Nina

A cold gust of wind blew along the street, bringing the last few wayward leaves to order. They scuttled into a corner near the ice-cream shop and crowded into a heap as though they were trying to keep warm. Nina kicked them gently with her worn ankle boots, an old childhood habit. She caught sight of her reflection in the window. Her slight figure and neat bob belied her years. She could have passed for a young girl. She sighed and dug her hands deep into her pockets to try and keep them warm. ,She had come out of the factory to do some quick Christmas shopping and hadn't realized how cold it was. The sky was ominously grey and the nearby mountains were no longer visible. Nina walked on to the new emporium that had just opened up, maybe she could get all her presents there. She passed the Florists and paused to admire the lavish display of Christmas compositions. The young girl Giada who worked there was putting some finishing touches to the display of holly and mistletoe centre pieces.

' Did you have a nice birthday? Did you like the roses? Your husband said he's been sending you roses for forty years now. I think it's so romantic.' Giada beamed.

'Oh yes they were beautiful. Thank you. I like the silver glitter too, makes them look very festive.'

Nina walked on thinking about the roses. She had never got over the disappointment of that day all those years ago, when she had just left school. Fulvio had arrived at her house with his small cinquecento overflowing with roses. He had bowed low in a dramatic gesture and told her they were for her and could he take her out. Her mother and sisters had gasped and simpered and ran to tell her father. It was only when they had been married some years that he admitted that the roses were in fact free. His friend Marco grew flowers for the local market and had given him the first crop which would otherwise have been thrown away.
Now every year on her birthday Nina reminded him of this. Yesterday when he came in with her birthday roses she had put them in a vase without looking at him and mumbled

'What's the use of all these roses, they only last a couple of days.'

She didn't see the hurt look on his face as he left the room.

Nina walked past the war memorial. It was covered with garlands and red ribbons, damp and faded now after the November commemoration service. She looked at the familiar surnames engraved on the stone. Most of the family names of her small Northern Italian town were written there. Her mother's brother and her father's cousins, her uncle's best friend, not one family had been untouched. The same names were above the shop fronts and on the local builder's and plumber's vans and in the classroom registers. They told a story of sacrifice and survival. This Winter the mountains would soon be dotted with colourful skiers who would drink mulled wine and hot chocolate when darkness fell, but a hundred years ago there was quite a different scene up there. The soldiers in their dugouts would have watched gun fire light up the moonlit sky and sat shivering and frightened in their greatcoats waiting for dawn.
Whenever Nina and her sisters had sulked or threw tantrums because their clothes weren't washed or their hair was a mess or their boyfriends had left to work in Milan, their mother would point to the war memorial and remind them of the sacrifice that had been made so they could be free.

Nina turned as someone called her name. It was her neighbour Sandra coming out of the perfume shop clutching a whole array of gift-wrapped parcels.

'Oh Nina how nice to see you out and about, have you got time for a coffee''

Nina smiled at her . She liked Sandra. She had been her eldest son's Italian teacher and had given reassurance and comfort when Nina had despaired of her son ever passing his exams. He was now a confident young man in charge of the commercial side of the business and a devoted husband and father, but it had been a hard struggle for Nina..

'Thank you Sandra, I'd love to, I'll do my shopping first though because I've only got an hour.'

?I'll be in the café in twenty minutes then,who gets there first can order.'

Sandra left behind a waft of perfume, she must have been trying the samples. Nina pulled a strand of hair under her nose to see if the minestrone smell had gone. She seemed to smell of vegetable soup all the time. She was forever making soups and stews in the little kitchen at the factory for her son and daughter and the grandchildren. Most days there were six or seven people sitting round the small table. Nina was so tired. She had too much to do. She was a mother, a grandmother, an accountant, a cook and a cleaner.She hadn't been on holiday with Fulvio for years. She couldn't think of the future. She tried to take one day at a time.

Nina went into the emporium with a heavy heart. She greeted the young Romanian girl, Dana, who was married to Giacomo, who worked in the factory.
There was a mirror above the till and for a moment Nina didn't recognize the woman who stared back at her. How had she got so old? Where had all the years gone? Deep furrows on her brow and at the sides of her mouth gave her a permanently anxious look. She felt drab and grey and colourless.

 Dana smiled at her.
'What beautiful blue eyes you have got, you should wear blue to bring them out, we've got some new blouses in just the right shade, they're at the back on the left.'

'I've come to buy presents for other people no time to think of me.'

 Nina then felt ashamed then at her dismissive tone. Dana was probably only trying to be  kind. Giacomo was one of the best workers at the factory.
 She went to the back of the shop to search for gifts. This year had been the worst ever for the factory. Her husband had struggled to keep his forty employees working seven days a week. He was determined not to let any of them down. The markets had changed so much.  After the glorious sixties when their small region had exported as much as the whole of Greece, they were now having to compete with China and it seemed like a losing battle.
 Nina stopped in front of some pretty red nighties with fur trim. There had never been anything like that in the shops when she was young and it was too late now. Fulvio was so tired in the evenings that he went to sleep on the sofa. She would find him in the morning with the television still on. She couldn't remember the last time that she had woken up to find his warm body pressed against hers.

 Dana came up to her.
'Aren't they pretty? I've sent some home to my mother. You can be sort of Mother Christmas. There's one left in your size.'

Nina studied Dana's face. Was she making fun of her or did she really think she could wear one of those flimsy things? There was a strange flutter in her stomach at the thought. What would Fulvio say? She thought of the roses and wished she had shown some enthusiasm.
 Dana was pulling out some boxes.
'Here we are, this is perfect for you. Turn the lights down low and put on some nice romantic music.'

Nina stopped herself laughing as she saw the expression on Dana's face. She really was serious. On an impulse Nina hugged her.

'Thank you Dana, I'll take one and a blue blouse too. I'll come back tomorrow for the presents.'

 Dana gift- wrapped the red nightie saying it was her present to Nina. She knew it had been a hard year. Nina looked at herself in the mirror again. She couldn't stop smiling, was it her imagination or did she look younger, lighter. Her blue eyes shone brightly like a sudden patch of blue sky breaking through the clouds on a rainy day. As she crossed the square to meet Sandra she felt like a teenager planning a date for the evening. Maybe she could ask for some perfume samples.She imagined herself dancing with one of the roses between her teeth. It was as though something had opened up inside her letting in light and new possibilities.

 She would still take each day as it comes, but today was going to be really special.

Gemma

The Perfume counter was right in front of the revolving doors. Customers, on entering the store, were hit by a tantalizing mix of exotic spices and floral aromas to lure them towards the counter. Once there,  they were surrounded by  a dazzling array of posters showing beautiful women on the arms of handsome elegant men. The perfumes were displayed like potions with the  promise that whoever wore this or that perfume  would be transported to a magical kingdom of seduction and elegance. Gemma raised her wrist to her nose and breathed in the heady mix of vanilla and patchouli that Max had chosen for her.  It was an early Christmas present. She thought back to the conversation she'd had with her friend Marsha at lunch time.

' Gemma have you ever noticed how many men buy two bottles of the same perfume.? Don't you think it's funny? Maybe it's one for the wife and one for the lover, so as not to get caught out.'

Gemma felt herself redden. Was it possible that she knew Max was married? Anyway Max had told her there was nothing left between him and his wife. He wasn't even  going to buy her a present this year, just a box of chocolates  or maybe a CD so their little boys would be happy.

'If a man has a lover then he wouldn't be in love with his wife any more would he? He wouldn't care what she thought.'

'Oh don't you believe it Gemma. It's all about having your cake and eating it with them isn't it?  We watched 'Love Actually' last night for the umpteenth time and I told Mike that if he'd better not buy me a CD, poor Emma Thompson, I cry every time I watch that scene.'

Gemma felt very uncomfortable. She'd watched 'Love Actually last night too, wrapped in Max's arms. He'd kissed her long and hard and promised he'd leave his wife straight after Christmas.  She'd been seeing him for almost two years now. A weekend away once a month and snatched evenings when he told his wife he was working late. He'd promised to take her for a week to Scotland after New Year and tell his wife he wanted a divorce. She realized that Marsha was still talking.

'How are you getting on with your course? I think you'll be a great Nursery teacher. My little Sam adores you. It's Auntie Gemma this and Auntie Gemma that. He'll be going to Nursery school in September.  If you hurry up you'll be in time to teach him.'

Gemma noticed an elegant couple approach and went to serve them. The man was very tall and had thick dark curly hair, a bit like Max. How she loved running her fingers through his hair and looking at the way it curled over at the base of his neck. The young woman was tall and blond with a very low cut top and a white fur wrap. Just as she was about to serve them, a very handsome man wearing a Father Christmas hat pushing a baby and holding on to two little boys wearing antlers collided into Scarlet Johansson. Gemma went to help and then served the man who looked quite relieved. As he walked away she thought how lucky his wife was and how she would love a family like that.

When she'd finished serving the couple she thought about Marsha's advice. It was true that she'd been really enjoying the  Childcare and Nursery teaching course. She had always loved being around little children. Her sister was ten years younger than her and her  and she had  looked after her while her mother went out to work.  Gemma had  taken the job at the Perfume counter to help finance her studies and that's where she had met Max. He had looked so lost and helpless trying to find  a perfume for his grandmother.  When Gemma had suggested Old English Lavender he had been so grateful and asked  if he could take her out for a drink to show his appreciation.

The next thing she knew she was inviting him in to the flat which she shared with two other girls. It had all been so exciting. He was so much more sophisticated than the other boys she'd dated. He knew how to order the right wine in the fancy restaurants they went to, and he took her to the opera and the ballet in London.  By the time she found out that he was married she was completely obsessed with him. He reassured her immediately saying how his wife only thought about their two small boys and her job in the hospital. He was on his own all the time and it was over between them.  Gemma believed him and was determined to make up for all the neglect he had suffered from his wife.  

Marsha walked by and helped herself to a free spray of J.Lo's new perfume from the bottle on the display.

'Would you like to come to us this evening Gemma? I've made some special mince pies with whiskey, guaranteed to bring instant festive cheer.  Mike's going out for his office party. We could watch a Christmas film and maybe let Sam stay up a bit as a treat.'

'I think Max is coming to pick me up and then we were going...' She stopped, not really wanting to say what they were going to do.  Just lately they'd done nothing but go back to her room. She looked at Marsha and took a deep breath.

'That sounds nice Marsha, thank you. Maybe I could give Sam his bath and read him a bedtime story. It would be good for my training.' She smiled  at Marsha as she moved away and then started to tidy up the  counter.

A voice whispered in her ear, low and deep. Yesterday it would have sent a shiver of excitement down her spine but today it made her feel sad and lonely.

'Hello young lady, could you please help me choose a perfume for my poor old grandmother. I' d be ever so grateful.'

Gemma turned to Max with a bright smile.

'Sorry Sir but it's closing time. By the way which  is your wife's favourite perfume ?''

The silence that followed and the embarrassed look on Max's face told her all that she needed to know.

Dora

The phone rang three times and then stopped. Dora put down the minute matinee jacket she was knitting and settled in her chair. It was her son David 's signal. When the phone rang again she picked it up straight away.

'Hello David, I'm all ready with my list.'

'Fire away Mum, but don't forget it's Christmas next week and you'll be with us . Patty's got enough stuff here to feed an army. '

Dora smiled and relaxed into her chair. The sound of her son's voice always made her feel so safe, so happy and so hopeful.When the doctor had told her all those years ago that she would never have children, Sid had held her hand tightly and told her matter- of-factly that they could adopt, give a little child a chance of a happy home.They filled in the paperwork and were delighted when the call came to say that there was a newborn baby for them. David giggled and gurgled his way through his infant years and gave them unending joy. He'd burst in from school, socks falling down and jacket discarded on the floor, bubbling over with fun and laughter. When he was eighteen the law said he could trace his birth parents. He'd sat down next to them and looked them in the eyes.

'You're my parents, the only ones I ever want.' They'd tried to hide their tears of relief.

When David married Patty they gained a daughter. When their granddaughter Abbie was born, Sid and Dora looked after her while David and Patty were at work. Abbie had the same charming nature as David and she brought joy to them all.

'Well I've made two puddings this year so extra wishes. Now I'd just like some of those mini mince pies and some Yorkshire tea and maybe a bottle of mulled wine to offer the carol singers.That's all . Thank you so much David.'

Once a week David ordered Dora's shopping for her online and it was delivered to her door. Of all the modern conveniences it was the one that reminded her of her childhood. There were no supermarkets then and most of her mother's shopping was done on the doorstep, buying from the milkman, the grocer and the various travelling salesman. Her mother would have loved all the other inventions that had made life so easy though, a washing machine with a drier, disposable nappies, a microwave. Dora's favourite was still the duvet. A flick of the wrist and the bed was made.

'Mum, are you ok? Is your heating working properly now?'

David 's voice broke into her thoughts.

'Yes it's fine now, thank you. How is Abbie?'

There was a silence and Dora heard her son take a deep breath.

'The doctor says it's post- natal depression. She's been going for counselling.'

Dora had to bite her tongue and stop herself from snorting. She had no time for counselling. The doctor had made her go after Sid passed on. Dora had found herself sitting in front of a complete stranger and in just half an hour the wall that had been protecting her since childhood had crumbled away. She'd broken down in heaving sobs as she re-lived the times when her violent father undid his heavy belt to beat her brother Tom. He'd run off to Australia, a ten pound Pom they called them then, as soon as he was twenty. Dora had stayed to protect her mother and had been saved by meeting Sid at a local dance. She'd never seen or heard from Tom again. Sid had tried to trace him but never succeeded. Dora had left the counselling session feeling humiliated and exposed. She couldn't think how it would help Abbie. Dora thought it must be the boyfriend Oscar's fault. She couldn't understand why he didn't marry her. She was such a lovely girl and now with the baby it didn't seem right. Dora didn't understand it.

'Mum, I'll be round at ten on Tuesday. Patty's made up your bed.'

Dora tried to put some reassurance into her voice.

'It will be lovely to have a baby in the house at Christmas. Abbie will be fine. I'll be bringing my magic Christmas puddings.'

Dora put the phone down and looked at her knitting. It was a tiny matinee jacket for the Premature Baby Unit. She must have made hundreds over the years. Never did she think they'd be needed for her own little great- grandson, Harry. When David had rung to tell her that Abbie had been rushed into hospital with complications, Dora had felt a fear greater than anything her father could have caused with his violent ways. Harry was born at seven months but thanks to the doctors and his own fighting spirit he would be home for Christmas. Abbie though seemed to be in a state of shock and just moped about in her dressing gown all day while her boyfriend Oscar took care of the baby.

Dora put her knitting down and went to the kitchen . She sprinkled some more brandy on her Christmas cake and changed the cloth on the puddings. Every year she wished hard while stirring her puddings, eyes tight shut and gripping the wooden spoon. Sometimes they came true and sometimes they didn't.
As a child when she made the puddings with her mother they wished together, but it didn't improve  her father's temper or stop her brother leaving. Later she'd wished for a loving husband and found Sid, then for a baby and along came her beloved David. Last year she'd wished that Sid would get better but he'd left her in the Spring and this would be her first Christmas without him for fifty- five years. This year her wishes would be all for Abbie and Harry. Dora had bought some new silver charms and had wished hard.

Xxxxxxxx

Dora turned to Oscar who was sitting on her right and held out her cracker to him

'Don't pull too hard Oscar, I'll fall off the chair'.

Oscar grinned and tugged hard so there was a loud snap.He put on the paper hat and read out his joke.

'Where do Snowmen go to dance? To a snow ball.'

Everybody groaned. Dora was really warming to Oscar. She had watched as he 'd held the bottle and then rocked  Harry off to sleep. Mostly though she'd noticed how he looked at Abbie. She'd seen that look on a man's face before and it still made a warm glow steal over her heart. Sid had looked at her like that at the village dance and then had never really stopped. David was looking like that at Patty now as he raised his glass to her. She saw Oscar wink at Abbie and the warmth and love in her eyes as she looked back at him. Abbie was more like her old cheerful self. The counseller had managed to reassure her and give her the confidence she needed to look after Harry, perhaps there was something in counselling after all.

David stood up.

' I'm going to get Mum's marvellous pudding now ! Be prepared for the magic show everyone!'

They all cheered as David brought in the pudding, glistening with sugar and with beautiful blue and gold flames leaping over it. Patty served it with cream and brandy butter. Dora watched as everyone searched for their lucky charms. There was a squeal of excitement as Abbie found the little wedding ring charm and then she reddened and looked shyly at Oscar. Dora saw how the others quietly moved their charms about as realisation dawned. There was silence broken only by the snuffles from the cot. Oscar stood up. He moved towards Abbie and took the  charm ring ,then he dropped dramatically to one knee.

'Well as you are the one that got the wedding charm it must be a sign. You are the only one for me Abbie and well the thing is what I want to say is

 Abbie will you marry me?'

Then they were all crying and laughing and hugging at once as Abbie threw her arms round  Oscar.

'Oh yes !  Yes Oscar!Yes please !'

Harry woke up then and Oscar picked him up.

'Hey little fellow, an awful lot has been happening while you've been having your nap. Daddy's wearing a funny hat and Mummy's going to be my wife .'

Patty brought in the coffee tray . She handed round the coffee and then sat close to David. She kissed him tenderly.

'Merry Christmas Grandpa, what a wonderful Christmas this is turning out to be.'

Dora looked round at her family bathed in the glow of the lights from the tree. Her son and his wife, her granddaughter and Oscar and her little great grandson . How much she loved them. She knew Sid would be very happy.

It was only a lot later as they were all ready for bed that Abbie asked everyone

'Well what lucky charms did you all get?'

There was a lot of yawning and mumbling as they all said goodnight looking at each other with mischievous grins.

Dora looked at the photo of Sid as she turned off the light.

'Yes I know I'm an old fashioned fogey, but it worked for us didn't it my love? It seems he was going to ask her anyway, I just speeded things up. You were my hero Sid.

Merry Christmas '.
Then she blew him a kiss and carefully tucked the other four little silver charm wedding rings in her draw.