Christmas Eve a year later…
I never again heard that voice to "look after him" whoever "he" was, nor did I have strange dreams again. Whatever duty had been set upon me; I reasoned, must have been satisfied somehow beyond my knowledge.
The standard Cratchit lifestyle had undergone such a metamorphosis that it was nearly unrecognizable. We had the same values and the same love for one another yes, but outside of that we had blossomed. Mum was now recognized in some of the most distinguished parlors and sitting rooms of London as terribly good company and a terrible gossip. It were as if she were born to have a gaudy lifestyle and be married to an esteemed banker, never mind that both were born as poor as church mice. Oh no, once Tim was well and out of the clear mum ostracized herself to that prier life. I think it bothered dad a little, but seeing her happy and plump as a partridge it made him happy too.
Peter had acquired a position that was twice as good as what dad had ever had in mind for his heir. Thanks to Fred Milark (Scrooge's nephew) and Andrew Topper (a friend of Fred) Peter was set to be a member of parliament one day and was currently wooing a debutante by the name of St. Clare.
As for Mathew, Lucy and Tim, they were enrolled in school now and would be very glad for a break from their studies. Tim had many friends now and was as energetic as any lad his age. He only used his crutch when he was very tired or had a great distance to travel. Oh, but there was one thing he loved above all else and that was his dear Ebenezer. Thick as thieves those two. It were as if Mr. Scrooge could somehow meet with Tim on his own level. He did not seem a man of 42 at all but a child trapped inside an adult. In fact, he seemed rather bored unless he was talking to Tim, both based most of their decisions on what the other might be proud of. It made me laugh how much Tim wanted to emulate Mr. Scrooge, it near made dad jealous.
I saw quite a bit of Mr. Scrooge myself. It was not a month or two after that Christmas that he (as Belinda would put it) whisk me away from Mrs. Hogan so that I might be my own mistress in my own hat shop. He set me up in a vacant building right across from the counting house and took some of his luncheons with me in his standard tavern to show me the art of keeping books and making money. We would pour over books and ledgers and talk for hours past our lunch time which made none of our employees very happy or productive, but we paid them well. Then we walked back to our respected work places side by side laughing, as if we had done so all of our lives. He was natural with people and with me. very much a changed man.
And oh, what a fine and pretty shop I had. Like something out of a dream. Pink with dark stained wood, very warm and very cozy. Roses, roses everywhere like a garden and some of the finest and kindest, not to mention diligent workers in London. Edna had stayed on with me while Nan had up and married so we hired a new girl by name of Kathy, what a sweet thing she was, like a lark and good at bonnets too. Belinda of course, had taken to be my apprentice as she had done most of her life, but to be honest; she had more of a nag for stern leadership than I and sometimes had to remind me to take the reins when prices were too low or Kathy was making eyes at the delivery boy instead of working.
"That'll be six shillings Mrs. Prowl." I say with a smile as we make the exchange. Mrs. Prowl lifts the pretty box lid and wiggles her fingers in pure delight. "Tis a true work of art Ms. Cratchit." she beams. I pear in, looking down in the box upon tiptoe to see which way the ribbon was creased. "Edna did that one mam." I exclaim. "If you are satisfied with her work I can jot it down so you can always ave your hats done by her."
"Yes, very well. Thank you. This is a gift for my sister." She informs me as I made good on my word and write Edna's name next to Mrs. Prowls and the date in my little log book, I liked to keep personal notes on all my clientele. "Well, I hope she likes it." I giggle dotting my eye before looking up again. "If there is any adjustments needed or rips need mending in the future bring it back and I will see to it myself, no charge. Your family is ours." At this Mrs. Prowl thanks me and bids me a happy Christmas and I am on to the next customer handing out boxes.
"Mrs. Ratts, do tell your husband to be more careful, soon there will be no more hat left to mend! God bless you, Happy Christmas."
"Mr. Poe how is your wife liking her new lap dog?"
"Mr. Green I will be with you in a moment, I wish to hear all about the children!"
Mr. Green and I complete the transaction and he remarks how busy my shop was and that he had heard that I had the privilege of serving a duke and earl early in the year, I confirmed with a light tale about each and then Mr. Green stopped to admire a top hat resting on a bust at the back of the store. "How much is that derby there? The one with the holly and red ribbon and fur round the middle." I look back at the exact hat he was referring too, the ridiculously lavish one and smiled proudly. "Do you like it Mr. Green?" I ask bunching up my shoulders in excitement and lowering my voice. "Its for Mr. Scrooge! He asked me to make him a festive hat for his ball tonight, but nothing too outlandish of course. Three months in the making, I just finished today."
Mr. Green let out a roar of a laugh grabbing his sides. "Bless me, he will look right jolly in it!"
I chuckle too. "That is the idea!" we then shake hands and I begin to close up shop when he departs. I have the girls line up, hand them their pay and their bonuses and send them off to their families with a hug. I had Belinda go ahead to help mother put the last touches on our party gowns. I walked briskly from my shop into the streets with a warm cape draped about my shoulders and friendly greetings, far from where I had been a year before and yet, not completely…
"Show! show! buy a ticket to the Christmas show" the sound of Tom's lustrous voice still sent chills up my spine as he sung in time with the little silver bell in his hand. He was walking up the opposite side of the street with a sign round his neck and a few female performers behind him. Tom was as poor as ever. He had too much pride to accept any charity from Mr. Scrooge, he was even skittish when I presented my own money, almost half insulted that I as a milliner was more prosperous than him as a tavern actor and soup seller. Because of this, we were still not yet married. Tom wanted to be married on his own dime good and proper. I begged him and pleaded for alternatives; that he might owe the money for a small wedding like a debt; I told him we didn't even need a church, that I would marry him on the docks by a willing sea captain but his pride would not allow it. I loved him no less.
I quickly slipped off the engagement ring I had bought myself into the folds of my dress and went bolting towards him. "Tom!" I went into his arms, grabbed his cheeks and kissed him heartily. When he pulls away he blinks a few times as if I were a stranger and I laugh. It clicks in his head and I help him off with the sign. "Ah Martha, I don't recognize ye when you put on heirs." He looks around almost nervously. I laugh again. "These are my day clothes you silly bub, and you do not recognize me because you are always working my dear sweetheart." I caress the ebony skin of his cheek with longing and look into his dark eyes, yet still he looks at the onlookers. "I went to the theatre yesterday to drop off your suit for tonight but you were not there-"
"Tonight?" he gawks. "Oy then, whats tonight?"
"Mr. Scrooge's ball. It is the first Christmas Eve that neither of us works. You promised me we would be together."
Again he casts his eyes to his other performer friends who almost looked scornful as the scene ensued, but my eyes still bore into his. After a moment, he smiles and then nods with a laugh. "Yeah, yeah I'll be there." I smile and we kiss again.
It was a new home I returned too, a bigger one but not an estate by any means but much bigger than we ever had. The sound of the door shutting behind me and the sound of piano music and middle-aged women chattering away like monkeys in a zoo was a blessed sound to my ears. Mum was entertaining again which meant I had Tim to myself.
I made my way up the stairs to the room we had dedicated to toys and books many of which were a gifts from Mr. Scrooge. I found the room in disarray and empty and I shook my head and laughed. I knelt down by a sprawled book on the floor and picked it up tenderly and after a moment read aloud in spite of thinking I was alone. "Dear, brave Robinson Crusoe." I mused with a smile, getting to my feet to put the book away, unaware of the eyes that watched me secretly from the doorway.
"The impish Emma, home at last I see." His voice had a gentle laugh to it and I turned to face him with a welcomed smile. "Impish?" I retorted placing my hands on my hips. "As I recall you did not think me impish last night when you joined us for dinner and I served you desert first." I tease him. He stood tall and broad shouldered in his handsomest dress. Tim was not far behind him. Mr. Scrooge shrugged. "That dessert did not suit me. it was not sweet enough. I found the girl serving it much sweeter." He countered and I blushed slightly before my brother squeezed by him dejectedly. "Tim?" I questioned kneeling down in concern. "What is the matter love? You look as if the world fell upon you." I cup his face. Mr. Scrooge chuckled then and clasped my brothers shoulders. "Oh the lad is alright! It is just that Sharon Holmwood kissed him in the schoolyard today and he is a bit shaken up by it."
I gasp half laughing, Tim had a little crush on his schoolmate, we knew by how frequently he claimed to dislike her. "Sharon Holmwood." I say in mock surprise. "She is very pretty I hear."
"She is not!" Tim moans. "I find girls utterly repulsive Martha, and she is the worst and now I have cooties because she kissed me!" he pouted and I stove off a giggle as I adjusted his collar. "I thought the same of boys when I was young." I mused. "You ought not think girls too repulsive Tim; mum is a girl, Belinda is a girl, Lucy is a girl and I am a girl, do you think us repulsive?"
"No."
I then cast a glance up at his idol. "And Mr. Scrooge I am sure does not find girls or ladies repulsive, do you Mr. Scrooge?" I raise an eyebrow. Mr. Scrooge goes to speak but Tim cuts him off with a gleam. "No! he said that girls are lovely creatures and that I should take for example my oldest sister Martha who he finds particularly charming and lovely! Isn't that so Ebenezer?"
At this Mr. Scrooge's ears turned a shade of scarlet that rivaled any holly berry. He gave Tim a light bat on the back of the head and I could not hide my smile. "I believe Timothy Cratchit that I gave you a long list of females that I admire, such as your mother, and my niece Joan Milark, and Mrs. Smit the butcher's widow and Jane the seamstress."
"But you said Martha most of all!" before anymore damage could be done I rose and took my dear, flustered friend by the shoulders with a grin. "I am honored to be held in such high regards Mr. Scrooge and I thank you." Standing on my toes, I give his cheek a light kiss in lieu of the mistletoe above the door frame before starting towards my own room. "Your hat is in the hall, hope you like it! I must get ready now. Happy Christmas." I smile and he watched me go, just as my mum and her party come up the stairs. One of the ladies Evelyn Notworth a widow with much dowry, immediately took note of the mistletoe and flittered about almost as bad as Mrs. Hogan did a Christmas ago. "Oh Ebenezer you wicked little man, I hope you were not waiting for me long under that sprig!" and soon all the other ladies joined in, and why not? He was the most eligible, charitable and kind man in London.
