Christmas Snow Read online

  “I’d like to be done with it tonight so I can enjoy the rest of my vacation,” Brianna said as she put on her boots, gloves, and scarf. "A day early is at least one day of vacation gained.”

  “I’ll go with you,” Laura said. “I’m kind of enjoying the walk. Maybe I’ll make a New Year’s resolution that I can stick to this time.”

  Elise along with Kristen and Julie also added their goodbyes then dressed for the cold walk home. The sky had darkened enough that the streetlights were on and all the Christmas decorations gave off a cheery glow. Walking was much easier since the sidewalks were completely cleared although the streets were not, and driving did seem to be a bit tricky for those who were venturing homeward. When they reached their house, they found not only their sidewalks cleared but also the driveway and Kristen’s car as well.

  “Would you look at that!” Kristen called to the others. “I was dreading getting my car uncovered plus shoveling this whole drive. I think we should have given Mom and Dad a snowblower.” She laughed then hurried up the drive to check out her car. “Which one of our neighbors do you suppose did this?” she asked, looking around at the nearby houses.

  Each of them took a turn at guessing as they stomped their feet on the front porch before entering. Elise had a fleeting thought about who might have done it, but he certainly had gone out of his way. Surely, Brett wouldn’t have brought the snowblower across two blocks just to take care of their drive. Although, she did believe he would have easily done such a thing, years ago. He’d always had a kind heart in spite of his penchant for pranks.

  “Well, it couldn’t have been Ron,” Laura said, pushing open the front door. “He stayed right there with us the whole time. Besides, he wouldn't push that thing over here when one of the neighbor kids would do it for a few dollars.”

  “You’re right,” Kristen said. “And when whoever-it-was shows up tomorrow I’ll happily pay him and give him a tip too.”

  Elise grinned at the idea of Kristen paying Brett. Now that would be funny, she thought. But most likely Laura was right when she said it was a neighbor boy.

  “I think someone was repaying us for our caroling,” Julie announced as she followed the others into the house. “I mean, we were pretty good.” They all groaned in disagreement.

  Kristen replied, “Not that good. It’s a whole driveway of several inches of snow, not just a sidewalk.”

  "Whatever," Brianna said as she hurried upstairs and called out to everyone over her shoulder. “Hold off with any movies at least until I get this paper done and sent in. It won’t take me too long.”

  “Sure. We can do that,” Elise said, then turned to the others. “I don’t know about you but I’m ready for a short nap and this recliner will do just fine.”

  Everyone agreed about a nap and selected their favorite lounging spot, but nobody slept. The room darkened as the sky thickened with more snow clouds and in response to that, Julie got up from her nest of pillows on the floor to flip the tree lights on.

  “Nice,” Elise said. The last few days had been mostly a lot of fun with only a few moments that were awkward, even uncomfortable at times. But overall, the trip home had been worth it just to spend time in their old house and hang out like they had when they were kids.

  “I’ll bet the pizza place is open,” Julie said as she sat up and leaned against the edge of the sofa. “The drive is clear and so is your car.” She looked at Kristen expectantly.

  “That’s true. Hmmm.” Kristen tapped her chin as though considering.

  “Just say yes and get it over with,” Laura said.

  Julie hopped to her feet. “I’ll get my coat and go along with you.”

  “Sure, why not. Great way to end a perfect Christmas day. If it’s open.” She frowned and pulled out her phone. Within a few minutes, the call went through and the order was made, but no deliveries.

  “Small town America, gotta love it,” Kristen said as they bundled up and left.

  After the door closed, Brianna came down the large stairway at a slow pace, looking tired but relieved.

  “Did someone say pizza?” she asked. When Laura nodded Brianna replied, “Perfect.”

  The three of them sat in silence, staring at the colored lights on the tree.

  “How’s the paper going for you?” Elise asked.

  “Done.” She stretched out on the couch and let out a long sigh. “I’m in the process of separating myself from it, refusing to think and rethink about what I just did.” She stared at the ceiling. “Pizza will help. And a movie.”

  “I think everyone will agree that you should be the one to choose the movie tonight,” Elise said. “So, take your pick.”

  “I can’t even think, let alone choose.” She continued to stare almost vacantly at the ceiling.

  When the front door opened the spicy scent of pizza along with a burst of cold air filled the room. Kristen flipped turned on the living room lights while she balanced two boxes.

  "How about a little light in here?" Julie said, carrying several bottles of soda. “I don't think there are any other stores open on Main Street. Plenty of Christmas lights but no sign of business tonight, not that we went looking for any.”

  “And the roads?” Laura asked.

  “Passable. Barely,” Kristen responded with a shiver. “I thought we were going to have to push.”

  Brianna rose from the couch. “Smells heavenly. Can we just put the boxes right here on the coffee table?”

  “Absolutely,” Kristen said. “So, you’re all finished with that wretched paper?” she asked.

  “I’m ecstatic. Doesn’t it show?” Brianna gave them all an artificial expression that made them all groan.

  When the paper plates and soft drinks were passed around, Laura took the remote and skimmed through the available movies, stopping when everyone spoke up in favor.

  “Good choice,” she said. “This one should keep us laughing all night.”

  Elise joined the rest sitting on the floor around the table in anticipation of a fun evening. At one point Brianna called for an intermission so she could change into comfy pajamas and Julie dashed up the stairs behind her. Later, when the pizza was mostly gone and the movie half over, the front doorbell rang. They all glanced at each other in surprise.

  “I’ll bet it’s the mystery neighbor kid,” Kristen said with a wide grin as she jumped up from her seat. “I’ll find my purse. Someone get the door.”

  “We’ll all pitch in for this,” Elise told her as she went to the door. But when she flipped on the porch light, the person visible through the opaque leaded glass door was a tall man, definitely not a kid. In spite of his layers of warm winter clothing, he looked very familiar and when she opened the door she wasn’t at all surprised to find Brett standing there.

  “Hi,” Elise said, wishing she could bring her roller coaster emotions under control.

  “Would you mind going for a walk with me?” He pushed his hands deep into his pockets and stared at her with what looked like an uncomfortable but determined smile. “It’s a nice night for a walk.”

  “Uh, sure, I guess so. Come in.” Elise retrieved her hat, coat, and boots while the curious stares of her sisters followed her every movement. Not one of them said a word. The paused movie waited in midsentence which echoed the frozen moment of the girls seated around the coffee table. When she finished fumbling her way through buttoning, tying, and slipping into the boots, she turned and gave them a simple little wave before going out the door ahead of Brett. After he closed the door behind them, they stood on the top step and looked out over the snow covered yard. The still air sparkled around them as light snow fell, almost as though the frost had been loosened from tree branches and set free. She felt entirely unprepared for whatever was about to happen. Instinctively, her guard crept up as she took a quiet deep breath.

  Chapter Nine

  Brett stood beside her, not even seeing what lay ahead of him, and he felt that both figuratively as well as literally. Eve
n so, standing around on the front porch wasn’t what he had in mind.

  “Ready?” he asked. When she nodded, he took the initiative and led the way down the steps to the sidewalk with no particular destination in mind. After all, he told himself, this was just a simple, uncomplicated walk on a snowy night.

  After several minutes of silence, he said, “Nice evening if you like snow.”

  She smiled. “I do. It’s magical.”

  “I remember that,” he said with a smile. “It is pretty, even at night.”

  “The streetlights make it sparkle almost as much as the sun does. That’s part of the magic.”

  “Hmmm. I see. Never thought of that,” he replied.

  After another long stretch of silence, he ventured into another topic. “So, you’re working in a library now? I heard you mention something about it at the dinner table yesterday.”

  “Yes. I love books and people so it’s a good fit for me.” She gave him a sideways glance as though surprised he didn’t remember she’d specifically gone to college for a degree in library science. He did remember, but he hadn’t been around when she’d graduated, and he hadn’t tried to keep up with her or her family. If he could make amends for that, he would. At least he’d try.

  “And you?” she asked.

  “No. No libraries for me.” He raised both hands.

  Caught off guard, she laughed. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

  “Sorry. I couldn’t resist.” They smiled comfortably at each other and he felt some reassurance that things might go okay after all.

  “So?” she asked, giving him an expectant look.

  “Well, I work for a large marketing firm. Keeps me busy and on the go, which is partly why I bungled this vacation. I was trying to combine two trips into one and never even thought about checking with my folks first.”

  “Same here. Almost.” She adjusted the scarf closer around her neck. “But even though it didn’t work out exactly as I’d hoped, it’s always great to come home to be with my siblings and nephews. I’m just glad I didn’t decide to drive here.” She extended a hand to include the snowy surroundings into her reasoning.

  He stopped beneath a lamppost and stared at her. “You don’t live at home with your sisters? I guess I just assumed you did.”

  “No. I moved away after graduation.” They resumed their walk, heading toward the crosswalk that led toward the main thoroughfare in town.

  “So, when did you fly in?” he asked, truly interested.

  “A couple of days before Christmas. My vacation was already set by the time Mom and Dad called to say they’d have to extend their time away from home. And I couldn’t change mine by then, not that I would have anyway.”

  “And your boss wouldn’t give you a break?”

  “I am the boss,” she replied, giving him a sarcastic smile. “Of course, the board has the ultimate say on a lot of things.”

  “I apologize. That didn’t come out right at all.” He was making a mess of things and he hadn’t even gotten started yet.

  “No need to apologize.” She shrugged, seeming to brush his remark aside.

  They reached the corner, looked both ways and crossed. Main Street was lit up and surprisingly busy even though only a few small shops were open, specifically the café and the pizza place.

  “There’s something special about a small town, don’t you think?” she asked as they passed storefronts where tiny white lights added emphasis to the window displays of elves, Santa, and reindeer.

  “A little more magic maybe?” he joked keeping his tone light.

  “I think so. I remember when we were kids it sure worked magic on all of us.”

  “It did.” He nodded. “I fell for it every time and made lists that I put in every conspicuous place I could think of just so my mom would find them. It seemed so important for her to know how bad I wanted a particular toy.” He laughed shaking his head.

  “I’m sure all kids do that, even now. I dropped little hints here and there.”

  “Hints? I think I made a nuisance of myself.”

  “Mom’s don’t think like that. They know your heart and want you to be happy.”

  He nodded in agreement. “Thank goodness.”

  They walked in silence till they reached a little shed type building on the town square. He figured the tiny building must have been used to meet Santa Claus and have a picture taken with him. Now there were two warmly dressed elves selling hot chocolate and steaming coffee.

  “Why not give them a try,” he said as he stepped close to the counter. When she smiled he asked for two hot chocolates with plenty of whipped cream. The fellow tucked a candy cane into each of their drinks before setting them down while Brett fished out some money and paid them, plus a nice tip. His Scrooge feelings had begun to disappear.

  “Merry Christmas,” he told them.

  “And Happy New Year to both of you,” replied one of the fellows.

  “Mmmm. Smells wonderful and chocolatey,” Elise said as she wrapped her gloved hands around the sturdy paper cup. “The heat feels terrific.”

  “Want to sit over there by the gazebo?” he asked her.

  “It might be easier than walking and drinking this while it’s so hot,” she replied as she followed him along the cleared sidewalk. “They always do such a nice job with the decorating. It looks like a postcard.”

  There were evergreen branches around the railings with strings of little white light woven through them and down the length of the posts. Bright red bows were placed above the openings while Christmas music echoed from the speakers under the roof.

  He hadn’t thought about it until now, but she was right it did look like a postcard. Normally he paid no attention to anything that wasn’t associated with his work, certainly not pretty postcard things.

  They chose a bench close to the gazebo that had already been dusted, with her leaving a lot of space between them.

  “If you want to sit closer for a little extra body heat, I promise I won’t bite,” he said, hoping he sounded more honest than he felt.

  “That’s okay. I’m plenty warm. And I know you won’t bite me.” The tilt of her head, as well as her smile, told him that he’d better not, which made him laugh out loud.

  They sat listening to the music and sipped their cups.

  “Thank you for the hot cocoa. It’s really very good.” She stirred the candy cane through whipped cream.

  An inner warmth spread outward and he knew it had nothing to do with the hot drink. How had he convinced himself to walk away from her, believing there was more that he wanted or thought that he needed? He still had no idea how to approach the subject on his mind but sitting on a frozen bench for much longer was a bad idea.

  “Maybe we better start walking to keep our feet warm.” He sloshed the remainder in his cup. “There’s not much left to spill now.”

  “Good idea. My feet are starting to get cold,” she replied, standing up. “But my hands are warm.”

  They walked back in the direction of home, crossing the street to view the storefronts. Along the way they pitched their empty cups into the trash cans, remarking casually about their surroundings and avoiding anything remotely serious. After they left the bright streetlights in the main shopping area and retraced their steps down the side streets, Brett stopped beneath a light pole. He turned toward her so he could see her face clearly. At this point, he decided the old saying about nothing ventured nothing gained was right on target.

  “Remember when we were in grade school and I called you Olive Oil?”

  “Yes.” She frowned at him and said, “I never looked like her. My hair is blond for one thing.”

  “I know but you were tall and skinny, taller than most of the other girls in your class and you had a turned-up nose.”

  “I did not! There’s nothing wrong with my nose.” She instinctively cupped her hand over it.

  “I know,” he said, studying her face. “It’s a cute nose.”


  “Who even remembers Olive Oil these days?” she asked, lowering her hand.

  “I want to apologize. I never meant it and I shouldn’t have said it.” He intended that his words would be a step toward apologizing for their breakup, a sort of testing of the waters so he’d know whether he should jump in or not, and it wasn’t lost on her. He knew because he saw it resonate in her eyes.

  As if a snow globe had been turned upside down, large oversized snowflakes fell around them, and if he’d had any way of observing them individually he was sure he would see the intricate designs on each one. But the sudden heated flush on her face caused them to melt immediately and he was sure the same was true for himself.

  “That was a long time ago.” Her answer was spoken clearly, yet it skirted the deeper meaning of what he’d hoped to hear, that everything would still be okay between them.

  He wished he could explain his reasons for their breakup, but the truth was he couldn’t soften the words enough. No matter how he expressed them, they were still harsh sounding and selfish. Back then, his intention had been to graduate, leave their small town and make something of himself. That inner goal was a driving force that dug itself in, telling him to set aside everything else, even Elise. But instead of explaining his thoughts and feelings to her, he had simply avoided a discussion and walked away. Since then, he’d achieved his goal of making something of himself in a large corporation, but his life was empty and without purpose. He’d mistakenly believed he could do all of that without her and his life would still have meaning, but the events of this lonely Christmas homecoming brought it all into perspective for him. There had been other lonely Christmases but he’d overcome that inner loneliness by working longer hours. In the last few days, he’d come to realize he’d been wrong from the get-go and needed to make a turnaround. His only option was to tell her with all honesty how he'd felt after these years of being apart. He searched for the word that said it all. Unhappy didn’t begin to cover it, misery came a lot closer.

  “For a long time, I’ve lived with this regret.” He placed his fist against his midsection to indicate the pain he felt there. An emptiness that could be filled by nothing, or so he’d thought until he saw Elise standing in the doorway at Ron's house.