"Christmas is All Around"
Chapter 10


Sunday afternoon, January 4.

-

The airport gate was jammed as usual, filled with hundreds of people waiting for their loved ones to arrive from their trips. One of the anticipators was Clementine, along with Karen and her two children who was also waiting for her husband Harry who had been away on business.

"I hear David's made great progress back there. You must be very proud," Karen said to Clementine, at the same time keeping an eye out for Harry.

"Yeah, he's special all right," she replied with a smile.

"Daddy!" Karen's daughter called out, pointing at a man now coming out of the gateway tunnel. Karen smiled weakly at him, motioning for him and the children to follow her.

"I'll see you later, Clem. Give my love to David, won't you?" she asked. Clementine nodded, waving goodbye to her and the family.

Just then, a whole volley of flashes exploded as a group of men came out of the tunnel. Among them was David, showing off his traditional Prime Minister wave. She pushed her way to the front of the crowds, forcing on a big smile to greet him. He spotted her right away, heading right for her.

"You look marvelous, Clem," he said, leaning forward and pecking her on the cheek. Subsequently, a camera flashed and caught the moment on film. "Anything new since I've been away?" he asked was the two of them followed the bodyguards through the crowds of people. She smiled weakly at him, still extremely happy to see him again… but the new news had to be told later. She didn't want to ruin their reunion. She would just tell him later, that's all.

Clementine followed David's car back to the mansion, now wanting to spend some time with him. It was quite odd; she'd never felt this kind of longing for someone before, not even for either of her parents. This made David all the more special to her, and only strengthened the hold he had on her.


As they crossed the halls to get to his office, hand in hand, she could have sworn she saw the infamous Natalie duck back into a doorway as they were coming up on one of the offices. But she dismissed it, going with the assumption that her mind was simply playing tricks on her.

Once they were inside David's main office, she immediately sat down on his desk, not wanting to bother with a normal chair.

"David?" she said, almost sounding cautious.

"Mmm?" he muttered, immediately diving into a pile of new paperwork on his desk. A Prime Minister's work was never done.

She paused for a moment, still partly unsure as to go through with this or not. But before she could utter another word, the door open and in walked Natalie. Clementine's posture stiffened as she sat perched on the desk, her eyes intently following Natalie as she crossed the room over to them.

"Tea and biscuits, sir," she said with a smile, setting the silver tray of chocolate-covered, vanilla-flavored biscuits and two teacups beside Clementine, and then bobbed down out of respect before leaving the room.

The second the door closed, Clementine turned a suspicious eye down at David.

"Yes?" he asked, lifting is head up once more as he realized he was being watched.

"When did she get back on this route?" she said, semi-cheerfully, through clenched teeth.

"Who?" he tried to be playful, but that wasn't entirely the smartest thing to do at the moment.

"Natalie, that's who. The Natalie," she said, noticeably less cheerful. He understood now.

"Well– they sort of sprung her back on me, you see, since they couldn't find a replacement on such short notice… after you quit on me," he tried to explain. Clementine picked up one of the cups of tea, taking a sip to distract herself. "You've got nothing to worry about, Clem," he assured her, getting up from his chair to stand before her, and took both her hands in his.

"I know I don't," she smiled, leaning forward to give him a light kiss on his nose. "Well, I best be off," she attempted to excuse herself, but was caught at her wrist by David.

"Now I have something to ask of you," he smiled mischievously, as if he had some sinfully clever plan in mind. "There's a party being arranged for me to sort of mingle and save face with all the political bigwigs, dreadful stuff all of it. And I was planning on braving it alone, but now that things have changed for the extreme better…" he looked at her with new great widened eyes, the blue all the more prominent, and bringing his lips together in a pout. "… Pretty please?" he then mimicked the wine of a small puppy wanting to be let back into the house, and he was quite good at it too.

"If I must," she conceded, as if she were doing him a great favor. "But don't pull that–" she pointed at his face, meaning his current expression, "– At the party. You dig?" she smiled.

"I dig," he answered, leaning forward and kissing her nose. "But don't be surprised if I can't keep it together around you. You know…" he bit at her, "… with you being a saucy little minx and all," he chuckled.

"You're terrible," she scolded, unable to hide her smile.


Sunday evening.

-

David had digressed that the party would be the following evening and Clementine knew she would have to be on her best behavior. This would, of course, be her first big important party and she was determined not to embarrass David in anyway. That meant she would have to not be entirely herself. She was a very well brought up woman, but at times she wasn't exactly the subtlest person; that most likey came from her father's side of the family.

Clementine hopped up the steps of her family's flat's stoop and was about to put her key into the lock, when the door open for her.

"Oh, poppit, you're back from David!" Aunt Vivi said with her usual bright smile, though now she seemed a bit out of breath. This observation was justified by the fact she was carrying two black suitcases, one in each hand. "Your dad's inside," she nodded in back of her, squeezing past and on down the steps to her green station wagon.

Clementine went on inside the flat, at once bumping into her father.

"Hey, baby girl! David get back in one piece, no lost limbs or anythin'?" he asked, shifting the large green suitcase that was under his arm. Cleavon, much unlike Vivi, was as strong as an ox.

On many occasions he would tell a story about when he was a boy back in San Antonio, Texas, and how he'd pushed a tractor five times clear around the whole family ranch. But it had later been found out that the 'huge tractor' had been a mere motorcycle, and that he'd ridden it at top speed five times around the ranch. But the story was still fun to hear, even if it wasn't completely true.

"No, Dad, he's got everything securely attached," she assured him. "Where are you two off to so quickly? I though Auntie Marge wasn't having the wedding until next week."

"That's was we'd thought too, darlin'. But Ol' Marge done pulled a fast one and, as spur of the moment, decided she'd make everyone rush out and have it this weekend," he explained. Outside, Vivi honked the horn to signal they were going to run late. "Shit, that woman's impatient," he grumbled. "We'll call ya once we're in Paris, m'kay?" he smiled, leaning down and giving her a kiss on her forehead. "And the boys'll be outta town this weekend too. Taking their ladies on a little vacation I guess. Shucks, them two better tie those girls down quick or they'll never—" he was cut off by a blaring car horn. "Don't get yer fuckin' panties in a twist, Vi! I'm comin'!" he shouted.

He said one last goodbye before grabbing the other bag at his side then ran out the door to the car.

"Well… this is a bit of a pleasant surprise," Clementine said to herself, shutting the front door then retreating up to her own room.