It Happened on Christmas Eve by Kirsty Greenwood

Author:Kirsty Greenwood [Greenwood, Kirsty]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-11-11T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Christmas Eve 7:00 p.m.

We head to The Elgin pub, and on the way we pass Tesco. It’s utterly rammed. I peer through the glass window longingly, thinking of my noodles and the peaceful, solitary night that is very quickly getting away from me. I feel regretful for suggesting the pub now, but it seemed like the right thing to do, and however miserable I might be feeling, that must have sucked for Adam in the bookshop. I’m trying to do a nice thing. A kind thing. Not exactly the act of a hardcore bitch. It must be all the music and twinkle lights. This is why Christmas is dangerous – it makes people soppy.

Inside The Elgin it’s peak celebration vibe. I spot a luminous coloured poster on the wall declaring this The Big Notting Hill Christmas Bash. Ah. It’s full of giddy people wearing Christmas hats, drinking cocktails and singing along to the very loud Christmas tunes. It’s a hellscape.

‘Shall we go somewhere else?’ I shout to Adam over the noise.

‘No, this is brilliant!’ he shouts back.

Maaaan.

We head to the back of the pub, where there’s a small table free, a group of people standing around it swiftly making space when they see the wheelchair, shopping bags, crutches and Christmas tree. I push the wheelchair to the edge of the table, and spin it slightly so that Adam has a view of the room.

‘Is that a good position?’ I ask.

‘My favourite position,’ Adam smiles innocently, although that sounded flirty to me. I narrow my eyes at him. He narrows his back.

‘What do you want to drink?’

Adam blows the air out through his cheeks. ‘After the week I’ve had, something strong would be awesome.’

‘You’re going to have to be more specific,’ I say, eyeing the queue at the bar.

‘Double vodka and coke.’

‘Great. Back in a second.’

I head to the bar, squeezing past high spirited revellers, one of whom, tells me to cheer up because it might never happen.

‘It is happening,’ I say in response, gesturing madly to the crowd and the Christmas music and the fact that I am not at home in pyjamas with my earplugs in.

Waiting at the bar, I find myself swaying to the sounds of East 17 singing Stay Another Day. It is objectively a pretty excellent song when you think about it, and not technically a Christmas song.

‘Phoebe! Wow, what are you doing here?’

I spin around around to see Ellie from work, wearing sparkly face makeup, a tinsel crown and the slightly cross-eyed expression of the absolutely sozzled.

‘I’ve come for a quick drink with a friend,’ I say.

‘I’m here with people from work!’ She points over to another table where I spot Jim, Horace the creepy IT guy and Tracey the overtly sexual admin assistant.

‘You should come and sit with us!’ Ellie sings, slinging an arm around my neck and pulling me in a sort of headlock.

I wriggle myself out of her grasp. ‘Maybe!’ I say, knowing that I definitely won’t.

Ellie places her hands onto my cheeks and looks at me imploringly.

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