The yard on this December day was akin to an ice rink. The puddles left by the rain a few days before were frozen solid by the bitter coldness of the previous night. The horse trough was like one enormous ice cube and if you put a stick in the poor old donkeys water pail, they could have it as a lollipop. Both people and horses had lost their footings several times that day. Some, the two-legged kind, acquiring bruised backsides in the process.

The tack room by contrast was fairly cosy due to the coal burning stove in there. By the stove sat a figure, tugging his old army surplus great coat tighter around him and pulling his hat further down over his red hair. He put his booted feet on the fender and rubbed his hands together warming them.

‘Ron, What are you doing?’

Ron jumped to standing position, kicking the chair over as he did so. ‘Nuffin’ he said.

‘That’s exactly what I thought.’ Dora scolded light-heartily. ‘Come on there’s work to do.’

‘But it’s bleedin’ well Baltic out there!’

‘Well, it is the middle of December, Ron. Besides the work will soon warm you up.’

‘I know what will warm him up, a clip ‘round the ear.’ This came from Slugger who had just walked into the room, his hat so far down over his ears; it nearly covered his eyes too.

‘Oh yeah, and who’s goin’ to give me that, eh.’ Ron said goading Slugger.

‘I am!’ Steve stepped from behind Slugger, in his old sheepskin coat that had seen better days, with the collar turned up against the cold. ‘And more if you don’t get off your backside and help!’

Ron pulled at face at him and Steve pulled one back. Really, they behaved like little children sometimes. Dora thought laughing to herself as she caught the face pulling.

‘Oh, come on Ron, please. We’re all cold but we need to get the work done, it will be dark soon.’ Dora pleaded as she looked at him with her soft hazel eyes.

‘Okay, girl.’ He sighed. He would always do as she requested immediately unlike if Steve or Slugger asked him. He enjoyed winding them up, seeing them get annoyed and frustrated at his procrastination. They knew he did it on propose but nearly always fell for it.

Dora and Steve sat by the warm stove in the kitchen. Steve in the armchair, a book in one hand while the other casually fingered Dora’s long locks of hair. Every now and then caressing the soft skin at the back of her neck. She was sat on the floor, a cushion beneath her, between Steve’s legs, her back resting against the front of the chair. She had a magazine spread out on her out stretched legs, but wasn’t really reading it; she was too busy daydreaming.

She loved these evenings, just sitting quietly next to Steve. She felt so contented. They had been together as a couple for quite few months now, and she had never been happier.

‘Gosh, I can’t believe it nearly Christmas.’ She closed up the magazine and placed in on the floor beside her.

‘Yeah.’ Steve said half heartedly, letting out a deep sigh.

‘What was that big sigh for?’ she asked softly.

Steve paused for second before replying. ‘Well, the festive season has never been my favourite time of year.’

Dora craned her neck and looked up at him. She saw the sadness in his eyes as he gazed into the distance, remembering the unhappy Christmases of his younger days in the orphanage and foster homes.

‘Steve, I’m sorry.’ She said understandingly, and gave his leg an affectionate squeeze. ‘You know, despite my parents faults and failings, they did spend most Christmases with me and as I recall they were, on the whole, happy times.’

‘ I don’t remember Christmases with my parents. I was too little, I suppose,’ He said sadly.

A small smile suddenly appeared on his face and he had a thoughtful look in his eyes.

‘I do remember one good Christmas. I was with a foster family, one of the better ones. It must have been just before I was sent out into the big, bad, world on my own, to fend for myself. I was really interested in horses and had been riding for sometime. As a Christmas present they took me to the Boxing Day races. It was brilliant. They even put a bet on for me, cos, obviously I wasn’t old enough. I won four pounds.’ He grinned to himself. ‘Thought I was really rich! Spent it on extra riding lessons as I recall.’

Dora had been listening to him intently, her chin resting on his knee. She suddenly felt sad. If she could perform just one miracle, it would be to be able to take all the pain of Steve’s past away. She knew that it was impossible, but, she thought by making his future, their future, full of love and happiness, she could maybe ease that pain.

They sat in companionable silence for a little while; both submerged in their own thoughts, which Dora hoped would be the same, until Steve spoke.

‘What would you like for Christmas?’

She looked up at him with doe like eyes. He read what was in them instantly.

‘No.! No way, Dora. No more flipping horses.’

‘But Steve, you can’t have too many horses.’ She teased.

‘Yes, you can. Take a look at our crowded stables, girl. And the farm’s bank balance!’

‘I know, but I can dream, can’t I.’

Steve smiled at this. She certainly was a dreamer but then he wouldn’t have her any other way. He reach out and stroked her hair.

‘Seriously, what would you like?’

‘Seriously? To wake up Christmas morning to find the farm covered in a blanket of snow and you lying beside me.’

‘Well, I can’t promise the snow and you have me already, anyway.’

‘Yes’ she said dreamily. ‘It’s good being together, isn’t it?’

‘Yes, it’s very good.’

Steve had moved into her room about a month ago. He had thought long and hard before making the decision to live in the farmhouse with Dora, to share her room and her bed. It wasn’t that he didn’t love her or want her enough; he did very much but that he had gotten used to being on his own, with his own room and space. He thought about whether he had any regrets now, and quickly decided that he didn’t.

Dora stood up, stretched, yawned and then rubbed the numbness out of her backside.

She caught Steve looking at her and smiled at him as he held out his arms to her, beckoning her to sit on his lap, which she did, happily snuggling up to him. He pulled her closer as his hand searched for her warm body under her jumper. As she turned her face up to his, his mouth came down on hers.

‘Oh, my gawd!’ Slugger had entered the kitchen from the scullery, where, he told Dora and Steve earlier, he was going to wash out his ‘smalls’! They had pulled a face; they hadn’t wanted to know that.

Steve and Dora parted slowly. ‘We are were talking about Christmas.’ Dora said.

‘Oh, yeah. I can see that, alright.’ Slugger winked at Steve, who smiled back smugly.

‘Slugs, you’re an old grump. We’re young and in love.’ Dora reach out, took his hand as he walked by and gave it a squeeze. ‘What do you think about Christmas, Slugger?’ She asked as he sat down in the other armchair opposite them.

‘I think I am getting too old for it meself. Too much money is spent on the kids, nowadays. They expect too many fancy toys and things.’ He said it as if he knew a lot about what children wanted. ‘ Take those new fangled tape, music things.’

‘Cassette recorders.’ Steve informed him.

‘Yeah, what a lot of nonsense. They’ll never catch on. You’ll never get rid of the old records.’ Slugger moaned.

‘Slugger’s right though.’ Steve said ‘Christmas is getting too commercialised. I saw decorations on sale in the middle of November, I ask you, that’s too early!’

‘Well, I for one just want a plain and simple Christmas, just us, and Uncle and Ron, nice food.’ She looked at Slugger and grinned then continued.’ And a real Christmas tree, not one of that horrible silver tinselled things that looked like they’re made of wire coat hangers. We will get one won’t we?’

‘Sure.’ said Steve giving her a cuddle.

‘If it’s a Christmas tree you want, it’s a Christmas tree you shall ‘ave. Just leave it to old uncle Ron.’

‘Where can you find a tree from for nowt?’ Steve had asked suspiciously.

‘Ah, that would be telling’ Ron tapped the side of his nose.

Dora had mentioned the tree at breakfast the next morning. Ron had chimed up straight away how he was able to acquire one for ‘nowt’. Ron seemed able to ‘acquire’ anything for either nothing or very cheaply, no matter what it was or how quickly you needed it. He never divulged where he got things from, but you could be guaranteed there would be something dodgy about it.

‘Hope it doesn’t mysteriously fall off the back of a lorry, Ron.’ Dora said finishing her breakfast and pushing her plate to one side.

‘Now ain’t that nice. I try to do me mates a favour and I get insulted like that. Do you want a tree or what? He asked scathingly.

‘Yes, of course. I’m sorry.’ Dora smiled at him apologetically.

‘Right. Give me a couple of days. Oh, and I’ll need to borrow the truck.’

True to his word (which was something coming from Ron), two evenings later he pulled up outside the farmhouse in the borrowed Land Rover. A six-foot pine tree perched in the back.

Dora and Steve met him at the gate. They waited for him to get out and come around to their side of the truck.

‘Ta Da!’ Ron gestured to the tree, a big grin on his face. ‘What do you think?’

‘Oh Ron, it’s lovely.’ Dora put his arms around him and hugged him, giving him a peck on the cheek.

To Steve’s surprise, it was actually a pretty decent tree, not a moth eaten one Steve had cynically thought Ron might have appeared with.

‘I just hope the Forestry Commission don’t end up knocking on our door.’ He said sarcastically, his arms folded defiantly across his chest. It was odd that Ron had insisted on delivering it in the evening when it was dark!

‘Give over, Steve, and help me in with it, will yer.’

Steve sighed and climbed into the back of the truck, taking hold of the base of the tree, he couldn’t help noting that it looked freshly cut! He shook his head; he wasn’t going to worry about where had Ron got it. It was the look of delight on Dora’s face that mattered.

Dora was like a big kid, insisting on decorating it straight away. She badgered Steve to go up to the box room to find the tree decorations. It took him several minutes to locate it as it was hidden under a years worth of junk.

Dora’s face was a picture as she worked on the tree, smiling all the time. She took great care in unwrapping each ornament and placing it on the branches. Steve sat on the edge of a table, watching her, a big grin on his face. This was going to be his best Christmas ever, his first really happy one, he thought to himself. He stayed there for quite some time until Dora realised he was doing nothing. Grabbing his hand, she pulled him up and made him help her with the lights.

There was one last thing to put on. Dora took the fairy out of its box, looked at it and sighed. It was really tatty and quite sad looking, having been crushed underneath every thing else. Steve saw the look on her face.

‘Hang on.’ He disappeared out of the door.

‘Where are you going?’ Dora called frowning.

‘Won’t be a sec.’ He called back from the study, where he was rummaging in a cupboard amongst some papers. He had definitely hidden it here out of her way, he thought to himself. ‘Ah, found it.’

As he came back in, he took a bag from behind his back. ‘Here.’ He gave it to her, she opened it and her face lit up.

‘Oh Steve, it’s beautiful.’ She said as she removed a shining gold star. Steve had seen it in a shop while in the village that morning and thought how it symbolised his bright future with Dora. She was his shining star!

‘Will you?’ She gave the star back to Steve to put on top the tree. When it was securely on, she threw her arms around Steve neck and kissed him lovingly then stepping back they stood cuddled together admiring the beautiful Christmas tree.

The days leading up to Christmas plodded on as usual. The weather was very changeable, the cold snap had been followed by milder weather that had melted all the ice but now had reappeared, and it seemed with vengeance. On this Christmas Eve morning the sky was threatening to dump all it’s snow at once.

Inside the farmhouse, it was becoming very festive. Presents had begun to congregate under the tree; cards stood like soldiers on the mantle piece and hung on string from the picture rail. Very few of these were from family, none of them had much family to speak of, but almost all were from regular visitors to the farm, people who had horses there or suppliers and local businesses.

Dora, Steve, Slugger and even Ron worked really hard that morning so that by lunch most of it had been done. They only wanted the bare essentials to do tomorrow, like the feeding of the horses.

As they sat in the warm kitchen eating their lunch, large flakes of snow started to fall outside. Dora jumped up and went to the window. She looked up at the dark, snow ladened sky; she was sure that it would soon start to snow really heavily. Perhaps they would get snowed in for Christmas, she wouldn’t mind that at all. She suddenly thought about Ron and how he would have to travel back to the house he shared with his father in the village, in this weather.

‘Ron.’ She said ‘You know, I think you ought to start off home soon; this weather doesn’t look too good. Don’t want you to get stuck or have an accident.’

‘Oh, I be alright.’ He replied. ‘Me bike’s a hardy machine. It’s never let me down yet. Get through anything, it will!’

It didn’t matter what Dora or the others said they couldn’t persuade Ron to leave early. It was almost like he didn’t want to go. Which was odd as he usually jumped at the chance to slope off early?

As Dora had predicted the snow came down thick and fast making a deep carpet on the ground, and the wind causing it to drift, piling it up against the walls and buildings. Ron now had to agree that it was really too bad for him to even contemplate trying to ride the bike home. Dora suggested he stay at Follyfoot for the night, he was due to come back first thing in the morning anyway.

‘Oh Yeah. Where do you expect me to sleep, in with old Slugs, here?’ Ron said, making Slugger shake a fist at him.

‘Well.’ Dora said hesitantly. ‘I thought you could stay in Steve’s old room.’ She looked at Steve waiting expectantly for his reply. She was sure he would protest.

So when he answered, after pausing for a few seconds, she was pleasantly surprised.

‘ Yeah, why don’t you Ron. I think it’s a brilliant idea. The heater’s still in there and we can put in some hot water bottles to air the bed.’ He said cheerily. He had nearly argued against it but came to his senses quickly. He had to face the fact that the loft room was in the past now. He would always hold fond memories of it because it was the first real home he ever had. But now his home was here in the farmhouse with Dora, where he hoped it would always be. ‘Unless, of course, you want to be with your Dad for Christmas morning.’ Steve continued.

‘Nah, I’m not bothered. He won’t miss me, he’ll be drinking with his bruvver, as always.’ He said quietly. Steve and Dora looked at each other, they had both noticed the sadness in his voice.

So it was decided that Ron should stay. He was certainly a lot more cheerful after.

The four of them spent a pleasant evening together, eating mince pies that the Colonel’s housekeeper, Mrs Porter, had made and chocolates that Dora’s parents had had delivered from a posh store in London, there was more packaging and ribbon than chocolates. Steve also brought in some beer, which he had stashed at the back of the house. Ron had cheered when he saw them. ‘Nice one, mate.’ There was also a couple of bottles of wine, he wasn’t sure if Dora would enjoy drinking beer all evening.

They stay up just talking and laughing until after midnight. All of them were fairly merry, Dora wasn’t sure if it was the drink or the intoxicating happy atmosphere. Slugger was particularly jolly. The three young friends had never seen him like that before. Getting him upstairs to his bed had been a bit of a struggle for Dora and Steve, as he insisted on stopping half way up to sing carols. By the time they got him to his room, they were in fits of laughter.

Even in bed Dora and Steve could still hear Slugger singing. Any notion of anything remotely intimate happening in their bed was out of the question. Between Slugger slurring renditions of ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘White Christmas’ and Dora’s uncontrollable giggling over it, it was putting Steve off.

‘I’m sorry.’ She said still giggling.

‘It’s okay. I’ve probably drunk to much, anyway.’ Steve said as Dora snuggled up in his arms and they fell asleep.

Dora woke up in the morning, just as it was becoming light outside. She sighed as she felt Steve’s arm around her, his hand resting on her stomach and his warm body pressed against her back. This is where she wanted to be each Christmas morning from now on with the man she loved, and then every one would be special. She wondered how deep the snow was now and even if it was still snowing. Carefully she removed Steve’s arm and sat up in bed. Bending over she planted a kiss on Steve’s cheek causing him to stir and smile in his sleep. Then she got out of bed, taking a shirt of Steve’s off the bed post, she put her arms in it and wrapped it around her naked body, smelling his familiar scent and walked over to the window, there was no need to open the curtains as they hadn’t been drawn the evening before. She looked outside at the snow-covered farmyard, there had been more snow in the night but now it had abated and the sky was clear. It was going to be a lovely day, she thought.

In the bed Steve’s stirred and extended an arm for Dora, finding an empty but warm, space beside him, he rubbed his eyes and opened them. He saw her immediately, silhouetted against the window. He gazed at her lovingly for a few seconds, before reaching under his pillow and grasping the small object that lay hidden there. Getting quietly out of bed, pulling a blanket off the end of it and wrapping it around his shoulders, he walked over and stood behind Dora. Placing his arms around her, he enveloped her in the blanket with him, as she lent back against his chest, closing her eyes and luxuriating in his arms, feeling his hot body on hers through the fabric of his shirt.

‘Morning, Steve.’ She sighed. She felt him kiss the nape of neck.

‘Morning, girl. I see you got your Winter Wonderland then. Two out of three's not bad, eh!’ He said looking out of the window at the pristine white landscape.

‘Yes, but the best is right here.’ She turned her face to him, reach up and kissed his soft lips briefly before turning back to gaze at the glorious day outside.

Steve uncovered his hand from the blanket and held out the little present in front of her. ‘Merry Christmas.’

Gazing up at him first, she took the prettily wrapped gift from him. Removing the silver paper and ribbon with painstaking care, she revealed a small red box. Opening it to find a little card with words written on it in Steve’s best handwriting. Tears welled in her eyes as she read them.

Please accept this,

My gift to you,

Where ever you go,

My heart goes too.

Slowly she removed the card to reveal a beautiful heart shaped silver locket and chain.

‘Oh, Steve, it’s absolutely lovely.’ She turned in his embrace and faced him, tears rolling unchecked down her face. Grinning shyly at her, he brought his hand up to her face and wiped away the tears with his fingers before bring his lips to hers and kissing her passionately.

It was nearly an hour later when they made their way downstairs, Dora wearing her locket proudly. Somehow, unsurprisingly, they had found their way back to bed and had made up for earlier that night.

Slugger as usual was already up and had started to prepare the turkey for dinner.

He looked at them with bleary eyes, and greeted them with a quiet ‘Merry Christmas.’

‘Merry Christmas, Slugs. Feeling a little sensitive this morning.’ Steve laughed.

‘Merry Christmas, Slugger.’ Dora rushed to him and flung her arms around him in a big hug and gave him a kiss on his cheeks. He winced and screwed up his eyes, his head obviously hurt but he wasn’t going to admit it.

Still laughing Steve noted that Ron was not yet about and suddenly came up with idea to get him out of his bed.

‘Come on, Dora. Lets go and get Ron.’ He said with a wicked grin on his face. Putting on their wellies and coats and ran out into snow like a couple of kids. Throwing snowballs at each other while making their way across the yard to the tack room. Once there Steve beckoned to Dora to be quiet, before taking off their wellies and creeping up the stairs to his old room, Steve grabbed a handful of snow. At the top, he took aim carefully and lobbed the snowball at the bed, hitting Ron squarely on the back of his head.

‘WHAT THE HELL!’ Ron shot up in bed and seeing Steve and Dora in fits of laughter, continued with ‘You gits’ before laughing himself.

‘Merry Christmas, mate.’ Steve said.

Dora padded across to the bed in her socks and gave him a kiss. ‘Merry Christmas, Ron.’ He hugged her back and grinned at Steve. ‘Merry Christmas to you too!’

As Dora listened to the banter between Steve and Ron, she glanced out the window. Something out there caught her eye and she stood stock still looking at it, straining to make out what it was.

‘It was hilarious, wasn’t it, Dora.’ Steve had been recounting the tale of Slugger’s carol singing. ‘Dora!’

She turned round abruptly. ‘Sorry, what were you saying?’

‘Just about Slugger last night. Is something wrong Dora?’ Steve looked out of the window.

‘There something out there.’

‘Yeah, a lot of snow.’ Ron laughed.

‘No really, there is something.’

‘Where.’ Asked Steve.

‘Over by the wall at the side of the house. Steve, I think it’s an animal, a horse, maybe.’

‘Don’t be daft, Dora’

‘I’m not. I’m going to see what it is?’ She said as she ran down the stairs, Steve chasing after her.

‘Dora.Wait.’ Steve called but she already had on her wellies and was crossing the yard, slipping and stumbling as she did so. Outside the gate she fell completely but within a second Steve was there picking her up. ‘Hang on, take it easy.’ He took her hand and together they continued on. As they got nearer they could see that it was a pony, a small pony, a Shetland! ‘Oh Steve!’ She knelt down in the deep snow, and began to brush the frozen snow off the pony’s head.

‘We have to get it into a stable, come on.’ She started to heave the pony up.

‘Wait, girl. I’ll get Ron.’ Steve stood up and shouted. ‘Ron!’

Ron had dressed and was already making his way to them, his greatcoat flapping as he ran.

Between the three of them they manage with a struggle to get the frail pony back to the stables, after moving Shammy in with Marty, they settle it down in fresh warm hay. Steve checked over the pony carefully, a puzzled frown on his face. He surmised the pony was basically healthy but something wasn’t quite right, then it dawned on him.

‘Dora, I think she’s in foal.’

‘What!’ She looked closely at the pony broad girth. ’Yes, I think you’re right. Oh Steve, the poor thing out in this weather. I wonder where she come from?’

After nearly an hour of rubbing the pony down and making her comfortable, Steve finally persuaded Dora to go in for breakfast, and also reminded her that it was Christmas morning and there were more presents to open. They decided to leave the pony, quietly by herself for a while.

When they had finished breakfast, they opened each others presents, none were expensive, apart for Dora’s to Steve, but each was given with thought and love and that’s what was important. Steve’s opened his from Dora with a surprise, it was a chucky identity bracelet, with ‘I love you’ engraved on it. He wasn’t one for wearing jewellery but he would wear it occasionally, and treasure it forever because it came from Dora.

When the Colonel, Dora’s uncle, arrived having ridden over on his stallion, Marcus, it was the easiest and safest way to get there, Dora quickly grabbed him, hardly giving him time to dismount. She pulled him into the stable to show him the Shetland pony. She stopped dead at the door; lying in the straw next to the pony was a small, wet foal, its mother biting at the foetal sack. Dora immediately knelt down by it and proceeded to free the small black head. Once it was freed she let the mare continue to tend to her baby herself.

Dora was so excited she ran back to the farmhouse to fetch the others, making them trudge through the cold snow without coats, to see the new arrival. They all stood around like shepherds and wise men at a Nativity, watching the little mite as it struggle to stand and take it’s first wobbly steps.

Steve put his arm around her shoulder and hugged her.

‘It seems your dreams always come true, girl’

‘They do, if you want them too!’ She replied smiling.

The End