Page 46 of Once Upon a Winter
The Christmas morningsunlight cast a sparkling sheen on the snow-blanketed front yards outside. The world was pristine and serene, a picture-perfect street scene that belied Laura’s tumultuous emotions still lingering from the night before.
She sat by the window in her parents’ warm house, cradling a mug of steaming coffee between her hands. Outside, children bundled up in colorful scarves and hats tumbled into the snow, their laughter ringing through the crisp air. Parents on doorsteps watched their children and called out well-wishes for the holiday season to one another. The joy would have been contagious if it hadn’t amplified the emptiness she felt inside.
“Beautiful morning, isn’t it?” Her mother’s voice pulled Laura from her thoughts, but she couldn’t bring herself to respond with more than a “hmm.” Instead, she continued to gaze out the window, her hazel eyes clouded with regret.
“Sweetheart, I know you’re upset about last night,” Pamela said gently, sitting down beside her daughter. “But dwelling on it won’t change anything.”
Laura sighed, unable to shake the memories of the shattered snow globe and her argument with Cooper. “I know, but it’s not really a choice. It’s like being run over by a truck then trying not to dwell on the pain. Except I’m the truck too. I’ve ruined everything, Mom.” She cast her a sideways look and added, “Including your gift.”
“Everyone makes mistakes,” Pamela reassured her. “What matters is how we learn from them and move forward.” Her mother had a seemingly endless supply of aphorisms that made perfect sense and yet didn’t help one bit.
“By moving forward, I hope you mean with Cooper. I know you had some concerns, but once you get to know him, you’ll see what an amazing person he is.”
Her mom nodded, though her expression was doubtful. “I’m sure he is.”
An awkward silence hung in the air. Laura knew her parents meant well, but their disapproval of Cooper stung.
Outside, the children had begun building snowmen, their cheeks flushed pink from the cold. Laura envied their carefree spirits. If only she could erase the previous night and start over, but the memory haunted her.
“I should apologize to him,” Laura mused aloud. “I let my feelings override logic, which just isn’t like me. I haven’t been myself since…” Her voice trailed off as she thought of the snow globe.No, I will not go there again.At some point during her sleepless night, she’d decided the topic would be off-limits. Cooper was right. It was only an object. In the midst of her dreams and expectations for Christmas, she’d allowed the snow globe’s importance to grow out of proportion.
“I don’t know what came over me. Emotional roller coasters just aren’t my thing. And poor Cooper. He tried.” She picked up her phone and set it back down again. “He’s probably at his mother’s by now. I should let them enjoy Christmas and save this for later.”
Pamela gave her daughter’s hand a comforting squeeze. “Remember, the magic of Christmas can’t be found in decorations and presents. It’s in your heart.”
Laura offered a mechanical nod but paused as she realized her mother might actually have a good point. Laura had spent so much time and energy on her new home in her perfect small town that she hadn’t given much thought to the meaning of Christmas. Her thoughts were so full of Cooper, she wondered if there was room left for anything else. As for Cooper’s feelings, she feared she’d destroyed them along with the snow globe. And yet, as she thought over the previous evening, she recalled Cooper’s kindness, his patience, and regrettably, his concern. None of that could have come from the snow globe. It was too much a part of him. It was clear that it came from his heart. She would have seen that if she’d trusted him.
“Thanks, Mom,” she said softly.
With a quick hug, her mother said, “Now then, I’ve got some cookies to bake!”
Laura’s smile faded as her mother headed for the kitchen. If only her parents could see Cooper as she did. His actions revealed a depth of character that she’d seldom encountered.
Still, expecting her parents’ opinion of him to shift overnight was unrealistic. But if she gently but consistently emphasized Cooper’s merits and gave them opportunities to see who he truly was, in time, they would come around. She hoped.
Cooper sighedas he wrapped the cord around the vacuum cleaner, his jaw set with determination. Busying himself with Christmas morning chores wasn’t distracting him from thoughts of his argument with Laura. It was futile. Every thought seemed to lead back to her—the Christmas Eve cookies sitting untouched on the kitchen counter, the small stack of holiday movies he’d envisioned them watching together, and even the vacuuming to catch any last bits of glass that had escaped the earlier cleanup. Rather than serving as a distraction, the cleanup effort was a painful reminder of what he had lost.
“Maybe I was too harsh,” Cooper muttered under his breath, staring at the empty space on the table where the snow globe had sat. “Could I have handled things differently?” The question gnawed at him.
As if in response, a gust of wind blew through the town of Mistletoe, swirling icy crystals of snow against the windows. In the storm’s aftermath, the world outside appeared pristine and untroubled. An occasional car passed by, probably carrying a family to their Christmas festivities. Soon, he would head to his mother’s house for their usual quiet, content Christmas dinner. It was one of the constants in life—spending Christmas with family. Traditions gave life its center. But in the wake of his evening with Laura, his life felt off-balance.
He loved her. How had that happened? It wasn’t magic. That much he knew. It certainly wasn’t because of a silly snow globe. He loved her because she was Laura—because from the moment she’d opened the door with bits of drywall and dust in her hair, his world had shifted.
He caught sight of himself in a mirror. “Now look at yourself.” He moaned.
Cooper shook off his mood and got ready to go. After filling the car with an armload of gifts, he headed for his mother’s house. On the way, he made his usual stop at Enzo’s.
“Coop! Come on in!” Enzo’s home was a chaotic scene of torn wrapping paper, toys, and video games.
Cooper handed a couple of gift bags to Enzo and stood by the door. “I can’t stay. I’m on my way to my mom’s, but I just wanted to drop these off.”
“Thanks, man. Come in. At least have a cup of coffee.” He leaned closer and beckoned. “It’s a little quieter in the kitchen. Come on.”
Cooper hesitated for a second then followed. After hugs for Enzo’s wife and the kids, Cooper escaped to the kitchen with his friend. Cooper sat while Enzo poured them each a mug of coffee and sat down. After Enzo gave Cooper a rundown of his family’s Christmas, the talk turned to Cooper. He managed to condense the previous evening into a few sentences and a shrug.
Enzo listened intently, his brow furrowing. “Look,” he said finally, setting a palm on the table. “I’m not going to lie. Love is a miserable endeavor. It’s also the best thing that’s ever happened to me. For instance, last night, I lost half a night’s sleep putting together that friggin’ pile of toys out there. Was it fun? No. Did the kids get up and nearly catch me at it three times, wanting glasses of water and looking for Santa? Yes. Is my wife completely exhausted, even though she’s got a full morning of cooking ahead, and are our families due in a couple of hours? Yes.” He looked straight at Cooper and grinned. “And I wouldn’t give this up for anything.”
“I envy you.”
