by C. E. Wilson
“I wasn’t trying to sell them,” she protested as Carter came closer. “I was going to give them to him, for your information.” She gently shoved him when he was close enough and Carter smirked as he looked down at her.
“Hey, hey, watch it,” he teased. “That’s a baking genius you’re smacking around.”
“Genius?” Brynne couldn’t help giggling before she playfully punched at his hip and he pretended to fly back a few inches.
Jeremy erupted in laughter to join them. “You two are a strange pair,” he remarked, “but you do seem comfortable together. That’s good. Not many elves around here care for humans.”
“Do you blame them?” Carter asked. He picked up Brynne by the waist and hoisted her over to the table with the heater. He set her down and rested a hand next to her. “Most people aren’t exactly kind to elves.”
“That is true,” Jeremy said, nodding. He started to pound out a large wad of bread dough on the board with powerful punches. “No worries. We’ll keep you safe while you’re under my roof, little lady. Both at home and here at Sweet Mix.”
Brynne stepped up to Carter’s arm, wrapped her arms around it and leaned the side of her head affectionately against him in a make-shift hug.
“Thank you both so much,” she sighed.
“O-of course,” Carter stammered, ears turning red.
“She is a mushy one, isn’t she?” Jeremy teased.
Carter’s blush spread like wildfire across his cheeks.
Jeremy looked at the two of them with a smile. Elves and humans were from two different, and yet, these two teenagers had found a way to trust each other. He shook his head fondly before turning back to his kneading.
The sound of the front door opening broke the silence and he looked at his nephew. “That’s all you, Carter. I’ll take care of things back here.”
The lunch rush turned into an all-day rush, and both Carter and Jeremy were too busy to entertain Brynne. She quickly grew tired of watching other people work, and was soon working at cleaning the long counter and sink.
She was totally absorbed in scrubbing away at some stubborn ancient stains when she got the feeling that she was being watched. She turned to see both men looking at her with their arms crossed, tired smiles on their faces.
“I don’t know about you, but we’re done for the night,” Jeremy said, “I’ve got to compliment you on this counter, it looks as good as new.” She wiped her brow and smiled as he continued. “Just have to close up and grab the ingredients for the scones. Is there anything you’d like to try and create tonight? Any suggestions?”
“You mean, we’re going to bake more?” Brynne asked, raising her eyebrows. She looked all around at the bountiful kitchen. Her days spent in Sweet Mix had given her a glimpse of the creative delicacies they were able to create.
Jeremy laughed warmly. “It is kind of what I do for a living.”
“Oh yes. Of course. Makes sense. Um…” Her gray eyes danced towards the front of the shop and then back to Jeremy. “I have to say those apple tarts looked incredible,” she admitted. She drew her coat closer as the men bundled up to leave.
“Course they did. More your size, aren’t they?”
Brynne blushed, but couldn’t deny that was part of the allure.
“And so we’ll bake more,” Jeremy said, still chuckling as he buttoned his coat. He caught a glimpse of the woman’s blush, and couldn’t help but feel a fondness towards her. Despite her being an elf, she was well spoken and polite. Heather was going to love her. “I’m a baker, after all.”
“All he does is bake,” Carter said with a grin as he tied his scarf around his neck. He looked over at Brynne as he strode towards her. “Apple tarts, eh? Sounds good to me. Aunt Heather loves Granny Smiths so I know she’ll have plenty there.”
“And I have some apricot jam in the pantry we can use as a glaze,” Jeremy said.
“Pantry?” Brynne squeaked.
“Just another storage spot for extra ingredients,” Jeremy said. “I guess it’s settled. Apple tarts it is.”
“And scones,” Carter said with a wink as he pulled on his thick gloves. As he came to stand close to Brynne, he glanced over at his uncle. “Did you call my mom?”
“Sure did,” Jeremy said. “She dropped off some clothes and toiletries at the house after talking to Heather.”
“And...” he trailed off as he grew hesitant, “... did either of you tell her?”
“Your secret’s safe with us for now, Carter,” Jeremy said. “Come on.” He clapped him heavily on the shoulder. “Let’s head out to the car.”
Brynne allowed herself to be carried in Carter’s arms without any protest.
In fact, it was becoming increasingly obvious that she could hardly wait to curl back up into him.
The car engine’s juddering rumble and generous speed were unfamiliar and startling to the elf, but she trusted that Carter would keep her from harm. She squirmed in the crook of his arm, getting traction with her feet on his forearm so she was half sitting on his upper arm, leaning towards the salt-encrusted window. The streets passed by gracefully, the icy exterior safely deterred by a pane of glass. From this angle, the city looked more cheery; Christmas lights donning every streetlight, and wreaths on every door. Her quiet fascination went uninterrupted during the ride, up until they slowed down one last time and pulled into the driveway of a modest, and neat-looking home.
Brynne’s hands jumped to her hair again. She’d never been to a human residential neighborhood, much less stepped foot inside a human’s home.
“God, let her like me,” Brynne muttered under her breath as Carter unbuckled himself.
“She’s going to love you,” Carter said after the three of them exited the car, standing a few yards behind his uncle. “My aunt Heather loves girls. You don’t need to be nervous.”
“I’m not nervous,” Brynne said quietly. She heard the sound of the front door opening and Jeremy and a woman talking in low voices.
“Oh yeah?” Carter challenged as he lifted her closer. “Then why are you trembling?”
“I’m not,” she trailed off as Carter reached to grab both of her hands in his.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
As his grip closed around her bony hands, Brynne realized he was right. She was trembling all over from sheer anxiety. She bit her bottom lip and craned her neck back so she could see his face.
“Just as long you stay close, I’ll be okay,” Brynne said in a rushed voice. “I’m only brave when you’re near.”
“You’re braver than you give yourself credit for, Brynne,” Carter said as he stepped through the door.
Chapter Fifteen
Brynne thought her eyes would pop out of her head as she gaped at the huge, brightly lit hallway. Clean white walls with paintings led down to a gleaming polished wood floor that seemed to shine. She was so engrossed in the sight that she started in Carter’s arms as a warm voice filled the hall.
“Carter.” Aunt Heather beckoned, a considerate tone to her voice already.
Carter lifted up his head when his aunt spoke. Like his uncle, Aunt Heather was a large and pleasantly round woman with a warm face. Her hair was frizzy and blond and cropped short so you could see her chubby cheeks and dark blue eyes. They lit up when she noticed the elf in his arms.
“Bring your friend around, would you? No need to be hiding near the doorway when we’ve got a fire going.”
“Sure thing, Aunt Heather,” Carter said, holding out his arms for her to see. “This is Brynne by the way.”
“H-hello,” Heather said, waving awkwardly. “Come in, come in.” She beckoned the two of them down the hallway.
Carter kept Brynne cradled close in his arms as he strode through the hallway. Pictures of a large family littered the walls, telling tales of soccer games, football matches, high school dances and graduation ceremonies. Brynne tilted her head as they drifted past. A beautiful family. Heather and Jeremy, four large boys and a girl, s
o much younger than the rest. Brynne wanted to ask, but Carter kept walking and eventually the two were in a large living space.
“Wow,” she muttered. Her eyes settled on the massive brick fireplace with a red and orange fire blazing away with a color and warmth she had only ever seen before in dreams.
“Take a seat,” Heather said. “Jeremy will be back down in a little while.”
Carter nodded with a grin. “Let’s get you close to the fire,” he said as he took a seat on the plush tan carpet. He gently set Brynne down on her feet and leaned back on his elbows. Her earlier words still resonated in his heart.
She wanted him close.
“For formal introductions… Brynne Mirren. This is my Aunt Heather Holly. Aunt Heather, this is Brynne.”
Brynne managed to smile and speak. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Holly.”
“No need for that formal language under our roof,” Heather chided. “You can call me Heather, dear.”
Brynne nodded. “Okay, then.” She looked all around: Carter at her back, the roaring fire, a roof over her head and clean air in her lungs. She sighed, still unable to believe that this was happening. “You have such a lovely home.”
Heather grinned from her spot on the plaid arm chair. “Why thank you, dear. It’s quite a bit larger and emptier now considering it’s just Jeremy and myself.”
“It used to be a little crowded in here,” Carter said. “They have four sons. All as big as my uncle.”
Brynne tried to picture five Jeremys crammed into the room.
“You might want to hide the shock on your face,” Carter said in a half-whisper.
Heather broke out into laughter. “Yes, you look quite horrified.”
Brynne shook her head as though coming out from a trance. “Sorry!” she squeaked. “I’m trying to picture it.”
“No need to picture it. They’re all planning to visit on Christmas Eve,” Heather said absentmindedly. “My eldest is already working, I have one set to graduate in the spring, and the twins finished up their first semester. It’s going to be quite a full house in a few days.”
“You don’t think they’ll be upset, do you?” Brynne asked.
“Upset?”
“Upset I’m here?”
Heather shook her head dismissively. “They’ve got no reason to. Goodness knows we could use another woman’s intuition around the place.” She smiled widely at Brynne, making the small girl glow with pride, like she had been inducted into a secret club.
Carter glanced down. “See? Nothing to worry about.”
Heather stood up suddenly. “I better go see what’s keeping Jeremy. Last time he took this long to change after coming home from work, he ended up typing a new cake recipe and fell asleep on the bed.” She winked at the two of them. “I’ll be right back. Oh! And feel free to help yourselves to a drink or a snack if you’d like.”
“Sounds good. Oh! And Aunt Heather?” Carter called.
“Hmm?”
“Where’s Brynne going to sleep? I’d like to show her. Are you putting her upstairs in—”
“No.” Heather’s expression darkened for a moment. “I mean, I’d rather her stay downstairs in the guest room. It’s quieter down there and more private. Less stairs, you know. And there’s a private bathroom. I think that makes more sense, don’t you?”
Carter frowned for a moment. “Yeah,” he said finally. “That makes sense.”
“Good.”
“What about me then?” Carter called. “That’s where I usually stay. You want me to stay in Evan’s old room?”
“We’ll figure that out later,” Heather said, starting up the stairs. “I’m gonna grab Jeremy,” she called over her shoulder. “Why don’t you two relax for now?”
“Sure thing, Aunt Heather,” Carter said. Once she was out of sight he sat up a bit straighter on the floor. “So what did you think? I think she likes you.”
Brynne shrugged and leaned back over her shoulder to meet his gaze. “I hope so. Hard to tell yet, I guess.”
“Nervous about meeting all the new people?” he guessed.
“Scared, more like.”
“You’ll be fine,” Carter said. “I’ll be there with you the whole time.”
She looked around again, taking in all her surroundings. The immense, lavish furniture. The glossy photos on the wall. Unconsciously, she slid her hand backwards until she felt Carter’s. Her delicate hand latched onto his finger and tugged lightly. Carter graciously let her pull his hand into her lap, where she held it for added comfort.
“This is all so weird to me,” she breathed. “I don’t want to mess up.”
“You’re not going to mess up anything.”
“New people always make me nervous… afraid. You wouldn’t believe how afraid of you I was,” she mused. “I was shaking just to stand next to you and soon I’m going to meet a bunch of people who are even bigger than you! I can hardly picture it.”
“You’ve met Jeremy. His sons are just like him.”
“He’s nice, but he’s scary too.”
He swallowed hard as he looked down at the hand grazing across his. “Were you really scared of me?” Carter croaked.
She nodded and bent down to kiss his knuckle. “Look at me now. Gives me hope that I can do this.”
He leaned down a bit. “But you really were frightened of me?” She nodded and he leaned down even closer. Slowly, he lifted his free hand and cupped her cheek against his palm, bringing her face up to his. “Why?”
Brynne stared up at him, for a moment too dumbfounded to speak. “You were a human stranger,” she finally said slowly. “I didn’t know a thing about you or what you wanted with me. And all my life I was told how cruel humans are, and what I’d seen on the streets confirmed it. How easily you would do some terrible things just because you could. I’d be too little to stop you.”
“Terrible things?” His mind couldn’t comprehend, but he remembered how Marvin had reacted to her. And if he thought back, he remembered some of the horrible things he had seen people say or do to her over the years while trying to sell matchbooks. He even remembered how he used to join in the jokes about elves at school because it was easier to laugh with the others than to say what he really thought.
“I should have approached you sooner,” he said.
His eyes lowered as he gently rubbed his thumb across her arm. She was so small. He kept his ears attuned for the sounds of Heather or Jeremy approaching, but the halls were silent. Biting his lower lip, he lifted his hand and cupped her face.
“I’m sorry,” he muttered. “I’m sorry you were afraid of me. I’m sorry I didn’t come to you sooner.”
“So why didn’t you?” Brynne asked. She couldn’t believe how quiet she sounded.
“I was afraid, too.” He traced a thumb down her cheek, grazing against both her upper and lower lip.
“W-why?”
His hazel eyes lifted. “I don’t know.” His eyes continued to dart back and forth as he searched his memory for a reason. She was beautiful, but that wasn’t it. She seemed brave, but that wasn’t it either. Swallowing hard, it dawned on him as he realized the true reason he hadn’t approached her. “Actually,” he muttered, “it was because I was attracted to an elf. That’s what scared me. That’s what kept me away.”
Brynne swallowed hard, an ache in her heart erupting. He had wanted her for so long, but doubts kept him at bay. Doubts that may not have been entirely cured.
“And.” She shifted uncomfortably. “Does that still scare you? Being attracted to an elf? Being attracted to me?” She fixed him with an affectionate but serious look.
Carter’s thumb continued to smooth up and down her cheek a few times without words.
It didn’t bother him, at least he didn’t think so, but for some reason the words didn’t come so easily.
“I...”
“You guys didn’t leave the room.”
Heather’s warm voice filled the living space and Carter sprang away f
rom Brynne. Her eyebrows rose sky high at how close the two of them were, but she didn’t say anything.
“Jeremy’s in the kitchen actually,” she said, jutting a thumb behind her. “Apparently he has this idea in his head that he has to make apple tarts for dessert tonight. Carter...”
“Yes?” Carter shot up to his feet with surprising speed.
“Jeremy needs some help peeling the apples. Do you mind?”
“No, not at all.” He hesitated for only a moment, then walked towards the hallway. He turned as he reached it and gave Brynne and unreadable look, then stepped through the door and disappeared.
Once he had gone, his Aunt smiled down at the girl on the floor. “The boys will probably eat while they’re baking. I prefer to actually sit down and enjoy dinner. Do you like chicken and mashed potatoes? I also made baconed corn and Jeremy brought some rolls home. Will you join me?”
“Baconed corn?” Brynne repeated, trying to picture all that food in one place.
Heather couldn’t help laughing. “Yes,” she said. “It’s not much. Just a little creation of my own. It’s yellow corn sautéed with bacon and butter. Fattening as anything, but we don’t normally count calories in the Holly house. I’m sure you’ve noticed.” She followed up with a wink as she gestured for the elf to follow her.
“I’ve never even heard of such a thing,” Brynne said as she scrambled to her feet and began to follow.
“With four boys, I was always looking for a way to filled them up and save some dollars. I guess I never got out of the habit of cooking for such a big family. It’ll be a treat to have you and Carter eating up some of my food for the next few days.”
“That all sounds wonderful,” Brynne confessed. “If it’s not too much trouble, could you spare a side of mashed potatoes?”
As she walked quickly to keep up, she looked around for the kitchen but didn’t see it. Soon Heather came to a halt in a room with a huge table surrounded by chairs. She could hear Carter and his Uncle talking in the next room.
“I’ll give you more than a side of mashed potatoes,” Heather said with a wink. “I’ll give you an entire plate of everything so you can figure out what you like.”
