Page 13 of Through the Snow Globe
Diana had said maybe, and that was as good as a no in her world. She’d just have to find an excuse before then. Like a headache. “Okay.”
“Have a good night, dear. We love you.”
Diana froze, unsure of how to respond. “You too,” she finally said, feeling awkward. “Bye.” She disconnected the call and set her phone down on the dining room table, wishing she had handled that interaction a little more gracefully. Or maybe she shouldn’t have answered the call at all.
A person didn’t get to turn back time, though. If they could, Diana would shake that snow globe that Mrs. Guzman claimed to have enchanted, turn back the clock, and fix all her mistakes with Linus. She would have set a date to marry him instead of pulling away. She would have tried harder to fit into his world rather than insisting on staying on the outer edges of it. She would have been an Anna instead of an Elsa.
Diana swallowed past the rising lump in her throat making it hard to pull in a full breath. A magic snow globe was a fantasy. Her fiancé was in a coma, and he might never wake up.Thatwas reality.
Chapter 5
All I Want for Christmas
Christmas Eve
Diana stirred in bed and reached out for Linus. She patted the mattress beside her with her eyes still closed, finding nothing. Then the memory came slamming back into her mind. Linus wasn’t here. He may never lie beside her in their bed again. This happened the same way every single morning. The realization hit her like a Mack truck, rolling over her heart until it burst. She felt numb and breathless, broken and shattered. This, every single morning.
The sound of jingle bells tinged in the distance as Diana sat up and opened her eyes. She blinked the room into focus, her gaze landing at the empty space on Linus’s side of the bed.
More jingles filled the air. It was the Santa on the corner outside her apartment building. Diana had given the bell ringer all her spare change this month. He was raising money for children, which was a cause that Diana could get behind. If she could do anything to ensure a child had more than she’d had growing up, she’d do it. Not to say Grandma Denny had been poor or stingy. At least not with material items.
Diana stood and dragged her feet down the hall, desperately seeking coffee. All she needed was enough to stave off a headache while she worked today. Christmas Eve or not, someone had to take care of her patients. Like the U.S. Postal Service, their ailments didn’t halt for rain, sleet, or the holidays.
After downing a cup, she took a quick shower and changed into a pair of scrubs. She had ones with Christmas trees and gingerbread houses. She had Grinch scrubs and Hawaiian Santa ones. Since it didn’t look like it was going to snow this year despite the local meteorologist’s promises, she chose the Hawaiian Santa, who had a bead of sweat lining his sunburned brow. To complete the look, Diana opened her box of Christmas accessories and put on her traditional elf ears and lighted tree bulb necklace.
She felt ridiculous as she left her apartment, but hopefully her ridiculousness would bring a smile to her patients’ faces today. If so, it was worth it. She locked up her door behind her and headed toward the parking lot, walking quickly in case she ran into Mrs. Guzman again. As she approached the shared parking lot for her apartment complex and downtown, she saw the Santa standing there with his pail for donations. She dug into her purse for some dollar bills, but she’d given them all away on the other times she passed him this week. All she had was a ten-dollar bill. She stuffed it inside the Santa’s pail.
“Merry Christmas Eve!” he belted.
Diana steadied herself against the cheerful blast. “Not for everyone,” she said quietly.
Sidewalk Santa’s brow furrowed. “I’m sorry?”
Oops!She hadn’t meant to say that out loud.Hold it together, Di.“God bless us, everyone,” she said, channeling Tiny Tim fromA Christmas Carol.
Sidewalk Santa seemed to accept that answer and his smile curled back to its previous jolly height.What is wrong with me?Christmas had never been her favorite holiday, mostly because it emphasized the things she didn’t have but longed for. Like big, loving families. She wasn’t a Grinch, though.
Diana hurried toward her car. As she drew closer, she clicked the key fob to unlock the driver’s side door and got inside. She waited a few moments for the car to warm and then pulled onto Oakwood Drive. Maria Harris had canceled her appointment for this morning so Diana was heading to Addy’s house first.
Diana fiddled with the radio as she drove, but only Christmas tunes were playing. She pushed the OFF button and instead listened to her blaring thoughts until she parked along the curb in front of the Pierces’ home. After getting out of her car, Diana headed up the driveway to the porch. She pushed the doorbell and waited, feeling silly as she stood behind the front door in elf ears and a lighted necklace. Hopefully this would cheer Addy up. Maybe Diana wasn’t as good with kids as Linus, but she liked them. Not that Addy was necessarily a child. At sixteen, the girl was closer to being an adult.
Mrs. Pierce opened the door and smiled brightly. “Merry Christmas, Ms. Diana. Addy’s been waiting for you all morning. Oh, she’ll love your accessories.” Mrs. Pierce opened the door wider for Diana to enter the home which smelled of cinnamon and spices.
“How is she doing this morning?” Diana asked.
“Happy, I think. She’s binging the Home Alone movies today. Ever since she was a little girl, those have always been her favorites.”
“Her pain level?” Diana asked.
“She hasn’t mentioned any pain today.”
“Good.” Diana glanced down the hall where Addy’s room was. “I’ll get started with our therapy, if that’s okay.”
“Of course, of course. I’m cooking nine different things in the kitchen. I need to monitor those. We’re having the whole family here for Christmas dinner tomorrow so that Addy doesn’t have to travel.”
“Wow. You’re going to be busy,” Diana commented.
Mrs. Pierce’s smile faded momentarily. “Being busy helps.”
