What if he’s the one? she thought, then shook her head at her own stupid idea. She’d made the same wish every year to Father Nathan’s angel that sat on top of the tree in the lobby. Please let me meet someone who understands.
After six years of making the same wish, perhaps it was time for a new one. Christmas Eve was in three days, and with it would come the unavoidable thirtieth birthday. It was often considered the birthday that marked the moment when the dating pool began leaking. Not that her pool had been very deep to begin with. She was an art teacher with no social life and twenty-seven kids.
Twenty-six, she corrected herself, but it didn’t feel right. Kyle may have been out of the system and nearly nineteen, but he would always be one of the kids to her. A good kid who’d gotten a rough break in life but was making the best he could of it. All these kids deserved so much more than the craft paper, glue and pompoms she had in her arms. At the very least, they deserved a real Christmas… tree?
A shock wave planted Noelle’s feet in the doorway to the gymnasium and her arms fell to her sides, the plastic bags falling to her feet. Where once there was a bland white wall and a few paper garlands, there now stood a fourteen foot, real honest-to-God pine tree. On top of that tree was the biggest shining star she had ever seen and next to the tree, on a ladder, was Steve stringing lights.
“Miss Noelle!” Joey ran up, pointing excitedly at the tree. “They brought us a real Christmas tree!”
“And decorations,” Father Nathan grinned, stepping up behind her before giving her a gentle push through the doorway. “Joey, please pick up the craft items that Miss Noelle so graciously bought for us and take them to the tables.”
“Yes, Father,” Joey began grabbing the bags, Sarah joining him to help. “Thanks, Miss Noelle!”
“Thanks, Miss Noelle!” Sarah echoed before rushing off at Joey’s heels.
Noelle tried to form some sort of coherent sentence, but nothing came out. Glancing back at the tree, she spotted Steve staring straight at her. He hung the line of lights from a branch and stepped down the ladder, motioning to his right. One of the plaid-wearing men from the store that morning appeared and took Steve’s place on the ladder as he walked over to Noelle.
“Hope you don’t mind,” Steve pointed over his shoulder at the tree. “We had a bunch of decorations left over this year, and our last job was Mr. Jackson’s this morning. I know it’s not as personal as handmade stuff, but I thought a tree might be nice. You know, for the dinner.”
“How did you… A tree… A really big tree…” Noelle’s brain was stuck between the very large tree and Steve’s strangely handsome eyes.
“We have connections at several farms around Portland,” Steve shrugged off her astonishment, feeling a little embarrassed. “This one was supposed to be set up today at a hotel, but they cancelled when they realized it would be too wide for their lobby. The farm sent them a different kind, and they let us have this one at half price. It came all wrapped up and skinny, so they just delivered it through the service entrance.”
When she still seemed speechless, he continued. “After New Year’s, we’ll come back and take it out. Kyle’s already volunteered to be in charge of watering it.”
Noelle sniffled, fighting back the lump in her throat. Catching sight of the children lining up for Kyle and Amber to pass out ornaments for the children to hang, the waterworks turned on full. She cried into her candy cane scarf with no hope of stopping the tears.
“Oh, dear child,” Father Nathan rubbed her back with a gentle smile.
“Uhm, sorry,” Steve shuffled his feet nervously at Noelle’s unexpected reaction. He knew Earthers cried for all sorts of reasons, but he wasn’t quite sure what to make of Noelle’s sobbing. The poor woman was trembling and he just wanted to hug her until she stopped.
“Thank you!” Noelle finally pushed words out of her mouth then flung her arms around the man.
Steve stumbled back one step as Noelle’s arms wrapped tightly around his waist. Heat blossomed through his body and set every nerve alight. Without thinking too hard about the consequences, he hugged her back. She nuzzled a tear-stained cheek against his chest and he hugged her more tightly.
Her sobs quickly quieted with his comforting hug. He was so warm and felt so good in her arms. Pressing her head to his chest, she listened to his heartbeat – the heartbeat of a wonderful, caring and giving man. A heartbeat that was strong and soothing. A heartbeat that had the oddest rhythm.
And isn’t where it should be, she realized. Her face was pressed into his right side, not his left, and it was clearly a loud thumping emanating closer to his right shoulder than the left center of his chest. The rhythm was also… backwards? She was no doctor, but that wasn’t right.
Stepping away, she dried her face with her scarf, deciding it was none of her business if he had a pacemaker or something else that might explain what she was hearing. She also figured it could be her hysteria making her hear things. “Thank you,” she repeated, not sure of what else to say. Words couldn’t express the joy she felt.
“Way to go, ace,” Garry passed by with a box and a chuckle. “Making her cry is no way to get a date.”
Steve coughed, throwing a glare at the back of Garry’s head, thinking that was two paybacks he now owed the Vragan. Noelle was now redder than her scarf, and Steve didn’t want her to have the wrong idea. Okay, sure, he was finally willing to admit that he wanted a date, but not like this. “That’s not why I did this.”
“Of course not, son,” Father Nathan patted Steve’s arm as he walked past. “And that glorious tree isn’t going to decorate itself, is it?”
“No,” Noelle squeaked out, avoiding Steve’s gaze and following Father Nathan to the tree.
Steve sighed inwardly, pretty certain he’d just lost his chance thanks to one loud-mouthed Vragan in plaid. Even with that dark cloud looming, it was hard not to smile as everyone started decorating the tree. Amber and Kyle broke out into song, quickly joined by over two dozen other voices. They decorated the tree, Mike ordered pizza on the company credit card with approval from Father Nathan, and even Anna showed up with another van load of decorations.
Anna and Mike worked on setting up the oversized toy train that would round the base of the tree, laughter and smiles between them. Steve and the others still couldn’t figure out why those two hadn’t paired up when they clearly liked each other’s company, but Amber thought it had something to do with Anna having left a husband behind six years ago. Garry thought it was more because she was the Captain. That argument may have been valid if they were still onboard the Zau’gaut instead of crash landed in the middle of Oregon. With only five survivors of their once twelve person crew and little hope of ever being rescued, the argument now seemed pointless.
About as pointless as all the reasons Steve had ever come up with for keeping his distance from Earthers. His eyes moved instinctually to Noelle, easily picking up her bright green eyes and candy cane scarf out of the crowd of children seated around her, eating pizza. She still wore her glasses and he still thought they were cute. As if sensing his stare, she lifted her gaze and their eyes met. They both blushed, but neither looked away.
“I’m not going to quote protocol,” Anna spoke, breaking Steve’s eye-lock with the little Earther woman. “I think it’s time you give it a try. Just remember what to do if it goes wrong.”
Steve glanced down at Anna, her light violet hair dyed dark brown to blend in. The contacts she wore to hide her matching violet eyes were tented brown, and he had trouble remember what she looked like before altering her appearance. It all seemed a lifetime ago. “I know, Captain,” he whispered. “You really think I should?”
Anna let out a long breath, but nodded. “I do. It’s been six Earth years. That’s eight and a half standard cycles. I think it’s time we all realized that our families back home have already mourned our passing and, hopefully, moved on with their lives. We left enough debris behind before the hyperjump to kee
p the Targasians from following, but it probably also negated a search party being formed.”
Steve drew in a tight breath. This was the first time Anna had voiced what they all already knew. The hyperjump was supposed to take them only one sector over, but the damage from their battle with the Targasians had been worse than they realized before entering the fold of space. Instead of one sector over, they had traveled one whole quadrant, jumping into this part of space that was still deemed too primitive for contact.
Sure, space junkers, collectors and the occasional science vessel came out to these backworlds, but it could be decades in between. Even the junkers had gotten skittish after the Bruskian velcro incident, and it took a lot to scare them away from a planet full of primitive, shiny objects. The hard truth was that the chance of a rescue was basically null.
“Okay, Capt… Anna,” he corrected, thinking it was time to stop calling her captain, too. “Thanks. You, uh, think I have a shot?”
Anna smirked, a rare chortle vibrating her three extra vocal chords. “With the way she’s been looking at you all night, I think all you need to do is ask. And I think, here comes your chance now.”
Steve swallowed as Noelle stood up from the circle of kids to head in his direction. He smiled and she smiled in return, which he thought was promising, then her gaze switched to Anna. “Are you Miss Johnson?”
“Anna is fine,” Anna brushed off the formality with a wave of the hand.
Noelle’s smile widened. “I wanted to thank you for the tree, and letting us borrow the decorations… and for helping us set it all up.”
“No thanks needed,” Anna shrugged. “It was all Steve’s idea, and I’d much rather see the decorations getting used than collecting dust in our warehouse.”
“Will you come tomorrow night?” Noelle pressed, glancing at Steve. “The kids would love to repay your kindness with a meal.”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Anna smiled then departed the conversation with a satisfied smirk.
“She’s very nice,” Noelle commented, leaning on the wall next to Steve.
“Yeah, she’s a good captain,” Steve grinned, then blanched as his brain caught up with his slip. “Er, boss. Captain of our little crew, you know?”
Noelle laughed quietly. “Captain and crew. I like it. So, it’s just the five of you?”
Steve nodded. “We started the company six years ago, and it’s just been us since. We were… friends before, so it just made sense.”
“You all seem to enjoy it,” Noelle pointed towards Garry who was arguing with Mike about the position of the train cars on the track. “And take it very seriously.”
A laugh broke through Steve’s nerves. “Those two are brothers. Mike’s the older one, but really, they’re just a couple of big younglings… kids.” He blinked with a deep inhale. Two slips and I haven’t even bought her a coffee yet.
“And you?” Noelle ignored the strange wording. “Do you enjoy it?”
“Sure,” Steve shrugged, never really having given it much thought. “I guess I really do. It’s fun and it beats working behind a desk all day. Guess I’m pretty lucky, the more I think about it, having a job I actually like.” He paused for a moment, thinking this might be an opening to learn more about her. “What about you? You volunteer here, but what do you do for work?”
“I teach art at Glendale middle school,” she replied. “Well, mostly we just play around with paint and polymer clay, but it’s fun.”
“You must really like kids,” he stated the obvious, refraining from rolling his eyes at himself.
“Oh,” Noelle held back a frown, wondering if she was scaring him off already. “Yes, I do. They always seem to find a reason to smile, even when they’re spending Christmas in a shelter dormitory.” They sat in silence for a moment, watching the kids decorating the tree before she shrugged with a shuffle of her feet. “I guess I like it because it’s hard to feel sad or lonely around them.”
Steve had to agree. He hadn’t felt lonely or sad since he stepped into the Center. It was impossible, with smiling kids making the best of a less than ideal situation, to feel sorry for himself. Standing next to Noelle was also doing wonders to lighten his mood. He couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was that drew him to her when he’d never really taken an interest in female Earthers before, but there was just something that hinted at a kindred spirit. It made him curious, and it made him want to take a chance.
“So I’ll see you tomorrow night?” he asked.
“Maybe,” she blushed, looking away. “I’ll be in the kitchen, mostly.”
“Oh,” he couldn’t mask his disappointment, then he brightened with an idea. “I could help. I can’t cook, but I can open cans pretty well.”
Noelle giggled into her scarf then looked up at him. “I’d like that. Er, I mean, that would be very kind of you to help us. We always need a good can opener. We’re having all the normal holiday stuff, including four different types of pies donated by Rosalie’s Bakery.”
“Pumpkin?” Steve asked.
“Of course! It’s my favorite.”
“Mine, too! Though, I tend to go heavy on the whipped cream, according to Garry.”
“That’s impossible,” Noelle argued. “You can never have enough whipped cream.” She glanced around, leaned in and then lowered her voice. “Sometimes, I eat the whipped cream before finishing my slice so I can put more on top.”
Steve snickered and leaned in, matching her mischievous tone. “I thought that was the only way to eat it.”
She lowered her voice even further. “Father Nathan taught me that trick when I was twelve, but you didn’t hear that from me.”
Steve chuckled then stopped abruptly. “You… You’ve known him since you were twelve?”
Noelle’s green eyes went wide and her head ducked down into her scarf. She’d just let that roll right on out into the open. It wasn’t that she was ashamed, not at all, but she’d just never been that open about it before. With an exhale, she let the rest tumble out after.
“I was in the system by age five. It didn’t go so well. Ended up on the streets by nine, stumbled into Father Nathan at ten and everything changed.” She shuffled her feet again, looking down at them then out into the crowd of kids. “He saves kids. I don’t mean like religiously, either. Not once did he ever pressure me about God or anything. He just gives everything he has to every kid he can.”
As her voice trailed off, Steve tried to imagine being on the city streets so young. A girl like Noelle, on her own. He couldn’t fathom it. Then, her earlier words and the sadness behind them came into a new understanding. “Did you… Did you age out?”
“Yes, Steve,” her eyes glazed over with moisture. “Most of us do.”
Now she’d done it. She’d spilled the beans right alongside the fruit salad. It had been going so well, too. Faking a glance at her watch, she decided it was time to let Steve off the hook before she embarrassed herself further and garnered anymore pity-points. “Goodness, it’s almost nine. I should get home. Last day of school before the holidays, and I have crafts to get ready.”
Steve stood away from the wall, not ready to let her just leave. Not after she’d been so open and honest with him. Not with tears still evident in her eyes. “Can I walk you to your car?”
“I took the bus, actually,” she bit her bottom lip, suddenly wishing she did have a car he could walk her to.
“Oh, me too. I’ll walk you to your bus stop,” he pursued.
“Okay,” she tucked her chin down into her scarf as a grin spread over her lips. Her attempts to let him off the hook had failed, and she hadn’t been so happy in a long time. Maybe asking him out for a cup of coffee after the dinner tomorrow night wasn’t such a crazy idea. As a friend. Friends, Noelle. Don’t get ahead of yourself. “I just want to say goodnight to the kids.”
“Of course,” Steve followed after her.
They said their goodnights and goodbyes. Steve ignored the looks from Garry and Mike but shared
a smile with Anna and Amber. Father Nathan walked them to the front door, both Noelle and Steve rushing through the doorway under the mistletoe, much to Father Nathan’s amusement. The air outside was sharply cold and humid, taking their breath as they began walking.
“It’s just up the corner,” Noelle motioned with a nod of the head, her hands tucked tightly in her jacket pockets. “You don’t have to walk me all the way.”
“I don’t mind,” Steve insisted, a little worried that she continued to try and ditch him. Maybe it was a little odd to walk someone who you just met that morning to a bus stop late at night? He honestly didn’t know. This late on a Wednesday, there wasn’t much traffic out, and their steps echoed over the pavement. “So, what time should I come by tomorrow?”
“Oh, uhm,” Noelle thought for a moment. “I don’t want to inconvenience, or…”
“What time do you need me there,” he interrupted. “I’m off now until after Christmas, so anytime is fine.”
“Okay,” she smiled into her scarf with a deep inhale of the warmer air then coughed. Her fingers habitually smoothed over the inhaler in her pocket. “The younger kids who are already out of school will be starting at around noon, I think. It’s a half day at Glendale, so I’ll be at the Center by one, and the dinner runs from six until nine.”
“Alright. I’ll be there by the time you get there at one,” he confirmed then raised an eyebrow. “That enough time to cook a turkey?”
She laughed. “We’re only cooking the fixings like stuffing and mashed potatoes. The turkeys and hams were donated and are coming pre-cooked from two different places.”
“Wow, that’s generous.”
Her laughter choked against a fight for her next breath. She caught it and then exhaled. “It really is. We’ve been lucky, even with the economy the way it is. We’ve done this dinner every year for the past seven, and every year we seem to find more and more generous people. Like…” She paused and inhaled against another cough. “Like your…” The cough fought back.
Nebula Nights: Love Among The Stars Page 70
