The Heartbreak Factor - Part Four

With all the classic Christmas songs playing throughout the shopping centre, gorgeous red baubles handing from tinsel decorations all the way through the centre and twinkling lights were dancing as they drooped from shop to shop, it was feeling every festive in deed. Katy was dressed in her Mrs. Clause outfit that she threw a tantrum over in the shops the day before and I was dressed in anything that would fit me regardless of whether it was fashionable or not.

“Mummy, Santa!” Katy demanded. 

“Yes, Katy,” I sighed with what little energy I had left after spending the last week by myself with Katy to contend with. “We’ll go see Santa in a minute. Mummy just needs to get some last minute presents for nanny and grandpa.”

Looking unamused by my response, Katy looked into the nearby toy store’s window and huffed. It wasn’t hard to see that she was my daughter - sighing the second something didn’t go my own way. She reluctantly took hold of my hand as we wandered into the nearby home department store in search of a photo frame and ornament for George’s mum. 

“Mummy,” Katy beamed to me as she pointed over at the corner of the store. 

Looking over, I realised what she had spotted. Santa’s grotto. Great. There really wasn’t going to be any present buying today. Without having a say in the matter, Katy dragged me across the aisle towards the Christmas decorations section and joined the back of the line that seemed to go on for forever. Watching the grin on Katy’s face get bigger and bigger as Santa’s little helpers took one child into the grotto every few minutes, I could hardly bring myself to rip that bit of happiness away from her. 

“Fine,” I smiled, ruffling her hair as I pushed the thought of Christmas shopping to the back of my mind - that’s is why they created the internet after all. 

Katy let go of my hand and grinned up at me. “Mummy, Santa!” she grinned. 

“Santa,” I giggled. 

I hated to admit it but I was quite looking forward to meeting Santa myself. Yeah, I knew it was just some guy desperate for some money dressed up in a borrowed Santa suit sitting in a pop up tent decorated with cotton wool but it would put me in the Christmas mood for sure. One week before Christmas and it didn't feel any different to a day in the middle of October. The Christmas adverts had been repeated non-stop on television since November, but I didn’t take any notice of them. It was only this morning when I actually realised I had six shopping days left before Christmas and I was still yet to get all the Christmas presents for both my family and George’s family. 

Throughout the queue as we slowly got closer and closer to the front, Katy and I sang along to the Christmas songs. Well, Katy made sounds that fitted into the places where the words should have been and I laughed along with her attempt. 

“Nice rendition of ‘Last Christmas’ there,” a woman behind me smiled down to Katy, grinning at me. 

Katy, looking at me in confusion, stopped singing and moved by my side. 

“The lady was being nice, Katy,” I laughed, carefully picking Katy up so she was resting away from my bump. 

The second we got to the front of the queue, Katy ran into the grotto without even acknowledging the poor teenage girl that was dressed as an elf who was stood beside us, waiting to show us in to Santa. 

“Sorry,” I smiled to the girl.

By the time I got into the grotto, Katy was already perched on Santa’s lap, reeling off her list of toys that she wanted for Christmas. “Sorry, Santa,” I grinned, acting like a two year old myself as I walked over to them. “Katy has just discovered the Argos catalogue so you’re gonna have a very busy Christmas this year.”