Page 29 of Puck the Halls
Are you ready to go? I have a ride ready.
I step back through the doors of Daisy’s and everybody calls out a greeting.
Then I get the laughter and applause Ireallywant for the sweater.
“Anybody see Nathan?” I ask with a grin, looking around. I don’t see him and he couldn’t have missed me now.
“What was he wearing again?”
“Where was he sitting?”
“I just came from the bathroom. He’s not in there.”
I frown and scan in the room more carefully, but he’s nowhere.
The nuns might have kept an eye on him, but they left about ten minutes ago. As they were leaving, they stopped by my booth and Agatha gave me a quick hug and told me to work on my wind sprints.
We also exchanged cell phone numbers because I’m not going to give up on the idea of her coming to a game as a VIP.
Just then I hear honking and everyone turns to look out the huge windows.
The nuns’ van pulls into the parking lot and right up to the curb in front of the door.
The side door slides open and Nathan climbs out.
He looks disheveled and confused. He stands on the front walk, his hair sticking up the way it does only when he’s first rolled out of bed. He’s blinking, and staring at the door to the diner as if he’s not sure what he should do.
I push open the door. “Nathan?”
He looks relieved to see me. “Hey.” He also looks slightly sheepish.
“What happened?” I asked.
“I had a headache. Still do.” He rubs his forehead. “I climbed in the van to take a nap. They got almost fifteen miles down the road before they realized I was there. I woke up and thought I was being kidnapped.”
I shouldn’t laugh. But honestly, if I don’t, Nathan will think something's wrong with me.
I chuckle as I step out of the diner with him and slap him on the back. “It’s been a hell of the last several hours hasn’t it?”
He sighs. “It really has. But I’m not still asleep and dreaming?”
I shake my head. “Sorry. But I’ve got us a ride to Des Moines.”
The nuns give us another honk, Nathan groans, I wave, and they pull away from the curb.
Then I turn Nathan to see the RV. “You ready to go?”
He groans again. “You’re kidding right?”
I clap him on the shoulder again. “All aboard.”
He finally fully focuses on me scanning me from head to toe. “What the fuck are you wearing? Wereyoukidnapped?”
I slide my hand over the garland and then down over the ‘package’. “Seriously? You know very well that I wouldbegto wear this sweater. And don’t worry, we’ve got Christmas sweaters, Christmas music, and Christmas cookies all the way to Des Moines.”
He sighs. “You got in someone’s camper just because they offered you cookies?”
“Uh, yeah.”
