Car Share: I Saw Kayleigh kissing Santa
Chapter 1
As November turned into December and the weather was becoming bitterly cold, Kayleigh thought it would be a brilliant idea to play her Now Christmas album and her Mariah Carey Christmas album on John's car stereo. She was making it her mission to encourage John to sing along to the likes of 'Rockin Around the Christmas Tree' and 'All I Want For Christmas is You'. For the first 7 days; John was behaving like such a killjoy, she got the picture, he wasn't in a mood for indulging in a festive sing-along. Well, he had Dave Thompson to blame for that, thanks to a mix up with last-minute Christmas products being delivered to the store in Liverpool instead of their store. She thinks she should nickname Dave 'The Grinch' for the grumpy and shit way he treats John and staff members. The following Wednesday, she didn't have her Christmas CDs in her handbag.
"No CDs this morning?" John asks. He hopes his gloomy mood isn't putting a dampener on things between them.
"Thought we should listen to Forever FM for a change. Play along to the Festive Golden Hour." She makes the effort of cheering him as much as she possibly can. She presses a button to turn the radio on. There's an advert about some
"But you love Christmas, Kayleigh. You've been telling me you do every single bloody day. Anyway, I don't want to be putting up with listening to Forever FM, shower of shite even in the run-up to Christmas. If you want to listen to your Mariah Carey Christmas CD, I'm not gonna stop you from doing so especially if the songs make you happy and put you in the mood."
"Aww John." Kayleigh finds his honesty adorable and touching. She loves how he's never afraid to put her interests first even before his own. She can tell that he doesn't want to put a foot wrong with her and wants to make sure she knows he's not going to become a random arseclown, he's going to be her arse clown, her idiot. her Mr Lover Lover.
"Bring it out with you tomorrow. We'll have a singalong me and you, never mind which nosy arse drivers are watching and laughing their heads at us. How about it eh?" John said with a reassuring smile. One that is always more than capable of melting her heart.
"I'd like that. I'd like that very much, John" Kayleigh smiles back at him.
Thursday Morning
Kayleigh is waiting on the front doorstep for John to pick her up. She's got a spring in her step and she's feeling the happiest she's felt in a very long time. She pretty much had it all planned out in her head. What song would be the best one to start off their 'Ultimate Christmas Singalong' with first, then which song would come next and the final song they would end the singalong on, which would probably happen by the time they arrive at work and quickly gained themselves an audience in the store's car park.
John is running late. It was unlike him to be running late. She hopes he hasn't backed out of letting his hair down. She was looking forward to duetting with him on the songs off the Now That's What I Call Christmas album. "Oh, finally. What time does he call this?" She thinks to herself as soon as she catches a glimpse of the Red Fiat 500L coming from the top of the road.
When the car gets closer, a few feet away from the house, she notices he's put some considerable thought into decorating the back seat windows of his car with golden, red and white Christmas lights especially for her. Kayleigh hurries over towards him after he has climbed out of the car. She didn't care if Mary and David who live opposite Mandy's house on the other side of the road were having a good old nose at what's happening outside and if they saw her hugging and snogging John's face off.
"So what do you think? Is it Christmassy enough for you Kayleigh?" John asks before she tries to passionately kiss him in full view of her neighbours and Steve, who appeared to have his wrench and other equipment all set out and prepared for work on his latest bikes on the floor under the green gazebo.
"You didn't need to go out your way for me, John." Kayleigh can't believe her eyes. The man who shared details with her regarding a bad experience at a former girlfriend's house one Christmas Eve, was now willing to embrace the festive season for the first time since the days of when he was a teenager, months before he met Anna.
"But I wanted to do. I wanted to make coming to work for you from now until Christmas Eve, as wonderful as it gets for someone who keeps driving me up all the wall about reminding how much she loves Christmas."
"John!" Kayleigh instantly blushes but manages a smile worthy of blowing John away a million times over. Over the last 2 and a half months of their courting, John had come to learn one or two things about Kayleigh. Simple affectionate things that were able to make her go weak at the knees and make her love him more. He found he could be himself, be the man she first fell in love with the moment they begun car sharing with each other.
"So are you getting in or do you want Steve...with his arse parked on his bike, watching us while he's stuffing his gob with popcorn or do you reckon we should both get wriggle on and be off on our way to work?"
"Well Jonathan, I would have to say the second option is the one I'm gonna pick," Kayleigh answers before dashing round to her side of the car and climbing inside i,t onto the passenger seat, while she was still clutching her handbag. John quickly got back into the car. He gives Steve a wave, who finally managed to show his face as he came out of the house, carrying his favourite mug and then rechecking his tools, he then saw John and Kayleigh looked up as ever, chatting in his car. Steve gave a wave back.
"Oh Aye, I see you've got a bag of goodies with you this morning. What else are you hiding in there? Shergar? Lord Lucan? That blue Compendium shirt you borrowed off me and forgot to return it back to me?" Kayleigh had the habit of carrying a lot of things in her plastic bags even in her handbag as well.
"What? You told me I looked sexy in it." Kayleigh pretends she's outraged by his comment. She informs on the night, he let her wear the t-shirt. It looked rather baggy on her but it did enough to
"When did I say that?" John thinks this might have happened one-night last week but he can't remember which night it was exactly.
"The other night when I stayed over at yours. I was fluffy...no funny...no fluffy...funny...fluffy.. drunk. You said I could sleep it off in the spare bedroom and borrow this t-shirt." Funnily enough, Kayleigh had quite a good memory of last Saturday night. Surprisingly more so than John had. She convinced herself she was now the smart one in their relationship.
They left Mandy's. The Fiat took a left turn at the top of the street and joined the queue of oncoming traffic. Kayleigh had already stuck her NOW Christmas CD in the car's Radio CD Player. The first song played was Wonderful Christmastime by Paul McCartney.
"Can't get any better than Macca!" John says cheerfully, as soon as he recognizes the first few keys of the song.
"Michael McIntyre?" Kayleigh seems to randomly guess from the top of her head.
"What?" John looks baffled.
"Michael McIntyre... Oh, I didn't know his nickname was Macca." Ever the curious, Kayleigh expresses her genuine surprise at this sudden revelation. She's oblivious to the truth, that she's got the facts completely wrong.
"No, I meant Paul McCartney. What are you on about?" John doesn't know whether to laugh or take the piss at her mistake.
"Oh right." She responds. The light bulb of realisation has yet to flick itself on for her. The couple soon forget this slight misunderstanding and start doing what they love doing best when they're enjoying each other's company. John starts them off by singing the first 6 lines of the song. Then Kayleigh does the same, singing the next 6 lines and from then on they duet on the rest of this festive classic song.
"The moon is right
The spirit's up
We're here tonight
And that's enough
Simply having a wonderful Christmas time
Simply having a wonderful Christmas time"
The party's on
The feelin's here
That only comes
This time of year
Simply having a wonderful Christmas time
Simply having a wonderful Christmas time
The choir of children sing their song
Ding dong, ding dong
Ding dong, ding, oh, oh
Simply having a wonderful Christmas time
Simply having a wonderful Christmas time
The word is out
About the town
To lift a glass
Ah, don't look down
Simply having a wonderful Christmas time
Simply having a wonderful Christmas time"
Singing with Kayleigh is one the best feelings John has ever experienced, the other being when he and Jim are performing one of their songs in front of an audience consisting of crying children, fussy parents and grumpy pensioners. He thinks this exhilarating and joyful moment right now might be on the verge of eclipsing some of Compendium's on-stage performances.
"Please..let me do the next one John...pleaseee" Kayleigh begged him. John chuckles at the lengths she's ready to go to, to get her own way. The next song, 'Santa Baby' suited Kayleigh's style of singing.
"Santa baby, slip a sable under the tree for me
Been an awful good girl
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight
Santa baby, a '54 convertible too convertible too, light blue
I'll wait up for you, dear
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight
Think of all the fun I've missed
Think of all the fellas that I haven't kissed
Next year I could be also good
If you'll check off my Christmas list
Santa baby, I want a yacht and really that's not a lot
Been an angel all year
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight
Santa honey one thing I really do need, the deed
To a platinum mine
Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight
Santa cutie, and fill my stocking with a duplex and checks
Sign your 'x' on the line
Santa cutie, and hurry down the chimney tonight
Come and trim my Christmas tree
With some decorations bought at Tiffany
I really do believe in you
Let's see if you believe in me"
Kayleigh's sexy singing voice was working wonders on John. This beautiful woman sitting next to him was certainly leaving him very hot under the collar indeed, so much so he was seeking out side-streets in a bid to hopefully get his naughty way with her. He knows this is unlike him to allow his mind over his heart, to do the bidding for him but honestly, he didn't give damn right now because Kayleigh Kitson is making him feel things he hasn't felt before when it came to finding yourself hopelessly in love.
The next half an hour of the journey to work, involved them belting out 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' by Band Aid. John had a very interesting story to share with Kayleigh, he had a bit of a connection to this song. She mistakenly assumed that he had a cameo in the music video. John laughed off her incorrect guess. The connection he had to this famous charity song was that his dad and mum had taken the family to London for early Christmas shopping and had their picture taken with Bob Geldof the day after the creme de la creme of British pop stars and pop bands had recorded the song. Kayleigh didn't believe him nor did she think it was a genuine connection.
The two of them were still discussing it between each other by the time they were making their arrival at work. Barry from the warehouse was only the other person there in the car park. Smoking like a chimney as usual.
"No way did you meet Bob Geldof when you were a 9 year old?" Kayleigh thought he might be trying to impress her.
"Alright if you want to proof Mrs Marple, I'll get it. Then you'll be eating your words, Lady."
She bursts into tears of laughter for some unbeknown reason. John expects she will reveal in her own time, what's making her laugh.
"What? What?" John feels he has to ask her, seeing as she's laughing one minute and then the next minute she isn't, then she starts off the process again.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what's come over me, John. It's just another one of those days for me" She doesn't actually drop any hints. John's not going to tickle the truth out of her, so she can't breathe a sigh of relief. John gets out of the car first and stands next to the car, waiting for Kayleigh to get out, which she does in next to no time.
"Now why am I not surprised. I've seen you laughing at YouTube videos on my laptop, of people falling on their arse when they're walking on an icy pavement." John brings up one previous occasion where he sneaked in on her in his living room, viewing YouTube videos on his new Acer laptop.
"I know but I can't help myself, John. I'm a natural born giggler. Our Mandy's the same well on one of her good days when Steve keeps himself in her good books. You've even seen her laughing yourself, the second time you came over to the house." Kayleigh reveals round-the-clock and effortless laughter runs in the Kitson family particularly on the female side from many generations.
She's not wrong there. As Kayleigh strolls on ahead of him, John finds he can't take his eyes off her retreating rear. What a difference three years had become for him. From swearing off love forever after breaking off his engagement to Charlotte to overcoming personal hurdles to now romantically giving his heart to Kayleigh. Well, who could blame him for appreciating his girlfriend's amazing figure a lot in recent months and also in the bedroom?
"Jonathan Redmond how dare you!" Kayleigh turns back to face him and addresses him in earshot of Barry who is stood nearby and presumably on his second cigarette. John knows from memory that Barry only smokes two whenever he goes on a break from the warehouse.
"Here she goes again. What have I done now?" John muttered under his breath as he followed her into the building.
xxx
The following Monday, it was the last few days of the Grotto in the store. The store was missing it's Santa Claus as Alan Campbell who was responsible for playing the role, had phoned in sick that morning and taken this week off. Dave Thompson had contacted John to tell him, he was the only person available who could take Alan's place. 'That's Alan Campbell off my Christmas cards list' John thought.
To say he felt a bit embarrassed to tell Kayleigh wasn't the half of it. He wasn't ruling out her colleagues speculating on which person from HR had taken over the responsibilities of playing the Santa role from Alan Campbell either. It was Kayleigh's day off tomorrow, so he thinks he can pull off keeping his new festive role a secret from her at least until Friday. Well, if she hasn't figured by then, he thinks customers won't bother to visit the grotto. John's got it all planned out to perfection he has, sneaking Kayleigh inside it and telling her he has been Santa all along, which shouldn't take him long to do.
"Christ! what's she got on her?" He asks the moment he sees her waving her hand towards his car. Kayleigh's replaced her blue company jacket with a sparkly green jacket. She performs a slow twirl for his eyes only as he is parking the car up outside Mandy's house. Of course, this was their first Christmas together as a couple and John were now learning funny and surprising things about Kayleigh he hadn't known. Her love for Christmas, going one step further than she originally claimed.
"John! I found it in my box room. Forgotten I had it. Still fits me. So what do you think? Dah da!" Kayleigh asks him once he has gotten out the car and walks towards her.
"Right proper Christmas Queen aren't you?" John gives a short but sweet verdict on what he's currently thinking of her festive jacket. She's happy enough with it. He feels he's the luckiest man in the world when he sees how happy she is. Bollocks to the staff regulations about what happens when you get yourself into trouble for not wearing the company jacket at all times. He is not going to jeopardise her happiness, by reminding her of this pointless company rule.
"Why thank you for the compliment, Jonathan." Kayleigh serenely smiles at him.
"Right this way, MY Christmas Queen." John takes hold of her hand. Kayleigh places her other hand across where she feels her heart's beating. He really is the most charming and kindest man she has ever known but seriously though what was with his sweet talking all of a sudden? She could have sworn he was ready to piss himself laughing at her jacket at one point when he was closing the door behind him.
John was surprisingly over affectionate this morning. A thought cropped up in Kayleigh's mind. That slapper Rachel maybe she's been trying to make a play for John. She completely trusts John and knows it wouldn't be in his nature to be unfaithful to her with Rachel but she can't help but think perhaps the two may have crossed paths with each other. Elsie told Kayleigh, the street where Rachel lives was only a ten-minute drive away from John's street.
"Rachel hasn't made a pass at you has she?" Kayleigh comes out and asks him.
"What?!" John can't believe what he's hearing from her.
"Yes, Rachel. Sorry for asking. It's bugging me why you're being too nice to me this morning." Kayleigh doesn't want them to fall out something so stupid as this Rachel thing.
"The woman is a serial shagger ladder-mover. I would never go there with her. You already know that Kayleigh." John is thinking along the same pages as Kayleigh. It isn't worth trying to be annoyed at her. "Kayleigh Kitson I love you and nobody else. I did like Rachel before me and you got together. I thought she was a nice lass but I definitely don't like her nowadays because I realised something didn't I, I can't stand listening to someone with a Geordie accent. They don't half grate on your ears. Mr Redmond...Mr Redmond that's a nice tie you're wearing today." John tries his hand at doing an impression of Rachel's accent.
"Why aye, Mr Redmond...Mr Redmond...why don't you take me doon the toon and we'll get proper pissed." Kayleigh joins with him but hers doesn't sound as good as John's. She cringes when she susses from the look on John's face that her impression of Rachel was piss poor.
"See you and me, we make each other laugh and that's all that matters for me. I'm pretty sure we could laugh anyone even the likes of Stink Ray and Rachel outta town with our singing and laughing. I wouldn't put it past Rachel to stoop low and shag Ray, while they're on the way out, to make me jealous. Which won't work on me." John hopes his comments will reassure her that he can smell a potential underhanded scheme to split him and Kayleigh up, from a mile away.
"Oi, that's my mate you're talking about." Kayleigh does her best Poker face but it isn't fooling John.
"I'm not falling for that one again," John warns. He can tell she's lying because she can never successfully keep a straight face and when the tone of her voice suggests it doesn't sound as serious as it seems.
John's taught a valuable lesson about the truth coming back to bite you in the arse. He too can't manage the simple task of keeping his face as straight as possible. He and Kayleigh break into a fit of giggles.
Kayleigh claps her hands in the air and nearly ends up accidentally smacking John in the face while they're both still giggling as if they were two misbehaving schoolkids. John turns Forever FM on and low and behold the tempo of 'All I Want For Christmas' is beginning to kick and Mariah Carey starts singing.
Kayleigh sings along. She triumphs right away in getting John to do so as well, despite the fact he has never thought much of the song but as a one-off, he feels he needs to make a special exception.
"I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
And I don't care about the presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I don't need to hang my stocking
There upon the fireplace
Santa Claus won't make me happy
With a toy on Christmas Day
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas
Is you
You, baby
Oh, I won't ask for much this Christmas
I won't even wish for snow
And I'm just gonna keep on waiting
Underneath the mistletoe
I won't make a list and send it
To the North Pole for Saint Nick
I won't even stay awake to
Hear those magic reindeer click
'Cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
What more can I do?
Cause baby all I want for Christmas is you
You"
"Oh, I forgot to tell you, Ben and Sophie, both love this song." John tells her while they're halfway through singing.
"Do they?" Kayleigh's smile lights up ever so brightly at this revelation.
Oh-ho, all the lights are shining
So brightly everywhere
And the sound of children
Laughter fills the air
And everyone is singing
I hear those sleigh bells ringing
Santa won't you bring me the one I really need?
Won't you please bring my baby to me?
Yeah
Oh, I don't want a lot for Christmas
This is all I'm asking for
I just wanna see my baby (Yeahhh)
Standing right outside my door
Oh I just want you for my own
For my own
Baby
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
Baby all I want for Christmas is
You baby"
The digital clock on the car's dashboard read 8:45 am. The early pre-Christmas traffic at the retail junction after the tram station had favourably given them a bonus of five minutes to listen to one more song on Forever FM before they arrive at work.
Forever FM was now playing Elton John's 'Step into Christmas'.
"Oh, I don't know which year this was released. I know it definitely came out in the 1970's." John genuinely couldn't think of the year. Kayleigh is surprised to hear John's music knowledge doesn't stretch as further back than the 1970's.
"How can you not remember?" Kayleigh asks.
"Kayleigh I was I born in 1975. It's probably from the year I was born or a year before. I'm more of a New Romantics fan. Country music came in afterwards for me, thanks to Jim." John's second guess was correct. The DJ Grant Rant confirms the song was released in 1974. Kayleigh congratulates him with a kiss on the cheek. The Fiat turns off into the supermarket's staff car park. John and Kayleigh find a Merry Christmas greeting above the staff doorway as they enter the buiding.
End of Chapter
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