A Teaspoon of Mistletoe

by Barbara McMahon

  “You're right. We can swing by the condo and pick up Puppy.”

  “I still think he needs a name.”

  “No–that seems too much like bonding. He needs to go back to his owners,” Nick said.

  Annie was beginning to wonder if the puppy had owners. Surely someone should have missed him by now.

  Annie checked in at the nursery and picked up a portable generator before driving to the condo to pick up Nick and the puppy. The temperature had barely risen above zero and snow was in the forecast. Glancing at the gray sky, she hoped it held off for the day. It wasn't supposed to be a big storm, so the weekend activities should go along as planned.

  Nick climbed out of the truck at the park and let the puppy out to run around. The building looked ready to go to him. There were painted candy canes around the fake windows and gum drops lining the edge of the room. The bright colors stood out in the grayness of the day.

  “I have the generator, but need help getting it out of the back. I have a ramp, but it's still heavy,” she said, going to the back.

  Nick checked that the puppy was still nearby and went to help.

  Annie efficiently placed the ramp at the tailgate and then hopped onto the truck. The generator was on wheels with handles on one end to push it like a wheelbarrow. She lined it up with the ramp, then looked at him.

  “This is the tricky part. It's really heavy and I'm afraid it'll get away from me.”

  He climbed onto the truck bed beside her. “How about I take one handle and you hold on to the other one and we see if we can keep it from running away from us.”

  It was unwieldy, but only took a moment or two for them to get it safely on the ground. They rolled it behind the workshop and Annie fired it up.

  “Noisy,” Nick said.

  “But we'll have Christmas carols playing when Santa is here, so it won't be so noticeable. At least we'll have some heat while we work. I'll thread out the plug and you plug it in to one of these outlets,” she said, pointing them out to him.

  She unlocked the door and stepped inside. Going to where the portable heater was, she fed the electrical cord out the small opening in the back wall and felt when Nick took hold and pulled it through. A moment later the heater came on. It felt wonderful in the frigid air.

  Nick entered. He looked around. “Kids must love this,” he said, noting the mural on one wall depicting reindeer with their heads over stall doors. On the opposite wall was a mural of elves working on toys. The big chair in the center of the back wall obviously held Santa and could hold a couple of kids at his side for family photos.

  “Yes, they seem to. We even have people coming from out of town so they kids can talk to Santa. Bill Foster has a couple of reindeer he brings down each weekend to add to the event.”

  Nick shook his head. “Most years we hardly know Christmas Day from any other day in the field.”

  “So make the most of your vacation here and enjoy Christmas this year. Maybe it'll give you some ideas for celebrating next year,” she said with a smile. “Okay, next up, we need to bring in the Christmas tree in the back of the truck. And get those lights working. I have a wreath for the front door and then we need to set up the counter for registration. We take photos and have to email them to the parents, or make copies here if they don't have a computer.”

  “I thought everyone had a computer.”

  “You'd be surprised. There are quite a few families who don't.”

  They worked harmoniously together. The puppy was curious and sniffed everywhere. When the tree was set up, he immediately began sniffing that as well.

  “Watch that he doesn't think that's a tree to pee on,” she warned as she looked at the puppy.

  “Come on, fellow, let's take you outside again,” Nick said, calling the dog.

  The puppy pranced over and immediately slipped outside when Nick opened the door.

  A few minutes later they returned.

  “Duty done,” Nick said.

  “And we're about finished here. The last minute things will be brought by the Santa team.”

  “Santa team?” he asked.

  “The elves who help Santa bring the camera and portable printer and all each day. We don't leave that here. But the rest is safe enough. We'll turn everything off and be ready to go.”

  “And the generator is safe out back?”

  “Sure. Everyone knows what it's for and wouldn't want to disappoint the children.”

  When they stepped outside Annie looked at the snow that had begun to fall.

  “At least we finished before the snow started.”

  Nick turned up the collar of his jacket and called for the puppy. “What's next?”

  “I need to get to the nursery. I can drop you at your condo.”

  “Lunch?”

  She glanced at her watch. It was early, but she could eat now and have a longer afternoon for work.

  “Okay. The café?”

  “Best burgers I've had since returning to the States,” he said, picking up the puppy and getting into the truck.

  Annie wasn't surprised that the café was half empty. With the snow storm increasing in intensity, she knew people wouldn't be coming out if not necessary.

  When lunch finished, Annie dropped Nick at his cousin's condo and then headed for the nursery. Several inches of snow already coated the road and she switched to four-wheel drive. Driving cautiously, she had no problem making it to the nursery, but the snow showed no signs of abating so she made the decision to let Joe take off early and close the nursery for the rest of the day.

  That left her at loose ends.

  She checked everything before heading to the office. It was colder than she liked even with the heater on. Debating whether to do some work or head for home herself, she wished she hadn't dropped Nick off. If he'd come with her here, they might have planned something for the afternoon.

  She shook her head. “Don't go thinking of ways to spend time with him. He's leaving after the holidays. And you, my girl, are staying right here,” she muttered to herself as she began locking up.

  Back on the road she was glad she'd made the decision to close. Visibility was getting worse. Once she had to swerve to avoid a car that had spun out. Stopping for a moment to see if they needed any help, she then continued on her way.

  “Safe and sound,” she said, pulling into her parking place at the apartment building. The first thing she was going to do was check the weather channel. This light flurry was more like a major snow dump and she wanted to know what more was expected.

  Annie had just prepared a cup of hot chocolate to warm up when her cell phone rang.

  “Hello?”

  “Do you know how much snow is coming down?” Nick's voice asked.

  She glanced out the window. “At an estimate, lots.”

  “And do you know how low to the ground this puppy is?”

  She smiled. “I'm sure he's probably belly deep in snow.”

  “Which makes him not want to go outside to do his business.”

  “Oh oh, did he have an accident in the house?”

  “More like a deliberate. I'm going to have to shovel the patio area to get him outside.”

  She giggled. “Sorry about that.”

  “Somehow your tone doesn't sound very sorry.”

  “Well you did say you wanted cold weather after Africa.”

  “Next time I'll temper that request. Are you at the nursery?”

  “No, I closed up. I doubt anyone is out in this snowstorm for nursery items. And the roads were already treacherous when I drove home.”

  “So where is home?”

  “An apartment complex on North Berryessa Street.”

  “How far from here?”

  “About fifteen blocks, I think. Why, are you thinking of coming over here?”

  “If you're home, you can take the puppy for a while.”

  “Oh, it would be too far for him to walk in deep to him snow,” she quickly said.

  For
a moment she thought about inviting him over. The afternoon stretched out with not much to do. They could watch a movie together. Share some popcorn and more hot chocolate.

  But she couldn't ask him to go out in this storm, especially with the puppy.

  Or could she? He was a grown man, he could make his own decisions.

  “Want to come over to watch a movie?” she said on impulse.

  “Only if Pupper can come.”

  “Pupper?”

  Sounds more manly than puppy.”

  “Manly? He's a little dog.”

  “Who one day will probably be a big dog if his paws are anything to go by.”

  “Fine. If you want to venture forth, I'll give you my address and send out Search and Rescue if you don't make it here in an hour.”

  Nick jotted down the address and directions as he kept an eye on the dog. The little fellow was happily chewing on a toy Nick had bought for him.

  “Up for a walk, Pupper?” he asked when he ended the call to Annie.

  The puppy wagged his tail, picked up his toy and pranced over to Nick.

  “Wish we had a leash and collar. If you walk part way it'll tire you out so you'll sleep a while when we get to Annie's place.”

  For a moment Nick considered being in Lamberton versus Africa. He hadn't worked in snow for many years, so that was one major difference. And his colleagues often hung out together after work, but he hadn't seen a movie in years, either. Or walked over to a friend's house.

  He put on his heavy jacket and scrounged his cousin's clothes looking for a hat. He knew it'd keep warmer wearing a hat. Finally he found a knit cap that would have to do.

  “Okay, boy, we're ready.”

  It was much colder than Nick anticipated. Two blocks away from the condo and he was already questioning the wisdom of walking to Annie's. The puppy was struggling to walk in the deep to him snow, jumping rather than walking, splatting into the snow with each jump. They passed a man already shoveling his driveway.

  Nick waved and the man stopped for a moment and nodded, his face lighting in a smile when he saw Pupper.

  “Taking the dog for a walk?” he asked as if it were perfectly normal to be traipsing through a snowstorm.

  “I’m hoping it'll tire him out so he'll sleep a bit,” Nick responded easily.

  “Good luck with that.”

  “Isn't more snow expected,” Nick asked nodding to the partially cleared drive.

  “Yep, but eight inches at a time is easier for me to shovel than sixteen inches.”

  That made sense. Maybe he should have shoveled the patio before he left to minimize how much he'd need to shovel when they returned home. Too late now.

  “Enjoy your walk.”

  “Thanks.”

  By the time he estimated they were halfway there, the puppy began flagging. Nick scooped him up and continued walking.

  Annie lived in an apartment building comprised of three floors with several apartments on each floor. He found hers easily enough and knocked, still holding the puppy

  When she opened the door, he caught his breath. She looked beautiful.

  “You made it. Are you freezing?” she asked as she swung the door wide and gestured for him to enter. “You look like the abominable snowman.”

  “Take the puppy and I'll brush off the snow here in the hall rather than get your floor wet.”

  She reached for the puppy and dusted the snow off his head. “Hi Pupper. Glad you came to visit.”

  She closed the door behind Nick a moment later and put the puppy on the floor.

  Taking Nick's jacket, she slung it over one of her wooden chairs to let it dry while he was there.

  “I smell popcorn,” he said as he took in her apartment. It wasn't large, but looked comfortable and cozy. And it was delightfully warm after his trek through the snow. “I hate to keep harping on the difference, but it's been years since I've had popcorn.”

  “I made a big batch. I love munching on it when watching movies. I have a subscription , so we can watch almost anything you want. Do you like mysteries? Action flicks?”

  “I think the last movie I watched was Lord of the Rings. How long ago was that?”

  “A while. There have been a few more made since then.”

  It took a while for Nick to peruse the offerings and he finally settled on an action-adventure film and they sat together on her sofa, the puppy flopped down in front of them sound asleep.

  Engrossed in the movie, they ignored the falling snow outside. The action was non-stop and the good guys won, so both were feeling up beat when the movie ended.

  Nick glanced out the window as she cleaned up the popcorn bowl and the mugs they'd used during the film.

  “It's almost dark out,” he said, rising. “We need to head for home.”

  She looked out as well. “And it's still snowing. I bet it's topped twelve inches now. Are you sure you can make it back to the condo?”

  “Hey, D.B.'s are rugged. We can conquer anything.”

  She laughed. “Okay, then doctor. Call me when you get home.”

  “And if I don't make it in an hour, you'll call search and rescue.”

  “Right.”

  Annie watched Nick and the puppy as they walked down the hallway and disappeared from view as they descended the stairs. She'd enjoyed the afternoon. Nick wasn't one to sit silent through a film and the comments he made had her laughing. The show was a bit beyond plausible and he caught every extraordinary event.

  Wistfully wishing they could spend more time together, she slowly shut her front door.

  She hadn't thought about Jack in a long time. But now she realized she missed the quiet times like this afternoon. Sharing them with someone. Making shared memories.

  Would Nick think back fondly on this afternoon when he was fighting some disaster or dealing with some horrible disease?

  She hoped so.

  Chapter Six

  Nick's cell rang when he was still a few blocks from the condo. Carrying the puppy and slogging through the deep snow wasn't as easy as walking over to Annie's had been.

  “Keller,” he answered.

  “Hey Nick, it's Roger. You still at my place?”

  “Yes, through New Year's at least. Where are you?”

  “In the hospital.”

  “What? What happened?”

  “Slipped on an icy stairway and broke my leg. That puts paid to my plans for soaking in the sun in Barbados for the holidays. The conference ended yesterday, and I fell on my way to a subway station.”

  “What do you need?”

  “Nothing now. But they're releasing me tomorrow and I want to come home. Can you pick me up at the airport? I have my flight booked.”

  “Of course. Wait a minute, that might be a problem.”

  “If my coming home interferes with your plans–”

  “It's not that. It's snowing like crazy here. It's already almost up to my knees. Will your car handle snow like that?”

  Nick had picked up his cousin's car at the airport when he landed. Neither expected Roger to be home before the New Year.

  The nearest major airport to Lamberton was Missoula. He knew the major roads would be clear by tomorrow, if the storm stopped by then. But he wasn't sure about getting to the interstate.

  “They'll have the roads cleared by morning. Sorry to change plans,” Roger said.

  “Hey, I'm glad you're okay and it was your leg that broke and not your head.”

  “Well, I should have my head examined. I was looking at my cell and totally missed the icy stairs.”

  Nick could hear the disgust in his cousin's voice.

  “I'll meet your flight,” he said.

  He called Annie.

  “Glad you made it home safely,” she said she answered. “I was starting to get worried.”

  “It's a lot colder out than I anticipated. And the snow is almost knee deep.”

  “Better than Africa, though.”

  “I'm rethinking that. I nee
d your help. My cousin called right as I entered the apartment. Roger fell and broke his leg and is coming home tomorrow so I need to get to the airport to pick him up. Obviously I can't take Pupper all that way. Can you take him?”

  “Sure. What time are you leaving?”

  “Early, his flight gets in at one and I want enough time to deal with highway conditions, so wanted to leave before eight.”

  “I can swing by on my way to the nursery and pick him up.”

  “I don't know how mobile Roger's going to be. It might not be the best idea to have a puppy underfoot in case he trips Roger and he falls again.”

  “It's okay. He can hang out with me until someone claims him. I'm sorry about your cousin. But that'll give you someone to spend Christmas with,” she said brightly.

  Nick didn't say anything. She had a point. But he'd thought maybe he'd spend Christmas with her.

  “Okay then, I'll see you in the morning.”

  When he hung up, he went to wipe the puppy off. The snow coating his back had melted in the warmth of the condo and he was dripping as he scurried around.

  “I'm going to miss you,” Nick said, contemplating the puppy. His lifestyle wasn't conducive to pets of any kind. He'd enjoyed the days with this little fellow.

  The next morning at ten to eight Annie knocked on the front door. Nick answered, holding the puppy so he wouldn't dart out.

  Pupper wagged his tail when he saw Annie.

  “Come in. I put some of his things in a bag and I'll carry that out to your truck, along with the little bed I bought him.”

  She took the puppy and laughed when he licked her chin. “So up for an adventure today, Pupper?” She wrinkled her nose and looked at Nick. “He needs a better name.”

  “He's not ours. Someone must be missing him. I predict he'll be home for Christmas.”

  “Still, how about Buster?”

  “Or Rodney?”

  “Rodney? For a dog? No, I like Buster.”

  “Beau?”

  “Sounds too much like no, he'd get confused. How about Lucky. He's lucky we found him.”

  “Okay, for as long as we have him we can call him Lucky,” Nick said. “It does sound better than Pupper.”

  “You all set to pick up your cousin?”