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Chapter Seventeen
Christmas Shopping
The first holidays were coming up fast and miraculously it had been two months since Ethel and Mildred had fought, true Ethel lost her temper at times and Mildred was short with Ethel but they hadn't had a screaming match since October. The change seemed to have a nicer atmosphere on the school as it was calmer and the changes were noticeable in class too. At the end of her potions lesson one day, HB called Mildred to her desk, she had earlier given out the latest essays but not Mildred's the girl was worried, she must have got a zero and the woman was going to yell at her for it.
"It seems being room-mates with Miss Hallow is paying off," Miss Hardbroom said handing Mildred an essay. She stared at it in shock, she had gotten a B, it is true Ethel had been helping her study and now it seemed her grades were improving.
"It was good...well done," Miss Hardbroom said quickly dismissing her before Mildred could say anything else. Mildred left the room beaming, she had passed, and if she carried on like this she might start getting A's not E's.
Mildred walked to her bedroom, still staring at the paper when she heard Ethel walk in and turned to smile at her.
"I got a B!" "You are a good tutor Ethel," Mildred said beaming. Ethel smiled too then started playing with her hands nervously.
"Mildred...I need to ask you something" Ethel said looking on the verge of throwing up from nerves so Mildred backed away a little.
"What is it, Ethel?" Mildred asked wondering why she was so nervous.
"Would you say we are...friends?" Ethel asked. Mildred listened then let herself think of the answer. They weren't fighting, she found Ethel interesting and she would say Ethel found her interesting, they were spending time together when they didn't have to and Ethel was been nice without wanting anything in return.
"I will say we are friends, and you can say we are friends if you want as well Ethel," Mildred said knowing how embarrassed she was about asking this.
"It is just Christmas is coming up and well...friends are meant to get each other stuff but I didn't know if we were friends and..." Ethel trailed off staring at the floor as if hoping it would swallow her up for having to have this conversation.
Mildred smiled. She got it. If Ethel got her a gift and Mildred didn't she would look like a fool, Ethel wanted reassurance she would be okay getting Mildred something without looking odd.
"If you are asking if I am getting you a present, yes you are on my list, is there anything you want exactly?" Mildred asked a bit stumped what to get her in all honestly. She couldn't get her books constantly.
"Oh no, not really, we don't do much at Christmas, my parents work, their busiest day of the year so it is not that fun, you don't have to get me something" Ethel replied with a shrug.
Mildred was sad. Everyone should have a good Christmas, she would normally invite the girls to hers but this year she was going to her aunt's with her mum and with her aunt pregnant she didn't want to stress her out by having more mouths to feed, and it wouldn't be fair to only invite Ethel.
"I am sorry to hear that, but I am still going to buy you something, I want to," Mildred told her smiling. Ethel threw the question back at her.
"What do you want?" Ethel asked also stumped what to get Mildred.
"You don't need to get me anything" Mildred Replied
"I want to," Ethel said. Mildred smiled knowing it had taken courage for Ethel to ask this.
"Thank you, Ethel, whatever you get I will like," Mildred told her knowing a gift from Ethel was rare, so she would like whatever.
The girls were not allowed to leave school unless it was approved by Miss Cackle, except for the first week of December. There was one weekend set aside where there girls were taken by teachers to the local shopping centre so they could buy the gifts for their family and friends. As they went to boarding school, they didn't have time to get gifts so this allowed them to get them. The girls were allowed to go off shopping on their own but had to be back by the entrance doors by five. Ethel loved this weekend, because without fail, no matter what the relationship was like at the time with her sisters, they would go together, and this would be the first year the three of them were together so it was even more exciting. The sisters went off in a group to start the shopping.
"Right I have you two and we need to get something for mum and dad!" Esmie said with a sigh. They only got them something out of duty, they never appreciated it.
"I have you two and Bea and Clarice," Sybil said as she had her friends too.
"I have you two...Felicity...and ..." Ethel said
"And?" Sybil commented
"Mildred, don't even say it!" Ethel said turning red as she knew her sisters would find it amusing. Esmie smirked.
"I am glad you two are friends, honestly, the fighting was annoying," Sybil said. Esmie nodded.
"Thanks...but I am stumped, I have no idea what to get her" Ethel admitted.
"Get her art stuff," Esmie said as they walked.
"But that is what everyone will get" Ethel replied hating to be the same.
They shopped and most of the gifts were gotten. Esmie got Ethel a beautiful purple leather-bound diary and Sybil a new light for her bedroom, in the shape of a black cat like Sparkle whose eyes glowed when it was on. Ethel got Esmerelda some personalised photo frames knowing how much she loved photos and Sybil she got a bunch of Disney DVDs and a Woody doll as she was obsessed with the films that even witches knew and Woody was her favourite and Sybil got Ethel a pair of black leather gloves for flying and Esmerelda she got a large canvas with her favourite family portrait of them. For their parents, they all decided on a horrible vase but knew their parents would like it but Ethel still couldn't decide for Mildred. She had gotten Felicity a mirror with lights so she could look at herself in the dark, Mildred she was stumped.
"Ethel," Esmerelda said as they left another shop without a present "Remember what is important about gifts, the price makes no difference it is the love and thoughts that went into it, some of the best gifts are the cheapest, remember when I got you that stuffed black cat toy when you were little, I found it in a charity shop for one pound, it was missing an ear and had been stitched countless times but you went to bed with it every night for the next few years, and I know you still have it at home," Esmerelda told her as her sister had been looking at the price and saying 'it was too cheap" instead of what she is buying.
"Exactly, like I bought Beatrice a cookbook because she loves cooking and a self- stirring cauldron for Clarice so she can do her experiments without her arm getting tired" Sybil explained trying to make Ethel understand it was WHAT she bought not the price.
Ethel sighed but it didn't make it any easier, she could only think of art stuff but it was so boring and generic and before long they were in the last shop and she had to pick something or she wouldn't have another opportunity to get something. She looked through everything when she saw something.
"What DVD is this?" Ethel asked the shopkeeper as it looked blank, there was no name.
"It is blank, it is so you can record your own video" the woman explained. Ethel looked at it and suddenly she got an idea, it was a perfect present for Mildred, and definitely unique.
"I will take it," Ethel said paying the £2.99 for the CD. Her sisters looked at her confused.
"What are you going to do with that?" Esmerelda asked Ethel
Ethel still wasn't ready to admit her talent so she lied, knowing she had to say something.
"Mildred hates reading, so I am going to record me reciting the witches code, that way she won't forget it" Ethel replied. Sybil and Esmerelda shrugged accepting it, they were just happy Ethel had found something because as soon as she paid they had to go. Ethel left with the biggest smile on her face, she had the perfect gift in mind, and her sisters were right, Mildred would like it much more than something that cost her all the money she had.