Chaos At Christmas – Episode 31
Chaos At Christmas by Ewan Smith
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- 1. Chaos At Christmas – Episode 31
However, the hotel was in turmoil as the staff desperately tried to get things back to normal after DJ and his party had left. Then there was the Christmas Eve party to prepare for. There had been a million things needing doing and there hadn’t been a moment for her to find Geraint and talk to him.
It hadn’t helped that there had been an issue with the GroupChat phones. They had urgently needed a software update to fix the problem with the batteries. Lyle had insisted on it being done immediately with every phone being gathered up and plugged into the strange-looking battery charger which was situated in a cloakroom. Many of the guests, especially the younger ones, had been reluctant to hand their phones over and it had taken an age before the phones were all accounted for and the updating process could begin. However, eventually it was done and the party got underway.
The Party-Meister had proved an able organiser. He had led the guests in a mixture of traditional games, music and non-stop fun. An extensive Christmas buffet was available which had proved very popular and those who found the excitement all a bit much for them had been able to slip off to the bar next door where they could celebrate their Christmas Eve rather more peaceably. Though through it all, Ferelith’s thoughts had kept drifting back to Geraint. Those sweet moments with him at the concert only the night before seemed a lifetime ago.
WooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOH-OH the hokey cokey!
Ferelith watched with a faint smile as the guests surged forwards and backwards. Lyle was right at the heart of it all, of course. He was clearly having a wonderful time as he had been all evening. But then she caught sight of Erik; he was signalling to her from the door of the ballroom. She hurried over.
“The great man has arrived,” he murmured. “He’s changed into his costume and everything is ready.”
“Good for Dandy; that’s perfect timing,” Ferelith retorted. “I’ll give you a signal when it’s time for him to make his entrance.”
She hurried over to the Party Meister and passed on the message. He held up his thumb and Ferelith returned to the door and positioned herself so that Erik could see her.
“Brilliant work, everyone,” the Party Meister called out as the dance came to a riotous conclusion. “I have rarely seen the Hokey-Cokey performed with such elegance and style. But now I have just received some very exciting news. A special visitor is on his way.”
There was a rush of excitement round the room. A large wooden chair gloriously decorated with tinsel and baubles was waiting beside the ballroom’s Christmas tree. The younger children hurriedly gathered around it, barely able to contain themselves.
Ferelith dimmed the lights as the Party Meister spoke into his microphone in a dramatic whisper. “Quiet now, everyone. If we listen very carefully, we might be able to hear him arrive.”
Absolute silence fell over them. Ferelith couldn’t believe the difference in the room. Only moments before, it had been filled with noisy chaos. She nodded to Erik and he raised a hand. Then moments later there came a joyous “Ho – Ho – Ho!” that seemed to overflow with fun.
Ferelith barely recognised Dandy Barham as he appeared in his Father Christmas outfit, carrying a huge bag of presents over his shoulder. He seemed larger than life somehow, his eyes above the curly white beard sparking with laughter. “Ho – Ho – Ho!” he cried again, raising his free hand in greeting to the roomful of people.
A very Merry Christmas to you all, my friends. Ho – Ho – Ho!
Wild cheers and applause swept him through the eager crowd and towards the decorated chair, surrounded by excited children. He shook hands and blew kisses and ho-ho-hoed for all his might. Meanwhile, three elves looking suspiciously like members of the hotel staff followed behind with more bags of presents.
Sinking into the chair, he picked up a tiny child with a mass of blonde hair and settled her comfortably on his knee. He turned to the guests. “Well, my friends, you wouldn’t believe what I’ve been through to get here.”
He proceeded to tell a completely mad story about his journey from the North Pole. Things had started going wrong when a helicopter flying past had surrounded the sleigh in pink and blue smoke so that they had lost their way. Then there had been a disaster over Belgium when Rudolph’s red nose had fallen into a field of tomatoes and it had taken ages for them to find it again.
There were further delays because Mrs Claus insisted on being dropped off as they were passing Birmingham because she wanted to be first in line for the Boxing Day Sales. Then Dancer had been headhunted by a producer on Strictly Come Dancing and they’d had to manage the rest of the journey without him. There had been one disaster after another but, thankfully, a Christmas miracle had occurred and the sleigh had arrived at the Manor in the end.
Dandy was a natural story-teller and his tale had the whole room helpless with laughter. But then he then got down to the real business of the evening; handing out the presents. Ferelith was still in awe at the stunning nature of the gifts and at the thought of how much they must all have cost. Though that didn’t seem to matter to Lyle. All he cared about was that they brought some Christmas joy into the lives of the people he loved.
Dandy was a marvel as Father Christmas. As he handed the presents out, he had a word and a joke for everyone. Ferelith was amazed by how he managed it, given that he’d already had a long day at the theatre.
There was nothing in particular for her to do while the gifts were being distributed and her mind inevitably drifted back to thoughts of Geraint. She imagined that he had gone home hours ago and now she didn’t suppose that she would see him again until Boxing Day at the earliest, possibly not even then. The thought of the situation between them not being resolved for days and days filled her with a chill misery.
She couldn’t really grasp how it had happened. The kisses they had shared at the end of the concert now seemed as insubstantial as a moment from a passing dream. It had been so wonderful at the time but now everything had gone horribly wrong. And she had no idea how it was going to be put right again.
“Thank you for your wonderful welcome, my friends, but it’s time for me to go. The reindeers and I have a busy night ahead of us!” Dandy Barham was on his feet and being cheered and applauded to the rafters. He made his way slowly through the crowd, leading them in a rousing version of “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” and posing for selfies with virtually every step.
“Dandy, that was fantastic,” Ferelith said as she led him to the cloakroom to change out of his costume. “There’s a whisky of your choice waiting for you at the bar. And I’ve had strict instructions from Mr Cranford – you’re to take the bottle home with you.”
His eyes widened. “That’s a generous offer.”
Ferelith smiled. “Mr Cranford is a very generous man.”
“Will you join me for a drink?” he asked.
Ferelith grimaced. “I’m not sure that I have time, Dandy. There’s so much needing doing.”
“Just a quick one,” he prompted her. His eyes narrowed. “You look as if you need cheering up.”
Ferelith felt herself flush. “Just a quick one then.”
