Page 115 of Touch in the Dark

And just like that, everything is back to normal.

Epilogue

“Make sure you don’t crush those,” Doris tells Nick after he’s helped her into the car and taken her bags for the trunk. “They have Ida’s cookies in there.”

“I’ll be careful,” he promises as he helps Doris put on her seatbelt. “Although I blame those cookies for this,” he nods at her broken arm.

“Hush that noise, Nicky.”

He rolls his eyes, Brooke and I laugh from the back seat.

“Hi Brooke,” Doris waves at our other passenger.

“What’s up, Doris,” she smiles. “Looking beautiful as ever.”

“One of the nurses set my hair,” Doris smiles, fluffing her white curls. “Elsa, so lovely to see you again. My, doesn’t your hair look pretty too.”

“Thank you,” I smile. I’ve done a fishtail braid down one side of my head, mostly to keep it off my face. “The nurse did an amazing job on you,” I say.

Doris reaches over and gives my hand a squeeze in thanks, she winks as Nick slams the trunk. “He’s happy. I’ve not seen that sparkle in his eyes for a while. I think that’s your doing, dear.”

“She’s definitely doing something,” Brooke comments.

“Hah, good one,” Doris chuckles. “So long as he’s doing it back.”

“Doris, I want to be you when I grow up,” Brooke smirks.

“Don’t wish your life away honey. You’ve got a long ways to go to have me beat.”

Nick gets back in and looks around at us, my cheeks are slightly flushed. I never expected Nick’s grandma to be happy he’s getting some action. He narrows his eyes at Brooke but she just shrugs. To be fair, it was Doris who started it.

She tells us story’s about the residents at the place where she is staying that have us all chuckling. It isn’t far from there to Sandy’s place in DUMBO. We’ve been guessing what they have planned. Not even using the sympathy card, could get Jordan to spill the beans.

Everyone stood by Nick’s decision not to speak to his father. As far as we are all concerned, that topic is closed. He does have to sit down with Bianca to figure out how to keep the whole thing confidential, but said it can wait till after the holidays. They need to be prepared if anything comes from this. I doubt it will, Derrick fully understood, both from what Nick and I said to him, that things may never go the way he wants.

With everyone doing their own thing tomorrow, gift giving is happening tonight. Nick and I are going to Adam and Jenna’s place tomorrow. I’ll see Archer in the morning because I’ll be at Nick’s, and Jordan is only across the hallway from Adam. Even doing their own thing, they’ll still all see one another.

The car is fully loaded with gifts. When we arrive at Sandy’s building, I offer to help get Doris upstairs while Brooke and Nick grab all the bags.

“Jeez, what a large elevator this is,” Doris says, stepping inside what could easily fit a car. Sandy lives in one of the huge industrial lofts in the arts district, under the Brooklyn Bridge. They used to be warehouses years ago, so everything is like quadruple the size of normal apartments. The original front door frames are wide enough to drive a truck through, right off the cobbled street.

It’s an old-fashioned loft elevator too, so I have to pull the sliding inner doors closed before the outer ones work. When we arrive on Sandy’s floor, before we even get the doors open, we hear Christmas music. I exchange a look with Doris, she lets out a little gasp of delight as we walk out into what can only be described as a winter wonderland scene. For a second, I wonder if it is real snow piled up right across the hallway leading to Sandy’s door. I quickly pull the doors to the elevator shut so Nick and Brooke can get it downstairs, before turning back to look.

Fortunately, Sandy’s is the only loft on this floor, so their insane decorating is not disturbing anyone. A path has been carved from the elevator to the front door in the ‘snow’ and there is a snow shovel propped against a wall next to a huge Christmas tree and a mechanical reindeer, it’s head swivelling as its red nose flashes. There are twinkling lights everywhere and the music is coming from a speaker up on the wall.

I prod the snow and realise its soft and fluffy, but it looks so real. Once I know it’s safe for Doris we walk towards the door. There are huge black boots and a red Santa sack by the door.

“Does Santa live here?” Doris asks with a big smile.

I have visions of Jordan dressed up and tell Doris it’s a possibility. I ring the doorbell, and a bell chime version of Deck the Halls starts playing inside.

A little Elf greets us. “Doris!” Sandy holds out her arms.

I stifle a laugh at Jenna’s mom, dressed entirely in green and red, with a pointy hat, curling toed slippers and her face painted with rosy cheeks and a red nose of her own. “Come in, come in. Merry Christmas. Elsa, honey you look like a little Christmas treat, I could just eat you up,” Sandy grabs and hugs me, eyeing my shimmery red halter top and black leather pants.

Nick about combusted when he saw my outfit, but it’s a party, I’m making an effort.

The elevator doors open behind us and we hear Nick exclaim.

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