Christmas In Vienna
UPLIFTING SHORT STORY BY JEAN ROBINSON
In this uplifting short story, Nancy’s family had other plans for Christmas – but could a change of scene restore her festive spirit?
Nancy forced the lid of the case down. Whatever she’d forgotten to put in, it would have to do.
“All done?” Jim smiled from their bedroom doorway.
“Yes,” she replied tersely.
Jim sighed.
We’ll have a good time, love. You see if we don’t.
He put his arm round her shoulder and she shrugged him off.
“Christmas is family time. We shouldn’t be spending it with people we don’t know.”
In the kitchen, she gripped the edge of the sink and stared out into the garden. She felt ashamed of herself. It wasn’t his fault the family had decided they had better things to do this year. And she should be more appreciative of his efforts.
Holidays were something they’d never been able to afford until recently when Jim’s mum died and left him a small sum of money.
A summer holiday somewhere warm and sunny would be lovely, but Austria in the middle of winter? What good was that? They’d be sitting on their own in a hotel room wondering what to do.
She’d taken no interest when he’d produced the holiday brochure. Had only taken a cursory glance when he was out of the room one evening. Christmas in Vienna. That’s what they called it.
She’d rather stay at home, even if they were on their own. At least they would be able to relax in comfort.
She sighed. What was wrong with her? Jim was the kindest husband any woman could wish for, and she loved him dearly. But Christmas with all the family round her was something she’d looked forward to. The same as every year for as long as she could remember. The only thing that had changed over the years was the arrival of grandchildren.
This year they’d let her down badly.
Only last week, Mark had announced he would be spending Christmas this year with Lidia’s family in Devon.
“They ask us every year,” he’d said. “And we always tell them we can’t because we always come to you. Lidia’s put her foot down this year.”
Nancy had forced a smile and told him she understood. But she didn’t. She liked Lidia and hoped the relationship would last. But he could at least have told her before she’d ordered the turkey.
It was Jim she moaned to later. “It won’t be the same without them.”
Jim had smiled. “We’ll still have the others here.”
It soon appeared that they wouldn’t.
Their younger son, Richard, was off on his travels round Europe during a delayed gap year and had met a girl who had invited him to spend Christmas with her family in Germany.
The final disappointment was when their daughter, Olivia, told her that she and William had decided to take their children to Disneyland. She was sure they’d understand. But Nancy didn’t.
So even her grandchildren wouldn’t be with them. The whole family had abandoned her without a thought. All wrapped up in their own lives.
She called up to Jim that dinner was on the table and heard him trundle the cases down the stairs.
Despite being convinced there was no possibility she would enjoy this holiday, she couldn’t help feel a little excitement the next day as they joined a large group of cheerful people boarding the coach.
It was a long journey with an overnight stop, and as they drove through Austria the following day, excitement began to build.
She looked up at Jim and he took her hand and squeezed it.
That’s the first smile I’ve seen for a few days.
Her first sight of the hotel in Vienna took her breath away. It was set in beautiful woodland in the palace grounds. The trees were sparkled with frost and the sunset gave them a golden glow. It really did look like wonderland.
Their room was just as impressive, with a huge window giving a view over the treetops.
As she dressed for dinner that evening, Nancy was glad she’d made the decision to pack her chic black cocktail dress and heels. An outfit that hadn’t been out of the wardrobe for years.
“You look beautiful,” Jim told her as she did a twirl before taking his hand to go down to the special reception event.
“You don’t look so bad yourself,” Nancy said, admiring her husband’s smart dinner jacket and bow tie.
Walking down the sweeping staircase on Jim’s arm, Nancy felt like a princess. She stared round the room in all its Christmas splendour and couldn’t help being impressed.
The place was gold and glittering, tables set with crisp white cloths, sparkling glasses and shining cutlery.
The room buzzed with excited couples, and the evening passed in a swirl of exotic food followed by music and dancing in a room fit for royalty.
By the time they got back to their bedroom, they were both on a high.
“And this is just Christmas Eve,” Jim laughed. “Tomorrow will be Christmas Day. I wonder what treats lie in store for us then.”
Nancy managed a smile. Yet it brought a tear to her eye. Christmas Day without her children helping out in the kitchen and chatting away. No grandchildren racing round excitedly.
Jim noticed and took her in his arms. No words were necessary. He understood.
They were up early the next day and took a walk round the grounds before sitting down in the hotel dining room for their Christmas dinner.
Nancy stared at the plate of food in front of her, then at Jim. They both shrugged. It tasted good. But it wasn’t a Christmas dinner. Not in Nancy’s book.
And sitting at a table with just the two of them didn’t help, even though they were in the midst of other couples doing the same.
“Not quite the same, is it?” Jim said quietly and Nancy suddenly realised he was feeling just as deprived as she was.
Somehow, this made her feel better.
She picked up the gold-edged menu which described each course. “Not even Christmas pudding,” she tutted.
Then she relaxed into a smile.
What fun we always had making one with the grandchildren when they all had to have a stir and make a wish.
Jim nodded, but said nothing.
“It was the highlight of our Christmas dinner when you poured brandy over it and lit it with a long spill and it burst into flames,” she laughed, trying to lift the gloom that had settled on them.
Jim nodded. “Meringue glacé doesn’t have the same ring.”
“And the mince pies. Do you remember how Mark always made a funny little man with the left-over pastry and I’d put it in the oven for him?”
She was determined to cheer him up.
“No atmosphere, is there?” he said.
Nancy felt she couldn’t keep up the chatter. They finished their meal in silence, then Jim stood up and offered Nancy his hand. “Come on, love. Let’s see what’s going on outside.”
A short walk from the hotel there were stalls in a big square selling all sorts of Christmas delights.
After a couple of mugs of mulled wine, they both began to relax. Music could be heard from the streets running up from the square, brightly lit with Christmas lights. People were singing and dancing and having a jolly time, and Nancy and Jim soon found themselves drawn into the merriment.
Dusk was falling as they ambled back to the hotel, hand in hand, through a magical forest of pine trees.
The following days were full of outings. They watched a display of dancing horses, took a river cruise on the Danube, and ended their final evening in a venue listening to musicians dressed in national costume playing on stage.
“This is a Viennese waltz,” Jim said to Nancy as she sat swaying to the rhythm.
She looked up at him.
We could do this. We learnt it in our dancing class.
Jim looked doubtful. “But all these people are Viennese and no one’s dancing. We can’t be the only couple on the floor. They’ll think we’re showing off.”
“No they won’t,” Nancy stated firmly, getting up and gripping his hand. “We’re here to enjoy ourselves.”
Reluctantly he took her hand and led her onto the floor, and soon they were both lost in the music as Jim twirled her round and round.
Another couple joined them and then a few more. Nancy was enjoying herself more than she could ever remember.
The music, the dancing, the atmosphere. The sheer joy of being in her husband’s arms, twirling around and waltzing to The Blue Danube as if they were teenagers again.
Eventually they returned to their seats, out of breath and to a rapturous applause from the rest of the room.
Going home on the coach, Nancy laid her head on Jim’s shoulder. It had been good, just the two of them. They seemed to have found each other again. Two people who together could weather any storm. Two people in love with life and with each other. Something that seemed to have been lost over the years as the family grew and demanded more of their time.
She looked up at him and smiled.
“Happy?” he asked her.
“Very,” she replied.
As the taxi deposited them at their house, they stared in some concern.
“We didn’t leave the lights on, did we?” Nancy asked.
“No, we didn’t,” Jim agreed.
Maybe Olivia’s been and turned them on thinking it would be more welcoming when we arrived home.
Jim cautiously approached the house and slotted the key into the lock.
All was silent until they opened the door to the living room.
An almighty cheer went up and a loud, “Happy Christmas” resounded round the room.
It was alight with decorations, and a huge tree stood in one corner with a heap of parcels beneath.
The dining table was loaded with food, a Christmas cake taking centre stage. Two children ran into waiting arms. Baby Jack followed on wobbly legs and Jim scooped him up.
Nancy could hardly take it all in. There was Mark and Lidia. Richard was holding the hand of a pretty young woman. Then she spotted Olivia and William at the back. No matter it was a few days late. All her family were there.
They hadn’t deserted her.
And with her dear Jim by her side, it was the best Christmas ever.
