Page 120 of Friends Don't Kiss

When I come back with a whole tray of steaming mugs, Kiara is surrounded by Alex, Chris, Skye, Isaac—an apprentice whose mom works at my sister’s spa—and a couple of other people who work at the bakery. I hand out the hot chocolates, noticing that Kiara looks uneasy. “What’s wrong?” I ask her.

“I’ll tell you later,” she answers right as Cassandra announces on the loudspeaker that the King Knoll Farm is opening the parade. We all turn our heads to the left, Chris hoists Skye on his shoulders, and we clap and holler as Craig and Lynn appear all decked in red and black plaid, Sunshine and three other horses pulling a long carriage full of people.

“Graaaaace!” Skye shrieks, making us all jump. My sister waves frantically at us from the carriage, her happiness so contagious my heart swells. Seeing her on her fiancé’s family’s carriage makes me so fucking happy for her. Next to her, Chloe grasps her husband’s hand. Justin and Ethan are the first two of the five King siblings to be engaged or married. Hunter, Logan, and Haley are on the carriage as well, huddled among the farm employees.

“How long do you think until that carriage is full of spouses and kids?” Chris asks to no one in particular.

“Daddy, we should get our own carriage!” Skye exclaims.

“Sure, sweetheart. Soon as you can take care of the horses.”

“Watch out, she might take you up on that,” Alex says.

“How will you see the parade if you’re in it?” Kiara asks.

Skye stays silent, then says, “I think I’d rather watch the parade.”

Chris pokes me. “She’s got the kid thing all figured out, in case you were wondering.”

“Oh my god,” Kiara says with true horror laced with laughter in her voice right as Louise appears in the horse line up, mounting a black horse, and wearing a long black dress. She looks straight ahead, her mouth a thin line.

“Daddy, she’s scary.”

“I think she got the wrong holiday,” Kiara says.

“We should totally do a Halloween parade,” Chris says.

“Just her would be enough. Walking around town all night,” Alex adds.

Thankfully, the Hendersons come next. Their ponies are all decked in glittering red and white with a bunch of bells, and the Henderson family is dressed as elves, waving and cheering to the crowd. Right after them comes the high school band playing Christmas music, then several other equally festive groups.

Our hot chocolates are long finished by the time the parade wraps up. Chris and Alex invite us inside to warm up with some wassail until night sets in and it’s time for the Christmas tree lighting, then hearthsong in front of the church.

It seems the whole town is gathered there. Kiara nudges herself against me, and I wrap her under my arm as we start singing under the guidance of Luke, holding up little lanterns and swaying softly to the familiar tunes. Sophie hands out lyric sheets, and Kiara holds one for the two of us.

Between “Silent Night” and “Jingle Bells,” my gaze is pulled toward two people I did not expect to see here, and don’t want ruining the day.

Kiara is reading the lyrics, and she doesn’t budge when I kiss her temple. “Be right back,” I say.

I intercept Maya and David right as they spot Kiara and are making a beeline for her. “What’s up?” I say, positioning myself squarely in front of them.

“I need to talk to my sister,” Maya snaps, trying to circle around me.

The crowd makes it easy for me to block her. “’Bout what?”

“None of your business.”

“Kiara’s business is my business,” I say, looking between Maya and David.

“Something happened,” David says. “She should know about it.”

I shrug. “Why don’t you call her?”

“She won’t pick up.”

I grunt and look back where Kiara is, catching glimpses of her in between the other carolers. Happiness radiates from her as she joins in “Holy Night.”

It’s traditionally one of the last carols, if I remember correctly. After that, we’ll light the massive bonfire and drink spiked wassail. It’s my first time being with Kiara like this for Laskin, and I want her by my side when I look through the dancing flames and reflect on the past year. Heck, will she even be here next year? While she’ll always be in my heart, I’m lucid enough to know she might be living across the globe next December, if that’s what she wants. This moment is for us, and I won’t let anything ruin it.

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