Meeting Mrs Christmas

Angela was in a far-from-festive fix – but her luck changed after an encounter with someone special

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Stepping into the lift at the shopping mall, Angela tried to focus on her Christmas shopping. She had the family’s gifts to buy. Yet there was another issue preying on her mind...

Seasonal music trickled through the lift’s speakers. A jolly version of We Wish You a Merry Christmas was playing.

Angela glanced at the woman next to her in the lift. She looked around her own age – mid-60s.

With her bright blue twinkling eyes and silver haircut in a sleek bob, she had a warm expression.

Angela noticed that she was smartly dressed, wrapped up in a calf-length scarlet winter coat, with a fluffy white trim on the sleeves and hem. Black slim-fitting heeled boots and leather gloves completed the look.

Angela wondered if she had bought the gloves at Morgan’s. The department store in the mall was huge, spreading over four floors. Every Christmas, they had a Santa in his sparkly grotto with a host of realistic, life-size reindeer. There was also a pretty, twinkly snow scene that included polar bears and penguins. Angela wasn't sure if it was meant to be the North Pole or the South.

The staff dressed up as elves, organising the families who came to see Santa and...

Suddenly, the lift slowly shuddered to a halt. They had stopped on the third floor.

Angela flew into instant alarm. She hated being stuck in small spaces!

‘It looks like the lift has broken down,’ the woman announced.

‘Oh no!’ Angela muttered.

Ms Silver Bob peered at the panel. ‘Don’t worry... Ah! Here we are. If we press this button, someone should speak to us.’

The elegant shopper pressed it – and thankfully, a voice rang out. ‘Hello. I’m Paul Jones, the mall manager. We know that the lift’s stopped. Are you OK?’

‘We're fine,’ her fellow lift captive breezed.