Death by Figgy Pudding

by P. Creeden

  Merry's two grandchildren stood with her, breath clouding around their faces as well.

  "Whoop. It's a chilly one for this isn't it?" Merry asked when they drew near.

  Figgy couldn't help but smile beneath her red scarf. "It is, but Christmas Eve is always the best time for this. It makes a good memory and there's hardly a need to make reservation as few people stand in line for it."

  Merry looked back as though checking to see if it was true. Besides them, there were only two other families waiting their turn on the horse drawn sleigh. Then she returned her gaze with a smile. "This is my granddaughter, Kaitlyn. She's twelve." Merry set a hand on the shoulder of a young girl about the same size as Jessica, with blond and purple curls which stuck out from under her hat. Then Merry set a hand on the blond boy's shoulder next to her. "And this is Colin. He's ten."

  Figgy smiled and made introductions of her grandchildren as well. Colin stepped forward and shook hands with Kris and it made everything worth it as the two became fast friends and spoke to each other with hushed tones as if Colin hadn't even noticed Kris's busted lip or blackening eye. Figgy couldn't have asked for more. As she was thinking, two large Percherons came around the bend. They towered over the people, breath billowing from their nostrils as they pulled the sleigh forward. One of the mares shook her head, causing the sleigh bells to shake and chime. Figgy's heart soared. She loved the sound. The sleigh pulled to a stop in front of the inn.

  The two families who were on the sleigh when it arrived dismounted the sled and talked to each other in excited voices. Their cheeks were pink, and their faces shined. The families that were ahead of Figgy and Merry mounted the sled and started their journey around the lake. The gentle flurry of snow lightened further so that only the occasional flake fell around them. And the wind lightened up a bit as well.

  "Would you folks like to come inside a moment and get a drink of hot chocolate or cider?" Maple, who ran the sleigh rides asked as she came, on foot from the path that led from the lake. She had a bag in her hand. "I just picked up some more marshmallows. And we have some figgy pudding inside."

  Figgy always laughed at the name of the pudding because of her namesake. But truthfully, figs had always been one of her favorite fruits. "That sounds lovely. Thank you for the offer."

  "Of course." Maple bowed her head slightly and then led them to the small kitchen at the front of the inn.

  Once they stepped inside, the warmth of the room hit them and heated Figgy's cheeks. She pulled her scarf free from around her neck and enjoyed the indoors for a moment. She knew that once the sleigh ride began, there would be an automatic temperature drop due to the wind generated from the speed of the horses. They each settled in chairs around the kitchen table while Maple brought them cups of cider and hot chocolate. She brought over the figgy pudding and set it in front of them. The round circle was as pretty as a picture.

  "Are those seeds?" Jessica frowned at it."

  The two boys both scrunched up their noses, and Kris looked up at her. "Do we have to eat the seeds?"

  Figgy's stomach knotted. "Let's not be rude, children."

  "Oh, it's no problem." Maple chuckled. "That kind of reaction is pretty common among the young ones. We actually make a strained, seedless figgy pudding, as well."

  She pulled the one from in front of us and brought another, one with icing on the top and no seeds visible from the sides. Figgy nodded to the matron and mouthed her thanks. Maple divided the pudding into several slices and gave one to each of the patrons around the table. Just as Figgy was about to pick up her fork and tuck in, the kitchen door slammed open from within.

  "I've about had it with that man. What Alice sees in him, Maple, I have no idea." A slightly younger version of Maple came rushing into the room. Portions of her sandy hair pulled free from the bun on the back of her head. She set her hands on her hips.

  Chapter 3

  "Diane, we have guests," Maple said through her teeth.

  Diane peered around at us her eyes growing slightly wide and her cheeks turning the slightest shade of red. "Forgive me, you all. I didn't mean to disturb your dessert."

  Figgy shook her head. "Not at all. It's fine."

  Then she encouraged the children to eat their pudding. The two women who ran the inn huddled together and spoke to one another in hushed tones. At the table, the boys began talking as well, making it impossible for Figgy to hear the conversation from the other side of the room. She caught a harshly toned word now and then, and figured it had something to do with their niece who'd come home from college with a boyfriend who they didn't approve of. Freeloader and gold-digger where among the words that she could hear. Figgy lifted a brow at that but understood the sisters were unhappy.

  Just as they were finished, their niece appeared. She was a small framed young girl with long, straight brown hair and glasses. Her mannerisms were measured and elegant. She came to the table and greeted them. "Lovely to meet you all, I'm Alice. If you all are finished, I'll take your plates and cups."

  It seemed like too big a load for the small girl to carry, but Alice insisted she was fine. And truly she was as she deftly handled the plates without trouble. Once she'd returned them to the sink, a young man came up and began to help her with the dishes. Merry smiled at Figgy from across the table after looking at the pair with starry eyes. Merry had lost her husband a few years back, and now seemed content to watch young love as it blossomed.

  Figgy smiled back and then peered at the clock in the kitchen, just as it rung a tone signifying that it was seven p.m.

  Maple glanced at the clock and then said, "Oh! Alice, you need to take your heart medication."

  Alice dried her hands on the dish towel and then glanced up at the clock herself. "You're right. If you all will excuse me?"

  She stepped through the swinging kitchen door and returned to the inside of the inn. Figgy stood and headed over toward the window. She knew that the sleigh ride took over half an hour from start to finish, but it didn't stop her from straining an ear toward the lake to try to hear the jingling of the bells. Of course, she heard nothing.

  "I can't believe what a scatterbrain I am!" Alice exclaimed as she came into the kitchen with panic on her features. "I think I left my medicine at school."

  Diane Shelley, Maple's sister, wrung her hands. "The drugstore closes early tonight because of the holiday. I'll call ahead and see if we can get someone to wait for us."

  "The cars are all covered in snow. It'll take forever to get one of them cleared and warmed up to go." Maple frowned.

  "It's fine. I'll make a run to town on foot. What's the fastest way to the drug store?" The young man at the kitchen sink turned around.

  "Scott, you don't have to do that." Alice shook her head. "It will only make me feel like more of an idiot with everyone getting in such a fuss over my stupidity. I should have remembered my medicine in the first place.

  Merry stood. "I can call my son and see if he can pick it up and deliver it here."

  "Oh no, Ms. Henshaw, we can't put your son to that kind of trouble." The panicked look on Alice's face intensified for a moment.

  Diane returned. "Jeb Cooper says he'll wait at the shop for a bit till one of us can go pick it up."

  "Allow me. I want to do it. Alice is always doing everything for me, so I'd love to be the hero and do something for her for a change." Scott pulled Alice into a back hug that made the girls cheeks turn a brighter shade of red than they'd seen so far. But at the clearing of one of the aunt's throats, the young man released the woman. "You showed me the short cut to that end of town by the lake this morning. I'll be back in two shakes."

  He darted for the kitchen door before anyone could attempt to stop him again. Figgy watched him out the kitchen window as he trudged across the snow toward the lake. There was still no sign of the sleigh or horses. Figgy peered back at the clock to see it was already ten minutes past. They still had fifteen minutes or so to wait before they would arrive.

  M
aple pulled on her coat and picked up the buckets that sat next to the doorway. "I'm going to head out to the barn and mix up a nice bucket of bran mash for the horses before they head out for their next round about the lake."

  "That's a good idea," her sister Diane answered.

  They were right. If a cup of hot chocolate or cider could warm the humans up before they went for the ride around the lake, it had to do the horses some good to get a bit warm as well. No one wanted the horses to suffer too long in the cold which was why they only went along a well-lit trail around the lake and only did four rotations per day maximum.

  Alice joined Figgy at the window, wringing her hands. She peered in the direction that Scott had gone, the most direct route, which would take him by the lake for a quarter mile before the path turned back toward town. Figgy's eyes followed her gaze the same direction for a beat. It took about twenty minutes to walk to the drugstore from here and would take another twenty for him to get back. There wasn't a chance that he'd return so quickly as to be seen now. Alice let out a sigh, then turned and asked with a cheerful voice, but worried smile, "Would anyone like another cup of cider or chocolate?"

  Figgy shook her head in reply and peered over at the children. They seemed to be getting along well and politely declined. Figgy's friend, Merry, was talking with Diane. The warmth of the fireplace in the kitchen and the scents of the puddings and cider filled the air. This was what made memories at this time of year, and Figgy hoped that it all sank in for the children as well. All the stress of the day eased off her shoulders. She felt a slight vibration in her pocket and then the ding of a bell alerted her that her phone had a text message.

  She pulled it from the pocket of her coat and slid her finger across the phone to access the message.

  Running a little later than I thought. Please go on the sleigh ride without me. Hope to be home around the same time as you get back.

  Figgy frowned. She knew that Thomas would also to see junior on the video call almost as much as the children would. It was the highlight of their holiday. Even though she wasn't crazy about the fact that he was missing this memory-making event with the children, she understood that with him running for mayor, he'd often be called off to deal with things that might be even more pressing than the one's he took care of now as fire marshal. She sighed. Part of her wanted to text her displeasure with a simple "K" for response. Instead she decided it would be best to be encouraging.

  Stay safe. Try to be back before 9.

  After sending the text, she slid the phone back into her pocket. Outside, the ringing of sleigh bells got her excited. She turned back toward the kids, finding that Kris had already removed his coat along with Colin as they were playing a game with a folded piece of paper. "The sleigh will be back here shortly, guys. Let's go ahead and get bundled up once more."

  The boys ignored her for a half a beat before they began to pull their jackets back on. Merry came over and joined Figgy at the window. "The sleigh's still a little way off. Let's not step back out into that cold until it pulls up and we have to."

  Figgy shook her head at her friend and smiled. "You always were a bit wimpy about the weather."

  Merry rolled her eyes. "You can't tell me that you haven't gotten more sensitive to the cold with age, too."

  Her hands fisting, Figgy lifted her chin. Even though her friend was right, she wasn't about to admit anything. "Not as sensitive as you, for certain. But for the sake of the children, I'll agree with you. Let's try to make this a good memory for them."

  "We should sing some carols as we go about." Merry smiled wide.

  Even though Merry could hardly carry a tune, she sang with gusto. It was one of the things that Figgy liked most about her friend. She liked it when people where honest about who they were and did their best. "I was thinking the same. The kids will definitely know some of the most popular songs."

  "Jingle bells is always great on a sleigh ride."

  Figgy laughed. "That's for certain."

  The two gray horses pulled around the bend and started for the area by the barn. Maple met them there with a steaming bucket as the passengers dismounted the sled. Figgy could hardly take her eyes from the gorgeous beasts as she called back to the children. "It's time. Let's go for our sleigh ride."

  The children cheered and started heading their direction. Diane opened the door to the cold with a smile, just as the phone rang behind her. She nodded toward Figgy, who took to hold the door from her as she stepped over to the kitchen counter where she'd left her phone. She stepped through the doorway herself and started out into the night air, barely catching Diane's worried tone before the door shut behind her as the woman asked, "What do you mean he hasn't arrived yet?"

  Chapter 4

  Figgy frowned as the door shut behind her and peered in the direction of the lake. Were they talking about that young man who'd gone to the drug store? It would be nearly time for him to return, but he was nowhere to be seen yet.

  "Grandma! You coming?" Kris shouted excitedly from several feet away.

  The snow flurries that had arrived earlier were not yet finished but did little more than add occasional flakes of white to the children's hair. Figgy shrugged off her anxious feelings and offered a smile toward her grandson as he reached a hand out toward her to help her down the last step and onto the slightly icier sidewalk area. "Thank you."

  "No problem." He shrugged, released her hand and rushed forward to catch up with Colin.

  "You all are raising a fine gentleman there, even if he looks a bit thuggish with that eye." Merry ribbed her slightly with an elbow and laughed. Even though no one had asked why Kris's face looked that way, it was easy to assume that everyone knew. Word traveled quickly in a small town like Christmas Thyme, and even faster when someone like Thomas was running for mayor and his grandson gets in a tiff.

  Figgy sighed. "At least the eye is temporary. Good manners should last him a lifetime."

  "Amen," Merry said with a firm nod.

  The sweet scent of the horses and their feed pulled Figgy over to where Maple was feeding them. Figgy peered into the bucket. "What's in that? Molasses?"

  Maple smiled up at her. "The sweet feed added to the bran mash has molasses in it. Good nose."

  Diane came shuffling behind them. "Maple, Jeb Cooper just called. He asked if someone was still coming for the medicine. It's been over half an hour. The walk to the drug store by the lake path shouldn't take more than twenty minutes to get there. Alice called Scott's cell phone, but it went straight to voicemail."

  A frown tugged at Maple's lips. Then she met eyes with Figgy and plastered on a quick smile. "I'm sure it's fine. His phone might be dead. The snow is a bit thick. He might have gotten turned around in the woods. He's just slow going. Did you as Jeb to call us once Scott gets there for the pills?"

  Diane nodded slowly, her eyes still wide and brown furrowed. "Alice is having a conniption. I'm worried that she'll have an attack if she doesn't calm down, especially since she's late on taking her medicine.

  Merry stepped near and rested a hand on Diane's shoulder. "Don't worry too much about that. An hour late on her medication isn't going to make that big of a difference if she's been taking it regularly otherwise. I'm a retired nurse. If you want me to check her blood pressure or anything, we can delay the sleigh ride for a bit?"

  "I would hate to ask you to do that, but..." Diane hesitated, biting her bottom lip.

  Merry squeezed her shoulder and began guiding Diane back toward the house. "It's no trouble." She nodded toward Figgy. "We'll only be a couple minutes."

  Figgy nodded back and watched them head toward the house with Maple by her side. Even while Maple held the bucket full of sweet feed and mash, her eyes continued to wander toward the path by the lake. Figgy patted the horse's neck. "If you'd like, there's enough of us here that we could make a small search party and go look for the young gentleman? It has been enough time for him to have made it back by now. There's no doubt he should have made it to
the drugstore."

  Maple blinked and shook her head. "No. No. You have children with you and came for a sleigh ride. It's our last one of the season, and I'd hate for you all to miss your opportunity."

  Figgy furrowed her brow. "Maybe we should alert some people in town at least to be on the lookout for him? Thomas is at the fire station, not far from the drug store. I can give him a text message or a phone call at least. And Merry's son is a police officer. Even though Scott hasn't been missing for twenty-four hours, there could at least be people keeping an eye out for him."

  Relief smoothed Maple's features, and her shoulders dropped a bit as she relaxed and pulled the empty bucket from the horse's muzzle. The horse continued to lick the remaining mash from its lips as it whickered at her. "If it's not too much trouble, I'd appreciate that much. I believe he'll be back any minute now. I'm sure there's no reason for all this concern."

  "You're probably right." Figgy smiled and pulled out her phone. "I'll just shoot my husband a message."

  As promised, Figgy texted her husband quickly and then looked up at the children who were already waiting in the sleigh with blankets over their laps. Jessica laughed at something that the boys had done. It was the most fun Figgy'd seen her grandchildren have in the past two weeks since they'd moved into her home. The last thing she'd want to do is take them away from this situation.

  The kitchen door shut, and Merry walked toward them with a smile hanging on her lips that didn't quite reach her eyes. When she reached them, she leaned toward the ladies conspiratorially. "The good news is that Alice is just fine. All her vitals are registering as normal. Although she has a slightly irregular heartbeat, it's still within normal parameters. There's no cause for concern there."

  Figgy nodded and then swallowed. "But there's bad news?"

  Merry smile slipped from her face. "They still haven't heard from the young man. Jeb is supposed to call from the drugstore when Scott arrives, but we haven't heard anything yet."