by Nancy Naigle
Allie nodded. “It is.”
“We’re a good team.” He liked the way her eyes twinkled.
“We are,” she said.
Barbara carried two boxes of ornaments, and Zoe tagged along, carrying homemade strands of cranberries and popcorn. “More to come,” Barbara said as they put everything on the coffee table.
“Thanks,” Allie said, picking up a strand of popcorn garland. “So how’s that ‘stay as far away from Christmas as possible’ strategy working for you?”
“Really well. Clearly,” he said with a chuckle. He grabbed the other end of the popcorn garland and helped Allie drape it around the center of the tree. “I’ll tell you. There’s something about this place that makes it tough to resist the Christmas spirit.”
“Evergreen will do that to you. I decorated my place this year. And I’m not even going to be here.” She dropped the garland to her waist and turned her attention back to Ryan. “Oh. Actually it’s a good thing I did.”
“What do you mean?”
“It turns out I don’t think I’m going to DC for Christmas this year.”
“Why not?”
Allie gathered another strand of garland. This one made of paper loops. “It’s complicated.”
“Hmm.” That sounded serious.
“A boy,” she said, blushing slightly.
Ryan felt more disappointed than he’d expected, although he’d been wondering. “Oh.” He tried to play it off.
Allie laughed. “Spencer. Two years of long distance and a relationship that just couldn’t handle the distance part, but we were going to spend this Christmas together and just sort of see if there was something there…”
“No. I get it,” he said. “Sarah and I were long distance when we started. I was in Boston, and she was in this little town in Ohio.”
“And that worked out well though, right?”
“Yes. I guess we just knew we’d wind up together, so it helped us get through it.”
He wondered what she was thinking right now.
“I actually considered going there and becoming a small town doctor.” He looked at Zoe. She seemed to like that idea. “Now, I kind of wish I had. My job doesn’t allow the kind of time I’d like to spend with Zoe. Which is hard.”
Why am I telling her all of this? He’d never shared this much with anyone since Sarah died. There was something so easy about being with Allie, and somehow sharing this with her made him feel like he wasn’t alone anymore.
“Don’t tell Mayor Ezra that.” She eyed him playfully. “He’ll open up an office for you in Town Hall.”
“Doc Bellamy. It’s got a good ring.”
“Yeah. It does.” She waved a hand in the air. “Dr. B. The doctor is in.”
He could imagine living here. Him treating the townsfolk, and her taking care of their pets. “I gotta say. This is the last place I thought I’d find myself three days before Christmas.” With someone like you. Laughing, and having fun.
“Same here.”
“But…I guess it’s not so bad.” He handed her a piece of popcorn that had fallen from the garland.
“No.” She shook her head. She held his gaze, her bright blue eyes wide, giving him her full attention. Her voice held more than just the words. “Not bad at all.”
At that moment, he felt more alive than he had all year.
“You guys ready?” Barbara and Zoe carried two more boxes into the room. “Here are the ornaments.”
“Come on,” said Zoe. “Let’s decorate the tree.”
“Yes. Let’s.” Barbara hung the first ornament: a shiny red beaded box with a ribbon made of golden rings on top. Zoe placed a golden pinecone next, and then they all chipped in to adorn the tree. Ryan, Barbara, and Zoe hung ornaments, and Allie started tucking big silk poinsettias between the branches. It made the tree look so fancy. Like one of those department store trees. They were done before the fire even needed stoking again.
Zoe beamed as brightly as the lights on the tree. “This is, like…the best tree ever.”
“I agree,” Barbara said. “I bet the one at the festival won’t be anywhere near as nice.”
“We’ll see when we go to the barn later tonight.” Allie sat on the floor at the coffee table, straightening the angel’s dress. The flaxen-haired figure was dressed in all white. Her wings were made of soft fluffy feathers, and delicate beads, pearls and crystals shimmered on her long gown. Her hands were hidden in a furry muff, protected from the Vermont winter night.
Zoe sat down next to her. “Is there a Christmas festival where you’re moving, Allie?”
“I think there is, but it’s nothing like this one in Evergreen.”
“Then why would you want to move there?”
Ryan loved the innocence of Zoe’s remarks.
Allie glanced his way. “Well, I’ve lived here my whole life and it’s a wonderful place, it really is, but there’s a whole big world out there. I want to see it. I’m ready for a change. My grandpa used to say, the further away you get from where you started, the closer you get to where you belong.”
Lines creased in Zoe’s forehead. “But what if you belong here?”
Ryan watched Allie. She didn’t have a response to that.
“Okay, I think we are ready for the angel,” Barbara said. “Who wants to do the honors?”
“Me, please!” Zoe threw her hand in the air. Allie handed her the pretty angel tree topper.
“Go for it, Zoe.” Barbara stepped back to watch.
“Here we go!” Ryan lifted her up and balanced her on his shoulders. Zoe reached forward, stretching to reach the tallest branch. She set the angel on top.
It was perfect. Mere inches from the ceiling. Ryan set Zoe back down.
Barbara walked back over to the light switch. “Everybody ready?” With a flip of the switch, the lights in the room went dark.
“Drum roll.” Allie started patting her thighs with her hands, and Zoe and Ryan joined in. Barbara plugged the tree lights back in, and they all cheered at the glorious sight.
Ryan hugged Zoe. This was more than he could have ever hoped for her tonight.
Allie and Barbara hugged, then Barbara fussed with a few of the lights to get it just right.
“You all have been such a Christmas blessing to me,” Barbara said. “Thank you. I have a wonderful pot roast ready. Allie, won’t you stay and have dinner with us?”
“I’d love to.”
Zoe did the honors of saying grace, and following the amen, they all dug right into the warm meal, then helped Barbara clear the dishes.
“I’m going to head over to the barn and see how I can help with the festival. Anyone else up to going?” Allie looked hopeful.
“I’m in,” Ryan said.
“Me too.” Zoe put the last of the dishes on the counter. “I hope we get to decorate another tree. That was fun.”
Chapter Sixteen
Allie drove Ryan and Zoe over to Henry’s barn to see how they could help out with getting ready for the Christmas Festival tonight. The place buzzed with activity. Townsfolk were setting up tents outside of the barn, and through the open barn doors they could see booths and a stage inside.
“It looks so different,” Zoe said.
A wreath that had to be every bit of seven feet tall had been propped up on bales of straw to the left of the tall sliding barn doors, and strands of white bulbs ran from the hay door at the top of the barn all the way to the outbuilding across the dirt lane. There was an aura of joy there tonight.
All the greenery against the shiny red building looked perfectly Christmas-y. Inside the barn, someone had dropped lengths of shiny fabric from the rafters, with extra-large ball and star ornaments dangling from them. It was beautiful, and they weren’t eve
n nearly done yet.
Allie, Ryan, and Zoe walked up as the children’s choir started to rehearse “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” inside the barn. Hannah stood in front of eleven youngsters on the makeshift stage. The kids ranged in age from seven to fifteen. Hannah led them in song like a real choir conductor, her arms carving the air, her hand closing as if pulling taffy, leading the children in perfect harmony and a high-energy celebration of the season.
Along one side of the barn there was a hot cocoa and eggnog booth, and a Pin the Nose on the Reindeer station filled the space next to that. Allie’s mom stacked cute polar bears wearing red-and-green scarves in the prize shack. Kids would go crazy to win one of those. Dads had better have been practicing their throwing skills.
Old barrels served as tables for guests to nosh and mingle, and small Christmas trees were sitting on big wrapped presents that helped divide the space by themes. Food. Crafts. Games. Entertainment.
“Whoaaaa.” Zoe tipped her chin to the ceiling, turning around trying to take it all in.
“Look at all this,” Allie said. Even though she’d run this festival for years, she was impressed with all the town had accomplished. Henry’s barn was the perfect setting for this year’s festival.
“Wow,” was all Ryan could say.
Allie applauded as Hannah gave the final cue for the choir to finish on the last note. As Hannah high-fived each of her singers, Zoe turned to her dad. “Hey, Dad? Can I be in the choir?”
“That’s for the festival, kiddo. We’re not going to be here, remember?” He squeezed her shoulder.
A pout settled on Zoe’s face as she turned away.
“Zoe!” Carol called from over at the cocoa booth. “Merry Christmas.” She held a large Christmas bear, clapping his paws.
Zoe ran over to Carol, and Ryan followed. Allie noticed Michelle zipping across the barn wearing a pretty white sweater and red scarf. She couldn’t wait to tell her how great a job she was doing, but then she noticed Ezra was nipping at Michelle’s heels, complaining about where the craft booths should be. Michelle was probably about ready to lock Ezra in one of those booths and throw away the key.
Allie couldn’t help but eavesdrop.
Michelle threw her hands in the air. “Ezra! You are making me crazy. I am in charge of the festival. Me, not you.”
“The festival is an important part of the town and I am the mayor of the town,” Ezra said pointing to himself. “Me, not you.”
Michelle grimaced. “Your daddy retired, and nobody else wanted the job.”
Allie cringed. That was a low blow.
Ezra shrugged it off. “A win is still a win.”
“Ezra, I’ve got this under control. Okay? There are no problems.” Her phone rang. With a huff, she answered it. “Hello? Right. Okay. Got it.” She disconnected the call and all of her bravado was gone. She suddenly looked like one of those big yard inflatables that had lost power. “Okay, now we’ve got a problem,” Michelle shouted.
“I knew it!” Ezra propped his hands on his hips.
Allie couldn’t stand by listening to this. “Wait. What? What’s the problem?”
“We’re not going to have any food for the festival.” Michelle swept at her bangs.
“What?” Ezra’s eyes bugged.
“Mrs. Wallace and the ladies from the church are usually in charge of the feast and the cookies, but they went to Montpelier yesterday for a book club and now…”
Carol finished the sentence. “Now they can’t get back because the road is closed.”
“Right. And even if it got fixed tomorrow, they’re not going to have enough time to prepare everything we need.” Michelle’s hands balled into fists.
“There’s got to be something we can do.” Allie glanced around the room, hoping for a solution. “Hold on a second. I got an idea.” She walked to the center of the barn and stood on a stack of hay bales. She cupped her hands around her mouth. “Excuse me, everyone. May I have your attention please?” She raised her hand high in the air hoping others would follow. “Raise your hand if you like to bake.”
People started raising their hands. First just a couple, then several.
“Great,” Allie said, relieved. “Anyone else?”
Just about everyone had a hand in the air.
Allie sighed with relief. “Great. We need your help. If we all bake something, we will have plenty of food for the festival. Can everyone help?”
Heads were nodding.
“Mom, can you get a list of what people are making? Anything goes, but we will need a couple of specific things, like fruitcake, and frosted sugar cookies. What’s a festival without those?”
Carol grabbed a tablet from one of the booths, and people lined up around her.
“If everyone can have the baked goods here by one o’clock Christmas Eve, we’ll be in good shape,” Allie said.
Carol chimed in. “If it’s easier to drop them off at Chris Kringle Kitchen, we will store them for you and deliver them here.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
Michelle walked over to Allie. “I don’t know why I thought I could do this without you. You’ve saved the day.”
“That’s not true. You’d have come up with the same idea.” She hugged her. “Quit worrying. We have a plan in place now and it will be fine.”
“You’re the best.”
“Don’t thank me yet.” She turned to Zoe and Ryan. “Are you ready to get back to my house and start baking?”
“Sure!” Zoe bounced with delight.
“We’re out of here,” Allie said to Michelle.
In the truck, Allie knew she was low on baking supplies since she’d been planning to be out of town for the holidays. “I’m going to have to stop at the store for a few things. I thought we’d do frosted sugar cookies. What do you think?”
“Yes,” Zoe said with a fist pump. “Do you have cookie cutters?”
“Of course I do!”
“Why doesn’t that surprise me,” Ryan said. “And probably in a labeled box.”
“Hmm. Don’t judge me.”
“Oh, I’m not judging. I’m impressed.”
“Well, thank you.” She straightened behind the wheel. When they got to the grocery store, she left the truck running. “I’ll be just a minute. I know exactly what we need. Does anyone have any special requests?”
“Nope.”
She ran across the parking lot and in record time came out carrying three plastic shopping bags. She piled them in Zoe’s lap. “Ready?”
“I’m so ready to bake, and taste test, Christmas cookies.” Zoe peeked in the top of the bags.
Allie drove them to her house, backed into her driveway, and led the way up the steps of her front porch.
Zoe went inside first. “I love your house, Allie. And all the decorations are so pretty.”
“Thank you.”
Ryan started unloading the grocery bags. “Did you forget the cookie mix?”
“No, silly. Sugar cookies are easy to make from scratch.”
“Uh-oh.” He pursed his lips, making a face causing Zoe to giggle.
“Dad’s not that good of a cook.” Zoe put her hand on his back. “It’s okay, Dad. You try hard.”
Their easy relationship warmed Allie’s heart. “Well, there you go.” Allie was glad Zoe was getting the chance to do some baking. It had always been Allie’s favorite thing to do over the holidays. “And we’ll help you, Ryan.”
Allie gathered aprons for everyone.
“Zoe, why don’t you get all the cookie cutters out? They are in a clear box on the second shelf from the bottom in the pantry. Ryan, I’m going to start the dough. Can you preheat the oven to 375 degrees?”
“On it.” He set the oven.
&
nbsp; “The cookie sheets are above the refrigerator. There’s a stool in the pantry.”
Ryan laughed. “I don’t think I’ll need the stool.”
“Oh. Yeah. Showoff.” She let Zoe crack the eggs and measure out the flour and sugar, and then Allie worked in the rest of the ingredients and piled the ball of dough into a corner of the big bowl.
“Can we play Christmas music?” Zoe asked.
“Sure. There’s a stereo over on that shelf.”
Allie tossed flour onto the kitchen counter and then rolled dough out onto it. “Ryan, you can roll out the dough.” She handed him a rolling pin. “Super easy. Long even strokes, and you want to keep it at about a quarter of an inch thick.”
Zoe rushed over with cookie cutters in hand.
They started an assembly line of sugar cookies. Allie making the dough. Ryan rolling it out, and getting pretty darn good at it, and Zoe punching out the shapes with the cookie cutters and placing them on the cookie sheets. They made lots of shapes. Candy canes, Christmas trees, stars, and wreaths.
When Zoe got ready to use the gingerbread shape, Ryan called her out. “Wait a second. You can’t make a sugar cookie gingerbread.”
The girls ganged up on him. “Says who?”
He tossed his hands in the air. “What was I thinking?”
Eight to ten minutes at a time they switched out baking sheets, carefully moving the hot cookies to the cooling racks.
“Are any of these cool enough to start decorating yet?” Zoe asked.
She loved being able to help Zoe. She’d always thought she’d have a little girl of her own, but a husband and a family just hadn’t happened for her yet. “Why don’t you try one? For quality assurance. You can test for taste and coolness.”
“Awesome.” Zoe picked out a star, biting one point off at a time. “These are so good. They don’t even need frosting.” She held her cookie up to her dad, and he took a bite.
He nodded. “These are great.”
“Glad you like them.” She turned back to Zoe. “Want to try to decorate a couple?”
