Chapter 11: Christmas Present

Wendy and James had a problem at Christmas as both of their families followed the traditional format of Church in the morning. A big family Christmas lunch, followed by the Queen’s speech at 3pm, that by tradition had to be watched. However, an agreement had been reached whereby James would go to Wendy’s house after his Christmas meal, where they would exchange their presents and he would spend the evening with Wendy and her family. Both sets of parents had agreed it would have been cruel to keep them apart on Christmas day.

After a frustrating day where time had passed with glacial slowness, James had finally arrived at Wendy’s house to be greeted warmly by her mum and dad. As they sat in the living room, Wendy gave James his present. From the look, it was an LP record which was perfect, as that was what James had also bought for her.

Wendy had bought James a copy of Led Zeppelin 2, which he had wanted to get his hands on since it had been released in October. Plus a copy of Blind Faith by the supergroup of the same name, which she had searched high and low for, eventually tracking down a copy in ‘Rare Records’ in Manchester. James had given Wendy Motown Chartbusters Volume 3, which she recognised because of the distinctive silver album cover even before she had taken the Christmas wrapping paper off fully.

Wendy had been torn when she had got the 2nd LP, as she had been saving up to buy a new miniskirt in red leather, but if she got the second album, she wouldn’t have enough money to get the skirt. Wendy knew what she must do and abandoned the skirt.

As they sat on the sofa looking at their respective LPs, Wendy’s mum handed her another present. It was the skirt she had been saving for. Wendy’s mum had seen the torment her daughter had gone through and had bought the skirt for her as an extra present, impressed by Wendy’s putting her love for James first.

“Mum, oh wow, thanks,” Wendy exclaimed as she shot upstairs to change into her present. When Wendy came back down the stairs, James could hardly believe his eyes, she looked stunning. The skirt was just short enough to be sexy, but not that short as to be slutty, and it had a zipper running the whole way down the front.

Wendy quickly sat on the sofa again, and then as they compared notes, Wendy’s mum told them that they could go into the front room to play the records but to keep the noise down. Soon, the unmistakable bass rhythm of ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’ by Marvin Gaye could be heard softly through the wall; that was suddenly drowned out by a shriek from Wendy.

Her parents rushed into the room to find Wendy sitting with tears running down her cheeks as she stared at a box in her hands. At first, Wendy’s mum thought, ‘Oh no, he’s not gone and bought her a ring has he?’ but then she saw that the box was too long and thin. Moving closer and looking down, she saw that the box contained a gold necklace.

The chain was fine and delicate. Attached to it was a slightly off-center and distorted silhouette of a heart, just the outline with no inner core. It looked exquisite. Wendy was trembling as she looked at the present, unable to move.

“I think you’d better put it on for her,” Wendy’s dad said quietly, breaking the tension.

James gently eased the box from Wendy’s grip; standing up, he placed the necklace around her neck as she turned away from him. As soon as she felt James fasten it around her neck, Wendy looked in the mirror.

She let out another scream and threw herself at James, jumping into his embrace, her arms going around his neck as her legs wrapped around his waist. He had no option but to put his hands under Wendy’s bum to help him support her weight, something noticed by her mum and dad, who for once made no comment. James had really had no option if he wasn’t going to drop Wendy.

“It’s perfect, beautiful,” Wendy whispered as she showered James’ face with loving kisses. “I love you, I love you, it’s perfect,” she kept repeating, each phrase punctuated by quick kisses on his eyelids and cheeks. “It’s beautiful. I’m never going to take it off. I love you.”

Having seen how excited Wendy was, her parents didn’t let them stay alone in the front room, so all four went back into the living room to watch TV together. Wendy and James snuggled together on the couch, Wendy constantly fingering her new necklace, eyes misty with unshed tears.

When it was time for James to go home, Wendy’s mum hugged him, saying, “James, that was very special, that present. Take care.”