Lina sobs harder, “How could she do this and why are you here? You are the bitch she slept with. I think you need to leave, now.”
Celine smirks, “Lina, listen to me, I have been trying to tell you this since I sat down. Ann didn’t sleep with me.”
Lina sniffles and looks at Celine, “What are you saying?”
“She didn’t sleep with me. I came here to do this article and when I saw you and her together, I got this jealous streak through me.”
“She didn’t sleep with you? Oh my God, so we broke up for what?”
Celine smiles sweetly, “I needed you to break up so that I could have you. From the first second, I saw you, I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind. I had to come up with something to get Ann out of the picture. I know, it’s extreme but when I want something, I will do everything I can to get it. You like that streak in people and I have that in abundance. I’m amazing in bed and can show you things you could only dream about.”
Lina steps back from Celine, running her fingers through her hair, “Oh my God, you’re insane. What would make you think I was interested in you?”
Celine moves her hand in front of her and twirls around, “Because of this, I am beautiful, and I know you have been looking at my breasts, I can take off my shirt and show you them properly.”
Lina shakes her head and turns around, “Holy crap on a cracker, she’s as fruity as a fruit cake. Celine, listen to me and listen well…”
She turns around and Celine has her shirt unbuttoned revealing the black lace bra. Lina looks at the roof of the warehouse, “Cover yourself up.”
Celine moves closer to her, “Lina, look at me, I’m here wanting you and I know I can give you a good time.”
“You’re married and pregnant.”
“I’m in an open marriage…”
“You are?”
Celine spins around, “Yannick, what are you doing here?”
She quickly closes her shirt as Lina watches on enjoying the look of shock and horror on Celine’s face. “I got a call from someone called Sophie and she told me that you were here flirting and trying to bed your ex. I jumped in the car straight away, I couldn’t believe it.”
“I can explain, Yannick, it’s not what you think.”
Lina laughs, “Oh, it’s exactly what you think. She tried to break me and my girlfriend up and stupidly I fell for her ploy. Thankfully I have a great friend who helped me see the light. We didn’t break up and are still together. What we didn’t know was that she tried to break us up to get with me.”
Celine is in shock and rushes to Yannick, “Yannick, baby, I love you and only you.”
Yannick looks at Celine in disgust, “I always thought you were happy with me and the life that we have created. You’re pregnant for fuck's sake. How could you act like such a slut!”
He storms out rushing past Sophie, Ann and Ann’s mother. Celine starts to cry and calls after him. Inge stands in front of Celine blocking her way. “I always knew you were a despicable human being, but you are worse than that.”
Celine rolls her eyes and tries to pass her. “Get out of my way, Inge.”
Inge grinds her teeth and slaps Celine, “Get out of our lives for good this time.”
Celine holds her stinging cheek and pushes past Inge calling Yannick’s name. Inge waves her hand, “Jesus, that stung.”
Sophie bursts out laughing and gives her a high five, “That was awesome!”
Inge blushes, “I have been wanting to do that for five years.”
Ann laughs, “Mom, I love you, I just hope she doesn’t press charges.”
Lina pulls her into her arms and kisses her tenderly, “I love you.” She looks at Inge, “If she does, we will pay your bail.”
The four of them rush to the door and laugh watching Celine begging and chasing Yannick up the driveway.
“Damn, she has fallen from grace, I never thought I would see the day that Celine Verbeke would be the one chasing anyone.”
“That’s Karma for you, she deserved nothing less. Now, shall we get back to our lives and get this project completed and hit this town with the best Christmas display they have ever seen?”
Inge smiles, “That is a great plan, but won’t she be hanging around for the article?”
Sophie shakes her head, “I may have gotten her fired.”
Ann’s eyes widen, “How did you do that?”
“When she stupidly gave me her phone, side by side was the numbers boss and bae, I took both and called them. I told them what she was up to and neither one was happy.”
Lina shakes her head, “Damn, you’re more devious than I thought.”
“Thank you, I look out for my friends.”
They start to laugh again when Celine runs past the doorway to get into her car still screaming Yannick’s name, who has already started driving away. She looks out the window at the four laughing faces and gives them a middle finger salute before roaring out of the driveway. Ann laughs, “I feel so happy right now, I’m so grateful to have friends like you and Olivia, an amazing mother and the best girlfriend in the world.”
Lina grins, “I love you, baby.”
Ann smiles brightly, leans in and kisses her, “I love you too, sweetheart.”
Sophie and Inge smile at the two lovebirds and leave them alone. “Why don’t you come over to my house for a little while, you won’t be getting any work done in there for a while with those two.”
Inge nods her head in agreement and then frowns when she spots her desk, “What the hell happened to my desk?”
Sophie laughs and looks at Ann and Lina who are still kissing. Inge looks at Ann and Lina and then her desk, “Oh for crying out loud, I will need to clean down that desk before I go near it again.”
Sophie laughs, “I think you should burn it and get a new one.”
She puts her arm around Inge, “Come on, I have a little warm apple gin ready for tasting.”
Inge licks her lips, “I haven’t had that in years, let's go.” She looks over her shoulder and blushes at how intimate Ann and Lina are getting, “Damn, there really are things a mother should not see, it’s going to take a lot of warm apple gin to get that image out of my head.
Chapter 23
Lina is humming along to the Christmas music as Inge is sewing in the corner at a smaller desk. She grins as she watches Lina work faster and more carefree than ever before. Every movement still so precise but with more confidence than ever before. Lina looks over and stops humming, “What are you smiling at? Are you really not going to use that desk again? I made it for you.”
Inge stands up and pours them each a coffee, “I know what you and my daughter did on that desk and I cannot look at it in the same way.”
Lina blushes and looks over at the desk as flashes of images run through her mind. Inge clears her throat, “I also don’t need to see that horny look in your eyes while I try to work. To answer your other question, I am smiling because I have never seen you work so carefree and happy. The last few toys have been immaculate, and I love the heart decorations you have carved into them.”
Lina frowns, “Hearts? What hearts? I didn’t carve any hearts.”
Inge laughs, picks up the little wooden train and sure enough, there are tiny hearts carved into it. “Well, I’ll be damned, I carved hearts.”
Lina runs her finger over the heart gently, “I think this one might have to been painted a brighter colour than green or blue.”
She laughs and gives Inge another hug. “Let’s get back to work shall we.”
“Absolutely, do you mind if I turn this up?”
Lina grins, “Not at all, I love Christmas songs and I’m looking forward to this one more than ever before. We don’t have long left to get everything made before the big reveal.”
Inge smirks, “I have a little surprise of my own for that.”
Lina cocks her head to the side, “What do you mean?”
“That my dear is for me to know and you to find
out when the time is right.”
Lina eyes her suspiciously trying to figure out what she is up to, but Inge sips her coffee and tries to look as innocent as she can. Lina shakes her head and sits back down on her stool and starts singing along to the song on the radio. The piece that she is working on has different intricate parts and has a moving part. She has the mobile blades already crafted and ready to assemble when the rest of the body of the piece is ready. She starts to carve out the tiny figurines. Each piece delicately done, she smiles as she finishes the first little girl. “Inge, I’ve always let the wood guide me to what it should look like. I would always get this feeling of warmth as the piece takes life. The wood would come to life in my hands. I would never know if it is going to be male or female. Now I feel like Santa’s elves on a deadline to get it all done and I have never felt such a sense of excitement and happiness. I can’t wait to see the looks on the faces of all the kids. Every year I have only been able to make just a few toys but this year I can reach so many more kids and it’s all thanks to your daughter. She has brought me a joy I could never have imagined. It has made me want to do it more, I want to teach kids how to draw, paint or carve wood. I found my passion again and I didn’t even know I had lost it.”
Inge gives her hug, “I am so happy for you, I have enjoyed every minute of working here with you. I haven’t had this much fun and I’m really looking forward to seeing it all come together in the store. You have really achieved something wonderful.”
Lina grins, “Thank you, but you realise this couldn’t have been possible without you. How would you feel about passing on your skills to kids too? I saw how you work and how much kids would enjoy learning from you. We can set up an after schools’ workshop first see how many would be interested and go from there. What do you say?”
“To bring joy and happiness to kids would be a dream come true. To see their imaginations in full flow and learning from the best. It would be amazing I would love to work with you. What do you think Ann will say?”
“I’m sure she would be excited about it. I have never been one for standing in the limelight and opening shows. I know that there is money to be made but I get by with what I do sell. The most important thing for me is to see the toys being played with, the smile on the child’s face, no amount of money could come close to that. Christmas for me is a time when people rush around and spend so much money on things that really aren’t needed. Then I see little kids that have that look of wonder when they see the lights, and then the disappointment when they realise, they won’t get any toys. That just kills me, and I have seen that look on my brother’s face too many times I never want a child to feel that. I want them to keep alive the spirit of the holiday season and the surprise they feel when they get a toy. They are so grateful for the smallest gift it brings a tear to my eye. Ann has made it possible for me to do this on a larger scale this year and I know she is going to love every second of it.”
“She hasn’t had the best Christmas these past few years, I know she is feeling a little more festive this year but is still not at the same level she once was. Before that breakup, she would have a Christmas jumper for the twelve days of Christmas. She would have the biggest tree decorated within an inch of its life. Her living room would be as if Christmas threw up all over it with musical figurines and ornaments. The Christmas music would be so loud, and she would be singing along. My wish is that she would get that feeling back. I can only thank you for giving me, my daughter back.” Inge hugs her tight with tears rolling down her cheeks.
“We have a lot more Christmas’s together and with each one, a little more spirit will come back.”
“How would you feel about speeding that up a little?”
Lina pulls back and looks at Inge suspiciously, “What do you mean?”
“I mean, how would you feel about decorating Ann’s house with the decorations I salvaged from when she threw them away.”
“Oh my God, that’s a risky game to play, she might get so angry and put me in the dog house?”
“She just needs a little nudge I can see her looking around with that little sparkle in her eyes when she is testing the lights for her display. I will take full responsibility for it.”
Lina runs her fingers through her hair, “I don’t know, Inge.”
“Come on Lina, this is what you have been talking about. You love to see the purity of Christmas, the love of the lights, music and the feeling inside. Ann is the one this year that needs to feel that. She has been out in the cold for too long. Let’s warm her up with a Christmas spectacle that even she can’t pass up.”
“Okay, let’s do it.”
Inge claps her hands excitedly, “How much more have you got to do with the display?”
Lina looks around, “I have one piece left to carve and there are a few pieces that are ready for painting and lacquered. I can have that done in a day and come back to paint the last piece.”
“Excellent, so why are you still standing there? Get to work!”
She spanks Lina on the ass and goes back to finish her sewing. Lina is shocked but starts laughing, “Yes ma’am.”
She looks more closely at what Inge is doing and frowns, “What are you doing over there anyway?”
Inge looks guilty and hides what she has in her hands, “Nothing for you to be looking at. You do your work and I will do mine and when it is ready then you will see it and do as I say.”
“Do as you say? I don’t like this feeling I’m having right now.”
Inge laughs heartily, “You sound like Ann, do your work, I’m having fun.”
Lina shakes her head, sits back down and focuses on what she is doing. She has carved the base and starts to shape it into a circle. The second piece is a smaller circle where she wants her figures to stand. A little girl, a boy, a Christmas tree, a snowman, and Santa Claus. She wants the smaller circle to spin and play music. She has all the pieces that she needs and sourced the little music piece to play Christmas music. She carves out three pieces of wood to make the shape of a dome that surrounds the characters inside. She sits back and rubs her lower back seeing all the pieces lined up on her bench. She grins as she watches the image in her mind play out how the pieces will come together, “Magical.”
She stands up, stretches and looks over to speak to Inge who is no longer there. She frowns, turns on her phone and is shocked to see that it is midnight. She reads some of her texts and laughs when she sees that Inge has text her to say she left. She has a voicemail and listens to it. Her smile gets wider the more she listens. She hurries to turn off the lights and lock up the warehouse. She has to run around the drive to her house because she locked the door of the hallway linking the two buildings together. She opens the door it’s dimly lit inside with only a few lamps on. She quietly makes her way upstairs stopping in the doorway of her bedroom. There snuggled under the bedsheets is Ann who is sound asleep. Lina rushes to the shower to freshen up. She slips into bed shuffling close to Ann. She kisses her shoulder and hears her mumble, “You’re cold.”
She tries to move away but Ann reaches for her arm and pulls her closer. “I love you.”
“I love you too. Sleep well, my love.”
“Is everything ready for the unveiling in two weeks' time.”
Lina shakes her head, “You’re half asleep and still in work mode. I’m on target and it will all be wonderful. Now, go to sleep.”
“Okay, sleep well baby, I’m proud of you. This might be the best Christmas yet.”
Lina lifts her head when she hears Ann humming jingle bells in her sleep. “You’re so cute.” She kisses her shoulder again and rests back on her pillow and drifts off to sleep.
∞ ∞ ∞
“Inge, I’m not sure about this, it feels wrong,” Lina whispers. Inge tuts, “Why are you whispering it’s the middle of the day and no one is here. You agreed to this and we are doing it.”
Lina groans and picks up another box and carries it inside Ann’s home. Once all the boxe
s have been brought in Lina and Ann drag in the tree to decorate it. Inge goes across and turns on the cd player and blasts out the Christmas music. Lina spins around, “Are you kidding me?”
“What, it will get us in the mood and set the whole room in the right spirit.”
“You’re going to wake the dead with how loud you’re playing it.”
Inge rolls her eyes, “Are you going to argue with me all the time or are you going to start decorating the tree with me.”
She dances past Lina and smacks her cheek playfully. Lina laughs and in no time at all, they have decorated the tree beautifully and are starting to set up all of Ann’s ornaments and figurines. Both Lina and Inge are having fun and are singing along to the music and stop abruptly when the music stops. Turning around they come face to face with Ann.
“What the hell is going on here?”
Inge steps quietly behind Lina much to her dismay, “We wanted to do something nice for you and bring you the Christmas you deserve.”
Inge looks around Lina and nods smiling sweetly. Ann is standing with her hands on her hips, “This is what you thought I wanted? Needed? You two are unbelievable.” As she looks around, she recognises some of the ornaments and eyes her mother suspiciously, “You went dumpster diving for this?”
“I just picked out a few things just in case you would miss them one day.”
Ann throws her arms up in the air, “This is too much.” She turns her back to them and bows her head. Lina looks at Inge who shrugs making Lina tut.
“Ann, we can take them all down again if you don’t want them here. We overstepped and for that we are sorry.”
She hugs Ann from behind not forcing her to turn around but just letting her know that she is there to support her. She feels Ann lean into her and sighs in relief at that. “Don’t take them down, I just need a little time.”
“Take all the time you need, sweetheart.”
She turns around into Lina’s arms and looks at the tree one more time and then at her mother. “That tree is unbalanced with the decorations.”
Calling Mrs Claus Page 15
