Underneath the Christmas Tree

December the twenty-first was a bright, crisp and cloud free day which started out with a sharp frost and ice underfoot. Everyone in the huts was in agreement about closing up a little early so we could all attend the solstice celebration, which was organised by Lilith and some of her friends, together.

Ned had hung a sign on the gate to explain the change in opening hours and he’d added a note to the Wynter’s Trees website and social media accounts too, so hopefully no one would be caught out. I had to smile when I read how he had worded it – we’re opening for a shorter time on the twenty-first to celebrate the shortest day – very clever.

‘Are you ready?’ he asked, when he came back from locking the barn, when it was time to leave. ‘Everyone else has gone.’

‘Yes,’ I said, adding a coat to my many layers and picking up my hat, scarf and gloves. ‘All set.’

Ned eyed me speculatively.

‘What?’ I frowned, looking down to see what had caught his attention.

Nothing looked amiss to me, although my appearance was a bit padded out.

‘I was just wondering if you found those thermals,’ he mused.

‘Well,’ I said, ‘you’ll find out later, won’t you?’

‘No time for a quick peek now, I suppose,’ he suggestively said.

‘Nope,’ I responded, brushing by him, with a smile. ‘No time at all.’

He looked disappointed but there really was no time to further speculate over my all-encompassing undergarments, and having promised Bandit we wouldn’t be too late back, he locked the door and we headed over to the truck.

‘So,’ I said, when we arrived in the village, which was busier than I had expected, ‘what’s going to happen at this solstice celebration?’

‘No idea,’ Ned grinned, expertly reversing into a tiny space at the side of the green which a much smaller vehicle had just vacated. ‘I’ve never actually managed to get to one before. The only thing I know about is the burning, which is a new addition this year. Have you got your paper, by the way?’

‘Yes,’ I said, thrusting my hand into the coat pocket to check.

Lilith had explained that all the attendees were welcome to write down anything they wished to leave behind from the year on a piece of paper which they could then burn in the ceremonial bonfire.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about the idea, from a spiritual point of view, but had nonetheless decided to give it a go and had spent a long time composing a whole list of things. By the time I’d finished, I realised I’d tracked back much further than just the last twelve months. I hoped that was all right.

‘Have you?’ I asked Ned.

‘Yes,’ he said seriously.

I wondered what was written on his piece of paper, but knowing I would have felt awkward sharing the details of mine, didn’t ask.

‘Come on then,’ I said. ‘We’d better go. Everyone’s meeting outside the pub, aren’t they?’

‘Apart from Abbie and Noah,’ Ned told me. ‘He’s driven them near to the site because they can’t get on to the sand with the wheelchair. They’re going to set up and watch as close as they can from the clifftop.’

I felt a little nervous as we approached the large group milling about outside the pub. It was only half two in the afternoon, but I could see lots of people had torches and lanterns with them.

‘Oh,’ I said to Ned. ‘I didn’t think to bring anything to light the way. I suppose it will be almost dark on the walk back, won’t it?’

We were to walk along the seafront and over to the beach huts where a large fire had been built near the shore and then back into the village after the formalities to celebrate in the pub. As it would be dark by four, we’d most likely need something to light the path back.

‘Don’t worry,’ said Ned, ‘I’ve got a torch.’

He pulled the red Maglite I recognised from the office out of his pocket.

‘Good,’ I said, ‘but it doesn’t look very in keeping.’

Some of the group, who were wearing hooded cloaks which reached the floor, had traditional lanterns and jars adorned with lengths of ivy.

‘I don’t suppose it matters,’ said Ned. ‘As long as there’s light coming out of the end of it, I’m sure it will suffice.’

The level of chatter began to rise as everyone found and paired up with family and friends. Ned and I stuck together, with Wren and Theo in front of us and Sue and her partner behind. Then a hush fell over the group as the two cloak-clad people at the front turned and led the way down to the beach. I imagined we looked like the elves leaving Rivendell in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, only perhaps slightly less elegant.

As we progressed, the walk began to feel properly ethereal and, in the distance, I could see the bonfire had been lit. With every step we took, the light seemed to be fading and it felt quite eerie as we approached. Without a word we all formed a circle around the crackling fire and those with lanterns set them down or drove their handles into the sand.

We held hands with the people next to us and I felt grateful to have Ned on my left and Sue on my right. Bathed in the orange glow from the fire it was harder to pick familiar faces out and in spite of the warmth I felt a shiver run through me. Not of fear, more of the unknown. I’d never experienced anything like it before.

Another hooded figure, which I hadn’t spotted in the shadows, stepped seemingly out of the fire, and I gasped. Ned squeezed my hand and the ceremony began. Once a circle of protection had been drawn, there was much talk of the lengthening of days and then two men, wearing masks and carrying sticks, battled. One was the holly king, the other the oak and it was the oak king who rose victorious, regaining the crown and once again reigning supreme.

The light had faded completely as a quiet chant began to echo around the group. I stared into the flames feeling, I wasn’t sure what, but definitely something. Tears gathered in my eyes which had nothing to do with the woodsmoke and when I felt a light tap on my shoulder, I let go of Sue and Ned’s hands, stepped forward and dropped my note into the flames. I watched as the edges of the paper curled and then suddenly, it burst into flames and along with it went my guilt and all of my regrets from the past and I stepped back, ready to embrace my future.

Once everyone had taken their turn, the circle was opened, the lamps retrieved and the slow walk back to the village began. I would have liked to have thanked the woman who had officiated but she seemed to have disappeared as quickly as she’d emerged.

‘That was quite something, wasn’t it?’ said Ned, as everyone around us streamed away while we lingered behind.

‘Yes,’ I huskily said, still staring into the flames. ‘I don’t know what I had been expecting, but it wasn’t that.’

‘When those men jumped out to battle with those masks on,’ said Ned, shaking his head, ‘I almost jumped out of my skin.’

‘I felt you,’ I smiled, tearing my eyes away and breaking whatever spell it was that had drawn me to the glowing blaze.

It was completely dark now and when my eyes readjusted, I could make out the pinprick of stars in the inky sky and I could hear the sea too. I hadn’t noticed the lapping waves at any point during the ceremony but they sounded loud now.

‘I think the tide’s coming in,’ I said, looking across the sand. ‘We should move, Ned.’

‘You’re right,’ he said, cocking his head to listen.

‘But before we do,’ I said, catching his hand, ‘I want to ask you something. Do you think it would be all right if we told everyone straightaway that we’re together?’

He pulled me into his arms and held me close.

‘I thought you wanted to wait,’ he said, smiling down at me.

‘I did,’ I said. ‘But I’ve changed my mind. Is that all right?’

It was fast becoming a habit since my return to Wynter’s Trees.

‘More than all right,’ he said. ‘We’ll have a kiss under the mistletoe in the pub. That’ll give everyone the right idea.’

‘What about a kiss now?’ I suggested.

He was more than willing to oblige.

‘Hey!’ shouted voices from the cliff above. ‘We can see you down there, you know!’

It was Abbie and Noah.

‘I knew it!’ Noah bawled, sounding ecstatic and when Ned shone his torch, I could see he was jumping up and down and clapping his hands.

‘So, did I!’ added Abbie, who was by his side.

‘Not such a secret after all then,’ Ned said to me.

‘What gave us away?’ I called up to the two of them.

‘Ned was like a cat with two tails the morning after the party,’ Noah laughed. ‘So, we knew something had gone on and as it didn’t seem to have anything to do with Maya and he kept slipping back to the lodge…’

‘All right,’ cut in Ned. ‘We get the idea.’

‘And you’d better get off the beach,’ called Abbie. ‘Unless you’re planning to swim back to the pub!’

The cheer that erupted when Ned and I finally walked into the pub, having stopped for another kiss once we’d safely reached dry land, left us in no doubt that Noah and Abbie had made it back first. Ned swept me up into his arms and spun me around, just to confirm the news that our two mischievous friends had already announced.

‘Congratulations!’ said Sue, rushing over and pulling me into a hug the second Ned set me down. ‘I’m so happy for you both.’

Her warm embrace was swiftly followed by another from Wren, a third from Maya and a final one from Noah. There was much back slapping and handshaking for Ned and from what I could make out, the whole gang had been secretly thinking we were made for each other right from the moment I’d arrived.

‘You guys,’ I said, feeling my face flush scarlet.

‘I hope you didn’t want to keep your new-found love under wraps,’ said Abbie. ‘Because I couldn’t stop Noah.’

‘Oh, you fibber,’ he cut in with a gasp. ‘You were the one who burst in—’

‘No,’ Ned then interrupted him, ‘we didn’t want to keep anything under wraps.’

‘That’s all right then,’ the pair chorused. ‘No harm done.’

Everyone wanted to buy us a celebratory drink. As Ned was driving, he stuck to Coke, but I was happy to have a beer. With a drink apiece we found a table and sat down, both grinning like loons. Ned took my hand and squeezed it and I felt drunk before I’d even had so much as a sip of my pint. Yes, I was giddy with love but there was something else that had shifted deep within me during the ceremony on the beach and I felt like a whole new person. It was a strange, but wonderful feeling.

‘Hey!’ said Liam, rushing over, ‘I’ve just heard the news. I’m so pleased for you both.’

Chelsea was right behind him.

‘What did I say, weeks ago?’ she said, giving him a nudge. ‘Didn’t I say they’d be together before Christmas?’

Liam rolled his eyes. ‘You and everyone else,’ he laughed.

‘But I said it first,’ she insisted.

‘Well, thank you,’ I said. ‘We’re really happy.’

Ned leant over and kissed my cheek.

‘And we’re really pleased to see you both, too,’ he then said to the pair. ‘Because we’d like to officially invite you to the plantation tomorrow for a chat. If you can spare the time. If not, we can see you in the evening instead.’

Liam looked worried.

‘It’s nothing to stress about,’ I quickly said.

‘The opposite in fact,’ added Ned. ‘You should be excited, Liam, and you’ll be happy too, Chelsea.’

‘In that case,’ said Chelsea, ‘we’ll come over when I finish my shift at the care home.’

‘I haven’t done anything wrong, have I?’ Liam frowned, still not convinced that he wasn’t in trouble.

‘No Liam,’ I insisted. ‘In fact, you’ve done everything right.’

He looked happier after that and followed his mum over to the bar. I watched them go, content that not only had I settled my differences with my old adversary, but that I was also now able to help her son with the next stage of his life.

It was quite a turnaround, but then everything that had happened since I’d arrived back at Wynter’s Trees had been a total change.

Ned and I were both touched the next day when Liam and Chelsea arrived and Liam took off his coat to reveal a shirt and tie. I offered everyone coffee and then we sat facing each other on the chairs Ned had rearranged in the office. It was Chelsea who spoke first.

‘Can I just ask that you hurry up and say whatever it is that’s on your minds,’ she pleaded, ‘because he’s been like a cat on a hot tin roof since we saw you in the pub. Put him out of his misery for pity’s sake.’

‘Don’t,’ Liam hissed, looking mortified.

‘He’s thinking it’s something to do with that Bradley and Kyle,’ Chelsea added in spite of Liam’s warning. ‘Is it?’

‘Oh Liam,’ I said, upset that he’d been so worried. ‘It’s absolutely nothing to do with them, is it, Ned?’

‘Nothing at all,’ he confirmed, turning to me. ‘And in view of your concerns, Liam, I think we’d better get straight to the point. Would you like to do the honours, Liza?’

I looked at Liam. In spite of our reassurance, he was wringing his hands and his gaze had dropped to the floor.

‘We’d like to offer you a job, Liam,’ I quickly said and his head snapped up. ‘If you’re interested, we’d like to take you on, when you leave school, and make arrangements for you to study land and wildlife management, or something similar, at the local college.’

Chelsea burst into tears.

‘You’d need to keep working hard at school to get the results you need to get into college, but the job’s yours if you want it,’ added Ned.

Liam looked from one of us to the other. He’d gone from pale to poleaxed. I hoped excitement would take over once our offer had sunk in.

‘You obviously love Wynter’s Trees,’ I carried on when he didn’t say anything. ‘And Ned and I would love you to work alongside us. We want you to be a permanent member of the team, Liam. What do you think?’

‘I don’t know what to say,’ he eventually stammered, as Chelsea continued to sniff next to him. ‘Do you really think I can do it?’

His self-doubt made my heart twist.

‘Which bit?’ Ned seriously asked.

‘All of it.’ Liam croaked.

‘Well, you’ve no worries where the practical side’s concerned,’ Ned told him. ‘And your experience here, and the knowledge you’ve already gained, will definitely help on the course and we’ll be here to help if you get stuck with anything.’

‘These are the details of the courses we’ve been looking at,’ I said, handing him the sheets I’d printed out, ‘and we can easily arrange your working hours around the days you need to be at college.’

Chelsea reached for Liam’s hand and Ned and I exchanged a glance.

‘We’ll leave you to look through it all and come back in a few minutes,’ said Ned, ‘but there’s no rush. You don’t have to decide today. Take your time.’

‘I don’t need to,’ said Liam, jumping up and holding out his hand. ‘I’ll do it.’ He beamed. ‘I want to do it.’

‘In that case,’ I said, shaking his hand and feeling my own excitement leap to meet his, ‘welcome to the full-time team.’

He pummelled my hand and then Ned’s and spun Chelsea around in a wonderful show of affection. The sight made me feel quite choked and Chelsea was still teary when they left. She’d barely uttered a word. I don’t think I’d ever known her to be speechless before.

‘Give us a ring later if you want to talk anything through,’ Ned said to Liam as we waved them off, ‘and to let us know she’s all right,’ he added with a wink at Chelsea.

‘She’ll be fine,’ Liam grinned, looking a million times happier than he had when he’d arrived. His tie was skewwhiff and his previously flattened hair was stuck up on end. ‘That said, I’m hoping she’ll be like this until at least Boxing Day.’

Seeing him so happy further confirmed that as soon as the new year arrived, I would be putting proper plans in place to start my training and launch my business. Wynter’s Trees had already transformed Liam’s life and I knew there were plenty more students just like him, who would benefit from the place too.

‘I know exactly what you’re thinking,’ said Ned, as we walked back to the office and he pulled me into his side. ‘And I couldn’t agree with you more.’

I was thrilled to hear it.