Read Online Foreign Affairs by Patricia Scanlan - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Patricia Scanlan
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arranging in a bucket in the sitting-room. ‘A few more rocks, lads, to keep
it steady and we’re away on a hack,’ he told the boys, who were bringing in stones and rocks from the garden. When the base was covered with soil and rocks and the tree was centred just
to her father’s satisfaction he turned around and smiled at them all.
‘I think it’s time to try out the lights.’
‘Yippee!’
‘Great!’
‘Massive!’
‘Can I help, Daddy?’
‘Santa Claus is coming to town.’ (This was Joseph singing off-key.)
Paula was too excited to speak.
They watched as their big strong father climbed up the stepladder and hoisted himself into the attic and then the glory of glories started appearing. The big box with the crib in it was handed
to Thomas, who was now, importantly, atop the ladder. Thomas passed it tenderly to Louise, who was waiting at the bottom. Next came the box with all the paper decorations. Then the box with the
tinsel. Paula could see a piece of glittering red hanging down the side of the brown cardboard. She touched it reverently. How beautiful it was. How soft and lustrous.
‘Be careful of the shiny balls now,’ her father’s disembodied voice came from the attic. His face suddenly appeared again as he handed down his precious cargo. Then, most
thrilling of all, came the lights. Through the plastic top Paula could see the face of a little fat Santa with a red hat and red cheeks and she wanted to do a little dance of happiness. This was
really
exciting. The time was getting nearer and nearer to Christmas Day. Her father handed down another box, this time multicoloured carriage lights. Last came the box of Christmas
candles.
Paula watched, a little scared, her father’s legs dangling from the attic as he sought the top step of the stepladder. It was with great relief that she saw him pull across the trapdoor
and descend the ladder.
‘Right then, let’s hope they’re all working.’ He gave the thumbs-up as they all trooped into the sitting-room after him carrying their treasures. Pete positioned himself
by the tree and uncoiled the leads from the boxes. Placing the plugs into the adaptor, he crossed his fingers and smiled at the six anxious faces staring around in a semicircle. ‘Switch off
the light!’ Thomas crossed the sitting-room and switched it off. Only the glow of the fire lit the room, the flames casting weird dancing shadows on the walls.
‘Ready?’ their father enquired as he plunged the plug into the socket.
‘OOOHHH!!!!’ A symphony of delight echoed round the room as the Christmas lights illuminated the place with a magical radiance.
‘Boys oh boys!’ exclaimed their father. ‘Quick, lads, get your mother. We have to show her this.’ Maura and Helen were ushered in from the kitchen and Paula saw her
mother smile at her daddy for long seconds, a special smile that excluded her and all the others in the room, and then it was gone and Maura laughed and said, ‘Pete, it’s going to be
the best tree ever.’
Paula thought Auntie Helen looked strangely sad so she slipped her hand into her aunt’s and whispered, ‘I’ve got a present for you too. It’s going to be under the tree
tomorrow.’ Helen swept her up in her arms and hugged her tightly.
‘Have you, my darling? You’re my pet, aren’t you?’
‘Yes I am,’ she agreed happily, snuggling into her aunt’s embrace.
Then the lights went out.
‘Oh no!’ came a communal moan, consternation replacing delight on all their faces.
‘It’s only a fuse,’ reassured her daddy. ‘I’ll fix it in a jiffy.’
After the testing of the lights came the arranging of the crib. The six of them, under Auntie Helen’s instructions, positioned the crib on top of the bookcase, beside the wireless. Auntie
Helen was very artistic and she laid a pile of books behind the crib and covered it with black papier-mâché so that it looked like cliffs and mountains. They got the ivy and greenery
which they
it steady and we’re away on a hack,’ he told the boys, who were bringing in stones and rocks from the garden. When the base was covered with soil and rocks and the tree was centred just
to her father’s satisfaction he turned around and smiled at them all.
‘I think it’s time to try out the lights.’
‘Yippee!’
‘Great!’
‘Massive!’
‘Can I help, Daddy?’
‘Santa Claus is coming to town.’ (This was Joseph singing off-key.)
Paula was too excited to speak.
They watched as their big strong father climbed up the stepladder and hoisted himself into the attic and then the glory of glories started appearing. The big box with the crib in it was handed
to Thomas, who was now, importantly, atop the ladder. Thomas passed it tenderly to Louise, who was waiting at the bottom. Next came the box with all the paper decorations. Then the box with the
tinsel. Paula could see a piece of glittering red hanging down the side of the brown cardboard. She touched it reverently. How beautiful it was. How soft and lustrous.
‘Be careful of the shiny balls now,’ her father’s disembodied voice came from the attic. His face suddenly appeared again as he handed down his precious cargo. Then, most
thrilling of all, came the lights. Through the plastic top Paula could see the face of a little fat Santa with a red hat and red cheeks and she wanted to do a little dance of happiness. This was
really
exciting. The time was getting nearer and nearer to Christmas Day. Her father handed down another box, this time multicoloured carriage lights. Last came the box of Christmas
candles.
Paula watched, a little scared, her father’s legs dangling from the attic as he sought the top step of the stepladder. It was with great relief that she saw him pull across the trapdoor
and descend the ladder.
‘Right then, let’s hope they’re all working.’ He gave the thumbs-up as they all trooped into the sitting-room after him carrying their treasures. Pete positioned himself
by the tree and uncoiled the leads from the boxes. Placing the plugs into the adaptor, he crossed his fingers and smiled at the six anxious faces staring around in a semicircle. ‘Switch off
the light!’ Thomas crossed the sitting-room and switched it off. Only the glow of the fire lit the room, the flames casting weird dancing shadows on the walls.
‘Ready?’ their father enquired as he plunged the plug into the socket.
‘OOOHHH!!!!’ A symphony of delight echoed round the room as the Christmas lights illuminated the place with a magical radiance.
‘Boys oh boys!’ exclaimed their father. ‘Quick, lads, get your mother. We have to show her this.’ Maura and Helen were ushered in from the kitchen and Paula saw her
mother smile at her daddy for long seconds, a special smile that excluded her and all the others in the room, and then it was gone and Maura laughed and said, ‘Pete, it’s going to be
the best tree ever.’
Paula thought Auntie Helen looked strangely sad so she slipped her hand into her aunt’s and whispered, ‘I’ve got a present for you too. It’s going to be under the tree
tomorrow.’ Helen swept her up in her arms and hugged her tightly.
‘Have you, my darling? You’re my pet, aren’t you?’
‘Yes I am,’ she agreed happily, snuggling into her aunt’s embrace.
Then the lights went out.
‘Oh no!’ came a communal moan, consternation replacing delight on all their faces.
‘It’s only a fuse,’ reassured her daddy. ‘I’ll fix it in a jiffy.’
After the testing of the lights came the arranging of the crib. The six of them, under Auntie Helen’s instructions, positioned the crib on top of the bookcase, beside the wireless. Auntie
Helen was very artistic and she laid a pile of books behind the crib and covered it with black papier-mâché so that it looked like cliffs and mountains. They got the ivy and greenery
which they
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