Fairy Tale of New Lawke (NaNoWriMo)

Chapter 11 - Adaline

Adaline stood, her mouth gaping open, eyes darting between Elliot and the blonde child next to him. He didn't meet her gaze as she processed the sight before her. A red headed woman placed her hand on the child's shoulder and smiled at Adaline. There was something insincere and hateful in her look. That must be Elliot's girlfriend, Adaline thought cursing herself for fantasising over him. For allowing him to dive so freely into her mind with simple niceties. She'd misread the signs entirely, he couldn't be interested in her when he had a gorgeous woman in his life. The mother of his child no less. Silence floated between the two groups, no one sure how to handle the situation.
"I'm Joshua and I'm six. My tooth fell out, see," Joshua proudly poked his tongue through the gap next to his bottom front tooth. Dean laughed and stroked his son's 'desperate for a hair cut' brunette locks before reaching out a hand towards Elliot.
"I'm Elliot, I work for your mother. And, erm, this is my daughter Bonnielola and her mother Laura," he shook Dean's hand before hugging Dottie and nodding at Adaline - still not making eye contact with her.

Adaline looked down at Bonnielola who smiled up at her, large eyes open wide. She smiled awkwardly back at the little girl unsure what to make of the scenario. Joshua's happy chatter pulled Bonnielola's attention away from Adaline and back to the gap in his mouth. She reached a finger out as though to touch the missing tooth before second guessing herself and quickly pulling her finger into herself. Joshua laughed loudly, holding her hand and pulling her forward in the queue.
"You can be my friend, Santa likes good kids who play nice. Don't they dad?" Dean nodded at his son, checking his watch before craning his head to get a better look of the entrance.
"Feels like we've been stood here for hours doesn't it?" He muttered. The adults about him nodded their heads, Laura retrieving her phone from her handbag as she did so. Opening the camera she turned to Dean and pointed at Joshua.
"Do you mind if I get a picture of them?"
Dean shook his head and told her it was fine. After a few attempts Laura was able to get a fairly decent photograph of both children smiling at the camera. She Whatsapped it to Elliot with instructions to send the image to Dean so they would have a copy of their child.

Adaline felt light headed standing in the centre of the two families become one. She needed out. Needed to get away from Elliot and breathe. She was so utterly ashamed of herself for letting a taken man reel her in. For wanting him at all. For not learning from her past mistakes. He still hadn't uttered a single word to her. Too ashamed at being caught no doubt. Coward, Adaline raged to herself. She'd half a mind to tell Laura what Elliot had done but stopped herself short. What exactly HAD he done? It was she who had dreamt of him twice, in ways that were simply not appropriate for children's delicate ears. She who had wanted to perhaps see if there was something to pursue. What exactly was there to say to Laura? He'd not cheated, hadn't hadn't much as texted Adaline since they'd crashed into each other's lives. A hand touched her arm making her start.
"So you and Elliot? I'm glad he's happy and moving on, God only knows it's been long enough,"
Laura's voice was chirpy but had a roughness about it. Adaline blinked at her confused. Did Laura think Elliot and Adaline were an item? So Elliot wasn't with his child's mother? Why? Questioned buzzed about with no means of escape.
"Next," came the false cheery voice of an elf. Bonnielola grabbed Elliots hand and pulled him and Laura into the grotto. He turned to face Adaline as he entered, half smiling at her. He had a whole life Adaline knew nothing about and it had spiked her curiosity.

She gazed at the grotto, letting her mind wander as she took in the spectacle of it. She'd loved visiting Santa as a child, loved the magic that came with Christmas. The multicoloured lights strung at the edge of the roofing glimmers down on fake icicles and snow covered walls. Polystyrene snowmen stood either side a pile of presents in front of them. Large red and white candy canes made up the fence surrounding the grotto and the two elves were bent down chatting to Joshua, asking him what he was going to ask Santa to get him for Christmas. Dottie leaned forward, purse in hand to pay for the visit and photos for each of them. Her treat she declared swatting a hand when Dean tried to intervene.

From the other door Adaline saw Elliot leave, Bonnielola trapping behind with her mother, small present in her hand and a huge smile on her face. They collected their photos from a third elf, waved a quick goodbye and left before Adaline could wave back. The group was herded into the surprisingly cramped interior. Santa sat perched on a throne, a sack of gifts overflowing at his feet.
"Ho, ho, ho. Who do we have here?" He boomed as Joshua climbed onto his lap. Introducing himself, the young boy began to list off his wishlist. Chuckling, Adaline realised just how expensive the festive season was going to be this year with talks of a PlayStation and Nintendo Switch as well as the entire set of Paw Patrol characters. Santa encouraged Joshua to continue being a good boy at school, to eat all of his vegetables and go to sleep properly and he would see what he could do. The pair smiled as a camera clicked in front of them and a present was handed to Joshua who eagerly ripped the green paper.
"Cool! Look dad, a Paw Patrol puzzle!" Running ahead of his parents, Joshua exited the grotto proudly showing his gift to the awaiting elf.

Having exhausted every stall, received their photos and filled their stomachs on enough snacks to last the week the group left feeling groggy yet content. Despite her shock Adaline had had a wonderful time with her nephew and brother. It wasn't often they were all together at the same time, not since she'd moved out of the village. She began to wish they did things together more often. She remembered her Christmas idea and relayed it to Dean who smiled broadly and agreed. Breathing a sigh of relief Adaline climbed into her car, Dottie next to her in the passenger seat, and beeped the horn at the trio heading to their own car, Joshua in his dad's arms falling asleep.

The car ride back to Dottie's was filled with Christmas jingles and Adaline's awful singing much to her mother's delight. The pair sang loudly, drowning out Michael Buble's voice with their own. When back at the cottage, they decided to continue the festivities. The scent of cinnamon filled their air as they baked and sang. The first batch had left the oven burnt but their mood didn't shift.

Holding a steaming mug hot chocolate in their hands, the two women sat in the living room with the lights dimmed and the Christmas tree strobing in the corner. The snow had begun to fall much heavier with the promise of a day of fun to follow. It also held the prospect of school being closed the following day. Unlocking her mobile, Adaline sent a text to Dean inviting him and Joshua over the next day for a snowball fight and dinner. She and her brother had never been the type to turn down a day in the snow nor had either of them lost a snowball war. She was determined to break Dean's streak this winter. She pondered the idea of inviting Elliot and Bonnielola since he would be popping by anyway but decided against it. It would be too weird, she told herself. Besides, they weren't a couple. They hadn't so much as kissed. If he wanted to enjoy making memories with his daughter he wouldn't want Adaline tagging along.

Mug now empty Adaline scooped the marshmallows with a spoon and let the gooiness embrace her tongue. Winter really was her favourite time of year. She pulled the thick red throw up to her chin and leaned back as the Hollyoaks theme tune sounded. Snores from her right let her know her mother was napping, stomach full from the busy day. A yawn escaped Adaline. I'll just watch this episode then I'll head to bed, she told herself as Tony and Diane argued from the screen. She was thankful for her mother's exhaustion. She'd missed so much of this storyline being there, what with Dottie not enjoying soaps instead preferring games shows. It was the perfect end to an almost perfect day. She leaned further into the warmth, lay her head on the arm and began to watch silently. She laughed, she cried, she quietly cheered as her favourite characters came in and out of view. When the end credits rolled she stretched, her back clicking under the pressure, switched off the television and tried to rouse her mother. With no luck, but reassured by her loud breathing, Adaline tucked her in before heading to bed herself. As she passed the front porch, a small envelop on the door mat caught her eye. Confused, she reached down and grabbed it. Her name was crudely scrawled on the front. No address could be seen. She opened the front door, trying to see through the blizzard. No silhouettes in sight, she pulled the door too, locked it and headed up the stairs, envelop still in her hand. Once cosily in bed she opened the paper to find a handwritten note with Elliot's gruff signature at the bottom. Smiling, she placed it on the bedside table and settled into the first night of undisturbed slumber she'd had in months.