"Christmas Is All Around"
Chapter 2


Saturday afternoon, December 18.

"Clem! Over here!" Karen waved her arm high above her head, easily catching Clementine's attention.

The two women got into the car and drove off, away from the Prime Minister Mansion.

"So… how'd it go?" Karen asked.

"Well, you're now looking at the new secretary under The Prime Minister of England. I start this Monday," Clementine said, an air of satisfaction in her voice.

"Oh, that's wonderful! I'm so happy for you!" Karen cried with absolute joy. "I told you they'd hire you! You're practically perfect for that job," she added, turning the steering wheel to get onto the next street. The rain had let up by now. "You in the mood for some shopping before we go to lunch?" she asked.

"Why not? I could buy some new clothes for the job," Clementine said, sighing quietly as she turned her head to stare out the window.

"Anything wrong?" Karen asked.

Clementine shook her head, inside wondering why everyone always asked her that question.


"Did we find someone?"

"Yes, Prime Minister, and she's a very qualified choice if I do say so myself," the assistant smiled.

David sighed quietly, looking down at his desk.

"Right. That'll be all. Thank you," he said, nodding for the assistant to take her leave.

He leaned back in his chair, averting his eyes to the ceiling.

As long as I can stop thinking about Natalie… Love and politics just don't mix… he thought, desperately wanting a way to divert his mind from the woman's infectious personality.


"You were getting quite the looks in there, Clem," Karen said, nodding back towards the coffee house. A few young men were still craning their necks to get a look at Clementine.

"They're all idiots," Clementine said bluntly.

"Oh, come on! One of them looked pretty good!" Karen protested.

"You're married, dear," Clementine gently reminded her friend.

"That doesn't mean I can't look. It's just us girls after all, and girls are supposed to do that sort of thing."

"Well, you've got me there."

The two women walked along the sidewalk, occasionally sipping their coffee and they paused at different windows of the shops along their way. They did however go into one store, a dress shop to be exact.

"Oh! This one absolutely lovely!" Karen awed at the short blue spaghetti-strapped dress, blue being her favourite colour. "Oh! And that one for you, definitely!" she added, pointing at a dress that was on one of the mannequins.

It was a halter-styled black dress, running down to the floor so it dragged a little, and the back tied up like a corset with silky black ribbon.

"It is lovely," Clementine went in for a closer look, rubbing the soft material between her fingers. She looked at the price tag and couldn't help but smile. "And it's one sale, marked quite a bit I must say," she pondered.

"You should buy it. Spoil yourself!" Karen cheered her on.

"How much if yours?" she asked, nodding to the blue dress. "Hand it here, would you?" she said.

"Why?" Karen obliged, putting the dress on Clementine's free arm.

"Consider this a thank you for the job," she added.

"Oh, Clem, you're an absolute darling!" Karen beamed with joy, hopping up and down on the balls of her feet.


"Here's the applicant's new file you requested, Prime Minister."

"Ah yes, thank you."

David opened the manila folder as the assistant left, his eyes widening as he took in the full sight of his new secretary's mug shot.

"Good grief!" he groaned, a wave of worry spreading over his face. "I told Karen someone older, and I get this?" he muttered while still staring down at the picture of the young woman's face. She does look a bit gloomy, he pondered, examining the photo more closely. But then stopped himself. "Nope! This is what I wanted to get rid of Natalie for! Damn it, I'm not going to be tempted," he said firmly, but quietly so no one would hear him talking in such a manner.


"Are you still dating that one chap? 'Michael' was it?" Karen asked casually.

"I dropped him," Clementine answered calming tossing her now empty coffee cup into the nearby trash bin.

"But why? He seemed nice!"

"He was an idiot. All men are idiots," Clementine thought for a moment. "Except my dad and brothers… I suppose," she added.

"Well I guess I can't make you settle. You'll find that someone. I couldn't have been happier when I met Harry for the first time," Karen said with a thoroughly pleased smile.

"We all can't be that lucky."

The two women found their way back to the car, laying their garment bags across the back seat, and then driving off to head back to Clementine's flat.

"You know… My brother is still a bachelor, and you're now single again…" Karen started to say.

"Don't go any further, dearie. We're not going to go there, thank you," Clementine put up her hands and turned her head with comical intention. "You've gotten me a job for him, and I'm not about to go date him," she declared. "I haven't even seen him in ages!"

"All right, all right, it was only a suggestion after all."

"It's not like I have anything against him. It's just I've tried inter-office dating and it was a disaster. Remember, I told you?"

"Oh, was that the chap with the annoying guffaw laugh?"

"The very same," Clementine rolled her eyes, almost shuddering at the thought of the former boyfriend.

"Here we are!" Karen announced, pulling up into from of Clementine's family's two-story flat. "I'll give you a ring tomorrow. We could go out again, that is if I can convince Harry to take the kids again," she said.

"Here's hoping," Clementine smiled, crossing her fingers. "Ta, Karen!" she waved goodbye, shutting the passenger door after retrieving her dress from the backseat, the car turning around and driving off down the street the way it had come.

As soon at Clementine had opened the door, she was immediately faced with her Aunt Vivi, her late mother's younger sister. Aunt Vivi was the sort of woman to which the phrase 'Act your age' meant nothing. She was as free-spirited and cheerful as a young All-American cheerleader. She even looked like the stereotypical cheerleader type: long blonde hair, sparkling blue eyes, hourglass figure… only add on about thirty more years and this was Aunt Vivi down to the 'T'.

"Poppit! 'Ello!" she greeted, hugging her niece and nearly squeezing the life out of her in the process. "Did you get it?" she asked upon releasing her.

Clementine nodded, although she regretted doing so because she was then taken back into her aunt's crippling embrace.

"Oh, smashing, poppit! Brilliant!" Aunt Vivi cried.

"Vivian, let the poor girl go. She's turnin' blue!" Clementine's father, Cleavon, then came to the rescue. Aunt Vivi quickly re-released her.

"She got it, Cleavon!" Vivi said excitedly.

"Ya did? Heck, that's great, baby doll!" he said with a prideful smile, practically swelling with it, going over and giving her a gentle hug. This was more than welcome compared to Vivi's death grip.

"We have to celebrate!" Vivi clapped her hands.

"Not tonight. Maybe another time, all right?" Clementine said, turning and heading up the stairs.

"Ya sure, Clem?" Cleavon asked his daughter.

"Yeah. I want to rest for now," she said with a smile down at the two adults.

"All right. If that's what ya want, we can do it on yer birthday. It's only a week away after all," with that, Cleavon retreated back into the living room and dragged Vivi along with him.

As Clementine walked along the hall towards her bedroom, her brothers Rollo & Nigel ambushed her and pined her against the wall near their rooms.

"All right, Warwick, we're not lettin' ya go until we've got the truth!" Rollo pretended to threaten, mocking the dialect the old American detective films. "Did ya get the job?"

"Mmyeah, see! Did ya?" Nigel piped in, also going along with his twin's mimic slang.

"Yes, yes! I admit it! Now I'm to retreat to prison where I'll never do it again!" Clementine played along, breaking loose and running down to her room and shutting the door behind her.

"That's what we thought," the twins called down after her, letting out satisfied laughter as they each went into the separate rooms.

Nigel and Rollo had recently become obsessed with American noir films, quoting and mimicking them day and night. It was pretty amusing to watch them take on the traits of the dark-haired and dark-eyed detectives, when they were young British men with flaxen blonde hair and bright blue eyes. But that didn't mean they weren't good at it. And it must've been nice for Cleavon to see his sons so enthralled in American culture. Being that half of their lineage comes from America.


Author's Note : This chapter focused more on my character's personal life: her friendship with Karen, who is totally kick arse XD, and her family life. Dude, her Aunt is crazy, huh? And I adore her daddy! - Her brothers are-… myeah. oo Anywho… the next chappie I'm gonna have Clementine chill with Harry, Karen's hubby. Nothing wrong, just conversation. My character's not like that, people! Well, hope y'all are enjoying it so far. And I'm going to be having Prime Minister David and Clementine meet face to face in the next chappie as well, and it's gonna be good… hopefully. XP Ok, the normal routine: Read/Review/Flame (optional). Cheers! :D