The Cosy Christmas Chocolate Shop. Caroline Roberts
Shop by the Sea business cards into the package.
‘Thanks.’
‘You’re welcome, and have a really lovely Christmas,’ Emma smiled.
Four o’clock, Christmas Eve afternoon, the till was pinging, the shop door chiming, and still the queue of last-minute shoppers continued to grow. Emma, proud owner of this gorgeous little chocolate shop in the harbour village of Warkton-by-the-Sea, Northumberland, and her assistant, Holly, were buzzing about like Christmas elves. In fact, they looked very like elves, dressed as they were in their festive jumpers, Holly with a Christmas pudding across her chest and Emma a red-nosed reindeer. Emma was also sporting dangly red-bauble earrings. She wished she had put some lighter clothing on now, though, something like a T-shirt: it was bloody warm dashing around, the two of them cramped in the serving space behind the counter, dressed in winter woollens.
Holly was serving an elderly chap from the village.
‘Hello, Stan. How’s Hilda?’ Emma asked him.
‘Not too bad thanks, Emma. Getting over the cough she had last week. But I thought it best she stayed home today. I’ve just been getting a few last-minute groceries in – we were low on milk and teabags – and then I thought it might be nice to cheer her up with some of those lovely coffee creams you do.’
‘Sounds a good idea. I’m sure she’ll appreciate it.’
Holly passed him over a prettily tied cellophane bag with his chocolates in. ‘There you go, Stan. I popped an extra one in for luck.’
Emma gave her assistant a mock-shocked look, and then smiled.
‘Well, take care then, lassies, have a good Christmas.’
‘You too, Stan – and give my best wishes to Hilda. Happy Christmas!’
Emma had a chance for a breather for a few seconds as Holly began to serve the last customer waiting. Her feet were throbbing, despite being in her comfiest trainers, and her fingers were aching from all the delicate tying of ribbons and making up of boxes and gift bags – as well as having been up from 6.00 a.m. making more batches of truffles and chocolate lollipops to see them through. She gazed past the window display of baubles and dangling snowflakes that reflected the twinkle of the fairy lights in the shop, and out to the street. It was dark already out there, these short December days, but from the glow of the street lights she could tell it was still dry and a touch of frost was glinting on the pavements. She might get a chance to take Alfie, her springer spaniel and best friend, out for a quick walk down to the harbour once they’d closed. He’d been cooped up upstairs all afternoon with them being so busy.
A figure dashed past the window and came in, clanging the door. It was Danny who worked as the bar supervisor in The Fisherman's Arms, the pub down the road.
‘Afternoon, ladies. I need a box of chocolates for my girlfriend. Something fancy-looking.’
‘Hi, Danny,’ Emma greeted him.
‘Which one’s this, then?’ Holly chipped in cheekily. To be fair, he’d had about six different girlfriends in the past six months.
‘The lovely Helen – and less of your cheek, young lady,’ he quipped back.
‘Large box then, Danny? I’ll giftwrap it for you, shall I?’ Em didn’t bother asking which flavours she liked as he probably didn’t know her that well yet.
‘Perfect. How’s tricks, Holly?’
‘Been busy, hasn’t it, Em? Just a little lull for now.’ With that, a family came in, seemingly a dad and his two kids, who started to browse the shelves. ‘Oh, and there we go again,’ Holly added.
‘Yeah, I think we’ll be having a busy night down at the Fisherman’s too. Christmas Eve usually gets cracking. You coming down, girls?’
‘No, quiet night in for me,’ said Emma. She couldn’t imagine being in a big noisy crowd, not tonight.
‘What about you, Hols?’
‘Nah, my mum and dad want me home tonight. Family day tomorrow and all that.’
‘Ah well, see you around then. Maybe over New Year.’ He paid, taking a box beautifully wrapped in star-patterned paper with a big pink ribbon around it from Holly.
‘Maybe.’ Em left her answer deliberately vague. ‘Cheers, Danny. Oh, and there’s a gift tag for you to fill in on that box,’ she added as he turned to leave.
‘I’ll try and remember,’ he grinned.
‘Merry Christmas!’ the girls chanted.
‘And to you too!’
Five o’clock, their usual closing time, came and passed. There were still customers milling about in the shop and Emma didn’t want to lose any business – she needed all the income she could get – so kept going. She offered Holly the chance to leave but her assistant said she’d stay and help until the last customer had gone, bless her. Holly was nearly seventeen, eager, bubbly, and friendly with the customers. Since she’d started a few weeks ago, on Saturdays and the odd day in the holidays as she was still in the Sixth Form at school, the young girl had proved to be a bit of a godsend. Emma had been managing on her own up until that point, trying to keep to a budget and do everything herself, but as her chocolates were becoming more popular, and the shop better known, it was hard to keep up with the chocolate-making as well as serving behind the counter. It was lovely to have some company in the shop too.
The Christmas Eve queue continued. It was always a bit crazy, this last-minute Christmas Eve rush, as though no one was going to be able to buy chocolates ever again, or that the Christmas break would last a month. But she’d be open again in a few days’ time! Oh well, she certainly wasn’t going to complain; though it was tiring working all hours, Emma enjoyed the buzz and the build-up to Christmas, loved crafting the chocolates and thinking of new festive flavours to mix up with the traditional favourites, and she needed every last penny. It had been a bit of a poor year, profit-wise, even with the shop getting busier, as costs seemed to be going up all the time, and January was a desperately slow month, so December’s takings were going to have to see her through until Valentine’s Day at least.
It was twenty to six when the last customer, a woman in her twenties who was on holiday with friends, picked up her bag of festive goodies, thanked Holly and Emma very much, and wished them goodnight and a Merry Christmas.
‘Have a great break and Merry Christmas!’ Holly sang.
Emma followed the lady to the exit, thanked her, then popped her head out to check there was no one else on their way. The street was clear, and the winter chill swept in. She shut the door, turning its little wooden sign to ‘Closed’. Phew – she rested her back against the door for a second.
‘Well done, Hols. That was one busy shift. Thank you. I’d never have managed without you.’
She took the young girl’s wages for the day out of the till and gave her an extra twenty-pound note.
‘Oh, thank you so much!’ Holly gave her boss a little hug.
‘And hang on.’ She dashed to the back kitchen to find her assistant’s Christmas gift, some special bubble bath and matching body lotion, with a hand-picked box of Holly’s favourite chocolates.
‘Aw, Emma, thanks. I didn’t expect anything as I’ve not been working here that long. I feel awful now as I haven’t bought anything for you.’
‘Hey, no worries. There’s no need. It’s a thank you for working so hard for me. You’ve settled in really well.’
‘Thanks, Em, and honestly I am soo happy to be here. It’s the best thing I ever did, leaving that horrible chip shop in Seahouses. I smelt of chip fat all day and my hair was always greasy. This is like working in heaven. Chocolate heaven. It’s like my all-time ideal job.’
All was quiet. Holly had gone and Emma cashed up