Page 76 of Jam and Jingle Bells
She shook her head and bit her lip. “But it’s not, don’t you see?”
“We don’t, Holly. I wish we di— oh wait,” I said slowly. “You think you blew it because your sadness took too long to fly away and you didn’t get Mason as your dad last night.”
She nodded, her eyes filling with tears as she sat with Santa’s arm around her. “Yes! It was too late to change my mind because the judge didn’t have the paperwork. I asked him secretly in the corner at the diner. He said he didn’t bring them because we had decided to wait. That means I blew it because he didn’t get to sign the papers on December ninth, which is an important day in our family.”
I was instantly sad and happy at the same time, but Santa was the one who found his voice to speak. “You still didn’t blow it, Holly, let me explain why. December ninth is a special day in your family and always will be, right?” he asked and she nodded. “Those are the three secret words,always will be.” He said, counting to three on his fingers. “If you think of it that way, you already know how special December ninth is. You came home to Bells Pass and now your mom and dad got married that day. Sure, if Mason had signed the adoption papers last night that would have added to the specialness, but wouldn’t you rather pick a day where nothing happened other than Mason becoming your dad?”
Holly cocked her head. “What do you mean, Santa?”
“I mean, December ninth is special for two reasons, but there’s no rule that says December twelfth, thirteenth, or fourteenth can’t be special for only one.”
She shook her finger at the man in the red suit. “You mean I should pick a day that’s special to only him and me.”
Santa bopped her on the nose. “Exactly. Make it your day and that will make it just as special in your family as December ninth is.”
Holly sat and pondered this as Santa and I gazed at each other with goofy grins on our faces. This girl was something else and being part of her journey meant so much to me. I could see in his eyes it meant a lot to him, too. I guess sometimes Santa does have the best job.
Holly gasped and then waved her hands in the air. “Okay, this is what we’re going to do! Santa, I’m going to need your help with Dad, and Addie, I’m going to need your help with Mom!”
We all pinkie swore our allegiance and then leaned in to hatch the plan.
I sat back against the couch with my wine and sighed. “Man, being an elf is hard work,” I said, grinning as he cleaned up the pizza box and set it by the door to take downstairs.
He joined me on the couch and sighed as he lowered his body down. “Being Santa is tedious, most of the time. I have to say, that last kid was brilliant though.”
I winked at him over my wine glass while I finished the pinot at the bottom. “I’ve put my plan into place. Have you?”
He did the thumbs up and I chuckled. We had come back to the salon, taken turns in the shower, then a nap in our respective beds, and finally ordered Pip’s Pizza to be delivered. Charlie Brown Christmas was on the television and we were relaxing while finishing the bottle of wine.
“What is your plan for next week?” I asked casually when the show finished and he remoted it off.
“At the studio?” he asked and I nodded as I drank. “Dawson is staying through Monday so I can have the stitches out and make sure I get cleared by the doctor. As long as I’m cleared, he will head back to Saginaw for the holidays. I plan to use the next three weeks to advertise the new classes, with a start date for the first week of January, and see if we can fill enough spots to keep him gainfully employed. If we can, then he will come back and teach with me.”
“That’s great, Ellis. But, uh, where is he going to live? The drive from Saginaw is too long.”
“Mrs. Tims said he could rent her basement. She lives alone and let’s face it, at her age, she could use the help. Since they have a family connection, she trusts him.”
“Wouldn’t that be wonderful? I would guess if you advertise the classes to start the first week of January, you’ll fill the spots. That’s when everyone makes their fitness resolutions. Yoga is the hot trend right now, too. I bet if you brought in goats you’d really rake in the dough. Goat yoga is all the rage.”
He was drinking and nearly choked on his wine at my suggestion. He waved his hand at me. “Oh man, that’s good. Dawson actually suggested it! I told him I didn’t think the city would appreciate me having farm animals in the studio, but we’ve considered come spring asking some of the local farmers if they’d partner with us for a Saturday morning class. Bonus girlfriend points if you know a farmer with goats.”
“Guess we are both out of luck then.”
“Because you don’t want girlfriend points or you don’t know any goat farmers?”
“Definitely the latter and haven’t made up my mind on the former.”
He set his glass down on the coffee table and turned to me, motioning out the window. “It’s a Saturday night, it’s snowing, and there’s no place we have to be. Maybe now is a good time for me to tell you the truth about my life in Wyoming?”
I finished my wine and set the glass down while I shook my head. “Not if you truly don’t want to tell me. I’ll walk away before I force anyone to share something they don’t want to, but I also won’t be a doormat. I did that once and I’m never doing it again. I’d rather be alone.”
His finger came down on my lips and stayed there. “Addie, shush. I’m sorry that I didn’t take your feelings into consideration last night. This has been a closely guarded secret of mine for years and I was scared. I’ve told no one and by no one, I mean no one.”
“So you’ve told no one?” I asked, trying to ease him into it because his body was a giant ball of trembling energy. He was shaking under my hand and I dropped my hand to his wrist to feel his pulse. Whatever this was about, his pulse was jumping and he was already filled with anxiety. “Okay, Ellis, you need to relax. We’re not going to talk about this tonight. I’m so not going to be responsible for you getting a shock from that device.”
He twisted his arm over to take my hand and a deep breath at the same time. “It won’t matter when I tell you, Addie. There’s a reason I haven’t done it yet. What I’m about to say is going to change how you see me. Whether you move toward pity or loss of respect, I can’t say, but I do know it will change. Please, promise me you won’t judge me too hard. Know I judge myself harshly every single day in a way no one else can.”
“I’m not going to judge you, Ellis. Unless what you did was a crime and you’re on the run. Then, I might judge,” I teased, giving him a wink. “I don’t think that’s the case. You’re way too at ease with Officer Gabe.”
