It Started With A Christmas Tree - A Lizzie Fuller Christmas Novella (8 page)

BOOK: It Started With A Christmas Tree - A Lizzie Fuller Christmas Novella
11.03Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

The headstone was larger than the one on
Riley’s Grandpop’s grave and it looked like it had been well kept until a few
years ago.

It read : Eliza Watson

 
16
th
June
1935 – 25
th
December 1955

 
Rest in Peace My Angel

She was only twenty years old. I felt the
lump form in my throat as I reread the date of her death. It was Christmas day.

Christmas day to me was a day filled with
love, laughter and family. It was a day where the world felt peaceful. I could
not imagine a loved one dying on that day.

I knelt down, started to pull away the
weeds that now grew around it, and saw a hole about the size of my fist in the
middle of the stone. I reached out, noticing
 
it had a rusty hook embedded into the stone. Whatever had
been hanging there was now missing.

A sadness washed over me and as I felt the
tears well up and spill over my lashes, I felt a hand on my shoulder. Turning
to see who it belonged to, I came face to face with Riley.

I stood up, buried my face in his chest
and allowed the sobbing to start because at that moment, I knew who the
Christmas ornament belonged to.

 

****

 

I wanted to return the glass
ornament the very next day, but I had a lot of work that needed to be caught up
on, so instead I locked myself in my office and did what had to be done. But on
Christmas Eve I decided it had waited long enough and I would return the glass
bauble to Eliza that day. Not only could I not stand another night like the
previous one, where I had tossed and turned with dream-filled sleep, but I
wanted Eliza to have the bauble back for Christmas morning. I didn’t know how
long it had been missing, but it was time for it to go home. Riley had wanted
to come with me as he knew how emotional I got at cemeteries, but I assured him
this was a happy occasion and that I’d be okay alone. So I carefully wrapped
the glass ball and placed it in my handbag.

A storm had been brewing for the last few days
but as yet, it had not eventuated. That only left the weather humid and
overcast. I looked at the sky as I locked my car and really hoped it would hold
off until I’d finished my mission.

I found Eliza’s grave easily this time,
remembering the way as if I’d done it regularly. I sat on the grass again and
did a little bit more weed pulling. Only when the grave was tidy once more, did
I open my bag and retrieve the bauble. I heard the thunder rumble in the
distance as I unwrapped it, giving it a polish on my shirt before hanging it in
its original home. As I did so, the sun moved through a gap in the clouds,
sending prisms of light through the orb and causing colour to dance over the
headstones around me. I heard the tinkering of laughter and looked up. Standing
at a distance, watching the light, was the woman I had seen in my dream.

“I knew you were special,” said a gravelly
voice behind me. I spun around and found myself looking at Earl. He still wore the
same uniform he’d worn the day he sold me the tree. “I’ve been waiting a long
time to find the person who would be able to return that home,” he smiled, his
eyes crinkling at the corners. “She was very special too,” he said, nodding
towards the grave.

“Why didn’t you bring the ornament here
yourself?” I asked, finally managing to find my voice.

“I didn’t find it in time,” he said. “It
was made especially for Eliza, you know. We used to have a gentleman in town who
did glass blowing and Christmas was always her favourite time of year. It
seemed like the least I could do to give her Christmas everyday.” I watched as
emotion danced in his eyes.

“Who was she?” I asked.

“She was the love of my life. We’d known
each other since we were kids, grew up living only two houses away from each
other. That year for Christmas I bought her an engagement ring, got down on one
knee and asked her to marry me. She said yes. It was the happiest moment of my
life,” he said, lost in memories. “Later that day, she was killed by a speeding
car.”

His words sent shock waves all the way to
my toes. Not for the first time, I realized life could be so unfair. “I had
this ornament made for her and everyday I came here and tended to her grave, wishing
I could hold her one more time. All the wishing and praying in the world couldn’t
bring her back but I knew that wherever she was, she would be looking down at
the ornament and smiling as the pretty light danced around. Then a few years
after she died, it disappeared. I couldn’t have another one made as the man in
town had moved on. I didn’t know
what
to do,”
he said sadly. “I could feel her sadness every time I came here after that.” Looking
at Earl, I understood his words. I could feel it too. “But I knew you were the
right person to give it to,” he smiled. “You’re special.”

I looked to where the woman had stood,
wanting to see her happiness, but she’d gone.

“Where did you find it?” I asked, turning
back to Earl,but he was gone too.

I stood and looked around me but the only
person I could see was a groundskeeper I walked towards him.

“Excuse me, but did you see where the
elderly gentleman went?” I asked.

“Sorry, miss. I didn’t see anybody else
here.”

“He was standing with me, telling me the
story of the woman he loved.”

“Sorry, but you’ve been alone the whole
time I’ve been here,” he replied.

“Well, how long have you been here?” I
asked.

“About an hour.” This didn’t make any
sense.

“But I was talking to a man. He was
wearing a green shirt and long pants. Walked with a limp. His name was Earl.”

“Sorry, but I think you’re mistaken. Earl
is the name on the grave next to the one you’ve been attending.”

I looked to where he was pointing and sure
enough on the headstone next to Eliza’s was the inscription ‘Earl Winston,
beloved fiancée of Eliza. They will travel through Eternity together.’

 

Chapter Seven

 
 

I was shell-shocked the whole
way home. I didn’t believe in ghosts. True, that was mostly because if I
admitted to myself that ghosts were real, there was a big possibility I could
be visited by one. Obviously there was a flaw in my theory.

I had stood at the cemetery for about an
hour after I had spoken to the groundskeeper. I’m not sure why. Partly I hoped
Earl would return and tell me he wasn’t the man in the grave, and partly
because I didn’t feel ready to leave. It was only when the clouds moved and the
sun shone once again that I felt both Earl and Eliza were at peace. Wherever
they were, they could both look down at the beautiful display and smile. I also
made a note to ask Riley to come back with me with a different hook system so
that no one could ever take the glass orb again.

On the drive home, Riley rang to see if I
was okay. I pulled the car to the side of the road and answered the call.

“I wanted to make sure you were alright,”
I heard his deep, sexy voice say through the speaker. “You’ve been gone for
hours.”

“Oh sorry. I won’t be long. I’m nearly
home,” I said, emotion causing my throat to constrict. Earl and Eliza kept
playing in my mind.

“Alright. Well, we need to be at your
mum’s soon but drive carefully.”

“I will. Love you.”

“I love you too.”

Pressing end, I looked at the screen saver
on my phone. It was a photo of Riley I had taken a few months ago. It wasn’t a
spectacular setting. He had just gotten into his truck but the happiness in his
beautiful eyes took my breath away. As I sat on the side of the road staring at
the photo and his beautiful eyes staring back at me, I smiled at his humour and
sensuality mixed together. I felt my heart squeeze. I was only away from him
for a few hours but I missed him. More than I cared to admit, even to myself.

Okay, maybe I should admit a few things to
myself. I knew I loved him, but
how much
did I love him? The answer to that sat in my throat as I swallowed the emotion
he stirred.

I put my car in gear, indicated and pulled
into traffic, driving as fast as the speed limit allowed to get back to him as
quickly as I could.

Walking into the kitchen, I placed my bag on the chair and kissed Riley
liked I hadn’t seen him for weeks. We were now standing only metres apart and I
was drinking a cup of coffee he’d had waiting for me, as he patiently listened
to me recount my day. I’m not sure if he believed my story of Earl and Eliza or
not, but whatever it was, something stirred emotion in him too.

“I like to think that my Grandpop is
watching over my Gran, waiting for her to finish her journey,” he said quietly.
“I believe that kind of love lasts for eternity, even in death.”

“Yeah. Me too. Even though I never knew
him, I feel like I knew him.”

Riley moved towards me and took the cup out
of my hand. Placing it on the table, he gently pushed my hair away from my face
and looked deep into my soul. “It must be hell for her to be without him,” he
said, referring to his Gran. “I don’t
ever
want to
experience that.” I could see the vulnerability and sheer nakedness of his
emotions as he pulled me in close.

He loved me, more than anything else in
his world. And if possible, I loved him a whole lot more. There was nothing I
wouldn’t sacrifice for him. And as clichéd as it sounds, I would die for him
because life without him would be unbearable. He made every day worth living,
just to see his smile. I felt his fingers reach out and touch mine. I entwined
mine with his and held on tight, for fear that if I let go, I may never have
this connection again.

No, that’s just stupid. This connection
would be there for eternity. And even though I knew I would be with this man
for eternity even in death, I was damn well going to make the living part as
long as possible. I reached up on my tippy toes and kissed Riley hard on the
mouth. I felt his hand come around the back of my neck and he pulled me against
him, his lips softening into a delicate kiss.

 

****

 

Dinner at Mum’s was fun. Everyone
was in a festive mood, all dressed in their very best Christmas outfits. I had
chosen a pair of cheery red shorts and white singlet with Merry Xmas written in
gold, glittery scroll across the chest. Riley had decided on jeans and the red
t-shirt Danny had bought him as an early gift. I’m not sure who the gift was
actually for because it fitted Riley exceptionally well and molded his
perfectly toned torso and flat stomach to perfection. Danny and Drew were in
jeans and matching green shirts with pictures on Santa wearing shorts lying on
a tropical beach and Harper had got into the festive spirit wearing his
reindeer antlers with pride. Molly had chosen short shorts and a white t-shirt
with Rudolph’s nose very inappropriately placed over her right nipple.

“Hey Molly, when you’re finished with the
shirt, can I borrow it?” asked Grandma Mabel. “I think the men at bingo will
get a kick out of me in that,” she smiled. We all stopped, looked at Molly’s
shirt and wondered where exactly Rudolph’s’ nose would be if Grandma were
wearing it. Dad choked on his peanuts.

“What’s wrong with you?” asked Grandma,
turning to Dad.

“I’ll give you $50 not to give it to her,”
said Dad to Molly.

“I might chip in on that too,” said Danny.

Grandma huffed.

I laughed. After the emotional day I’d had,
this was exactly what I needed.

The storm from earlier in the day had
moved in and the lights flickered as the lightning struck. The thunder was
still a few seconds behind it, so the storm wasn’t here yet. Mum liked to be
prepared though and gave both Molly and myself a lighter, and asked us to light
all her candles so that in the event of a power cut, we’d be ready. When the
power did go out, it just made the night magical.

By the time we had kissed everyone
goodnight and promised to be at the river nice and early for the big family get
together, I was exhausted but very, very happy.

The power was out at Riley’s as well, so
we used a torch to shower and clean our teeth and we were in bed before the
clock struck twelve.

I felt Riley’s body mould into mine as he
pulled me close and tightened his grip around my waist. Spooning at its best. In
this place I felt safe. I felt like the world was a great place and I never
wanted to leave here. I was comfortable, secure and loved by the most
wonderful, sexiest man on earth. I’ve said it before, if I could crawl under
his skin and stay there forever, I would. I never want to be apart from him.

“Merry Christmas, Lizzie,” he whispered,
kissing my neck. I rolled over to face him.

“Merry Christmas, Riley.” I smiled then snuggled
into the crook under his arm and listened to his heartbeat.

I closed my eyes and drifted into a dream
filled with Earl and Eliza, and laughter.

My world at least, was at peace.

BOOK: It Started With A Christmas Tree - A Lizzie Fuller Christmas Novella
11.03Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

A Tale of Two Tabbies by Kathi Daley
Lovelock by Orson Scott Card, Kathryn H. Kidd
The House That Death Built by Michaelbrent Collings
Mountain Mare by Terri Farley
A Flying Affair by Carla Stewart
The Adventures of Slim & Howdy by Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn, Bill Fitzhugh
The Hazards of Good Breeding by Jessica Shattuck
Belinda Goes to Bath by M. C. Beaton