Maisie suddenly felt foolish and naive as she allowed Ian Brown to help her from the car

The Serial: The Green Years, Day 38

The hands on the clock moved to six and Grace and the girls began clearing the table while John Dalton took his place at the fireside with another glass of whisky and his Christmas cigar. At six o’clock on the dot, there was knocking at the front door. “Can you get that, Maisie,” Grace Dalton asked, indicating her rubber gloves and soapy water. Chrissie looked confused.

“Are we expecting anyone else on Christmas Day?” she asked. Grace held her gloved finger to her lips. “Ssshhhh,” she said, “it’s a surprise for Maisie.” Ian Brown had been sitting in his car for the past 30 minutes watching as the clock on the dashboard ticked its way to six.

This was his moment to convince Maisie of his intentions and he wasn’t sure whether it was the cold or the fear of rejection that was making his legs shake.

Then, suddenly, she was standing there at the open door, blinking in the gloom and hardly able to believe her eyes.

“Ian?”

Ian Brown smiled. “Maisie?”

“What are you doing here?” she asked, her mind trying to understand what was happening.

“I’ve come to see you,” he said simply, “and if you’ll let me, I’d like to show you something.”

A dream

Just then Grace Dalton came up behind Maisie and placed an arm around her shoulder.

“He came looking for you Maisie,” she said softly, “and I told him where to find you on Christmas Day.”

Maisie’s eyes widened, but before she could say another word, Ian spoke. “I’ll wait for you in the car,” he said, “until you get your things.”

He took a step back from the doorway, “but if you want to run away again, I’ll understand.”

Mrs Dalton guided Maisie back into the hall. “He’s a good man, Maisie,” she said, “and I think you should hear him out.”

Maisie’s heart was thudding in her chest. It all seemed unreal and she felt that at any minute she would find it was a dream and waken up.

“Go,” Grace urged, handing Maisie her coat, “he’s waiting for you.”

Chrissie, fed up of waiting for everyone to return to the kitchen came into the hall as Maisie was pulling on her boots. “Where are you going?” she asked. “We haven’t played charades yet.”

“Maisie has to go now,” Grace said, “she’s got an unexpected Christmas present waiting for her outside.”

Chrissie’s eyebrows drew together in confusion. “It’s Ian Brown,” Maisie said, her voice quiet with shock, “he wants to show me something.”

The snow that had threatened earlier began to fall around Maisie as she walked down the path to Ian’s car. He jumped out of the driver’s seat and hurried round to the other side of the car and opened the door for her.

“Thanks, Maisie,” he said, “for not running.” Grace and Chrissie watched as Ian, with Maisie on board, drove off.

“C’mon, Chrissie,” Grace said, “let’s get those dishes done and there’s still my Christmas cake to eat.” Chrissie didn’t know quite how it had happened, but it seemed that by some mysterious manoeuvring of her mother, Maisie’s fate was about to be decided.

Ian Brown drove carefully through the thickening snow out of Fintry and up the Forfar Road before turning into Clepington Road.

Unreal

Not a word passed between them on the drive and it wasn’t until Ian slowed the car and pulled up outside a tenement building that he spoke.

“Well, here we are,” he said, indicating the building. Maisie looked past Ian searching for some explanation of what exactly Ian wanted to show her.

“Do you trust me enough to come with me – in there?”

Maisie hesitated. This was all too unreal, like the posh dinner had been, but this time she steeled herself not to run.

She nodded, “I think so.”

“Don’t look so scared, Maisie, “he said. “It’s just where me and Rebel live.”

Maisie’s eyes opened in surprise. Ian Brown lived here!

She’d always imagined him living in a big house somewhere far away from Fintry, where people went to the theatre and ate in posh hotels.

“Rebel’s been looking forward to wishing you Merry Christmas,” he said, grinning, “and so have I.”

Maisie suddenly felt foolish and naive as she allowed Ian Brown to help her from the car and hold on to her as they made their way into the close and Ian Brown’s flat.

Rebel heard them coming before he saw them and was whining at the door as Ian unlocked it.

“Hey, boy,” he said, holding the dog’s paws as Rebel reared up on his hind legs. “Look who’s here.”

Maisie gazed at the beautiful animal as she remembered the last time they’d met and she’d shaken ‘paws’ with Rebel.

She’d been rescued by the dog and his master from two thugs who’d followed Maisie and Chrissie in the Den o’ Mains.

She bent down and stroked Rebel’s head. “Merry Christmas,” she said, beginning to relax, “and thanks again for rescuing us.”

Ian hung her coat and Christmas hat and scarf on the hook behind the door before taking Maisie’s hand and guiding her through another door into Ian’s front room.

The warmth spilled out into the little lobby as the door swung open.

Maisie could see a fire burning in the grate, coloured chains of paper looping across the ceiling and a little Christmas tree twinkling brightly at the window.

Tears

A low table was set with two wine glasses and a bottle of red wine, along with a plate bearing mincemeat pies.

Maisie felt tears forming in her eyes. Ian Brown had done this specially for her?

“Please, Maisie,” he said, “we need to talk.” “This,” he said, indicating his surroundings, “is ME. I’ve lived here for three years now, two of them when I was an engineering student and then this last year, since I’ve been working at the NCR.

“Dad died a year ago,” Ian continued, his voice dropping at the memory.

“That’s his car I’ve got, and I had to give up the engineering course to look after mum. She’s a bit better now and I’m hoping I’ll be able to get back to engineering next year.”

Ian opened the wine and poured out two glasses, handing one to Maisie.

“Merry Christmas,” he said, “I hope.” Maisie took a tiny sip of the red liquid.

“Now it’s your turn,” Ian said. “Tell me all about Keiller’s and your mum and dad and life in wintry Fintry.”

Ian smiled inwardly when he saw the look of disbelief on Maisie’s face. How did he know so much about her?

More tomorrow.