“I’m sure,” Emily reassured her mother. “I’ll be fine, but if there’s any issue, I’ll ring you. If there’s not, then I’ll walk down to meet you in the city afterwards.”
“It’s quite cold out,” Lydia said. “You don’t have to do that.”
“It’s not that far though,” Emily countered. “Besides, I want to. I’ve missed this place and it’s good to be back home.”
Lydia dropped Emily off outside the coffee shop, and then drove on.
Emily pulled her coat around herself tightly because it was cold outside, and entered the coffee shop. A bell chimed above the door, letting the staff know when people were coming or going, but it was hardly needed this time of year. The coffee shop was packed with shoppers enjoying their food and drinks, and talking amongst themselves. Many were relaxing before heading back out to brave the cold and crowds of Christmas shoppers.
There were no free tables, so far as Emily could see. She knew she should’ve asked her mother for a photograph of her brother—if she had one, but it was too late now. At least she had his phone number if she needed it.
Her eyes scanned the coffee shop for a table that had one man sitting alone. She found one, where a man was typing a message on his phone. As she started toward the table, she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around.
A man was standing behind her, and she wondered if it was him.
“Hi, are you Emily?” he asked, and she knew at once that she had the right person. This was him—her brother! He was soft spoken and looked much as her mother had described in what seemed the vaguest possible sense. He had dark hair and the same shade of hazel eyes she had. There were similarities beyond that including the shape of his face and the angle of his cheekbones.
Emily nodded. “Are you Jeremy?” she asked, a little caught off guard, despite expecting him here.
She felt like she didn’t have time to feel nervous now.
He nodded. “I am, yeah.”
“It’s good to finally meet you,” Emily said, smiling.
A customer with two young children wanted to pass, so their conversation was put on hold as they moved out of the way, until they could talk again.
“Do you want to get a table?” he suggested.
It was a good idea, but looking around, there weren’t any free.
“I think we might need to wait a while. This place is busy.”
“Why don’t we walk on then?” he suggested. “We could find somewhere else or just talk as we walk?”
Emily nodded, hesitating only for a moment. Some voice at the back of her mind whispered ‘what if he’s not your brother? He could be a stranger who just happens to know your brother’s name…’ but she didn’t believe that for a moment. She didn’t want to feel paranoid; she wanted to enjoy the fact she had a brother now!
“We can walk on,” she agreed. “There are some other cafes and restaurants over by the park.”
“So tell me about yourself,” Emily urged, wanting to make conversation and learn more about Jeremy. “Do you live in town?”
“Our parents didn’t really tell you all that much, did they?” There was a slight tone of disapproval in his voice.
Emily wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
“They told me some things, just not everything,” she replied.
He nodded at that. “I’m living in town right now but haven’t settled here permanently yet. I work for myself as a painter—houses, not canvases, and I decided to stay here for a while to get to know my family and the town.”
“I paint the canvases,” she said, when that resonated with her. “It must be interesting and quite a lot to take on board, learning so much about yourself and this place.”
“It was at first,” he said. “I’ve been living here for months, so I’m more used to it now.”
Emily nodded. The crowd had thinned out now, but they were continually passing people as they walked past shops all kitted out for Christmas.
“How are you finding things?” she asked, genuinely curious, but she didn’t want to show her lack of knowledge. She wondered if Jeremy knew that her parents had only told her about him when she arrived back from college.
“I like this town. It’s quaint, but full of good people. It’s been interesting getting to know our parents and Cathy. The only thing is that it seems like our parents don’t want to take any responsibility for giving me up. They’re willing to talk to me, and they’ve been welcoming at times, but they expect me to pick up from this point like the past never happened. I don’t know if I can do that.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. Maybe they’re finding it difficult in their own way? From what I understand, they were sixteen at the time and didn’t have a lot of choice,” Emily explained.
“They still had some choice. They could’ve left or gone to a shelter.”
“Things were different then. Not hugely different, but some, and at that age, they wouldn’t have had any money. The truth is, I don’t know all that they faced. I just know they’re trying now and they want things to work out well. They can’t change the past; your life took the direction it did, but it doesn’t mean they can’t get to know you better and have a relationship with you now. They really are very good parents.”
“They were to you,” he said and sighed softly.
“They can be to you as well, if you give them time enough and a chance,” Emily assured him. “Besides, you also have two sisters.”
“That I do,” he said, smiling back. “What about that coffee shop up ahead? It might have some tables.”
“Yeah, we can have a look in,” she agreed.
Once they’d ordered some hot drinks, they settled in at a table near the window. Emily had a hot chocolate with marshmallows. A Christmas carol played merrily at a low volume.
“Where were you living before?” Emily asked him.
“I was in Amesford for a while, then New York for five years, until the last year or two. I moved out to Texas where a friend of mine was living.”
“Wow, no wonder you find Myrton quaint. It’s like at the complete other end of the scale,” Emily replied.
“Yes, it is. You’ve been away too,” he said.
Emily nodded. “Just studying, for the most part. I thought I’d build more of a life there than I did, but it is what it is.”
“No boyfriends there?” he asked.
Emily quickly shook her head. “That’s not really me. I had a girlfriend here, but we broke up before I moved away to college.”
She glanced up at him, wondering what his reaction would be.
He seemed curious but not judgmental, and it seemed to her that his mood had grown more relaxed.
“That’s interesting. It so happens I have a boyfriend myself,” he said.
Emily didn’t see that coming. “Is he in town with you?” she asked.
Jeremy nodded. “He followed me here and he’s looking for work right now. I’ll be honest—I thought our parents were judging me because I’m gay.”
“They’re not like that,” Emily said. “They’ve been nothing but good to me and Danica, and treated her like a member of the family. In fact, they still do.”
“Then maybe I didn’t have an accurate measure of them,” Jeremy replied.
Emily studied him for a moment, and realised there was so much about Jeremy she didn’t know or understand, but talking to him now, a picture of who he was as a person began to take shape. She felt lucky that she hadn’t experienced much in the way of judgment, but she also knew she shouldn’t have to. People could be unpredictable and you never really knew what they were thinking. She wondered whether Jeremy had feared her judgment, and she quickly realised he might’ve done, just like in the back of her mind, she’d feared a little that he might judge her.
Emily was glad that he hadn’t. She wanted a brother, and to know what that bond felt like. It was something she never expected to know in her lifetime.
“I’ll never judge you,” Emily promised
him. “I think the most important thing is that you’re happy and true to yourself. That’s how I try to live, even if it isn’t always easy.”
Jeremy smiled at her, as though he was understanding her fully for the first time.
She realised that it might be what he needed—to have someone in this town who he could be sure accepted him, other than his boyfriend, of course.
The mood in the coffee shop was relaxed as Emily sipped at her hot chocolate and ate some of the dissolving marshmallows. She didn’t normally treat herself to these, but it was nice.
“I didn’t come back here last Christmas and it was a mistake. That’s why I was so set on coming back this year. I’m not sure it was the only mistake.”
“Oh?” he asked, not sure what she meant.
“I don’t know if I want to go back… to college, away from here. I feel like there’s nothing for me there. I mean there are my studies, which are important of course, but my heart’s here… in more ways than one.”
“It sounds like you’ve got a choice to make then,” he said.
“I think so too,” she agreed. “I haven’t talked to our parents or Cathy about it yet, and I want to see how things go while I’m here, but I’m not sure I can do this anymore. Not the art—that part is easy, but lately it’s felt like the only thing I have to sustain me. It shouldn’t be like that.”
“I don’t know you very well yet but I think you’re right. You’d probably find it a mistake to walk away from your studies though.”
She nodded and sighed. “Yeah.”
“Unless you found a college closer to Myrton,” he suggested.
“I could do that,” she said, smiling over her hot chocolate. “I’ll look into it, but not much is going to be happening this time of year. Everywhere will be closed for the holidays. I’m due back in January and I’ve already paid for my ticket.”
“I’m sure you could find some information on the internet.”
“You’re right, I could. I’m going to do that.”
It was so easy to fall into habits that weren’t necessarily what you wanted, especially with the weight of other people’s expectations behind them. She wasn’t sure she could say college was a mistake because it was what she wanted at the time and she didn’t want to waste her time there. If she could move to a closer college, it might not look as good on her resume as Waverley-East College, but maybe she could fix her life without making the mistakes bigger.
Jeremy smiled. “Life’s too short not to live in a way that makes you happy. It’s not far off your advice, and I think it’s wise to be true to yourself. You’re not a child anymore—you have a choice. We all do. If you don’t make it, life will make it for you.”
Emily knew at once what she wanted. She just didn’t know if it was possible anymore because Danica was a part of it. The truth of her heart was that there had never been anyone else. If she could give herself a Christmas present this year though, she would. It would be to try and do what would make her happy, and hopefully Danica too. She decided there and then, she had to give herself and Danica another chance. If she didn’t, she would always regret it and wonder what could’ve been.
Danica
The plaster casts on Danica’s legs were off, and her legs felt strangely light as she sat on the side of her bed. She knew she must’ve gotten used to the weight of the plaster, and while she was glad it was gone, her legs felt less protected. They were paler and far skinnier than usual, and there were scars from the crash. They were just small lines on her skin now, but they were a reminder of what had happened. She resolved that she’d build up her strength again. Getting the plaster casts off was a huge step back to normality for her. She’d been in a hurry for it to happen; she wasn’t sure why she felt uneasy about it now.
Danica decided she probably just needed some time. It was movie night and she’d been looking forward to it all day. She hadn’t been able to get out to buy Emily a present for Christmas. She wasn’t prepared to send her parents to do it because they already did so much for her, and it felt like something she should do herself. Danica decided to order her something online, and she enjoyed the hours spent shopping, as they were an enjoyable distraction from sitting in bed healing and the exercises she had to do.
She knew she wanted to give Emily a personal gift, and it couldn’t be too large if she was going to carry it in her bags back home. She wanted the gift she bought her to be romantic and something she’d like. After looking at presents ranging from scarves to handbags and ornaments, she eventually settled on a pair of gold earrings. Emily had pierced ears and while she hadn’t worn earrings much lately, she knew it was likely because of the weather.
As many women knew, metal could chill quickly in the wintertime.
Danica remembered the long crystal earrings that Emily used to wear when they were dating. She settled on a pair that she thought were pretty, similar but unique, and which reminded her of those good times they’d had. She was going to pay when she noticed a split heart pendant. The two sides joined together to form a heart shape; each could be worn on a separate chain. She had a set budget for presents, but she had enough to afford it in gold.
Each half had room for a letter or name to be engraved. Danica wasn’t sure if Emily would accept her gift as it was intended, because it meant they’d be together. If she didn’t, she would still have the earrings. However, if she did… well, Danica wasn’t sure what would happen after that, but she was excited to find out.
It felt incredibly right, so she arranged to have the pendant engraved and ordered the jewellery, including two chains, with express shipping. They said they would make it by Christmas, so she hoped for the best.
Danica settled back on the bed and rested until not long before Emily was due to arrive. After an awkward trip to the bathroom using crutches, she brushed her hair and tidied up the area around her bed.
There was a tap on the door, but she had been listening out and knew it wouldn’t be Emily yet. Her mother, Lilly, stepped into the room.
“I have some snacks for you. Emily said she’d be here around eight, didn’t she?”
Danica nodded, trying not to look concerned or nervous, though she suspected her mother saw right through her.
“Yeah, she did.”
Lilly set them down on the now cleared side table. “Do you need any drinks?”
“No, I brought some up when I was coming back upstairs earlier.”
Danica had brought up a bottle of cola, two white wine coolers and two glasses. They weren’t wine glasses though; they were regular ones. She’d just put them all in a bag, as they were easier to carry that way.
“I don’t know how you managed that on your crutches. You want to be careful with those stairs.”
“I know,” Danica replied, reassuring her “I am careful.”
“We thought you might like some time to yourselves, so after she arrives your father and I are going to go out and catch a movie.”
“You don’t need to do that,” Danica replied.
What did they think she was going to do? She could barely walk. It was enough to cause Danica to blush.
“Nevertheless, it’s our plan. Just be careful, alright? If you need me, you call right away.”
Danica knew her mother probably wouldn’t go out if she was still in plaster; she’d been much more protective than this. It was a sign for her that Lilly was starting to take a step back. It must mean she was really on the mend.
“Oh, and no wild parties!”
“Mother, we’re going to watch movies!” Danica said.
“Be that as it may, have a good time,” Lilly replied.
The doorbell rang downstairs and Lilly smiled.
When her mother left the room, Danica sunk down against the bed and groaned. Being an adult at home was hard.
There was some friendly chatter from downstairs and, after that, the sound of footsteps. Moments later, Emily opened the door.
“Hey, I hope it’s okay to come
in?” she asked.
Emily wore a handbag on her right shoulder and she had a shopping bag in hand.
“I brought you some stuff.”
“Awesome, thank you. Of course it’s fine,” she said, grinning when Emily noticed her plaster casts gone.
“They’re off, for real? You must be so relieved,” she said, as she gave Danica a quick and careful hug. “You look so much better. Not that you looked bad, but it makes me feel less worried about you, you know?”
Danica nodded. “I know.”
“Can you walk again now?” Emily asked.
“I can,” Danica replied. “Just very carefully. I’m still using crutches but I can walk without them.”
Emily was wearing a tartan cardigan over a blue top and jeans. She looked really nice.
“So what did you bring?” Danica asked excitedly.
“Christmas cupcakes with candy canes,” Emily told her. “Potato chips and some nachos from this Mexican restaurant I discovered. Nothing healthy at all really.”
“Just the way I like it,” she said.
Emily glanced at the chair, but she brought the food over and climbed on the bed beside Danica. It was a queen-sized bed so there was room enough to sit down.
“It’ll be easier to share the food this way,” Emily said.
“I have snacks and some wine coolers too,” Danica replied.
“Are you sure wine’s a good idea when you’re on those?” she asked, indicating the crutches.
“Yes, I do. I wasn’t allowed to drink because of some of my medication but I’m off it now.”
Emily nodded.
“So what movies did you bring?” Danica asked.
“I brought over eight of them to choose from,” Emily replied. She set them out on the bed for Danica to look through, and then got up to put on the TV and get the DVD player ready.
“It’s good to have a big screen to watch things on. I get so into what I’m watching that I don’t notice so much when I’m at college, but this is nice.”
The door slammed downstairs, and Emily glanced Danica’s way.
A Touch of Christmas Magic Page 4
