Page 42 of A Curvy Carol

I nodded. “A special project, for Carolynn.”

She winked at me. “Good luck.”

Something about her words felt like magic. Goosebumps ran down my neck, but I ignored the feeling, paid for the kit, and headed home.

I had work to do.

25

CAROLYNN

The sound of the doorbell woke me. I hadn’t even realized I’d fallen asleep.

My latest cross-stitch project had fallen to the living room floor beside me, and my hair had to be a mess.

I sat up on the couch, brushing the blond strands out of my face. “Mom?” I called.

I heard her call back from the kitchen. “Honey, can you get that?”

Not like I have much dignity left, I thought.Between Whit and then crying all over town.

I pushed the thick blanket off my legs and walked over to the door, wiping sleep sand from my eyes. On the way, I peeked outside the window, but no one was there.

So I pulled open the front door seeing small package wrapped in matte red paper on the front step. With my eyebrows drawing together, I picked it up. There wasn’t any postage on the sides… This must have been hand-delivered.

I stepped out onto the porch, the concrete cold under my bare feet, and glanced around. The streets were empty, a light dusting of snow on the pavement. Just a set of footprints remained in the thin layer of snow.

“Who is it?” Mom called from the kitchen.

With the package under my arm, I closed the door behind me. “It’s just a package!”

Probably something from a friend of hers, I thought. They always did a gift exchange around Christmastime.

But as I walked to the kitchen, looking for her name on the box, I didn’t find it… I found my name instead.

I took a seat on the couch to inspect the package closer. There was no return address or even a “From” label. Just my name.

Carefully, I tore open the package to find out what was inside. Layers of red and gold tissue paper covered a small fabric square, cross-stitched with a beautiful Christmas-green background with creamy white cursive lettering that said, “I’m sorry.” My chest tightened, realizing who could be behind the delivery. Had Whit been this close to my house? Had he made this himself?

There was a tiny snowman in the corner of the design. My thumb went over it, feeling the stitches. I turned it over to examine the work and what I had thought was a cardboard backing was actually a card. I peeled back the tape to open the letter.

My breath hitched at the sight of his handwriting filling the page.

Dear Carolynn,

I would’ve cross-stitched this note too, but you probably would’ve been waiting until next Christmas for me to get it done.

That part made me giggle.Feeling a little lighter, I kept reading.

So please acceptthis note as my way of saying how sorry I am. You’re right to be mad at me. I messed up by not being transparent, and if I could go back and do it again, I would tell you the truth. In a flash. But I can’t.

I want you to know that I never saw our arrangement as being paid to hang out with you or anything like that. I was happy to get some money to see my friends back home in the spring. But to tell you the truth, I was also excited to meet someone and finally make a friend here in Garland.

Little did I know I would get to meet you. Getting to know you was the best Christmas gift I could have asked for. You’re creative, strong-willed, determined, and so thoughtful (even if you don’t want everyone to know). The week we spent together was one of the best in my life.

I hope you can forgive me, especially because I miss you.

If you’re willing to give me another chance, will you meet me by the Garland Christmas tree at two o’clock today?

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