Silver baubles, dangly stars, fairy lights and chocolates, hundreds of chocolates, filled the shop.
‘Hi, how can I help?’
‘I’ve been put in charge of the sweets for the children’s Christmas stockings – any ideas?’ The thirty-something gentleman smiled hopefully.
‘Of course. We have reindeers, Santas, and angels in chocolate lollipops – great stocking fillers. There are figures of Father Christmas, too. Also, we have snowy stars in a pretty bag – little girls love those, I can vouch for my nieces – and packs of chocolate-dipped fudge.’
‘Well, there’s three kids to cater for, two boys and a girl, so can I have a selection? Oh, and I’d better get a nice box of chocolates for the wife.’
Emma pointed to the three sizes of gold boxes, positioned on the top of the truffle and ganache refrigerated display. ‘Large, medium or small?’
With a queue listening in behind him, and thoughts of fulfilling Christmas wishes on his mind, he went for the large.
‘Any particular favourites for your wife?’
‘Umm, she likes champagne truffles and caramels, I think, but a variety would be good.’
‘Great, I’ll pop a couple of champagne truffles in, and some caramels, with a lovely selection alongside that. Just give me a few moments and I’ll get them all ready for you.’ Emma set to work with boxes, bows and silver and gold ribbon, turning the gifts into works of art.
‘Wow, that all looks great. Thank you. So, how much do I owe you?’
Emma tallied it up on the till. ‘A total of fifteen pounds thirty, please.’ She popped one of her Chocolate Shop by the Sea business cards into the package.
‘Thanks.’
‘You’re welcome, and have a really lovely Christmas,’ Emma smiled.
Four o’clock, Christmas Eve afternoon, the till was pinging, the shop door chiming, and still the queue of last-minute shoppers continued to grow. Emma, proud owner of this gorgeous little chocolate shop in the harbour village of Warkton-by-the-Sea, Northumberland, and her assistant, Holly, were buzzing about like Christmas elves. In fact, they looked very like elves, dressed as they were in their festive jumpers, Holly with a Christmas pudding across her chest and Emma a red-nosed reindeer. Emma was also sporting dangly red-bauble earrings. She wished she had put some lighter clothing on now, though, something like a T-shirt: it was bloody warm dashing around, the two of them cramped in the serving space behind the counter, dressed in winter woollens.
Holly was serving an elderly chap from the village.
‘Hello, Stan. How’s Hilda?’ Emma asked him.
‘Not too bad thanks, Emma. Getting over the cough she had last week. But I thought it best she stayed home today. I’ve just been getting a few last-minute groceries in – we were low on milk and teabags – and then I thought it might be nice to cheer her up with some of those lovely coffee creams you do.’
‘Sounds a good idea. I’m sure she’ll appreciate it.’
Holly passed him over a prettily tied cellophane bag with his chocolates in. ‘There you go, Stan. I popped an extra one in for luck.’
Emma gave her assistant a mock-shocked look, and then smiled.
‘Well, take care then, lassies, have a good Christmas.’
‘You too, Stan – and give my best wishes to Hilda. Happy Christmas!’
Emma had a chance for a breather for a few seconds as Holly began to serve the last customer waiting. Her feet were throbbing, despite being in her comfiest trainers, and her fingers were aching from all the delicate tying of ribbons and making up of boxes and gift bags – as well as having been up from 6.00 a.m. making more batches of truffles and chocolate lollipops to see them through. She gazed past the window display of baubles and dangling snowflakes that reflected the twinkle of the fairy lights in the shop, and out to the street. It was dark already out there, these short December days, but from the glow of the street lights she could tell it was still dry and a touch of frost was glinting on the pavements. She might get a chance to take Alfie, her springer spaniel and best friend, out for a quick walk down to the harbour once they’d closed. He’d been cooped up upstairs all afternoon with them being so busy.
A figure dashed past the window and came in, clanging the door. It was Danny who worked as the bar supervisor in The Fisherman's Arms, the pub down the road.
‘Afternoon, ladies. I need a box of chocolates for my girlfriend. Something fancy-looking.’
‘Hi, Danny,’ Emma greeted him.
‘Which one’s this, then?’ Holly chipped in cheekily. To be fair, he’d had about six different girlfriends in the past six months.
‘The lovely Helen – and less of your cheek, young lady,’ he quipped back.
‘Large box then, Danny? I’ll giftwrap it for you, shall I?’ Em didn’t bother asking which flavours she liked as he probably didn’t know her that well yet.
‘Perfect. How’s tricks, Holly?’
‘Been busy, hasn’t it, Em? Just a little lull for now.’ With that, a family came in, seemingly a dad and his two kids, who started to browse the shelves. ‘Oh, and there we go again,’ Holly added.
‘Yeah, I think we’ll be having a busy night down at the Fisherman’s too. Christmas Eve usually gets cracking. You coming down, girls?’
‘No, quiet night in for me,’ said Emma. She couldn’t imagine being in a big noisy crowd, not tonight.
‘What about you, Hols?’
‘Nah, my mum and dad want me home tonight. Family day tomorrow and all that.’
‘Ah well, see you around then. Maybe over New Year.’ He paid, taking a box beautifully wrapped in star-patterned paper with a big pink ribbon around it from Holly.
‘Maybe.’
