A Christmas to Remember (part one)

It was a week before Christmas. I returned home from school and warmed my freezing hands by the fireplace. “Mum.” I said. “Jonny's Mum said I could go to their house on Boxing Day to play video games.” I excitedly told her. “Can I go?” I asked.

“We'll be at Auntie June's on boxing day.” she told me. “You can visit Jonny after we get back.”

“In the evening?”

“No on the twenty-eighth.” Mum replied. “So maybe the day after that... if it's OK with Jonny's mum.”

“You mean we're going to stay Auntie June's?” I quizzed.

“Yes. From Sunday. I did tell you.” Mum claimed.

“You said we were going over Christmas but I thought that was just for the day.” I replied.

“No love, we're going to stay over Christmas, from the twenty-third to the twenty-eighth.”

“But that's a whole week!”

“Almost, yes.”

“Why?” I asked. “We usually just go for the day.”

“I know but you're dad's working over Christmas and he's got a lot of night shifts, and so has Anna.” Mum told me. “I'm certain I told you.”

“You did but you didn't say we were going for a week!”

“I'm sure I did.” Mum replied. I recalled what Mum had told me about the Christmas arrangements this year and figured that maybe she had told me, but I must've got the wrong end of the stick. When Mum said we were going to her sister's over Christmas, I thought she meant for one day over Christmas like we do every other year. And she didn't mention my Dad would be working a string of night shifts, which isn't unusual since he's a hospital doctor and works long hours both day and night. My big sister Anna is a nurse and will also be working all sorts of unsociable hours over the Xmas period, which means it'll just be me and Mum visiting her sister June and my cousins Peter and Jasmine.

I considered the prospect of a week at my Aunt's house. “It's gonna be weird coz I'll be the only boy.” I grumbled.

“Peter's a boy as well you know!” Mum bluntly told me.

“Yeah but he's...” I retorted before quietening my voice to a mere whisper. “...petticoated.” I gulped.

“He's still a boy despite his clothing.” Mum said. “Which raises the subject of what you're going to wear whilst we're there.” she added.

The Runaway

Fleeing his horrible stepmother to spend time with his real mother, William attempts to hitch-hike all the way to Gallopton in Hopshire; a journey more than three-hundred and fifty miles from his home overlooking the Solway in Cumberland. Navigating with a road atlas stolen from the grounds keeper's car and sticking mostly to back roads, it takes almost all day to travel no more than 50 miles. It's mid-summer and the nights are short and warm so he camps out in a barn and continues his journey early the following morning. He walks for hours fuelling himself with the last of the food he purchased the previous day; that being two small sausage rolls, a chocolate bar and a can of cola. He is eventually picked-up at around 8.30am by a friendly woman in a clapped out old car. “Where are you going young man?” she asked. 

“Erm... Hefferton.” he replied. 

“I'm going as far as Oakford if that's any use?”

“Yeah I guess.” he replied. 

“Well jump in then.” she said. “My name's Vicky.” she told him. 

“Hello... I'm, err... Andrew.” he told her.

No Surprises

“Kenny Linch is getting a Play Station 5 for Christmas.” I mentioned to my mother over breakfast one morning.

“Lucky boy.” my mother replied. “I hope his parents can afford one. They're still not cheap.”

“I know.” I replied. “The FIFA game is like sixty-five quid!”

“Hmm.” Mum replied as she buttered her toast. “Remember what we talked about before your birthday?” she said. “I don't want you getting your hopes up this year.”

“No.” I replied, glaring glumly for a moment into my cereal bowl.

~o0o~

A few days later. It's break time at school and me and a couple of friends are sheltering in a doorway, keeping out of the icy biting wind. Robert said he was hoping to get a gravel bike for Christmas and Peter said he'd got a CX bike for his birthday. “I'd like a PS5 but my folks can't afford one.” he added.

“Kenny Linch said he's getting one.” I commented.

“I'm surprised he hasn't already got one. His Dad's loaded!” Robert claimed.

“So what you getting for Christmas?” Peter asked me.

“Petticoated.” I bluntly replied. His eyes widened and Robert's jaw dropped.