‘I’m trying out a new recipe. I thought it might be good for Christmas leftovers. Sprout and cranberry parcels. Did you want to try one when they’re ready?’
Blythe reached for her coat. ‘Actually, I can probably manage this box myself. I’ll get something to eat later. Bye, Mum, love you.’ She grabbed the box, tipped it towards herself and dragged it out of the house. It was incredibly awkward but thankfully reasonably light and because it was downhill to the crossing and then flat across the green, with a bit of cajoling she could haul it along unaided.
When she had finally lugged it puffing and panting onto the green, she abandoned the box and went over to Sam’s. His cottage was standing out already, for all the wrong reasons. It was just before six o’clock in the evening and already dark. All around the village a myriad of fairy lights twinkled in hedges, on trees and around houses. The dads had done a good job of erecting a small house-like structure in the middle of the green, which was waiting to be decorated, but the path to it was already mapped out.
Sam’s cottage looked sad and unloved, sat there in complete darkness. She didn’t like to think what Murray would have said but she knew he’d have been sad to see it. If she could make her plan work perhaps things wouldn’t be so bleak on this side of the street. Blythe went around the back of the cottage, let herself in and deactivated the alarm. She scanned the house for Turpin and called his name. She wasn’t sure if he knew what his name was and given his attitude even if he did know it he was unlikely to respond. Downstairs all looked in order – no wild feline parties as yet, but then Sam had only been gone a couple of days. She went upstairs. Sam had left a drawer open under the bed so she had a quick look inside but it was empty, so she pushed it shut with her toe. No sign of Turpin but then he was probably out.
Blythe put down the cat food, reset the alarm, locked up and went to get what she needed from Sam’s shed. She was walking back down the path when she heard Sam’s voice. ‘Hey, what’s going on?’ he asked.
She spun around expecting to see him at the front door but there was nobody there. ‘Sam?’ Unless he was hiding under a plant pot there was something odd going on.
‘Oh, Blythe, it’s you. I can see you on the security camera. Hi. I thought someone was stealing stuff from me.’ There was a pause. ‘Actually, what’s that you’ve got in your arms?’
She scowled at the security camera. ‘I’mborrowingMurray’s cables. Is that okay with you?’
‘Sure. I’m on my way home. Do you think…’ Blythe turned her back and walked down the path. She wasn’t having a conversation with Sam via the small black device, civil or otherwise. ‘Blythe. Hey. Are you still there?’
She marched across the road to where Greg was now waiting by the giant box. ‘Your mum said you needed a hand.’
‘But I didn’t want to drag you away from Leonora,’ Blythe said, plonking down the cables.
‘That was a quick job with so many of us helping. And talking of she who must be obeyed, Leonora is baying for your blood. I said you were busy at work and would be late home.’
‘Thanks, Greg, you’re a star.’
‘That’s as may be. What exactly are you up to?’ He eyed the giant box suspiciously.
‘I’ve had an idea.’
‘If that’s a fairy for the Christmas tree it’s a tad on the big size.’
‘You’ll see.’
*
They worked non-stop for the next hour and were sorting the final pieces when everything seemed to happen at once. First there was the sound of her name reverberating around the green. Blythe looked up. Leonora was approaching and had spotted her from up the lane that led to the church. ‘Blythe! I need to speak to you. Blythe! It’s urgent!’ This coincided with a taxi pulling up and Sam getting out with a small wheelie case. Sam scanned the front of his property before turning around to look across the green. The taxi pulled away and he crossed the road.
‘What’s going on?’ he asked, taking in the large structure between Blythe and Greg.
Leonora joined them rather red in the face either from her speed walk down the hill or anger – Blythe wasn’t sure which. Blythe held up a hand. ‘I have solved both problems. Sam, your cottage is untouched by Christmas. Leonora, when we’ve added the final touches, we will have a striking Christmas display that includes every house on the green.’
‘How can you include and not include that cottage?’ Leonora stabbed a finger across the road at Sam’s place, which was still sitting in darkness.
‘Easy,’ said Blythe. ‘Flick the switch, Greg,’ she instructed.
‘Right you are,’ said Greg and with that, fairy lights lit up all around them including the life-size figure of the Grinch next to Blythe – resplendent in countless green lights. The path snaking around the village green to the little hut was clearly defined and in the other direction it now led to the road directly opposite Sam’s. Everyone followed the trail to a flashing sign and a giant arrow that pointed at his cottage and read:The Grinch Lives Here!
‘What the hell?’ said Sam.
‘This is absolutely marvellous,’ said Leonora, clapping her hands together. ‘Well done, Blythe. You had me worried there but I must say this is a total triumph.’
‘No, it’s not,’ said Sam, flapping his arms in the direction of the sign. ‘You can’t do that.’
‘Why not?’ Blythe put her hands on her hips.
Sam pointed at the sad-looking cottage and then back at the smirking Grinch. ‘That’s defamation of character or something.’ He shook his head.
‘There is nothing on your land, so I think you’d have a hard time finding a lawyer willing to take that on,’ said Blythe, trying very hard to hide her smirk. ‘But of course if you change your mind and decide to decorate your cottage and join in with the community Christmas spirit, then I’ll be very happy to take this down.’
