We were back in the church putting the finishing touches to the preparations and decorations for the school carol concert. It had been heavy going in school. The children’s excitement was almost at fever pitch and it was impossible to get any real work out of them. The teaching staff had succumbed to worksheets for most lessons. Festive-themed word searches for English and Christmas-based games in the ICT suite for maths, along with copies of Dolly’s old photographs for writing prompts. It was all very noisy and hectic and the perfect antidote to help me forget my troubles.

‘The candles along the window ledges are perfect,’ I told Beamish.

‘And high enough not to cause any trouble,’ he grinned.

The altar and pew ends had been embellished with lengths of ivy left over from the greenery auction on Saturday and the place was a haven of calm and tranquillity. Or at least it would be until the children arrived. I hoped the sacred space would bring out their quiet side, or perhaps encourage them to dial it down a bit.

‘By the way,’ I said, as the first few families began to stream in, keen to get seats at the front, ‘I have something to tell you. I didn’t get the chance earlier, what with school being so busy.’

Beamish looked at me expectantly.

‘Hattie,’ beckoned Dolly, ‘would you mind handing out the carol sheets? Rose has been slightly delayed.’

‘Tell me after,’ he smiled. ‘I’m sure whatever it is will keep.’

I nodded and went to help Dolly, thinking how lovely it was going to be to tell him that he didn’t have to worry about the fallout from sending that card anymore.

There wasn’t a spare seat in the pews and a few of us found ourselves on chairs right at the back. The choir sang their hearts out, enthusiastically bolstered by the voices of their parents, classmates and older and younger siblings. It was an idyllic rural scene, no doubt happening up and down the country and I was touched to be a part of it. I was half inclined to add it to the Wish List when Dolly and I got home. Of course, it would mean ticking it straight off again, but that wouldn’t make it any less fulfilling.

As we sang the familiar carols my mind drifted off. I looked around at the upturned faces of the happy families – parents, grandparents and little ones – all preparing to spend the holidays together at this special time of year and my voice caught in my throat.