Damaged Before Christmas

Chapter One

Who doesn't like Christmas? It is my favourite time of the year as it is the one time of the year that people go out of their way to help each other. I also love the Christmas season as there is a calming influence in the air as you walk down the streets listening to the Christmas songs and the way the whole town is decorated in the festive colours of green and red. The lamp posts are wrapped with ivy while the park's gazebo is covered in wreaths and draped garlands.

I came to the town of Gableshood which was situated within the mountains in the heart of the countryside. I have only recently moved to Gableshood this week after finding my boyfriend in the arms of one of my friends. The moment I found them in an intimate embrace I grabbed my stuff, threw it all into my car and drove. I didn't know where I was going as I was shocked that I had given him the last 5 years of my life just to have him cheat on me. Darn, I was so stupid as I believed him every time he said he had to work late or he had to go away for a weekend. The funny thing is my friend was always unavailable to come over for girlie nights when my ex was away. I have to be gullible as I never put two and two together.

That's how I ended up in Gableshood with nowhere to go and everything I owned was in the back of my car. I mean I wasn't ugly but I wasn't drop-dead gorgeous either. I have always been told I was pretty as I had shoulder-length light brown hair, brown eyes and I wasn't either tall or short I was somewhere in the middle standing at 5ft 5. I liked to think my figure was good as well as I was blessed to have curves in the right places but was still in shape. Personality-wise I had a dark sense of humour but pretended to be confident to cover my insecurities. When I was pretended to be confident people wanted to hang out as I became the life and soul of the party and I must confess my sense of humour has people looking at me like I was mad.

I kept thinking of what went wrong. Was I not good enough for him that he had to go to someone else to get what he needed? I did everything that he asked me to do which included things that I wasn't comfortable to do. I'm not going into detail but since I arrived in Gableshood I had managed to get over the worst of the betrayal. What hurts the most that when I had caught them together neither of them apologised but both looked smug about their affair.

I had no idea what I was going to do now since I parked my car in an available space that I spotted on the main street. I was just sitting there with my hands still on the steering wheel and that's when the tears started. I thought I had gotten all my tears out as I drove but nope there were still a few that wanted to escape. I hit my hand off the wheel before I wiped the tears away.

"Get a grip, Iona," I scolded myself.

I was still scolding myself when there was a soft rapping at my door. I glanced towards the window and saw an older woman standing there looking like she was worried. I sighed as I pressed the button that opened the driver's side window.

"Are you alright, dear?" she asked.

"To be honest, I don't know," I sighed letting my head fall backwards towards my seat.

"Would you like to talk about it? I always found a strange but friendly ear is useful when you think all is hopeless," The older woman smiled at me.

"I don't want to be a bother, plus I don't want to cause you any problems," I said gently as I turned down her offer.

She laughed before looking me right in the eye, "Dear come with me and get something warm in you as I will not take no for an answer."

I studied the woman standing beside my car. "OK, if you insist and if it's not a bother."

She smiled which made me smile back. I closed my window before opening my door and stepping out of my car. I grabbed my jacket and put it on as the air was crisp which made me see my breath in the air. I looked at the woman who was still smiling. I felt silly just staring at her as her smile got bigger before she linked her arm through mine and half dragged me across the road towards a small but comforting shop. She stopped at the door and turned to me before opening the door and pushing me into the shop.

As soon as I stepped into the store I was transported back to a time when things were all done by hand. I saw that the interior was very homely and looked like something you would find at your grandparents. The shelves that were full of handmade wooden toys in every colour imaginable. There were trains, cars, boats, dolls lining the walls. the walls themselves looked like candy canes as the walls were painted in red, green and white stripes in a diagonal design. I felt like a kid who had found Santa's workshop. I looked away from the toys that were designed in such a way that even the littlest detail wasn't missed.

 I must have been standing for longer than I thought as the older woman guided me over to the counter where the most delicious looking cakes were on display. There was every kind of cake that you could think of. There was meringues, chocolate cakes, eclairs that were bursting with cream, sponges that were filled with jam that it oozed over the sides. There was even every type of cookies that were on display from chocolate chip to plain old digestives that looked divine. All of these cakes were making my mouth water just looking at them.

"Dear, what would you like?" asked the woman as she sauntered around the counter to stand right behind the chocolate cake that I was eyeing.

"They all look delicious but I couldn't as I can't pay you this now," I said looking down at my shoes.

"Nonsense, I'll get you a slice of that cake that you're staring at, what would you like to drink dear?" the woman said as she bent to retrieve the cake.

"I'll have a hot chocolate please, but only if it's not to much trouble," I said quickly not wanting to put the woman out of pocket.

"Now dear, I wouldn't have you feel guilty, think of it as a friendly gesture for being new in town," the woman smiled before indicating that I go and sit down at one of the tables.

I gave her a small smile before turning and headed toward the table that she had indicated a minute ago. I sat down at the table and watched the woman potter behind the counter as she got my hot chocolate and cake before she brought them over to me. She placed them both in front of me and the smell was more divine when I bent my nose to take the aroma in. I was expecting the woman to leave but she sank into the chair that was across the table from me and leaned forward. "Now dear, tell me what's troubling you."