Page 5 of The Christmas Lodge
Emma’s lips turned down and she began buttering her waffle, moving with an exhausted slowness. “Oh, don’t mind me, dear. I have been thinking about the past.” She mustered up a smile that didn’t reach her tired eyes. “Old women like me have plenty of time to reminisce.”
Colette poured some syrup on her own waffle, waiting for Emma to continue. When Emma lifted her fork to take a bite of her syrup-less waffle, Colette knew something was really wrong. She reached out and gently lowered Emma’s hand, pushing the bottle of maple syrup toward the older woman, who blinked a little. When Emma made no move toward it, Colette poured the syrup for her.
“Have you been thinking about anything specific?” Colette asked. “In all this reminiscing?”
Emma took a thoughtful bite, once more staring out the window. In the spring it was a riot of colorful flowers and lovely garden beds that Colette helped Emma maintain, but for now it was white as far as the eye could see with mounds of powdery snow.
“I am happy with my life,” Emma said suddenly. “I am, truly.”
Colette waited, knowing that if she stayed quiet, Emma would likely tell her more in her own time. A moment later, her patience was rewarded.
“My life has been a quiet one, as you know very well. I never married, but I did find love.” Emma reached out and patted Colette’s hand. “I never had any children to keep me company in my old age, but I was fortunate enough to meet you, dear. You’ve become like a daughter to me.”
Colette smiled, her heart swelling with love. “I’m grateful for our relationship too. You mean the world to me.”
Emma patted her hand again, returning her smile. Just then, the sound of bells jingling caught their attention and they looked out the window to see Derek on his sled, pulled by his team of dogs, sliding to a stop in the backyard. Emma perked up at the sight of him, the way she always did, and waved at him through the window. Derek waved back and his dogs jumped and yipped in the fresh morning air. Derek made it a habit to drive the team through the backyard whenever he was close by so that Emma could have a look at the team from her window, and the older lady always looked forward to his visits. Emma gave him another wave and blew him a kiss.
Colette jumped to her feet and raced into the mudroom, stuffing her feet into her boots. Not bothering with a coat, she raced out the back door, wrapping her arms around herself for some warmth. Derek was her cousin, and he was a big part of the reason she had chosen Snowy Pine Ridge when she’d left Burlington for good after high school.
“Derek!” she called, waving to get his attention.
Derek hopped off the sled and walked to her. “It’s freezing out here, Col! You’re crazy to come out here without a coat.”
“I know,” Colette replied with a shiver. The bitter wind stung her cheeks and whipped her hair into her eyes. “Can you come in for a second? I want to talk to you, and I’m sure Emma would love to see you too.”
“I can’t right now. I was out for a quick morning ride, but I’m headed back to the shop to give some lessons. I’ll come by for a proper visit later when I don’t have the team with me.”
Colette bit her lip, wondering if she was overreacting to Emma’s depressed mood.
“What’s wrong? Is Emma okay?”
“That’s the thing—I don’t know. She’s been very… contemplative… this morning. Maybe not sad exactly? More nostalgic?”
Derek grinned at her. “I’m sure it’s fine. We all have days when we’re lost in our thoughts a little bit. It’s nothing to worry about.”
“I hope so…”
Derek headed back to his team, throwing a cheerful grin over his shoulder to her. “Seriously, don’t worry, Colette! I’ll be back to see Emma as soon as I can, okay?”
Colette nodded, mustering up a smile. By now she was trembling continually from the cold.
Derek hopped onto the sled and gave Emma one more wave before turning back to Colette. “Col, I’m sure she’s okay,” he said, then gave her a scolding look. “Now, get back inside before you freeze to death.”
Colette took his advice, hurrying back into the house. As she shut the back door behind her and took in a breath of the warm air from the kitchen, Colette glanced back at Emma, who was once more staring listlessly out the window.
I hope Derek is right, she thought, worry filling her again.I really hope he’s right.
CHAPTERFOUR
“Keep the change,” Lacy told the cab driver, handing him some cash. “I don’t need any help with my bags.”
She’d had to take a taxi from a town nearly forty minutes away. Apparently her late grandfather’s tiny town was a good distance from the nearest airport, and the cab fare was staggeringly high.
This whole thing better be worth it, she thought, feeling grumpy.
She generally didn’t mind flying, but in snagging a last-minute flight she’d had to fly economy and the man sitting beside her had hogged the armrest and tried to hit on her multiple times, despite the fact that she’d opened a novel and turned herself away from him as much as possible. She also hadn’t eaten much, aside from the packet of pretzels on the plane, and her stomach was protesting angrily by now.
The driver thanked her, pocketing the money and waiting while she climbed out of the cab, her carry-on suitcase and purse in tow. A light snow was drifting down in the dimming light of the sunset.
