By the time he left Oxford, the first few threads of conviction were beginning to unravel.
He hadn’t contacted her to say he was coming; he hadn’t contacted her in months, to be truthful. But he always came home for Christmas; she’d be expecting him.
Right?
By Northampton, snow was falling, as was his confidence, but his mood lifted as he left Leicester behind. Frankly, whose wouldn’t?
After Leeds, it was plain sailing to York, and he arrived outside her house to find a party in full swing.
Her engagement party…
She’d obviously seen the light long before he did.
One of my favourite Christmas songs – get well soon, Chris. And one of my favourite blog hosts, Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, takes the Friday Fictioneers one step nearer to Christmas. And closer to the shortest day… which leads us ever closer to … yay!
castelsarrasin 
A good picture of the way movement helps us reach decisions. combined with your usual sting in the tail
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I’ve always found driving conducive to careful reflection and decision making. Shame about my driving skills though… 😦
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…What has Leicester ever done to you?! And who hasn’t driven to see a woman, having not spoken to her in months!
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Hmm now let me see. Reputedly the second worst place to bring up a family in Britain, and the worst in England, fourth worst employment rate in the UK as well as having fewer primary schools and one of the highest council tax rates. Other than that… well I got my degree there, but then I completed it through distance learning while living in Jo’burg. Now there’s a city to leave…
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I love that song! Fabulous prompt this week Sandra – thanks!
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It’s a great song, isn’t it, Louise? It really makes me feel Christmassy and that’s saying something.
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Devastating, assuming he was hopeful she would be waiting.
Beautiful writing, as always.
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Thank you, Moon.
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I had never heard that song! Love it.
As for that story… ouch. But seriously, what was he really expecting? Fabulously done.
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Thanks Dale. I thought that was pretty much a universal song. I love it too.
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One of my favorite Christmas songs! Your story has its usual flair, I love it.
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Thank you!
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Not such a merry Christmas for him, poor guy. Loved the way you built toward the climax.
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I’m sure he’ll survive. It’s only two days, after all. 🙂
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Dear Sandra,
Poignant story and loved the song. She wasn’t going to wait on him forever, was she? Well written as always.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle. I think she’s getting on with getting on. 🙂
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Either way, I don’t think he’d regret that journey.
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Perhaps not.
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Funny how thoughts and convictions change over a long journey! Well written, Sandra.
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Yes, it’s a journey all right. 🙂 Thanks for reading Clare.
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Poor Leicester, it doesn’t have much going for it. I’m surprised a few haven’t heard the best Christmas song ever. As for him, well, I think he’s got his just deserts there. Still, there will be some drink at the party to drown his sorrows with.
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I really thought that was a universal christmas song. I’m amazed. I think he has to put a brave face on it, and I expect he could do with a drink after that journey.
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I think there is no “home” any longer… I had not heard that song before… it’s actually a lot better than most of those than we are spoon fed every year.
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One of my favourites, Bjorn. 🙂 Thanks for reading (and listening).
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Oooh, well done!!
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Thanks, Sue.
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😊😊
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You made me laugh with the sting in the tail, Sandra! I had been thinking he was going home to mum, not that he’d neglected a ‘girlfriend’ for several months! What a crass young man. Lovely fluent writing.
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Thanks Penny. I suppose it might have been his mother… what a surprise that would be.
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Perhaps he should have driven there at Easter every bank holiday, not just at Christmas! So, it’s Oxford for the festive season in future and that’s not bad!.
Click to read my FriFic!
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Yes, I think Oxford is a lovely place to spend Christmas.
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Well written as always. So he sees there’s a difference between a generic “coming home for Christmas” and coming home to her — at least in her understanding.
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I’m not sure he sees very much at all, Christine. Perhaps he’ll find the time to visit some other friends now. 🙂
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Oops. Well, I guess he’d better rethink a few things, poor fellow. Then again, he did arrive unannounced.
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He’d better brush up on his relationship skills pdq as he’s got nowhere to spend the night unless he can score at the party.
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Another Christmas spoiled? Or perhaps all of them, from now on? Then again, the hunter doesn’t really want the fox. He just enjoys hunting.
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Well, that’s what comes from assuming anything! Wonderfully structured tale, with a great build and pace and a fab sting at the end. And love your pic this week Sandra – where is that lamp? Poor Chris Rea – hope he’s on the mend soon
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Thanks Lynn, glad you liked it. The lamp was on Swanage Pier. Rochelle saw it on a montage of FB photos I’d posted and asked if she could use it. Yes, Chris Rea does seem to have had more than his share of health problems. Great song.
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It’s rather elegant, that lamp – simple enough to become all sorts of other things too, as this week’s stories prove! Yes, poor Chris Rea. I suspect he’s had a tough, musician’s life though. These things do not often make a healthy older life. Yes, you’re right, a great song
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A lesson in not taking people for granted – well done. (And who wouldn’t be happy to by-pass Leicester?)
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Who indeed? I’m sure there are some very nice parts though. 😉
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Oh, never assume anything! Nicely done, my dear.
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Thanks Alicia 🙂
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like they say, a woman has her limits. she can’t wait too long.
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Patient, but not infinitely so, that’s us.
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Uh huh. That’s what happens when you’re not minding the store. Seems to me he had this Christmas Surprise coming.
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Perhaps he’ll take better care of the next one. I hope so, anyway. Thanks for visiting.
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Wonderful cautionary tale about assuming people will always be there, even if you don’t bother to hold up your end of the relationship. I like how you portray his doubts and reassurances over the course of his ill-fated journey – I imagine I’d have those same doubts if I were him.
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Yes, sometimes we forget that work has to be put in to ensure smooth passage of relationships. And I think, as he got closer, his doubts were evaporating. So a rude awakening.
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Excellent! Haven’t quite been there, but close…
Mine: https://kindredspirit23.wordpress.com/2017/12/14/lighting-the-way/
Scott
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I’m sure you’re a most attentive participant. 🙂 Your link wasn’t working earlier, I’ll pop back to see if it’s OK now.
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Hm, let me know about the link.
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I think Rochelle sorted it.
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Given that he had not bothered to keep in touch for months, I wouldn’t be surprised if he gatecrashed the engagement party for some dinner and drinks at the end of his long journey…and found someone else there in the process 🙂
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Some people are just born survivors…
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That awfully awesome pun on the light. Guess he saw it too late. The light just brcame dark for him!
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Hopefully the experience will reconnect him with reality. 🙂
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👍
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I love that song, too, though I only heard about it for the first time a few years ago. Lovely story with a surprising ending–very nice! Thank you for the challenging prompt–I’m enjoying reading the variety of interpretations!
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My favourite Christmas song, this. I was surprised too at the variety of ‘takes’ on the prompt. Mine was very literal.
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Simply Great Sandra. Procrastination catches us all.
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Oh dear, I hope he’s got somewhere else to crash. So she wasn’t waiting at home for him all this time, then.
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He better just keep on driving. One of my great grandfathers left Leicester I’m told in the 19th Century and came to the U.S. According to what you’ve said, he made a wise choice. Good writing as always, Sandra. Thanks for the great picture. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Well! Either he’d left it a very long time to contact her, or she’d moved on with lightning speed!
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Well written as always! Great photo prompt as well!
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Waited too long methinks. Great story. The drive gives a life to the musing.
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A crafty take on the prompt. I felt bad for the young man, however. Not a happy Christmas for him.
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A sad story that drives him the pitfalls of waiting a wee bit too long. Guess they left with a few bottles to drown his sorrows in.
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It might teach him not to take someone for granted in the future. Good story.
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He does sound rather arrogant making such an assumption that she would still be waiting for him. Great story.
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Ouchy ouch. He shouldn’t have expected an invite after being incommunicado so long. He’ll need a drink after that long drive and I wonder if she’s magnanimous enough to let him? It is Christmas after all.
I do like the humour in the middle there – are the roads round Leicester that bad?
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Dear Sandra, Wow, what a surprise but if he didn’t know she was having a party – they must not be that close or unrequited love
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An ‘ouch’ of a sting at the end Sandra and I know that route well.
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The ending certainly packed a punch (and must have felt like a punch in the gut for him). What a superb take on (your own) photo prompt!
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Nice!
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