Homespun Christmas

by Aimée Thurlo

  “Good point,” Robyn said after a beat. “That’s what makes you a good leader, Myka.”

  “What does?”

  “Your ability to stay on target. And Joshua’s your other half. Do you realize that? You dream it, but he’s the practical one who takes care of the nuts and bolts and finds a way to help you make it real. Like with the wool, remember? We almost ran out. Business was coming to a standstill, but he found a supplier for us. You two blend together like...peanut butter and jelly.”

  “Joshua’s got his own dreams to make real,” she said, then gave Robyn the latest news.

  “I don’t get it,” Robyn said after a moment. “I thought he was happy renovating the old buildings around town. With these new orders, we could easily offer him a full-time job helping run HMI.”

  Myka shook her head. “It’s not that easy. Joshua grew up knowing a lot of people looked down on him and his father, so he always had something to prove. That still drives him. Owning the biggest house on the block—not just renovating someone else’s—is his idea of coming out on top. It’s his way of proving to himself that he’s a man worthy of respect—one who earned his success through hard work and determination, that he’s achieved the American Dream.” Realizing her eyes were welling with tears, she turned away.

  “Myka, are you okay?”

  “Oh, sure.” Her words didn’t hold conviction and Robyn realized it almost instantly.

  “You’re in love with him!”

  “Yeah, and that means not standing in his way. He has a right to pursue the career he loves,” Myka said. “You should have seen him at the Brooks Mansion. It’s the kind of place he’s always dreamed of owning. Renovating a place like that and making it his own—that’s his definition of success.”

  “Then why don’t you ask the mayor if he’ll sell it to Josh at a reasonable price? Maybe Josh could agree to make the Main Street building available to the town, and that way everyone would come out ahead. Josh is being paid a pittance for the work he’s done in Independence,” Robyn said. “Think about it, Myka. That could be the incentive Josh needs to stick around.”

  She shook her head. “I’d like him to stay because he sees Independence as his home. Otherwise, he’ll never really be happy here,” she said.

  Before Robyn could respond, Myka’s phone rang. She answered it and listened to the caller before saying, “We’d be thrilled to become your supplier.”

  Myka smiled as she looked back at Robyn and held up three fingers. The third buyer had come through.

  * * *

  AFTER A SUCCESSFUL company meeting, Myka went home for lunch. Truth was, she was curious to see if Josh had returned, but he wasn’t home when she pulled up.

  After eating a sandwich, she was ready to go back to work. Myka stepped out onto the porch with Bear just as Joshua drove down the street.

  As he parked at the curb and climbed out, she hurried across the lawn to meet him.

  “I’m glad you’re back,” she said, and told him about the new orders. “You never did tell us what salary you’d find acceptable, but with all this new business, we can offer you a full-time consulting job. Quote me a number you think is fair, now that you’re in demand, and make it competitive with what the city pays you.”

  He gave her a reasonable figure.

  “Done,” she said and shook his hand.

  “That’s only if I stay, okay? Otherwise, we’ll keep things as they stand.”

  “Fair enough,” she said. “So how did the interview go?”

  Although she’d tried to sound casual, she scarcely breathed as she waited for his reply.

  “I think it’ll be a great job, but I’m not sure it’s for me,” he said, looking at his feet.

  “Really?” she asked. Realizing how hopeful she’d sounded, she cleared her throat and tried again. “What was wrong with it?”

  Myka checked her mailbox and pulled out the envelopes inside, trying to avoid looking at him. Her feelings showed too easily on her face. She would have starved as a professional poker player.

  “It turns out that they’re doing more renovation than restoration. At least three-quarters of the work will be converting a large number of the houses into office buildings. They’ll lose the essence of what they once were. I don’t find that as satisfying as restoring a place like the Brooks Mansion. That kind of work requires a special hand.” He paused. “I could turn the building facing Main into an office without any major alterations.”

  “Take that to the mayor. The building is just sitting there. It’s a liability to the town because they still have to pay taxes on it. Talk to him and see what happens. If anyone could do the job, it would be you.”

  He captured her eyes and held them. “You know, you have a very special gift. You make others want to believe.” He reached into his jacket pocket. “Which reminds me—I bought you a present. When I was in Santa Fe I saw a pen-paperweight combination that made me think of you.”

  She opened the box carefully. The paperweight bottom was fashioned out of handblown glass. In its center was a pen and below it, the inscription Dreams and Courage Are Inseparable Companions. Without Both, Neither Is Possible.

  “I love it,” she said and sighed softly as he leaned over and kissed her. For one wonderful moment, she felt protected and valued...even loved. It was so easy to lose herself in his warmth, to forget everything except him.

  A heartbeat later the loud ringing of Myka’s home phone shattered the moment. Joshua’s cell phone also started to beep. It was a bad sign and they both knew it. After exchanging a quick look, Joshua reached into his pocket and Myka ran inside, Bear at her heels.

  Myka grabbed the living-room phone, and as she answered it, Robyn’s high-pitched voice confirmed her worst fears.

  “Myka, get back to the office as soon as you can. There’s a fire. When I powered up the new computer and laser printer, lights flickered and sparks shot out of the outlet. Smoke started curling up, and that terrible electrical smell was everywhere. I ran to the breakers and shut the power off but it was too late.”

  “I’ll be there in five,” Myka said, her mouth dry, her heart pounding.

  Joshua rushed in. “That was Will. He saw smoke pouring out of HMI’s windows so he called the fire department. They’ve arrived but haven’t been able to account for everyone yet.”

  For a moment, she couldn’t move or even breathe. Scenes from the day of Tanner’s accident replayed in her head.

  “Let’s go!” Joshua said, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the door.

  Reality broke through as she realized the confused dog was blocking the way. “Stay, Bear!” she ordered, slipping around him. Myka locked the front door and raced out toward Joshua’s truck.

  * * *

  SMOKE WAS ESCAPING from two downstairs windows when they arrived. One belonged to Robyn’s office, the other the inventory stockroom.

  Although Myka hadn’t been at the plant the day Tanner died, she’d pictured the scene over and over again. As she stared at the smoke, the flashing lights of the fire department and the cluster of people watching from the street, she began to tremble.

  Joshua took her hand as they walked toward the crowd. Holding on to him made it easier for her to fight the panic swelling inside her. She tried to swallow, but her mouth was parched.

  Will saw them, and as he approached, Myka tried to read his expression.

  “Is everyone...” She found herself unable to complete the sentence.

  “They’re all out, and nobody’s hurt,” Will said instantly as if he’d read her mind. “The windows have been opened to vent the smoke, and an exhaust fan will be set up once it’s verified that the fire is completely extinguished. It’s a brick-and-steel building, so my guess is that we’re okay now. We got lucky.”

  “Except for ou
r work!” She stared at the gray smoke flowing from the windows. “It looks like most of that smoke is coming from our main storage area—all our supplies and outgoing merchandise are in there!”

  Joshua placed his arm around her. “One thing at a time.”

  Robyn, her face smudged with smoke and wearing a fireman’s coat over her wet clothing, came rushing up. “Myka, I’m so sorry! I’m not sure why the electrical sockets in my office started to spark. Then the sprinklers came on, spraying water everywhere. I ran out of the office, and as I passed the storeroom, I saw flames shooting out from a wall socket. It looked a lot worse than in my office. I used the fire extinguisher, but the smoke got too thick and I had to leave.”

  “It’s okay. You did what you could,” Myka said, her voice shaky.

  “The storeroom’s a complete disaster. Boxes filled with merchandise are completely soaked. And the wool...” Her voice broke. “The bulk of it was inside vacuum-sealed bags, but a fireman said a lot of those boxes are covered in water and soot. I’m sure some of them must have picked up that horrible smell.” She brushed away a tear with the back of her hand, leaving a sooty trail in its wake. “It’s all my fault.”

  “Robyn, it was an accident,” Myka said firmly. “The important thing is that everyone made it out okay.”

  “At least nothing reached the toy room or the woodworking shop. Their sprinklers never came on.”

  “That’s good, but we’ll have to get those sprinklers tested ASAP,” Myka said, hoping she could go inside soon. Facts were easier to deal with than the fear that came from not knowing the extent of the disaster awaiting them.

  Sophie and Betty showed up with blankets. They set up a table outside the building and got busy serving hot coffee and homemade doughnuts to the firemen and those who’d remained.

  The determination and resourcefulness of the people didn’t surprise her. This was what Independence was all about. Yet seeing them try to bolster each other’s courage made her heart feel leaden. She’d talked the workers and townspeople into opening HMI, they’d all worked so hard—and now this.

  “We’ll be allowed back inside soon, then we’ll see what we can repackage and save,” Liza said, coming up to Myka. “Once we get the water mopped up, we’ll know how much—if any—of our electrical system can be turned on. If we have to, we’ll use the emergency lighting.”

  Nearly two hours later, Myka entered the building, Joshua and Will by her side. Fire department volunteers, using portable lights, were busy vacuuming water from the floors.

  “Myka, are you sure you’re up to this?” Will asked, leading the way through the open doors of the small foyer.

  “I need to know exactly what we’re facing, then I’ll figure out a way to fix this. Everyone’s counting on me, and I can’t let them down.” Her voice shook, but she refused to fall apart.

  Joshua gave her an encouraging smile. “Let’s see what we’re dealing with, then we’ll know what the options are.”

  “I need to confirm the origin of the fire,” Will said.

  “Then we’re headed to the same place.” As Myka walked, the soles of her boots splashed through water deep enough to float a pencil, despite the enormous wet-dry vac roaring nearby. The only lighting came from battery-powered emergency lamps mounted high on the walls, but they were enough to illuminate a scene that almost made her ill. Water continued to drip off the metal shelves, which held labeled cardboard boxes ready for shipping. These were completely soaked and blackened, especially the ones on the top that had received the brunt of the spray. The smell of burnt wool was everywhere.

  This was even worse than she’d imagined. Barring a miracle, most of the merchandise in this room would have to be discarded.

  “It’s okay. We’ll see this through,” Joshua said, staying right by her side.

  She fought to stay focused. “I’ll have to contact the buyers as soon as possible. I’ll ask for an extension...maybe offer them a discount for their patience,” she said, choking back a sob and trying to force herself to think clearly. She had a job to do.

  “You’re not in this alone. Here come the others,” Joshua whispered. “Buck up. Together, we’ll find a way to get through this.”

  She took an unsteady breath and swallowed hard. She wouldn’t fall apart now...that was for later, when she was alone and no one could see her cry.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  MYKA STOOD IN FRONT of the women who’d stayed late to help clean up. As she looked into their moist, dirty faces, she was surprised to see courage mirrored there along with exhaustion.

  “Power is back on except for the faulty circuit, so we’ll have light and heat. That’s one win,” Myka said.

  “Will we survive this?” someone asked in a tired voice.

  “I think so, but we’re going to have to dig in and work harder than ever. Although some of our merchandise has been damaged beyond repair, not everything’s a loss. We’ll need to sweet-talk the dry cleaners in town so they’ll give us a reduced price, but whatever can be cleaned and repackaged will be salvaged and sold at a discount. That’s our starting point.”

  “My cousin owns the cleaners,” a voice piped in from the back. “She’ll help—I’m sure of it.”

  “We’ll have to sort through everything and salvage as much as possible,” Myka said. “We were due to receive a new shipment of wool first thing tomorrow, but we’ll need to keep that well away from this mess and process it as soon as possible. While our spinners handle that, the rest of us will focus on cleanup.”

  “I have an idea,” Fran said. “Students from my granddaughter’s high school class have been trying to get permission to film inside HMI. Robyn, you haven’t said no, but you haven’t returned their call yet.”

  “I got sidetracked,” Robyn replied.

  “So here’s what I was thinking,” Fran continued. “Let’s give the kids the access they need to film and in return, we’ll ask that they help with the cleanup.”

  “Great idea! Robyn, get on that as soon as possible,” Myka said. “If any of you are willing to give up some sleep tonight, I can sure use your help here.”

  “We’ll stay as long as we’re needed. This is our company, too,” Liza said, and everyone nodded.

  “Good. Let’s get busy,” Myka said.

  * * *

  THEY WORKED UNTIL four in the morning, sorting the items that could be restored and resold from the merchandise that was ruined. The only construction company in town had donated big heaters and fans to help dry out the storeroom and other places that had been thoroughly soaked.

  The volunteer fire department had been called away a few hours after putting out the fire, but they’d loaned HMI one of their big wet-dry vacs to help with the cleanup. By then, things were pretty dry, except for the merchandise and the tops of the shelves, which would have to be wiped down by hand.

  Joshua made a point of checking the walls, and fortunately, water hadn’t infiltrated them. They were made of brick and stone and were protected at floor level by impermeable tile baseboards. There was little risk of mold, though that would have to be monitored. The smoke damage wasn’t as bad as they’d first feared, since the spray mist had literally washed most of that out of the air.

  After less than three hours of sleep, Joshua returned to work and joined others just arriving. It was seven in the morning. He could see the strain on Myka’s face, but she was a woman to be reckoned with. Though exhausted, she continued to push herself.

  “Time to relax, Myka. We’re insured,” he said. “It turns out the fire was caused by faulty switches on that new circuit. It was a manufacturing defect, and the supplier is already putting out a recall. We’ll be compensated, eventually.”

  “I need some more coffee,” she said, looking at her empty HMI mug.

  Robyn, who’d been worried about Myka
, came over. “I’ll continue checking the contents of the shipping and storage boxes. Take a break.”

  “There are plenty of people here now,” Joshua said, looking out into the hall. Some were the sons and daughters of the craftspeople who made up HMI, others were townspeople who just wanted to help. “Let’s go get that coffee.”

  Joshua and Myka walked upstairs to her office. Everything there looked amazingly normal. No damage had touched the second floor except for the lingering scent of smoke. All the electronics had been plugged into surge protectors.

  “We can still meet the majority of our small orders by pulling items we’d planned to sell online, but I’ll need to negotiate new shipping deadlines and offer our major customers special discounts in return for any delays.” She sat down at her desk and stared at the phone.

  “What’s worrying you?” Joshua asked, switching on the coffeemaker.

  “What if our three new vendors cancel, or worse, decide not to reorder? Our company’s reputation will take a huge hit,” she said. In a barely audible voice, she added, “When you have no track record to speak of, first impressions are everything. If we drop the ball now, how can we ever have that future you keep talking about?”

  She was staring down at her hands. One was clenched into a tight fist, and the other held her pen in a death grip.

  Joshua understood what she was going through. She was fighting for a dream she could see slipping through her fingers. Losing his company had knocked Joshua to his knees, and he’d move heaven and earth to spare her that heartbreak and help her keep going.

  “Show them they’ll come out ahead. Make them see that second best isn’t good enough for HMI, so the delay is there to ensure quality. The discount proves you put customers ahead of profits. You’ll be surprised how far straight talk will take you.”