Page 8 of Jam and Jingle Bells
She held up her hands. “That’s all I know. Mason and I are running the kitchen, but that leaves no one for the pie,” she explained, pointing at the table with nothing on it. “Would you man the pie table?”
I glanced down at Holly and gave her a high five. “Only if I get the cutest helper in all of Bells Pass.”
“You got her,” Melissa laughed, squeezing Holly’s shoulders. “You two get to work plating and setting out the pie. You know how we do it every year.”
I tapped my feet together and gave her a salute. “On it, Sarge.”
She stuck her tongue out at me and laughed. “And no adding jam to my apple pies!”
I glanced down at Holly. “Let’s call her Miss No Fun.”
Holly giggled and Melissa laughed. “I know how you are. Just let me know when you have to start haircuts and I’ll transfer someone from the turkey line to the pies. By then, we’ll be in okay shape.”
I took Holly’s hand and squeezed it. “You can count on us,” I promised, lifting her hand into the air while she giggled, “to eat all the pie!” We both laughed with abandon and ran to the table with happy hearts.
I snipped a few more times to level off the locks of a little girl who was having a hard time sitting still. She wanted to go play hopscotch with Mason, which was a tradition every year at the dinner.
“You’re all done, sweetie.” I pulled the cape off and helped her down from the booster seat.
“Thank you, Addie,” she sang and then took off at a run toward the crowd of kids.
I brushed the hair off the chair and shook out the cape, folding it carefully until I got back to the salon to wash it. With the last cut finished, my work here was done. I even had time to run home and change before I had to be at Stan’s for dinner. Since my mom gave birth to me at the ripe old age of twenty, she had put her personal life on hold to raise me. I was happy she had finally found someone as wonderful as Stan to be with. He might be a few years her senior, but they were good together and she’s never smiled as much as she has since she started seeing him. It was great to have a family to support us now. I guess sometimes you don’t know what you’re missing until you have it. I was grateful to Stan and Mason for welcoming us so lovingly into the fold.
“You always do a lovely job with the little ones,” Audrey said from behind me.
I forced myself not to react with anything other than a smile. “Thank you, Mrs. Violet. I don’t mind helping. The kids love getting all spiffed up for Christmas.”
She huffed with frustration. “Audrey, please. Mrs. Violet makes me sound so old and teacherish,” she teased, her hands patting her bouffant hair. “Where did Heather go? She’s such a nice girl. You spend a lot of time together, no?”
I finished sweeping up the hair and dumped it into the garbage can before I brushed off my hands. “She had to head to her mom’s for dinner, and we do spend a lot of time together since we’re partners at work,” I answered slowly, unsure what she was getting at.
She leaned into my ear and whispered, “It’s okay if you’re partners in other ways.”
I leaned back in surprise. “Are you asking if I’m a lesbian?”
She patted my shoulder lovingly. “It’s perfectly okay if you are, dear. Heather is a lovely girl.”
I tried hard not to snort with laughter, but I failed, miserably. “There certainly is nothing wrong with that, but Audrey, I can assure you, we are not lesbians.”
She lifted one brow. “Well, I have seen you with that nice boy around town a lot, including at the diner last night. You two seemed to be hitting it off. What’s his name again?”
“Ellis David?” I asked, my tone telling her I knew exactly what she was doing. She was totally playing me. When someone new moves into town Audrey is the first person to know everything about them.
She clapped her hands once. “That’s it, Ellis David. Where’s he from again? Texas?”
Audrey was the biggest busybody on this side of Saginaw, I swear. If she wasn’t so giving of her time and talents, it would be hard to stand here and pretend she wasn’t meddling in my life.
Instead, I plastered a smile on my face and answered her question. “Wyoming. He’s from Wyoming.”
She snapped her fingers. “That’s it. He’s helping Allen with his rehab by teaching him meditative yoga.”
“I’m glad he’s there for him.” I started putting away my tools so I could break eye contact with her. Audrey’s husband was injured at work a few years ago and his lungs were damaged beyond repair. He was now permanently disabled and on oxygen, but trying to recoup as much function as possible. “I didn’t know he was working with anyone other than kids,” I said conversationally, “though he mentioned that he was getting more and more requests from people of all ages.”
“He comes to our house. Allen is still afraid to leave the house for long periods of time. Especially if he’s going to be exerting himself. He could have a coughing fit and need his suctioning equipment or need to lay down. You understand, dear,” she said, patting my shoulder as though I was well-versed about his medical condition. I wasn’t, but I’d nod along anyway.
“I’m happy Ellis can help Allen. That’s very small town of him,” I assured her. “Well, I better find out if Melissa needs anything else before I head out.”
“Of course, Addie. Have a great Thanksgiving!”
