Christmas Day had recently passed on the Island of Sodor. On Christmas Eve, Glynn had been restored and became the Earl's newest addition to the Estate Railway.
Now it was the morning after Christmas. At Ulfstead Castle, Millie woke up to a lovely winter morning. No trains operated on Christmas Day so all the engines stayed in their sheds or simply went about the line.
Millie was feeling sad however. She had not been able to see Luke during the holidays. But she understood that she and Luke couldn't be together like Thomas and Emily could be. Being so far away from each other, Luke and Millie knew they would have to treat every moment together like treasure. She tried not to let Luke's absence ruin her day.
She decided to get her day started and left her shed to see the lovely morning. She loved the pinkish sky above the snowy land. She began to feel better as the sun rose higher. Soon, she heard voices. It was Glynn and the Earl, followed by Stephen. The Earl was giving Glynn a tour of the Ulfstead estate.
"It certainly is a pleasure to have you here at the castle, Glynn," said the Earl. "You really are a marvellous engine!"
"Thank you, sir," smiled Glynn. Millie then came up to Stephen and whistled.
"Bonjour, Stephen," she giggled. "Isn't it a beautiful morning?"
"So everyone keeps saying, Millie," said Stephen as he passed by. Millie looked at the two engines for a moment, then huffed to herself. She decided to keep enjoying the morning, or at least try to. As the morning progressed, the sky became blue and bright. Millie kept trying not to think too much about missing Luke. She tried to notice the beauty of winter around her. She looked along the snowy ground and the blue sky mixed with a few snow clouds. She heard a few birds chirping in the trees.
"Maybe I'll see him sometime soon," she murmured to herself. "He'd want to see me again." She stopped and idled at the station platform for awhile. A few short minutes later, Glynn pulled up beside her. She also saw the Earl stepping off the coffee pot. The tour was complete.
"Thank you, Glynn. Enjoy the rest of the holiday," he said. "I've got something special planned when we reopen in the new year."
"I wonder what he means, Millie," said Glynn.
"I think the Earl is finally opening a Railway Museum," said Millie.
"Great idea," said a voice behind her. It was Stephen. "I'll do the tours, you can do the teas and coffees, Glynn."
"Perhaps it will be Glynn doing the tours, Stephen, while you become an exhibit in the Museum. You are the world famous rocket after all," laughed Millie.
"I suppose even an old teapot like you knows how I got that name, Glynn. I beat four other engines at the Rainhill Trials," bragged Stephen.
"I know. It's no wonder you're such a celebrity, Stephen," Glynn replied. "The Rainhill Trials are legendary."
"What?!" spluttered Stephen as he exclaimed in outrage, Glynn was supposed to feel jealous of Stephen's legendary achievement but instead he had misinterpreted it and pointed out it was the reason he was so famous.
"Are you OK?" asked Glynn.
"Of course I'm OK. I'm the Rocket," said Stephen. "But this castle isn't big enough for the both of us, Glynn. It's time to find out just how fast you really are!"
"Oh, nowhere near as fast as you, I'm sure," said Glynn.
"Well, let's find out," challenged Stephen. "First one to Knapford wins and works at the castle. The loser becomes an exhibit in the Earl's Railway Museum."
"Oh. I-I don't think the Earl or the Fat Controller would like that," replied Glynn with concern.
"Oh, are you scared?" teased Stephen. Glynn was feeling a little skeptical, but then smiled slyly.
Millie meanwhile thought Stephen was being very silly. Glynn was just new to Ulfstead Castle and the Earl was simply giving him something to be really useful. But Stephen always felt like the king. Now he felt challenged by that position. The three engines made it back to the castle so Stephen and Glynn could start their race. The castle bridge opened and the two competitors prepared themselves.
"Right then. Let's see if you can keep up with ME!" grinned Stephen. Glynn grinned back. Millie looked left and right at both engines.
"Ready…steady…" then Stephen whistled to start the race. But both engines, being old as they were went rather slowly, but it was as fast as they could go. Stephen reached the middle line first and Glynn followed close behind. Millie watched them leave…
"Hmm…I think I need to find the Earl," she said. She looked around for him. Eventually, she found him back at the platform.
"Sir!" she whistled. "Glynn and Stephen are getting a little competitive…Stephen challenged him to a race for Knapford Station. They're betting over who will work in the museum you plan to open and who will become an exhibit."
"Preposterous. They're both too useful to be exhibits. Thank you for telling me, Millie," said the Earl. "Enjoy the rest of the day…I shall settle this matter." And he hurried to contact the Fat Controller for an engine to ride so he could find his two engines.
Soon, Thomas arrived and took the Earl away to find Stephen and Glynn. Now, Millie was left all alone at the castle.
"Well, at least I have some peace from the betting and challenging," she said. She resumed her business and kept wandering around the estate. But with no one to talk to, all she could think about now was Luke. She began to feel very lonely. She remembered that he couldn't join them at the Christmas party after Glynn's restoration because he was becoming busier with the Skarloey Engines.
She wandered into the Dinosaur Park, in an attempt to take Luke out of her thoughts. But she had already seen all the dinosaur models countless times before, and when she got to the volcano, thoughts about Luke entered in her mind again, as she remembered when told him her story about the volcano. Poor Millie became sadder and lonelier as her thoughts of Luke endlessly occupied her mind.
"Oh, Luke," she whimpered. "I wish you were here with me…my love…please come for me…"
Eventually as evening fell, Stephen, Glynn and the Earl all came back to the castle. Millie didn't feel much better but it was nice to have some company again.
"Hello, sir," she said to the Earl. "How are the two engines?"
"Their race was slow…but impressive," said the Earl. "Perhaps they should have one every year. They shall work at the castle and museum together."
After Glynn and Stephen made amends and started becoming friends, Millie was getting ready to end her day and get to sleep. But she found it difficult to fall asleep, even as the sun disappeared.
"Maybe it's because I've not done any work," she said. She decided to huff slowly around the estate again, hoping it would tire her out a little more. She wondered around for several minutes, looking at the calm night sky full of stars. She looked at the snow sometimes, still in very deep thoughts. She continued to wander around the line for quite some time, but it did no good. She couldn't grow tired and in her mind, she knew why. Luke was fresh in her memories and she still felt very disappointed that she didn't see him during the holiday.
Millie stopped where she was and closed her eyes. She missed her love so much over the holidays. She could feel her eyes forming tears fast and she was just about ready to cry.
"Millie? Are you OK?" asked a familiar voice. Millie opened her eyes and saw Luke right in front of her. More tears flowed out of her eyes, but with happiness. She buffered to Luke and kissed him several times on his cheeks, very happy to see him again.
"I'm sorry, Millie," said Luke. "I was busy with the Skarloey Engines. Some work started again at the quarry and the Thin Controller had to discuss some plans for Spring."
"I understand, Luke," said Millie. "I'm just happy to see you here now."
"Sadly, I won't be able to stay for long. I'll have to return to the quarry eventually," continued Luke.
"Luke?" Millie asked. "Don't go too soon. Please stay with me as long as you possibly can. I want us to cherish our time together…oh, I love you, Luke." And she began gently kissing him again.
"I love you too, Millie," whispered Luke. "We shouldn't stay out here in the cold. Is there anywhere we can be that's warm and safe?"
"Oui," said Millie. "Take me to my shed. We'll be warm enough there." So Luke gently pushed Millie along to her shed.
Inside Millie's shed, both engines felt relived to be out of the cold estate and feel the warmth of the shed. Millie moved into him, kissing him with tender love and passion. The two kissed each other for a few minutes, simply reveling in this simple act of love and care for each other.
"Oh, Luke, I missed you so much...hold me, my love...keep me warm, please?"
"Of course I will, Millie," replied Luke, and he moved in as close to her as he could, keeping her nice and warm.
They looked into each other's eyes, then started to softly kiss each other's lips. Millie couldn't be happier that she was finally with Luke again after being away from him for almost the entire holiday.
Soon, Millie tried using her tongue very gently and carefully. Luke noticed and pulled out of the kiss. Millie froze instantly. Her eyes were wide and her face red. She must have gone too far for her timid lover.
"Oh…I'm sorry, Luke," apologized Millie. "I should have asked you first." Luke didn't respond, Millie was nervous about what Luke would do...until she felt Luke kiss her again, sweetly and softly. His lips were tender and delicate upon hers, kissing her gently for a while.
"It's OK, Millie," said Luke. "I'm very happy that you love me just as I love you, but I think we should wait until we're ready to kiss differently."
"Oh, Luke," said Millie. "You're such a gentleman. I really love you."
"I love you too, Millie, my lovely bluebell," whispered Luke.
Millie's eyes widened in delight. Had Luke just given her a pet name? "Lovely bluebell? Luke...is that your pet name for me?"
"Yes...Emily once told me that bluebells are associated with everlasting love, and I love with all of my heart and I always will. Every time I see a bluebell and see how lovely and beautiful they are, I always think of you. You're lovely and beautiful, just like a bluebell," said Luke quietly and honestly.
Millie's eyes began to well up with tears once again. "Oh, Luke, I love it!" she weeped happily. She promised herself that one day she would give Luke her own pet name for him.
Then they continued to kiss gently. They kissed each other's cheeks softly and warmly, feeling so happy and peaceful together. It was the perfect way to be together, even after Christmas.
Eventually as they continued to kiss, Luke started to notice that Millie was falling asleep. Her eyes flickered every few moments and she sometimes yawned.
"I love you, Luke…I really do," she yawned as Luke kissed her lips once more.
"I love you too, Millie, my lovely bluebell..." he murmured. He saw then, she was fast asleep, dreaming about Luke in happy bliss.
When morning came, Millie woke up. In the distance she could hear Stephen and Glynn laughing like old friends. She noticed Luke had already left and went back to the quarry.
"Ohh…" she moaned in disappointment. "It must have been all just a dream…" But then she felt a slight tingle on her lips. She remembered Luke kissing her the other night. She looked out to the morning and thought a little more...
"He did come and kiss me…it wasn't a dream!" she whistled. Then she began to cry with overflowing happiness. She realized that Luke really did come for her and he had given her the perfect late Christmas gift and with that, she continued to rejoice all morning.
I hope every had a lovely Christmas or whatever holiday that you celebrate, as the title of this story suggests this Christmas gift is a little late, and alas it is my final story of 2016, I think it's been a really good year for me on this site honestly, I have Jeremy to thank for all his phenomenal help and efforts helping me with these stories, and there's plenty more to come in 2017. With all that said, Thank you every single one of you supporting me throughout the year and I wish everyone a Happy New Year. Bring on 2017!