Emma
‘Trudie,’ Emma called, reaching out to grab her arm and prevent her from disappearing. ‘I have one more change I want to make to the show. Is that okay?’
‘But the big finale is coming up after Jake, it’s all the year 2 children singing We Wish You A Merry Christmas.’
‘That’s fine, but the bit after that, I want to make a change, can I have a quick word with them?’
‘All right. But don’t get them over-excited. We don’t have time for a wee break.’
Giving Trudie a big kiss on the cheek, she whispered, ‘Break a leg,’ and headed into the kitchen area to talk to the children.
By the time she made it back into the room, the funny little kid dressed as an elf had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand.
‘You’re back,’ Kate said softly as she walked up to stand beside her.
Emma turned and grinned at her. ‘I never left.’
‘You’re certain this is what you want?’
‘Oh, I’m so positive, I’m about to bring this house down.’
‘I love it,’ Kate said and then leaned in closer, ‘cute little elf is going to be a big act to follow though.’
‘… So, while my friend here gets over his stage-fright,’ Elf said as Jake walked over to sit down on the stool and open the letter she’d given him, ‘Let me take this opportunity to remind you that after Christmas comes January. And we all know that the deadline for tax self-assessment is the thirty-first, right? Not mine – well, the date’s the same but mine’s called elf assessment.’
The audience laughed and Emma watched Jake’s face as he realised who the letter was addressed to. She saw him glance up at the chandelier and swallow back some emotion.
‘You ready, there?’ Elf asked Jake as the laughter died down.
‘I’m ready,’ Jake’s deep voice spoke out across the audience as the elf sat down cross-legged to hear his new friend read. ‘This letter that I’ve been asked to read out is dated the twenty-first of July, 1928,’ he cleared his throat and began, ‘My dearest Lily,
This morning as I watched you in the rose garden, carefully selecting and then cutting the Albertine and Dainty Bess for tonight’s centrepiece, there was such a delightful secret smile on your lips that two things occurred to me…
Firstly, you obviously find the Rosemounts as dreadfully dull as I – their company only tolerable if you can see your favourite roses on the table! Perhaps, as your smile suggested this morning, you will look at the roses this evening and think about afterwards, when I pluck one from the rose bowl and follow you up to bed…
Jake stopped reading and reached out to cover the elf’s large pointy ears.
Elf shook him off and said, ‘Please, that’s probably just old-speak for saying they were going to go to their room to chill and watch Netflix.’
Emma, along with the audience, burst out laughing.
‘Who do you think this elf belongs to?’ Kate asked.
‘Richard Curtis?’ Emma replied.
‘Perhaps that certain smile is playing across your beautiful face as you read this,’ Jake continued. ‘I’m coming to know your smiles, my dearest Lily.
Favourite is the one you graced me with on our wedding day. When I lifted your veil, my hands so clumsy, my heart so happy and your eyes met mine with such sweetness, such humour, such joy and your smile full of reassurance and tipped up at the edge with the suggestion of adventures to come.
It’s the same smile you smiled when you told me we were to have a little George or a little Lillian running around the house and gardens by Christmas.
Will they have your many smiles, my Lily? Your temperament, your strength, your sense of humour and your sense of adventure?
I cannot wait to find out.
I thought when we married at Christmas last year, that you being my bride was the best Christmas present I could ever have asked for, but this … this surpasses even that.
How blessed we are to count William and Irene as our good friends. Magic was on our side the day William dragged me to The Clock House two Christmases ago. And magic played its part in me being seated next to you.
I feel blessed every day that you had the good manners to haul on the reins of my ill-mannered demeanour and correct me on a couple of things – namely that I was stupid to think that a woman in want of a husband was really only in want of a rich husband, and also that I was stupid for thinking I must be on my own forever and that together you had decided we would make an excellent team.
Which brings me to the second thing that occurred to me as I watched you cutting the roses…
I think I will put a secret door into this part of the rose garden and create a space just for us. I know that it is hard to create a home in a house this size, but you have done us proud. With the house and grounds needing to provide more and more, how nice it will be to have an area just for us, Lily.
A place for you to know how loved you are.
Because you are so loved, my dearest Lily.
Even though it’s July, it feels like Christmas. Christmas in July, what a perfect idea! “Merry Christmas”, my love,
Yours forever, George xx’
There was a moment’s silence and then the audience started clapping.
And while the crowd were still applauding him, Jake rose to his feet, met her gaze and said, ‘I love you, Emma Danes.’
Her heart feeling like it was going to burst out of her chest, she walked up onto the stage and said, ‘I love you, too.’
‘You’ve given me a piece of my family history I never believed existed.’
‘She kept the letter tucked between the pages of Emma. The copy that you gave me for Christmas.’
‘I think George did finish the room. I think he put in a door and that I just didn’t realise it was a door. I thought it was bricked up. Kept away. Kept secret.’
‘When really it was just a secret for them.’
All of a sudden the stage was invaded by singing children.
‘Hey, I’m in the middle of declaring my love here,’ Jake said.
‘Sorry,’ Trudie said, poking her head around the curtain. ‘But these kids have been waiting for hours to do their song and have I mentioned they’ve been drinking orange juice all afternoon?’
Emma laughed and grabbing his hands pulled him to the side of the stage and said, ‘This is actually for you, anyway. Okay, kids, hit it…’
As the class sang We Wish You a Merry Christmas, Emma kept her hand in Jake’s.
‘You wanted them to sing to me?’ Jake said out of the side of his mouth as the notes of, ‘And a Happy New Year,’ died out.
‘No. It’s the next bit. Watch,’ and stepping forward, she said, ‘Right, remember what we talked about? Okay, everyone with a letter sign step forward.’
Jake and Elf, along with the entire audience at Cocktails & Chai watched as thirteen children stepped forward holding up giant letters stuck to broom handles, spelling out Merry Christmas.
‘Now,’ Emma said, clutching her hands together and shooting Jake a nervous glance before looking back at the children, ‘Switch,’ she instructed.
There was a bit of a kerfuffle as seven children with signs suddenly stepped forward again.
Emma turned to Jake. ‘Surprise!’
Jake looked at the signs and then looked back at Emma. ‘Misty Me?’
Elf slapped a hand over his face.
‘What? No,’ and turning to face the kids she muttered, ‘Oh my God.’
Elf stepped forward and said, ‘Allow me,’ and as he sorted the children out, turned to the audience and said, ‘It’s really apparent that we need to work on our education system, people.’ To more laughter he finally turned the reordered children around.
‘Ta-da,’ Emma said.
Jake looked at the new order. ‘Marry Me?’
‘Okay,’ Emma answered, her nerves rattling as she took in Jake’s shocked face. ‘I mean not like right now,’ she gabbled. ‘Obviously. Way to jump on everyone’s Christmas celebrations.’ She laughed nervously. ‘But maybe next year? That would give us plenty of time to date properly, to work everything out. I mean you have the gardens to work on and I have this place to run, so…’ she ran out of words.
‘Say “yes, final answer”,’ Elf helpfully suggested.
‘Yes,’ Jake said, stepping forward to take Emma in his arms. ‘Final answer,’ he whispered to her.
‘Now do you need me to fill,’ Elf said, ‘while you kiss the love of your life or do I have to do everything for you, because you know, she is really pretty,’ he said, waggling his eyebrows.
‘Elf, where are your parents?’ Emma asked, ‘Because I actually know a good agent they could talk to.’
‘Please,’ Elf replied, ‘you think the couple in the red suits don’t deserve a little sleep the morning after the night before?’
‘I’m going to kiss the love of my life now,’ Jake said, laughing as he lowered his mouth to Emma’s.
Elf moved in front of the kissing pair. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, that completes the entertainment portion, aka our Christmas show.’ And with The Clock House chandelier twinkling down over the room, he bowed and said, ‘Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.’