the farm’s resident Santa. She readjusted her scarf, pulling it higher to her chin. The truth was all she’d ever wanted to ask Santa for was a Christmas Day filled with family, love and laughter, just like she’d always seen on the TV. And she’d always been disappointed. By the age of six she’d begun questioning whether he really was as magical as her friends told her and by the age of eight, she’d given up asking him for what she really wanted and instead just parroted back something her friends had been talking about.
Christmas Day at home had been a quiet affair. Usually consisting of her spending more time than usual in front of the TV whilst her dad buried his nose in a newspaper, or later, when she was a teenager, spent the day at work. On a good year, they’dget the old, battered shoebox out and peruse old photographs of her parents’ life before her. On bad years she had almost been able to feel the resentment emanating from his every pore. Why had she survived her childbirth when her mum hadn’t?
Of course, the Christmases she’d spent at her grandparents’ house, three from what she could remember had been different. They’d been stuffed full of the warmth, the fun and laughter she’d been so jealous of her friends for taking for granted.
She sighed as she weaved through two more happy families. She’d missed out when she’d been a child. And to some extent she’d missed out as an adult too. She and Nile had barely celebrated. She hadn’t really known how, and he’d never been a fan. Too commercialised, he’d said. And since their break up? Well, what had been the point? So when Elsie had suggested she come down to Penworth Bay for Christmas, she’d jumped at the chance and she was pleased she had.
This was going to be her reset Christmas. Here, in Penworth Bay and Elsie’s bakery, she’d promised herself she’d learn how to celebrate properly and from this year on she’d make the effort to enjoy Christmas, just as everyone else seemed to.
Yes, the decorating of the bakery Christmas tree earlier hadn’t gone to plan, even though she’d not been technically helping, but that didn’t mean this couldn’t. She was here, in the Christmas Tree Farm, the first ever Christmas Tree Farm she’d experienced, and she was going to enjoy it.
As she rounded a corner, the pathway opened up to a large courtyard. The music was louder here, and it was busier too. Despite the fact it now must have been gone seven, it was busy. People perused stalls lining the courtyard whilst others huddled on picnic tables, their hands wrapped around takeaway cups of hot chocolate or pumpkin spiced lattes. A large marquee stood proudly to one side, yet more people buzzing in and out, whilst a trio of old stone barns were positioned to the right, a hugered Santa’s sleigh sat outside one of the barns, the perfect photo opportunity as people, young and old, clambered inside, taking the reins before having their photo taken.
This was perfect. And what could go wrong? She was only here to buy a wreath, even she couldn’t mess that up. Afterwards, she’d take a quick wander around and explore before it closed at eight and maybe ask tilly or Brooke if they wanted to come back another day to spend a little more time here.
‘Merri! Good to see you.’
Turning to see who had called her name, she spotted Nick sporting a red Santa’s hat and standing next to a collection of cut ready-to-buy Christmas trees. Walking across to him, she smiled. ‘Hi, nice to see you too. You’re busy!’
Nick glanced around the bustling courtyard. ‘This is nothing. Come again on a weekend and you’ll see what busy is!’
Merri laughed. ‘I can imagine.’
‘Anyway, what can I do for you? Gabby is working late at the florists today, I’m afraid.’ Nick frowned.
‘Oh, that’s okay. I can catch her another time. I’ve come to buy a wreath for the bakery.’ Merri stepped aside as a couple with a baby in a buggy began walking up and down the rows of ready-to-buy trees. ‘Point me in the right direction and I’ll let you get on.’
‘I should have realised she hadn’t ordered one with her tree and brought one with me today. Sorry, it would have saved you a trip.’ Nick grimaced before pointing in the direction of one of the stalls. ‘The wreath stall is over there next to the firepit.’
Twisting on the spot, Merri squinted in the direction he was indicating. ‘Thanks. And don’t worry about not bringing one, it’s a nice excuse to pop up here.’
‘Excuse me. What tree would you recommend?’ The couple paused in front of Nick.
Holding his hand up in a wave, Nick then turned to serve his customers.
As she made her way towards the wreath stall, Merri passed stalls selling an assortment of others selling handcrafted items, such as candles, knitwear and Christmas cards, as well as numerous food vans enticing people in with delicious aromas and enough food on show to make her stomach grumble.
Approaching the wreath stall, she waited behind a cluster of people before making her way forward as they left. Beautifully decorated wreaths were displayed on the counter of the stall with many more hung from deep blue velvet which lined the inside of the stall area. She’d never seen so many wreaths and so many designs. Not only were there choices of sizes, there were also various different colours. From the traditional red and gold accessories clustered on a base of greenery with red and tartan ribbons hanging from the wreath to the more wintery tones of blue and white berries and feathers to the more modern styled wreaths packed with baubles, every different style she had ever imagined and more were displayed here.
‘Merri, isn’t it? is that right? I’m normally terrible with names.’
Looking up from the wreaths, Merri watched as Felix, the fairylight detangler and saviour of another fall, emerged from between the swathes of velvet material behind the stall counter. She grinned. ‘Hi. Yep, that’s me, Merri. And you’re Felix, right?’
‘Yes, that’s right. How are you after your... fall?’ He glanced her up and down, presumably checking she wasn’t dragging a line of fairy lights and a huge Christmas around with her.
‘I’m okay, thanks.’ She scrunched up her nose at the memory of the scene she’d made in the bakery earlier. ‘More than a little embarrassed about the whole thing, but fine apart from that.’
