.

Christmas

.


Some higher force had mercy. The secretary of the vicar, whose housekeeper's daughter had been found raped and dead, had confessed on the 23rd of December so the team quickly had arranged a bit more for their minimalistic party on Christmas Eve at the office. Everybody had come to work in their best ridiculous jumpers and they had hot chocolate and spiced cookies and ginger bread during the day of the final paperworks. When it was clear they would not have to get in touch with the public or any witnesses anymore they one by one started to wear the colourful paper crowns Winston had brought. One computer served as the diskjockey's place later and the only thing they had not was alcohol. Funny enough but Burton had prohibited that. Nonetheless everybody chatted in a festive mood. Even Barbara was so lighthearted like she was not for weeks. She blamed the painkillers she had taken throughout the day. She already had woken up with a headache this morning.

DI Lynley had left behind his obligatory bottle of something for everyone and Paul Perkins, the night shift desk officer, had brought them in the evening with a false beard around his chin and a loud "Hohoho!" on his lips. Eventually DI Burton had the grace to go home, probably to leave the rest of the work to his team and get himself some real drinks, so Charlie took advantage and opened his bottle of good rum to pimp their hot chocolates. Then Winston conjured up some Christmas crackers from the depth of his desk and turned up the music.


Under loud cheers everybody had to read out loud the little jokes and notes and wise words inside and of course Barbara was no exception either when it was her turn to pull. A little yellow plastic comet flew out of her cracker and she read:

"Make a wish - it will come true!"

"She's the lucky one!" Winston shouted amused, teasing her by pinching her upper arm. "Barb, wish for the jackpot!"

Barbara did not really hear him. In an instant she had been far away with her thoughts. She absolutely did not have to think about a wish at all. For a couple of years she only had one thought when she saw a wishing star falling through the nightly skies. She knew it will never come true but she could not help it. But then the word 'jackpot' had finally reached her brain so she inhaled to give a reply when Winston cut her off.

"Sh-sh-sh!" he excitedly kept her from talking. "You shouldn't tell anybody!"

Fortunately the next Christmas cracker was broken with all cheering and laughing and Barbara had some private time to dwell on her thoughts. Outwardly pretending to enjoy the jolly party but deep inside thinking about sitting on a soft settee in front of a cosy fireplace and cuddling with someone unreachable she sipped at her cocoa. Suddenly Winston stood next to her. Another good shot of rum was poured into her almost empty mug and he put an arm around her shoulder when he toasted.

"To you!" he quietly said. He showed an almost serious expression when he went on. "I know what you've wished for, Barbara-darling, and I know it will come true one day. You just have to believe it! And, for heaven's sake, work on it." He left a friendly smacker on her temple but before Barbara was able to voice her protest Nkata was whisked away by the three new constables who obviously already had had too much of their vodka.

Her boss hadn't left her mind for the rest of the evening.


Some higher forces had not been so nice to spare her from the on call duty she would have until the 29th.

She had gone home on Christmas Eve slightly tipsy like all her other colleagues and on Christmas morning she sat at her breakfast table eating cookies and having a strong coffee. She opened the small present she got from Winston - a squeaky bulldog that conjured a smile on her face. Then she stared out of the window hoping it would become the 1st of January right now. When she finally ripped her eyes from the water running down the pane to get started with the yearly deep cleaning of her flat her mobile buzzed.

"Bloody!" she cursed and answered without checking the caller ID. She had not expected to be called in so soon. "Havers!"

"Barbara!" a familiar voice rejoiced. It made her give a sigh of relief. This was no call for arms. "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas, Sir!" Barbara curled up on her sofa. She had not heard him for far too long. Their latest call had been about a fortnight ago. Her dark mood was washed away in an instant. "How's it going?"

"Mh, it's like a beehive here. I'm at Howenstow already and I think this year mother has invited even the farthest family members to drop by. How are you? Have you opened your presents yet?"

"Sir..." Barbara went silent. "You know I'm not..." How could she tell him that she never gets any other presents than those exchanged in the office. How could she tell her boss that she was disappointed that he obviously had forgotten his Sergeant this year and did not give her something too. Not the public bottle of something but that small personal thing he used to give her in his office in private. Ah, well, this year simply was completely shitty.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Lynley seemed to understand what her dilemma was. "I didn't mean to... I hope you at least enjoy your festive breakfast! When I've told Judith about your habit-"

"No." she cut him short, not unfriendly but certainly signalising she would not want to be reminded. "I've had no time to prepare it this year, Sir. It's just the odd mug of coffee and some cookies. But never mind, I'm fine."

He knew she was not but he did not find the right words to tell her. Not to mention his inability to ask what's really going on. "We'll make good for it when I'm back in London, Barbara. I'm going to cook for you. You'll see, I'm quite skilled." Since she did not answer he just went on. "You'll give me the recipe and I'll be buying all the stuff and then I'm going you ruin your kitchen. Never mind, I'll pay for the renovation."

After a few moments he had become so ridiculous with his foresight of a breakfast with his Sergeant Lynley achieved to elicit a snorted laugh from Barbara.

"Better?" he softly asked. Barbara sneezed. "Bless you!"

"Yes. Thank you, Sir."

They kept on talking about anything in particular for a while. She told him about her on call duty until the 29th and then Lynley started to hem and haw.

"What, Sir? Just say it."

"Could you do me a favour, Barbara?"

"It depends, Sir."

"It's... umm... not quite illegal, but... err... not too legal either... it's... hmm..."

"Sir!" Barbara became impatient.

Lynley breathed deeply.

"Could you go to the office today and look something for me? Just a small personal research in the HOLMES system."

Barbara was relieved when she heard whom she had to look up for. No woman. Not that she would have become jealous but checking on the new estate manager would be an easy task.

Jealous? Barbara Havers? No way.


Instead of going to the office immediately Barbara stayed at home for at least two more hours. Her headache of which she thought would be a light hangover had not gone at all although she had taken two more painkillers. Her complete face ached and she felt all but able to work like that. She received three text messages from her boss. He did not mention the HOLMES research but he usually would not have sent her so many updates of what he was doing at his manor if he would not be trying to remember her of his request. When Barbara got into her car to finally get to New Scotland Yard she received a fourth message. This time he was clear.

'When will you go to the office? :-)'

'Right now.'

She imagined her boss going up and down and walking a mould into the carpet in his study at Howenstow. It made her laugh.

She could not know how close she was to the truth. His mother had secretly watched him becoming more nervous with every second that went by. It all had started this very morning when the family had opened their presents in the grand hall where a fire had been lit and the Christmas tree was in full beauty. He had started being absentminded. Then after the call with Barbara which was a nice sight on its own he had not stopped fidgeting with something or walking around aimlessly.


There was extraordinarily little traffic on the streets, even for a Christmas day, so Barbara got to the office quite fast. At the entrance she had a coffee and a chat with the desk officer before she went up. In the lift she even checked her mobile if Lynley had sent another impatient text message she might have missed but there was none. When she approached the glass door to their office she saw the faint lights of something still on in there. Winston probably had forgotten to turn off the coloured lights of the silly little snowed Christmas tree on his desk. Only when she entered the room Barbara saw that the lights were coming from her own desk. Her mobile beeped.

'Are you there?'

Cautiously going further into the office she answered. 'Just arrived'

Barbara almost cried when she saw her desk. On it there was a small plastic christmas tree with tiny bulbs in red and blue and with white electric lights. Together with a pack of chocolates and an envelope three small presents, neatly wrapped in Dr Who paper, laid underneath it. A folded note was in the middle of her desk.


Merry Christmas, Barbara!
Please excuse my false pretence that had brought you here and forgive my presumptuousness but as hard as I've racked my brain I didn't find a different way to really surprise you. Paul had been so kind to help me. I know he had arranged the things nicely. Enjoy unpacking and please call me.
Yours, Tommy


For a moment Barbara was angry that he had made her get up and out of her home and to the office but then the sweetness of his slightly clumsy surprise sunk in and the brimming tears finally started to roll down her cheeks. She did not yet open the presents though. She absolutely had no idea what it could be so she prefered being in private in case she would break out in more tears. And she really was in need of a relaxing hot shower. The short drive here had exhausted her more than it should have.

'I'll call you later' she texted before she took her presents and shut off the electric lights. How could she know that with that text message she had put her boss into an even deeper misery than before.

Back at home Barbara sat down on her couch before she opened the presents. There was a woollen hat and gloves and a woollen scarf of the same deep dark green colour with the same light grey stripe, woollen socks, a thick book she assumed to never get read in her life, if she starts reading it at all, that is, and another squeaky toy in the form of a fat nurse holding a handmade voucher for a series of massages in a spa she would choose by herself. In the envelope was a train ticket to Nanrunnel valid for five days from the 29th on.

Barbara sniffled. Tommy Lynley could be so cute sometimes but of course she would not go. She would not want to disturb his family days and she definitely would not want to attend their New Year's Eve party. After making a tea she cuddled back into the cushions and hit his speed dial number.


"Lynley." From the anticipation in his voice she knew he knew who was calling. Of course he knew. He always checked.

"Thank you, Sir, you've touched me."

"I'm happy to hear that." Tommy's smile was audible. "Are you home again?"

"M-hm."

"I thought as much. Can you forgive me that I've forced you to the office? I've planned this surprise earlier when I haven't known you would be so busy the previous days. But I really wanted you to have it today and not sometime next year."

"It's okay, Sir. At least it forced me out of my pyjamas." They shared a laugh. "But seriously, Sir - woollen socks?!"

Lynley smiled. "I once have heard you complain about getting cold feet in winter and that nobody knows nowadays how to knit the perfect socks."

"Mh, yes, I vaguely remember." Barbara grinned. It was so sweet that her boss had it still on is mind.

"Well, my aunt Edith does know and she sends you all her love. You still know her? She was the sporty woman who never ceased to comment on my-"

"I know, Sir." Barbara answered. She did not want him to mention that function she had attended too only to please her boss. His aunt Edith had been a bit tipsy and later in the evening had told Barbara things she would rather not have learned.

Then Tommy heard Barbara sniffling. "Do you have the sniffles?"

"Ah, it looks as if I'm getting a cold. Would just top it all. So thanks again for the winter things. They are lovely and come in rather handy."

"I had hoped so. And you know, it can be quite chilly at the Cornish coast in winter."

"What makes you assume I'd come to your family home? Not that I'd complain or would want to sound ungrateful, but that's irrational. I won't come and disturb you with your family there. Especially not at your New Year's Eve party. And by the way, why do you think I don't have other plans?" She had not.

"Because you've told me so, remember? You were ranting about your on call duty and missing out the only thing that you've planned for Christmas. Since your Christmas is quite a bit ruined I thought you might as well have something nice for New Year's Eve."

"Sir..."

"Really! You wouldn't disturb us here. Mother and Judith would love to see you and most of our guests won't stay until the 30th. Plus I think it would do you good to see people and I really would appreciate if you were here on New Year's Eve. We'll have a nice dinner with family and friends and-" Then she heard his voice becoming anxious. "Or do you have made other plans now that you had no time on Christmas? You know, the train ticket was a spur of the moment idea. I've asked Paul, you know, Paul Perkins, the night desk officer, to buy it and add it to your presents. It can be given back of course. You could-"


Against her own internal advise not to put her in danger by being around him at such emotional times and in such a wonderful setting in rural Cornwall Barbara cut him short. To be honest she really wanted nothing else but to be with him, with his family, there in the Cornish refuge, far away from London. "No, Sir, I think I'll come around. You're right, it will do me good. I may not be getting there this year but maybe a few days in early January doing nothing and being out of sight for the Service would be nice. Imagine - just because I am available at Christmas three colleagues have asked me to take over some parts of their shifts. As if I was a robot. I have declined of course. Everything. I'm already drained enough for this year."

She went on talking and rousing and laughing and telling him what else had happened during the previous days oblivious to the fondness in his voice when he let one or the other word drop in. On the other end of the line Tommy had cuddled into the settee in front of the fireplace in the grand hall of Howenstow. He had leaned back smiling, closing his eyes, just listening to her voice - oblivious for his mother and sister standing in the door watching him with a knowing grin.

Eventually Tommy got another chance to speak. He tried to talk Barbara into coming to Howenstow this year but unfortunately got nothing more than a vague answer. He would try it again in another call tomorrow.

On December the 25th Barbara went to bed, happy about the call with Lynley, happy that duty had not called her in on that day. But she was exhausted. Her whole body ached and she had slightly elevated temperature.

On Boxing Day Barbara woke up with a nasty cold.


.


...