Page 20 of Christmas Wishes
But even he didn’t believe that could be true.
Rand nodded. “Thank you.” He picked up his bags from the counter and offered a one last smile. “And if Bernie agrees to bring out the tree and the decorations that would be great.”
“Consider it done, Rand.”
“Oh… Do you think it would be possible for me to add something to the donation tree?”
“By all means.” Heidi smiled from ear to ear and again, her eyes… Rand shook the curiosity aside. “Come on,” she continued, slipping from behind the counter, jangling a key in her hand. “I’ll lock up for a few minutes and take you down there.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to put you out.”
“You aren’t. It’s my pleasure.”
He followed Heidi outside and down the street to the tree where envelopes blew in the winter breeze where they hung, as Stanley had said, from branches.
It was full of snow and icicles and bright blue pieces of paper filled with money. It was beautiful and unlike anything he’d seen before.
“Now, all you do is tuck your dollar bills, however many you’d like, inside the envelope, then slip a piece of ribbon through the hole in the corner and tie it wherever you can find a spot.”
“Where do all of these come from?”
“All over up here. Sometimes I think there’s magic moving through, doubling the amount of gifts each night.”
“Magic?” Rand was instantly on guard.
“That’s the only way I can explain it,” she said, staring up through the branches. “There’s always more. Hearts are so generous in this part of the world.”
Rand nodded. He was coming to see that and for the first time since waking up in the cabin, he felt the thawing of his cynicism.
