Christmas in Edinburgh
By Natasha B / Spinebreakers Crew
The lights shone brightly as Kate looked around her. The Ferris wheel stood before her, standing dominant above everything else on princess street. The pungent smell of mulled wine lingered in the icy cold breeze followed by the sound of Christmas crowds. It was just another Christmas in Edinburgh.
Kate strode over to the railings and glanced down at the ice skaters in ‘Winter Wonderland’, some were gracefully skating and others were slipping and falling, Kate sniggered to herself as she watched a burly man holding his daughter’s hand then loosing his balance.
“Kate!” She turned around to see her friend Amanda standing there.
“You were meant to meet me half an hour ago! I’ve been standing here for ages” Kate replied.
“Sorry, the bus got held up in traffic.” Amanda explained.
“Okay, so what are we going to do first? I’m dying to go on the swings.” Kate said longingly.
“Yeah so am I! Let’s go on the swings first then we can have a look around the German market.” Amanda exclaimed as they headed towards the queue for them.
“It’s absolutely freezing tonight” Kate said shivering as they stood waiting.
“I know, I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas. I’m such a big kid but I’m so excited.”
The queue shortened as everyone ran for a swing, Kate grabbed the outside one and Amanda on the inside.
“Oh I’m quite scared now!” Kate shouted above the music as she dangled her feet. The music got louder and ‘ Snow is falling’ came on, the swings were then lifted off the ground until they were looking over Princess street, the bustling crowds looked like blobs and you could see the jam of buses and taxis.
“ARE YOU READY?” The speaker bellowed. Followed by everyone screaming and then they vigorously spun it around. Kate screamed her heart out looking at the drop and the thrilling feeling inside her. Amanda on the other hand had her hands tightly gripping the side of the swing and her eyes screwed closed.
“We have to go to the German market now!” Amanda pleaded as they dodged in and out the families, tourists and couples that strolled along the path. A sign caught her eye as they entered the market. FORTUNE TELLER it read. She had always wanted to try one of them! “Kate please can we go and see the fortune teller?”
“They are a load of garbage.” She replied laughing.
“Please!!”
“Do you seriously want to?”
“Yes” Amanda grinned pleadingly.
“Fine, ok.” Kate said giving in as they walked into the tent.
“Hello girls. Have a seat.” A woman said. She had dark brown hair and gold hoops on; she didn’t seem like the more stereotypical fortune tellers surprisingly enough.
“Have you ever had your fortunes told before?” She asked.
“No” They both replied.
“Okay, who wants to go first then?”
“Me” Amanda smiled letting the woman take her hand and close her eyes.
“You want to find someone. Someone you were very close to when you were little but left you. You want Christmas to be special this year but without her you don’t feel complete. You will find her, but maybe not realise.” The woman finished.
Amanda sat for a second wondering how on earth she knew that she wanted to find her mother. Her mother had left her and her father when she was only three. Amanda sat there feeling slightly creeped out.
“Okay now it’s your turn.” The woman said taking Kate’s hand. “There is a boy you like. You two are best friends but you secretly like him more than a friend. You have left it because you think he likes you in a friend way too. You are wrong. This boy really likes you and he is going to tell you soon.”
Kate sat there stunned. Usually she didn’t believe in that sort of stuff but it was almost like that woman had crept into her head and told all her secrets.
“Ben?!” Amanda said as Kate blushed a shade of beetroot. “Aww I always thought you two would be a cute couple.” Kate laughed nervously.
Suddenly Kate’s phone vibrated inside her jeans pocket. On the screen it said, Ben calling. “Hey” She answered.
“Hi, I was just wondering if you would meet up with me in town.” He asked.
“Well I’m already in town but I’m here with____”
Amanda was mouthing go for it.
“Do you want to meet in about half an hour at the ice rink?”
“Yeah ok” Kate replied grinning from ear to ear.
“See you then” He answered before hanging up. The woman sat smiling, her work was done. Amanda sat with a grin on her face but deep inside she was hurting. Having to bring up her mother again was hard. Kate had got her ‘Christmas gift’ but Amanda hadn’t. They both got up off the seats and handed a fiver over before leaving the tent. Little did Amanda know that she had found her mother…
