Tag: It Happened One Christmas

She had just changed into her pajamas and got comfortable on the sofa when a ring at the door to her flat startled her. When she opened the door, she was surprised to see a complete stranger standing before her with slightly dishevelled sandy hair and amazing blue eyes.

“Sorry to bother you on Christmas Eve,”, he said in an Irish accent and with a friendly smile. “ I’m Tom Branson, the new tenant from the flat under yours. I just moved in today and I wondered if I might use your phone for one short call? You know, there’s no electricity in the flat and unfortunately the battery of my mobile is out, too. I really need to call Mr. Crawley…”

“Of course,” Sybil said hastily and opened the door so he could step in. “But I’m afraid Mr. Crawley won’t be home tonight.” She then added, “I’m Sybil Crawley and I’m actually his daughter. So I know he’s in Yorkshire for the Holidays, and Mr. Carson, the caretaker, has taken a few days off, too!”

“Oh”, Tom said. “I see. Well, then maybe I could ring a friend instead? It’s bloody cold in the flat, actually since the radiator isn’t working either without electricity. Maybe I can sleep somewhere else.”

“Sure”, Sybil lead him into her living room. “I really feel awful that you move here into my father’s house and have to freeze on Christmas Eve.” She grimaced. “Unfortunately I don’t know anything about electricity nor would I know whom to ask.”

“No problem.” Tom smiled. “It’s not a big deal. I’ll just call a few friends. I’m sure one of them will be at home and happy to give me shelter. It’s Christmas after all, isn’t it? They’re probably looking for some charitable thing to do anyway.”

Sybil grinned and handed him her phone. While he did his calls, she went to the kitchen to give him some privacy. After a few minutes Tom appeared at the kitchen door though.

“I think I’ll give up”, he said, handing her the phone. “It seems everyone is out of town. So I guess I’ll just go to the pub around the corner for dinner, but thank you anyway.”

“Oh no!”, Sybil exclaimed. “I’m so sorry. I feel really bad. It’s my father’s house after all. You’ll be freezing tonight without a radiator!”

Tom chuckled at her distressed face. “Don’t worry. I won’t freeze. I just dress a little warmer.”

“But may I at least offer you something to eat? I actually only was going to have some pasta and a salad which is of course not a real Christmas Dinner, but I feel I have to do something to make it up to you.”

Tom looked her for a second with an odd expression. “I’d like that, thank you.” He smiled then.

Sybil nodded. “Good, so why don’t you sit and warm you up a bit, while I make us something to eat? Would you like something to drink? Wine, Water, Beer maybe?”

“Wine would be nice,” he said and she went to get a bottle.

“Is red okay?” she asked. “I actually don’t have anything else, because I don’t drink white wine.”

“It’s perfect. I don’t drink white wine either.”

He took the glass from her and smiled again. Sybil detected that he had a very nice smile. He was very attractive anyway. She wondered if she had ever seen any man with such intense blue eyes. It was nice how they lit up when he was smiling.

Suddenly he noticed that she was staring and blushed deeply. Damn. She turned around quickly and went to the kitchen. Instead of sitting down on the sofa, Tom followed her though, the wine glass in his hand.

“Can I help you somehow? I can’t just sit there and wait to be fed.”

“You could make the salad if you like”, Sybil proposed and showed him where everything he needed was.

Half an hour later they sat opposite each other at her dining table and were chatting like old friends. She had asked him about his work and he told her that he was a journalist and the conversation went easily from there to politics, to her work as a doctor to family and friends, London and Dublin to books and various other topics.

Sybil found it was very easy to converse with him. He was very open and friendly and seemed to take a real interest in everything she said. After their meal, he helped her washing the dishes and they moved to the sofa, still drinking red wine and actually emptying their second bottle.

“So you are Mr. Crawley’s daughter?”, Tom suddenly asked. “But isn’t he a Lord or something?”

“An Earl”, she said with a grimace. “But I don’t like to mention it, really.”

“Does that mean you have a title, too?”

“Only a courtesy one. I’m officially a Lady”, Sybil nodded which Tom obviously found very funny, because he started to laugh. Or maybe it was just the wine.

“Lady Sybil”, he said and looked at her. “Not bad. I think I like it.”

She leaned her head against the cushions of the sofa. “I used to hate it, but I’m over that now. I just go as Ms. Crawley, or better even Dr. Crawley. I think that suits me better.”

Tom leaned back, too. “I think I should be going”, he said with a sigh. “I won’t say I don’t regret leaving this nice warm apartment, though.” He winked at her, so she knew he didn’t mean it.

He stood up and she did the same.

“Well”, she said a bit awkward. “I wish you a good night then.”

“Thank you so much for dinner,” Tom said and smiled that cute smile again that warmed her heart. Or was it the wine? Sybil didn’t know, but what she did know was that she was feeling very warm under his gaze.

Out of the blue he leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “Sleep well”, he said.

For a second Sybil froze, just staring in his eyes. Then, suddenly without knowing who moved first, they were kissing deeply.

–from “It Happened One Christmas” by andorra97

25 days of Bransons CHRISTMAS fanfic moments
Day 2