All I Want For Christmas Is Steve:
"Come on then, let's see what Santa's brought you." Liz exclaims excitedly as Amy trots down the stairs in front of her.
"Grandma, I'm not five." She rolls her eyes as I push the door open to the back room.
"Don't say things like that, enjoy it while you can." I say, her eyes lighting up at the array of presents before her.
"...Not as many as last year though." She shrugs, before going over to them.
"Yeah well last year your dad was being an idiot and spoiling you to make himself feel better." Liz inputs.
"And this year my dad isn't here at all." She retaliates and my heart sinks slightly.
"Well no..." I trail off as Liz puts her arm around me. "But he needs some time away with Andy, I'm sure he'll call later."
The Rovers was buzzing with festive spirit, luckily Nick and Carla were keeping me company but I couldn't help feeling like a third wheel.
"So what's Steve sent you?" Carla grins, her hands wrapped around Nick's shoulders.
"Nothing yet." I force a smile.
"Ah... I'm sure it's been held up." Carla shrugs.
"The postal service is a nightmare around Christmas." Nick chips in.
"Go on then... What did you get her?" I ask Nick and he begins to explain before my eyes drift to the door of the Rovers, which has burst open suddenly.
"ASTA LA VISTA BABY!" Steve yells chucking his bag down on the floor. "BONJOUR MY DEAR FRIENDS."
"STEVE!" I practically scream, running towards him and he picks me up, spinning me around, which would have been romantic if he didn't bash my leg against the back of one of the booths.
"Ey up, Santa arrived." I hear Carla mutter. "Back from his trip around the world, scoffing the mince pies and then jetting off in his sleigh."
"What are you doing here?" Liz exclaims, coming over and wrapping her son in a hug. "Oh and by the way, 'bonjour' is French, not Spanish."
"Merry Christmas to you too mother." He gives her a cheeky grin and I hug him again in excitement. "Thought I would come back and surprise you."
"You got a flight back on Christmas Day?" I ask him.
"No." He brushes me off. "I got a flight in yesterday, spent the night at Liv and Catrin's."
"...Who are Liv and Catrin?" I narrow my eyes.
"Mates." He coughs slightly and I nod, not in the mood for arguments now. We would discuss this tomorrow...
"You're a bum, you're a punk, you're an old slut on junk." Steve sings to me down the neck of his beer bottle.
"Tah very much." I grin, kissing him lightly.
"Christmas miracle." Carla coos and I roll my eyes at her.
"You're softening in your old age." I tell her and she gives me a look.
"There he is." Tracy enters the Rovers, ushering Amy along as she bounds up to her father. "Looks like he's already had his Christmas dinner... Or ten."
"Hi dad." Amy gives Steve a swift hug. "Have you got me a present?"
"Uh..." He hesitates, pulling a Duty Free carrier bag from his luggage. "Here you are."
"Tampons?" She frowns, pulling one of two boxes out of the bag. "And... Real feel condo-"
"Ok, yeah that's not yours." He snatches it from her hand, stashing it back in his luggage and turning to me.
"That's yours." He hisses. "You can have it later."
"...How very generous." I mutter. "I suppose you'll be getting your present then too."
"Ey up." Carla winks at me, she had clearly had a few too many and was virtually hanging off her fiancé whilst dancing slightly to the music.
"Can you be more careful around our daughter please?" Tracy glares at Steve.
"What? As oppose to you, you mean?" I raise my eyebrows.
"Oh that's a bit of an exaggeration." She rolls her eyes. "I haven't done that many bad things."
"Oh hold on, let me just get the list." I reply viciously. "It's almost as long as Amy's list to Santa."
"This is festive." Nick drones in between the argument.
"It is on this street." Carla shrugs. "Welcome to Christmas in Weatherfield."
"Question." I walk into the back room, my eyes meeting Steve's slumped figure on the sofa. "Tampons?"
"That's not a question." He drones. "That's a feminine hygiene product."
"Get you with your posh words." I raise my eyebrows, sitting down next to him. "It had an invisible question mark at the end."
"Well they were buy one get one free so." He shrugs. "Thought they'd come in handy."
"Buy one get one free?" I prompt. "Well what happened to the ones you actually bought? Gave them to... Liv and... Caitlin did you?"
"Catrin." He corrects me. "I had a nose bleed on the plane... Anyway every woman likes a good tampon-"
"Ok enough of the tampons Steve." I snap, clapping a hand over his mouth.
"Are you glad I came back?" He asks hesitantly and I kiss him briefly on the lips.
"Why? Were you gonna stay away?" I question. "Not that bad of a wife am I?"
"Well..." He jokes and I slap him lightly.
"Steve!" I scold and he imitates me before going in for a kiss again but I pull away. "Uh, hold on, not yet."
"Why?" He frowns as I produce a sprig of mistletoe from the side table.
"Ok, now." I persist.
"Is that stuff real?" He asks me cautiously. "Because I heard this thing about poisonous mistle-"
"Steve, kiss me." I demand, my arm beginning to ache.
"...Or there could be spiders in it." He continues and I glare at him before lowering the plant.
"Moment's passed now." I sigh.
"It's never a moment with us." He grins, tickling me under the chin. "It's a flamin' eternity."
"At least you have faith in us." I point out.
"Would I have married you if I didn't?" He inquires.
"Would you have married the four others if you didn't?" I remind him.
"...Fair point." He pulls a face, looking up at the tree. "Ah, I've missed this place. It's not Christmas unless it's on Coronation Street, is it, ey?"
"Well that's a matter of opinion." I laugh as he slips his arm around my shoulders and I fold into his chest, carols playing quietly in the background.
