Last Minute
Anne was staring at Marian with an eyebrow raised, frowning – she couldn’t quite comprehend why the woman was so upset with her. She didn’t know why Marian stood berating her with hands on her hips and her nostrils flaring, Anne had done nothing at all.
“Why are you looking at me like that, Marian?” Anne asked a bit annoyed with her sister, she had things to do – work to complete and it wasn’t going to get done if Marian towered over her desk all day.
“What do you mean you haven’t bought her anything?” Marian growled at her sister and Anne realised what Marian was on about,
“Oh it’s about that!”
“Yes, it’s about that. It’s insensitive!” Marian ranted on and Anne sighed,
“It’s really not. I don’t do Christmas. I don’t enjoy it and Ann knows that. She won’t be disappointed for not getting a silly gift on Christmas morning – unlike you Marian – she isn’t a child.”
Marian dragged her hand over her face, angry with her older sister for being such an idiot.
“Anne – she will be devastated. You’re her companion and she will want to receive a Christmas gift from you.”
“She will not, she knows me.” Anne persisted and Marian quirked her eyebrow,
“Ann has been excited for Christmas since November…”
“What’s your point Marian?” Anne asked irritated as she really needed to get going with her paperwork, Marian exhaled loudly,
“The point is that you are the worst. Ann will certainly be polite about it – she is to everyone, and then she will go to bed thinking what she ever did to you, if you really like her and overthink every single thing you’ve said to understand why you wouldn’t gift her anything for Christmas.”
Anne was beginning to have second-thoughts, and guilt welled up in her chest, what if Marian was right?
“Surely not?”
“Anne, I’m telling you this because you are my sister and what more – because Ann is dear to me; she has bought a present for you. Two gifts even. One for the stocking and one other. She has talked of little else but Christmas lately.”
“Oh Christ… I should’ve known. I’ve only thought about myself… Urgh, are you certain?” Anne eyed her sister hoping she was going to tell her it wasn’t true, but Marian glared at her,
“Of course I am! I was with her. She put a lot of thought into her gifts and you haven’t even got her anything.”
Anne folded her papers hurriedly, flicking her pocket-watch open, eying the thing for a second,
“I’ve got time.”
“You’ve got today. It’s Christmas Eve tomorrow and the shops are closed.”
“When do they close? 17, roughly right?” Anne asked as she was throwing on the coat that sat on her chair, Marian sighed,
“Yes. You have approximately an hour.”
“I’ll make it.” Anne argued, and Marian looked at her in disbelief.
“You don’t deserve Ann, you know, that right?”
“I am more or less fully aware of that – but I don’t have time for self-doubt and self-loathing at present.” Anne told her before walking out her study with quick strides, hurrying downstairs, putting her hat and gloves on as she walked. She contemplated taking a horse but she quickly decided against it, it would take far too long to ready, and besides she could walk anywhere in twenty-five minutes which meant she had about thirty-five minutes to find Ann two gifts – one for her stocking and one to give at the table. Anne used the time it took to walk into Halifax to think over what Ann could possibly want for Christmas. Maybe some new earrings? Or a book? Or maybe some new watercolours – she seemed to run out all the time, and maybe Anne could find some unusually pretty colours… Anne’s brain was reeling, trying to think of thoughtful things to give her wife. Nothing was good enough, and she was much too late to get anything really good – she didn’t have time to go to York, Halifax would have to do.
It was getting dark when Anne finally came into Halifax and she cursed under her breath – most shops had already closed for the day. Why hadn’t she bought Ann something earlier? She adored the woman and she knew how excited she was for Christmas. Anne felt very stupid at present. How could she have neglected to purchase a gift for Ann earlier? Especially knowing now that the woman had already bought her Christmas gifts.
Anne went into the book shop firstly, having a look around all though a quick one as she had no time to lose.
“Miss Lister! Are you looking for anything in particular today?” Mr. Whitley asked her, and she frowned but little,
“Actually, I am looking for a gift for a friend. Do you have anything that might suit as such?”
“Is this friend of yours a lady?”
“Well yes, I think it hardly appropriate otherwise. It’s for Miss Walker – my companion.”
“Oh, I see – last minute purchase?” The man seemed amused and Anne ignored him and went past him to have a look at the sections of books.
“May I suggest this novel by one Mary Shelley ma’am?” He handed her a book and Anne glanced at it, and shook her head,
“Too glum I should think. I want something light and…” Anne trailed of as her eye came to rest upon the spine of a book, and she smiled as she reached for it and pulled it out.
“Shakespeare’s sonnets – a good choice, but perhaps more of a gift one gives a wife or a husband?” Mr. Whitley commented with a careful eye on her, and Anne scoffed quietly thinking amused: ‘it was for her wife’.
“I think it is a good gift for anyone who knows how to appreciate the gift of words and the world they might paint before our inner-eye.”
“Of course, Miss Lister – I meant… eh, do you want that one then?” Mr. Whitley stuttered nervously, and Anne looked at the volume in her hand, ‘Sonnets 1-18…’, it was very thin but exquisite and leather-bound – it was a collectors book. Anne might have time to write a few personal notes in it to make it more special, it was a perfect gift for the stocking.
“Yes, can I have it wrapped?” Anne averted her eyes from the book to Mr. Whitley, who obligingly took the thin book from her hands to wrap it. Anne wanted to make sure no one could see what it was.
When she had paid for the book, she flicked her pocket-watch open, biting her lip as she thought about where she should try next. Not that there were much to choose from at this time of day. In the end Anne managed only to get hold of some new colours for Ann. She would make it up for her though – with a few kisses and whatever else Ann might want from her.
Anne was late for dinner, but Marian said naught about that today, she merely raised an eyebrow and Anne gave her a secretive nod, a bit out of breath from the quick walk home.
“Anne, where have you been?” Aunt Anne asked her as she came into view for all of them. Anne smiled slightly,
“Just, finishing some business down in Halifax. I’m sorry that I’m late.”
“There is still plenty left.” Ann gave her a kind, warm smile and Anne couldn’t help but grin wide at the sight of her at the table – it was a joy to come home to. Anne nodded eagerly, before taking her usual seat, beside Ann, squeezing her hand softly under the table. How she longed to kiss her there and then… Ann snorted at her before whispering,
“Stop staring, and eat your dinner!”
“I think I am rather in want for some desert tonight, if you will indulge me.” Anne smirked at the blonde who flushed red, and then suddenly they heard Marian choking on her soup, coughing violently – they both looked at her and Ann got ready to help her, but Marian held up a hand and eventually she stopped but she glared at Anne,
“You can’t say such things! Not when I’m eating! Not when I’m in the room.”
Anne actually became a bit crimson at that for a change, and Ann tried her best not to laugh at her, suffocating it by stuffing her face with bread.
Marian found a moment alone with Anne before they all turned in for the night and she eyed her sister intently,
“What did you get for, Ann?”
“It’s a surprise.” Anne replied sharply, and Marian exhaled through her nose, closing her eyes – so done with her sister.
“I’m not Ann, and I just want to make sure you didn’t get her something that will hurt her more than it will make her happy.”
“I’m good at gifts!” Anne retorted and Marian grimaced at her,
“You gave our mother a bucket once.”
“It was a very nice wooden bucket, and we all knew she was going to need it by morning – the way that woman drank! It was a thoughtful gift for a horrendous person.” Anne defended herself and Marian stared at her,
“You didn’t get her a bucket, right?”
“Eh, no? – Ann doesn’t… I bought her a novel and new watercolours.” Anne caved in though Marian still looked suspiciously at her,
“What novel?”
“Well, Shakespeare – really it’s fine Marian – I am not bad at giving gifts. I just… Christmas haven’t been my… I haven’t been festive for a long time.”
“Oh, we are all aware!” Marian rolled her eyes, “Now did you get something for aunt?”
Anne was about to bang her head against the wall – she had forgot!
“I was thinking of wrapping myself so she may appreciate what a gift I am.” Anne joked, but her sister blinked twice, staring at her in utter disbelief,
“It was a joke, Marian – Don’t worry I will come up with something...”
“So long as it isn’t…” Marian was interrupted by Anne’s sneer,
“A bucket – I know Marian! Now get out!”