Page 1 of She Came Upon A Midnight Clear
1
Evie
It’s the first holiday party of the season, and I could not be less enthused. I really could do without the holidays altogether. Growing up in foster care after I lost my mom, Christmas and birthdays really don’t mean much other than sad memories. But Gretchen is my best friend, and I won’t let her go to her work party alone—not three days after her girlfriend broke up with her. Plus, she’s been asking me to come down to Sonoma to see the dog rescue where she got this job three months ago. I couldn’t say no, despite the not-so-lovely combination of my ambiguous feelings about Christmas and my usual edge of social anxiety.
I pull into a parking spot in front of the gorgeous old Capri Valley Winery, now apparently turned into Capri Valley Canine Rescue. It’s one of those enormous stone buildings that feels as if it was imported stone by stone from the Italian countryside a century ago, but a lot of the wineries in Sonoma County have the same vibe. I get out of my car, shoving my hands into thepockets of my winter coat, and walk across the stone entryway, then through the big double doors.
You can do this.
It’s blissfully warm inside. The place is fully decorated for Christmas, with twinkling lights everywhere, and a tree in one corner that must be twenty feet tall, with a few smaller ones scattered around the enormous room. An elderly yellow lab wearing a stuffed Santa’s elf on its back wanders over to greet me, tail wagging, and I lean down and offer her my hand.
“I see you’ve met Olive,” Gretchen says. “Thanks for coming, Evie.”
I give the lab one last pat before straightening and pulling my friend in for a hug. “There was no way I was going to leave you right now with all… this,” I say, gesturing.
Gretchen leans in close to my ear. “I know! The place is full of all these wealthy donors, which I know the rescue needs, but they are not my kind of people.”
I glance around the room, taking in a lot of short haircuts and a fair share of buffalo plaid, along with sophisticated women dressed in linen slacks and cashmere sweaters, and the occasional kimono robe and beaded earrings.
“I don’t know. Seems like a pretty gay crowd to me.”
Gretchen rolls her eyes. “Itisan animal rescue, so…yeah, the Northern California lesbians are out in force. But these are mostly older, richer lesbians I have nothing in common with. And I don’t know if I have a sign plastered across my forehead that says I’m recently single, but I’ve been asked out three times already.”
“Sounds like a classic lesbian event to me. And you do look pretty cute tonight. I love your new haircut,” I tell her, taking in her dark, sleek, chin-length bob, and her red sweater.
“Thanks. And thanks for coming. I’m feeling especially pathetic tonight.”
I loop an arm around her shoulder. “Sounds like we need to hit the bar. There is a bar here?”
She nods. “Beer and wine only, but yes.”
“Come on. Let me get you a drink.”
She leads me to the bar against the back wall, and I order a Stella for each of us, then we find a corner to stand in to observe everything in peace. She understands that I get nervous in crowds, and she’s always watching out for me.
“So, how are you doing?” I ask her.
She shrugs. “I’m okay, I guess. I’m still pissed that Sue couldn’t wait until after the holidays. I mean, how fucked up is it to break up with someone so close to Christmas? We’ve had our problems, but this wasn’t necessary. And I’ll have to return her gift now.”
“Gretch, if she’s the kind of person to break up with you right before the holidays, then maybe you dodged a bullet with her. Although you know I think the holidays are overrated.”
“Yeah, maybe you’re right. Hey, want to go visit some dogs? That always makes me feel better.”
“Of course!”
She takes me to a side door and pushes it open, and we walk out into the crisp evening air and down a long arbor-covered walkway paved in the same sand-colored stone as the building.
“This place is gorgeous,” I tell her.
“It is. And honestly, it works so well as a rescue. The kennels are in the old outbuildings, and the owner lives in this huge loft apartment upstairs in this building. She’s very cool, by the way.”
“You haven’t mentioned much about her.”
“She’s kind of hot, actually. Not my type, exactly, so don’t get any ideas. But you know, she’s definitely your type, Evie.”
I stop and turn to her. “You did not bring me here to fix me up. Tell me you didn’t.”
“I didn’t, but if you two hit it off, I won’t be unhappy about it.”
