Stockings - Two Haward Mysteries Christmas Short Stories

Stockings - Two Christmas Short Stories

  by

  Natasha Duncan-Drake and Sophie Duncan

  Haward Mysteries Short Stories

  This publication is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organisations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of either the author or the publisher.

  Wittegen Press

  https://www.wittegenpress.com/

  Copyright © 2011 by Natasha Duncan-Drake and Sophie Duncan

  https://www.wittegenpress.com/natashaduncandrake

  https://www.wittegenpress.com/sophieduncan

  Cover art by Natasha Duncan-Drake

  Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favourite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

  ISBN 978-1-908333-15-5

  Dedication

  To all our friends and family, merry Christmas and thank you for all your support.

  ~*~

  Contents

  Close Encounters of the Sleigh Kind

  A Time to Heal

  Afterword

  ~*~

  Close Encounters of the Sleigh Kind

  Remy bounced onto his side of the huge four poster bed he and Theo always shared on Christmas Eve.

  "I saw Father Christmas," he babbled at his still sleeping twin.

  Theo had been terribly boring and gone to sleep, but Remy had been determined to stay up and see Father Christmas. Being six, there weren't many more important things for a boy to do. Someone at school had tried to tell him Father Christmas wasn't real and he was determined to prove them wrong.

  "Theo, wake up," he demanded when his twin barely shifted under the covers.

  All that came back was a grunt and Remy was not having that. He let his magic rip and the covers shot off the bed in a shower of sparks. Theo sat bolt upright and stared.

  "Remy, what did you do?" Theo asked, still half asleep by the sounds of it, but watching the little sparkles float to the floor.

  "Woke you up," Remy said, completely unrepentantly and grabbed his twin's hand. "I saw Father Christmas, now come on."

  There was no way he was going to miss this and neither was Theo, so he dragged his twin out of the bed and onto the candlelit landing. Auntie Daisy always had candles up everywhere at Christmas; not that Remy was really interested in how pretty they looked.

  "Ho, ho, ho," drifted to his ears from down the corridor and for the first time Theo looked interested.

  "That was ... that was really ..." Theo said in an amazed tone.

  "I know," Remy said and rolled his eyes, before charging off down the corridor.

  This time Theo was right beside him without being dragged.

  "How did you see him?" Theo asked in a loud whisper.

  "I waited," Remy replied, "I didn't go to sleep like some people."

  "Sorry," Theo said and looked like he actually was.

  "Doesn't matter now," Remy said and grinned; he didn't want Theo to feel bad. "I saw him as he walked past the end of the corridor."

  "Past our room?" Theo asked, but Remy knew they had to hurry.

  "We'll miss him," he said and grabbed Theo's hand again, speeding them both up because they had slowed down, "we have to run."

  The sound of bells came from across the hallway where Auntie Daisy had the sitting room and Remy wanted to just run straight over, but Theo held him back.

  "Careful," his twin said, "you'll fall."

  Since Remy had managed to trip over the rug and roll down the staircase which was opposite at least twice in the past he did actually slow down. He held Theo's hand tight and watched his step as they crept towards the half open door with Theo close beside him. He'd sprained his wrist quite badly last time he fell and he wanted to be able to open his presents.

  "Do you think he'd do the tree last?" Theo asked as they paused.

  There was definitely someone moving in the room behind the door.

  "Well it is next to the fire place," Remy said and nodded, "and that makes it close to the roof."

  "We should go back to bed," Theo said, hanging back a little.

  Even at six Remy knew Theo was more sensible than he was, like the time he'd fallen in the pond even though Theo had told him the log wouldn't hold him. Of course Theo had eaten a whole half of chocolate cake all by himself and made himself sick, so Remy also knew his twin wasn't always right.

  "I have to see him," Remy said resolutely. "Jimmy Bates said he wasn't real so I have to see him."

  "Why?" Theo asked in that way Theo had that could be really annoying some times.

  "Because," Remy replied and went open the door.

  "But Jimmy says magic's not real, so he's stupid," Theo said.

  Remy hadn't thought of it quite like that. Of course he hadn't believed Jimmy Bates, but it had seemed important to prove him wrong. They weren't allowed to prove Jimmy wrong about magic, but Father Christmas was a whole different story; everyone already knew about him.

  "You don't think we should see him?" Remy asked, listening to the bells and sound of wrapping paper from inside the sitting room.

  "We're not supposed to."

  "But we're magic, like him," he said and glanced at the door.

  "But he's special," Theo said, looking worried now, "and remember what Mummy said."

  Remy did remember, but he had kind of forgotten in his excitement. He had only meant to catch a glimpse really.

  "If we upset Father Christmas he might not leave us any presents," he dutifully repeated what their mother had told them.

  "Ho, ho, ho," echoed around the hallway.

  Remy looked at his twin and was suddenly worried.

  "Do you think..?" he asked, not wanting to finish the question.

  "You said he went past us," Theo said, looking as worried as Remy felt.

  For a little while Remy didn't know what to do. He hadn't meant to upset Father Christmas, not even a little bit, but what if he had.

  "You stay here," he said as what he had done became obvious, "I'm going to say sorry. I'll tell him it's not your fault."

  However, when he tried to let go of Theo's hand his twin wouldn't let him. Theo shook his head very firmly.

  "Together," Theo said and held on.

  The love for his twin swelled in Remy's heart and he reached out instinctively to give Theo a hug. He didn't bother to say anything in return, he didn't need to, and they took the last few steps together. Just as they walked into the living room he caught sight of a black booted foot disappearing up the chimney.

  "Oh no," he said and rushed forward, "Father Christmas, don't go."

  But the boot vanished and there was the sound of feet and then hooves on the roof. Then there were sleigh bells and he knew he was too late.

  "I'm sorry," he said to the empty chimney.

  He turned and looked at Theo, knowing that this was all his fault.

  "We were too late," he said quietly.

  Theo squeezed his hand and gave him a hug this time.

  "It's okay," his twin said, "I'm sure he heard you."

  Remy felt tears tickling the back of his eyes; he couldn't bear it if he had ruined Christmas for Theo. Before he could say or do anything though, he saw Theo's eyes go round with surprise and excitement.

  "Oh," Theo said in an amazed tone. r />
  Remy turned and looked where Theo was looking and he opened his mouth in shock. There next to all the presents under the tree in their bright wrapping papers were two stockings. One had a big gold R on the front and the other a big gold T.

  "But they were on the bed," he said, utterly amazed. "They were there when we followed Father Christmas."

  The stockings were bulging with lots of little packages, just like they had been last year and the year before. Remy couldn't believe it.

  "He must have heard you, Remy," Theo said, smiling brightly. "He knew we didn't mean to be bad. He must have even more magic than Auntie Daisy."

  Remy nodded.

  "Lots more."

  He went to reach for his stocking and then stopped. When they were in bed, if they woke up after Father Christmas had been they were allowed to open the presents in the stocking straight away, but now he wasn't so sure.

  "Should we go back to bed first?" he asked, a little confused.

  Tree presents were always saved for after church, but stocking presents were for waking up, only Remy hadn't been to sleep. He didn't know what to do.

  "Maybe," Theo said, looking just as unsure.

  Then there was a noise behind them and they both turned, just in time to see Auntie Daisy appear.

  "There you are," she said with a big smile and she was carrying their dressing gowns and her own stocking.

  "We saw Father Christmas," Remy said, suddenly bubbling over with excitement, "but I said sorry and he left us presents anyway."

  He wasn't really sure if it was a confession or not, but Auntie Daisy didn't seem upset.

  "Of course he did," she said, placing her stocking on the chair and coming over to them, "now put these on before you catch cold."

  Remy dutifully did as he was told; he didn't want there being any chance of the stocking suddenly disappearing again.

  "Why 'of course', Auntie Daisy?" Theo asked while doing the same.

  "Because he knows what's in your hearts," Auntie Daisy assured them, "and you are good boys. Well most of the time."

  Remy couldn't help smiling at that; he did try not of be naughty, but sometimes he and Theo did seem to manage to find trouble without meaning to.

  "Now we're awake, we might as well have some heat," Auntie Daisy said and waved her hand at the fire place.

  The familiar feeling of magic tingled Remy's skin and he smiled some more as the fireplace roared into life.

  "And some hot chocolate," came from the doorway.

  Rupert appeared with a tray full of mugs and Lizzy was just behind him, carrying two stockings. Remy really wasn't surprised to see his mum and dad following closely behind after that and he ran to his mother to give her a hug.

  "How did everyone know?" he asked, not really understanding, since he knew the adults usually slept far longer.

  "It's Christmas," his mum replied and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "these things just happen sometimes."

  Since he had just seen Father Christmas, Remy did not doubt that at all and dragged his mother back towards Theo so they could all sit on the rug.

  Auntie Daisy handed him his stocking and a mug of hot chocolate from Rupert's tray and he didn't think he'd ever been happier. The tree was twinkling, Theo was grinning and laughing and there were chocolate and presents. It definitely could not get any better.