The Christmas Locket

by Barbara McMahon

  But mostly she wanted to get out of the cold.

  “Glad that’s settled,” she said in mock frustration. She laughed, feeling joy rising at the thought of decorating it. Christmas had always been her favorite holiday. “Can you cut it?” she asked.

  “I can try. Hold it steady as I cut through the trunk.”

  Zach knelt down and applied the saw. When the tree began to wobble, Caitlin grabbed hold and held on, trying to keep it upright. With a final swipe of the saw, the tree tumbled onto her, engulfing her completely in fragrant branches.

  “Ohhh, get it off me before we both fall,” Caitlin called, giggling at the unexpected fun.

  Zach pulled it away, and gently tipped it into the pathway. “Grab the top, I’ll get the trunk and we’ll carry it to the car.”

  “Will it fit on the car? It’s huge!”

  “We’ll tie it on top. Hope it won’t cover the windshield.”

  With the help of the lot owner, they tied the tree on the car. After paying him, Zach opened the passenger door for Caitlin.

  “Next stop that store we passed when we turned on Winston, then home,” he said.

  “I’ll stay in the car to make sure no one steals our tree. It’s a pretty one, isn’t it?” she asked.

  “Lovely,” he said, but his eyes weren’t on the tree, they were on her.

  Caitlin caught her breath, almost swept away by the light in Zach’s eyes.

  She looked ahead, motioning him to close the door. “I’m cold, shut the door.” She was not getting caught up in some romantic notion that getting a tree together changed anything. It was another memory to cherish. But it also signified the end of a relationship. Her heart ached with the thought of no more Christmases with Zach.

  As he rounded the car, she saw another family walking to their car, all four children struggling to hold on to the large tree. The mother and father exchanged loving smiles.

  Caitlin caught her breath and looked away. She needed to hold on to her dream, and ignore the temptation that called to her. She wanted her own family, not a man who spent most of his life half way round the world!

  It was early afternoon by the time they turned into the road that Aunt Sally’s house was on. Zach was satisfied their outing had been a step in the right direction. Caitlin had been distant at the beginning, but warmed up to the fun of finding a tree as the morning went on. She’d been laughing at the end. He knew she’d mentioned clearing and cleaning another bedroom this afternoon, but he had a feeling she’d rather decorate their tree.

  He’d bought some cider in the store and some Christmas cookies. They weren’t homemade, but would do in a pinch.

  As they pulled into the long driveway the cell phone in Caitlin’s purse rang.

  “Expecting someone?” he asked.

  “No,” she said, rummaging around in the purse and pulled out her phone.

  “Hello?” Caitlin listened a moment, then gave him an odd look.

  “I know, Abby. He’s here now.”

  So her friend was calling to warn her. Interesting.

  “The phone was in my purse which I left on the kitchen counter. Unless I was in that room when you called, I wouldn’t have heard it ring.”

  She was silent another moment.

  “It’s okay,” she said slowly.

  Zach would bet Abby asked how things were going between them. Zach squelched the urge to reach for the phone and tell Abby to mind her own business--he and Caitlin would work things out. But Caitlin was acting more emotional than usual and he had to walk warily around her. Alienating her by being rude wouldn’t help.

  Zach slowly got out of the car. He could stay and listen to one half of the conversation or start unloading the tree and enticing Caitlin to forget cleaning the old house and concentrate on decorating it instead.

  Though if she insisted on cleaning this afternoon, he’d suggest the room he was using. She'd done nothing to make him feel welcomed. His room wasn’t dusted or aired. He’d just collapsed on the bed both last night and the first night and made do with the covers that were there. He’d slept in worse, so hadn’t complained. But a bit of the welcome he had hoped to find upon returning home would have helped.

  “Want to help me take the tree inside?” he asked, peering back into the car.

  Caitlin turned, frowning when she saw him. “Oh. Sure. I’m going to have to go, Abby. I’ll call you later.”

  He could almost feel the dismay when she realized he was still there. Tough.

  Angrily he turned and began to untie the tree. Caitlin had enjoyed the morning. He knew she had. Now the phone call brought back her intent with a vengeance. Time was fleeting. It was already three days until Christmas. If he didn’t make some progress soon, she’d be returning to Washington before he knew it and to the divorce she wanted so passionately.

  He had to find a way to turn that passion toward saving their marriage.

  Dragging the tree off the car, he waited for her to get the top end and they carried it to the front of the house.

  “Lean it against the railing. I’ll get something to make a stand,” he said.

  “Try the carriage house. Aunt Sally had tools and scads of other things there. Maybe some scrap wood,” she said. “I’ll get the other things from the car.”

  Gone was the excitement she’d displayed when finding the tree. Now it was back to the business of ending a marriage.

  Zach headed for the carriage house in the rear, wishing Abby hadn’t called. A man could only stand so much. He needed time to get his emotions under control. It wouldn’t pay to make himself look like a fool by railing at Caitlin. He had time. And a faint hope from the response she’d given when he kissed her. She wasn’t immune to him or out of love, despite what she was saying. She couldn’t be.

  The carriage house hadn’t been used for horses in decades. It had served as Aunt Sally’s garage and catch-all—what the cellar didn’t hold looked like it was out here. There was a workbench of sorts along one wall. In the back was an old carriage, rotten wheels and all. The cleared space on the right had held Sally’s car until she’d given up driving several years prior to her death.

  Zach rummaged around the area and found some loose wooden boards. Taking the hammer and some nails from the workbench, he banged together a makeshift stand and headed back for the tree.

  His optimism restored, Zach set to work. He liked challenges. He had to get through to Caitlin. One way or another, he would do it or die trying.

  Caitlin was feeling oddly flustered. She hadn’t expected to enjoy getting the tree, but the outing had ended up being fun. And she loved the tree they’d selected. Her arms were full of the packages from the store, more lights, tinsel and a star for the top. The tree itself was thick and full, and smelled so divine it would keep the house fragrant for days.

  They could use Aunt Sally’s decorations and make it beautiful. But for a moment, she wanted to flee to a dirty bedroom and plunge into cleaning. It was safer than making Christmas memories with Zach.

  She studied at the old house for a moment. How many Christmases had it known? Had Aunt Sally decorated it each year, or being alone, only displayed a few ornaments to mark the occasion?

  She couldn’t believe she never inquired after her aunt’s practices. She’d invited her to spend the holidays with her more than once, but Aunt Sally had always said she liked to be in her own home at Christmas.

  For a moment, Caitlin wondered if she should decorate. She loved classroom decorations with all the children participating, chaotic, frenzied though it was. She looked forward to it every year. And to helping Abby decorate her home with her two children. Caitlin loved decorating their condo, too, though it was only seen by herself and a few friends.

  Always, every year, she hoped Zach would make it for the holiday. If she moved here, she’d want all the trappings of family and home. Maybe she should make this year a practice run. Next Christmas she’d know what else to plan on. Maybe outlining the old house in outside
lights.

  Zach came around the side of the house, boards and hammer in hand.

  “Do you know what you’re doing?” she asked. She didn’t believe she’d ever seen Zach with a hammer in hand.

  “I did this as a kid,” he said.

  She was surprised. Zach rarely talked about his past. His father had died when he’d been nine and his mother had remarried a man who hadn’t liked Zach. She knew he’d been an unhappy teenager who'd had to live in a family with new babies and happiness all around—except for him.

  “I think this will hold,” he said a few moments later. He righted the tree and stepped back. It remained standing, tall and straight.

  He looked over at the front door. “Open that and we’ll take the tree in that way. I need your help to keep the branches from dragging.”

  Caitlin went through the kitchen, dropping her packages, and continued on to the front door. She flung it wide and went to help Zach with the tree.

  In only a few moments they had it situated between the two front windows. The fragrance of pine filled the room. Caitlin thought the place felt warmer just by having the tree. Maybe they could find some logs and have a fire. She’d love an old-fashioned Christmas. Maybe it would even snow as Zach had predicted.

  She watched as he turned the tree slightly, hiding the bare spot. What was she going to do with him for the next few days? Surely he’d get bored and head for more exciting places before Christmas. She fully expected him to leave at the first sign of any breaking news.

  “I’m going to fix lunch,” Caitlin said. She was torn with the desire to decorate and the need to put distance between herself and Zach.

  As she walked down the hall, she heard Zach’s cell phone ring. So it happened earlier than she thought.

  She took her time making sandwiches. There was nothing she wanted to prepare for dinner. Maybe she’d go out. She could head for Williamsburg, find a place to eat and then wander around the shops that were decorated for the holidays.

  Zach came in just as she began to eat. His plate with a sandwich and some chips was at his place.

  “Thanks,” he said, taking the chair. He ate two bites before looking at her.

  “We can put on the lights and ornaments this afternoon.”

  She shrugged. “I need to get the rooms cleaned, if I want to stay on schedule.”

  “Hire a service,” he said. “It’s a holiday, take some time off.”

  “It’s not just the cleaning, I’m trying to assess what to do with everything—the furniture and knickknacks.”

  He ate in silence for a few minutes.

  “Was that your office that called?” she asked, unable to resist.

  He nodded.

  “A new assignment?”

  “No.”

  Was he playing twenty questions? Curiosity burned. Who called?

  “Tell you what,” Zach said. “Let’s clean Aunt Sally’s old room, then after dinner, we’ll build a fire in the fireplace and decorate the tree. Tomorrow we’ll decorate the rest of the house if you like.”

  She looked at him suspiciously. How had he known she wanted a fire in the fireplace?

  “Maybe.”

  “For heaven’s sake, Caitlin. Stop blowing hot and cold. Let’s agree to spend this Christmas together in harmony. We can make decisions about the future before New Year's, but let’s take the next few days for ourselves.”

  She grudgingly admitted to herself she would have been shocked if Zach had just up and told her out of the clear blue that he wanted to end their marriage. Maybe she needed to give him time to get used to the idea without sniping at each other.

  It wasn’t as if she no longer cared about the man.

  That was the problem.

  She was beginning to think she would never get over Zach Brandenburg.

  “I’m not blowing hot and cold. I’ll agree to spend the few days until Christmas in harmony. But no talking about the future, one way or the other. And no trying to get me to change my mind,” she said, wondering what she’d do if she never found someone else to love. She’d end up an old lady living in a big house all alone like her great-aunt.

  “Fine. Tell me about your work,” he said.

  “What?”

  “You pointed out I don’t know a lot about where you work or your co-workers except for Abby. So tell me.”

  Caitlin thought about it for a moment, then nodded and began to tell him about a typical day, mentioning her children—the sweet ones and the troublemakers. She talked about how excited she was each year to be encouraging a new group of students to do their best, to learn what they could and to establish good study habits.

  He listened without interruption, watching her as she talked, his eyes narrowed as if assessing all she said.

  She didn’t care, she loved sharing that part of her life with him. She had all along but he had never seemed interested before. She loved working as a teacher and was happy she got to see her students for another few years after her class before they went on to other schools.

  “What about the other teachers?” he asked at one point. She had refilled their beverage glasses, the sandwiches long gone.

  “Except for Abby, I don’t interact all that much with the other teachers—not away from school. I do share yard duty with Brent Murphy and Stella Hawkins. We keep an eye on the students when they take recess morning. Of course Abby and I have been friends for years.”

  “No trouble with parents?”

  “One or two each term, but nothing I can’t handle.”

  He shook his head. “A room full of eight-year-olds, sounds more intimidating than front line firing to me.”

  She smiled. “I love children. And that’s the best age, in my opinion. They can read, they’ve started doing more complicated math than just addition and subtraction, and they aren’t in their snotty stage of life.”

  “Ever think of moving into administration?”

  She shook her head. “I love teaching. And I’m good at it. That’s why I think I could get a job down here without too much trouble.”

  He pushed his plate away. “You’re serious about moving here?”

  “I’m seriously thinking about it,” she said carefully.

  His cell phone rang again. He fished it out of his jeans pocket, checked the caller and frowned. “I need to take this.”

  Caitlin rose and gathered their dishes as Zach headed for the front of the house. She rinsed, dried and put away the plates and headed upstairs. She wanted to keep to her timetable on clearing the house, but when she stood in Aunt Sally’s old bedroom, she paused.

  Zach’s duffel was on the floor, opened, a few items of clothing spilling out. His laptop was closed, sitting on top of the dresser. She never understood how the thing stood up to the casual abuse he gave it. Stuffing it in a duffel, under his arm, or in a backpack didn’t seem her idea of ways to handle a sensitive piece of equipment like that. But it seemed to work fine instead of being totally wrecked with his usage.

  Looking at the old furnishings in the large room, including the tall secretary with books behind the glass doors, Caitlin thought about the journal she found. Would there be others in Aunt Sally’s bookcase? Or in other boxes in the cellar? She hadn’t read but one entry and was anxious to know more about Tansy and Jonathan. Maybe Zach would let her use his laptop to research historical sites so she could see what she could find out about the battle at Kings Mountain.

  “Ready to work?” he asked, joining her before she knew it. She'd been so focused on speculating about Tansy she'd missed hearing him climb the stairs.

  “This is the largest of the bedrooms. Maybe I should wait and do it last,” she said, feeling daunted by the task.

  “I wouldn’t mind a clean room to sleep in.”

  Another pang of guilt with the cavalier way she’d treated him. He deserved better.

  “You’re right. There are clean sheets in the cupboard. They might be a bit musty, but we can throw them in the washer quickly and the
y'll be clean and dry in no time. Let’s get going.”

  The afternoon passed quickly as they developed a working relationship that melded their different abilities. Zach brought down the old curtains and hauled them away. He moved the furniture for Caitlin to clean behind and beneath then pushed them back.

  Since she’d already donated all of Aunt Sally’s clothing last summer, there was little in the room beyond the furnishings. All knickknacks were confined to the large secretary desk along with several shelves of books.

  “You’ll need to check to see if any of these are worth anything,” he said, opening the double glass doors and reaching for a couple of books, leafing through the volumes.

  “The lawyers got an appraisal for inheritance taxes. No first editions or anything,” she murmured, scanning the spines of the books. One looked like a journal. She pulled it from the second shelf and opened it. It was a diary, but written by Aunt Sally herself, many years previously. Caitlin would like to read it sometime, but right now her focus was on finding out more about the lonely woman whose writings she’d found yesterday.

  It was dark outside by the time they finished cleaning. They made the bed with fresh sheets and Caitlin tried not to think about their large king-size bed at home. It had seemed too large for one person whenever Zach was gone. Caitlin even thought about using their guest room, but she felt close to him in their bed so never moved out of their bedroom.

  Zach put his duffel on a chair when she mopped the hardwood floor. A good coat of wax would go a long way to making the floor look good. She surveyed the room when finished. Almost all traces of Aunt Sally had disappeared. Zach’s things now dominated. She turned, not liking the yearning that seemed to rise every time she looked at Zach.

  Caitlin was tired, and not in the mood to get dressed enough to go out once she showered. Soup and sandwiches again, it looked like. Zach might count himself lucky to be getting out of a marriage if that’s all she fed him.

  “How about we order pizza?” Zach suggested as he prepared to haul the last of the rags and trash downstairs. “Saves us going out or either of us cooking. Go take your shower and I’ll call in the order. It’ll probably be here by the time you’re through and I grab a quick shower.”