Humbug's Holiday Homecoming

by J. A. Armstrong

  “I don’t want to screw it up.”

  “You will.”

  “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  Leona chuckled. “We all do, Mick. We all make mistakes with our partners and we all screw up our kids.”

  “You did pretty okay,” Mick commented.

  “Pretty okay, huh?” Leona shook her head. “I had a lot to work with.”

  “I’m not sure if that was a compliment.”

  “It was. Remember something.”

  “What’s that?” Mick wondered.

  “Don’t pretend with her,” Leona advised. “When it’s hard and it hurts—even when it’s about a train under the tree, you need to tell her. If you want to have something with Ruby—something deeper than a friend to share rides with and watch a movie with, you need to tell her.”

  “Got it.”

  “Good. Now, you’ve saved me a late night. I’ll leave you to your pizza and choo choo.”

  “What do you need to do?” Mick asked.

  “Ah, that’s a secret,” Leona said with a wink.

  “Oh, Lord.”

  “See you later, Mick.”

  Mick watched her mother leave and shook her head. “She’s up to something.”

  “Got it!” Logan exclaimed.

  “Excellent. So? How about we set up the tracks? Then we can order a pizza and put on all the finishing touches so it’s all ready when Mom gets home.”

  “Mick?”

  “Yeah, Bud?”

  “Can the train get a message to Santa?”

  “I think so. Did you have a letter?”

  Logan shook his head.

  “Logan?”

  “I want to make sure he brings something for Mom.”

  Mick’s heart swelled. “Do you know what you want him to bring?”

  Logan nodded.

  “Okay. Let’s get started and then we can write him a note. Okay?”

  Logan threw his arms around Mick’s neck.

  “Whoa.”

  “I love you, Mick.”

  Mick closed her eyes and reveled in Logan’s affection. “I love you too, Logan.” I really do. “Come on. We’d better get to work. Mom will be home before you know it.”

  ***

  “Something you want to share?” Denise goaded her friend.

  Ruby was sure she was glowing. It would be difficult to conceal the warmth that flooded her body since the previous night. She had relinquished her hold on Mick at 3:00 a.m. She would have been happy to sleep the entire night on her couch pressed against Mick’s body. Every so often, she would feel a light kiss land on her head and grip Mick’s middle tighter. She wished that there was something she could say, do or give to Mick to make this Christmas memorable in a new way. She’d combed her thoughts all morning and continued to come up empty.

  “What makes you think I have anything to share?” Ruby asked.

  “You mean besides the fact that you look like someone gave you a million dollars?”

  Oh, it’s much better than a million dollars.

  “See? That. That, right there,” Denise said. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with a certain surgeon, would it?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Maybe?”

  “Nothing happened—not like you are hoping,” Ruby said.

  “Bummer.”

  “Stop.” Ruby laughed. “We had a long talk.”

  “A talk made you look like you’ve been sitting on a beach in the Caribbean for a week?”

  “I thought I looked like I had a million dollars,” Ruby returned.

  “Ha-ha. What did you talk about? And, can I read it somewhere?”

  “There might have been a couple of kisses thrown in.”

  Denise folded her arms across her chest. “I thought nothing happened.”

  “They were innocent.”

  “Right.”

  “Okay, they weren’t totally innocent.”

  “I’m happy for you.”

  “Don’t get ahead of things,” Ruby cautioned. “A couple of kisses doesn’t mean anything.”

  “Maybe not. Don’t stop running before you get to second base.”

  “I don’t even know if she likes baseball.”

  “Cute,” Denise said. “You know what I mean.”

  “I do.”

  “What’s wrong? All of sudden you look like someone stole your puppy.”

  “Christmas is not exactly Mick’s favorite time of year.”

  “Yeah, well, she’s not alone there.”

  “I know. The holidays are hard for a lot of people. I just wish I could do something to make this one a little bit better—just a little bit.”

  Denise shrugged. “Let her get to second base.”

  Ruby burst out laughing. “You’re impossible.”

  “Probably. But look at it this way, it’s a gift that gives back.”

  “You’re a big help.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Ruby pinched her friend’s arm. “Enough. Don’t you have someone else to torture?”

  “Sure do. Mrs. Finch needs a Heparin shot, but I like her.”

  “Nice.”

  Denise bumped Ruby’s hip with hers. “Okay, so just let her get another base hit,” she said.

  Ruby shook her head. Well, it’s better than anything I’ve come up with.

  ***

  “Are you sure about this?” Mick asked Logan.

  “Yep. Mom loves it.”

  “Mom loves macaroni and cheese with hot dogs in it?”

  “Yep.”

  Mick looked at Logan doubtfully.

  “It’s her specialty,” he said, struggling to pronounce the word.

  The kitchen door opened, and Ruby stepped inside. She was stunned to see Mick standing at her stove.

  “Mom!”

  Ruby jumped a bit. “Well, hello to you too,” she said. “Where’s Leona?”

  Mick shrugged. “I sent her home. I had some things to do with Logan. Besides, I think she was up to her Mrs. Claus act or something.”

  Ruby’s gaze narrowed.

  “Don’t look at me,” Mick said. “She never gives away her secrets.”

  “Aren’t you working?” Ruby asked.

  “Not until 11:00,” Mick replied.

  Ruby was confused. Last she knew, Mick had planned to be at the hospital by 7:00.

  “Logan,” Mick called him over to her. She whispered in his ear, and he ran off into the living room.

  Ruby stood in the same spot. She studied Mick from some clue as to what was happening.

  Mick looked at the pan on the stove. “Oh. Logan said that you like mac and cheese with hot dogs. It’s your specialty.”

  Ruby laughed. “To Logan, maybe.”

  “Uh-oh.”

  “Mick? Not that I’m not happy to see you because I am.” I really am. “But what’s going on?”

  Mick took a deep breath. She turned off the burner and set the pan aside. Two steps forward and she was face to face with Ruby. “I wanted to spend Christmas Eve with you and Logan. I hope that’s okay.”

  “Mick, you don’t have to—”

  “No, you’re not hearing me,” Mick said. “How about we talk about this after mac and cheese?”

  Logan slid into the kitchen “All set!” he announced.

  Ruby looked at her son and then at Mick for an explanation. Logan grabbed her hand. “What’s are you two up to?”

  Mick shrugged. “Close your eyes.”

  “Close my eyes?”

  “Yes. Logan and I will tell you when to open them.”

  “Come on, Mom.”

  Ruby pursed her lips.

  “I promise that nothing will jump out at you,” Mick said.

  Ruby complied with the request and shut her eyes.

  “Okay. Hold onto me and Logan.”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  “Nope,” Mick said.

  Mick and Logan led Ruby into the living room. Mick nodded to Logan.

 
“Okay, Mom! You can open them.”

  Ruby let her eyelids open gradually. “Mick—”

  “It’s cool, huh?” Logan asked excitedly. “Me and Mick put it together.”

  Ruby’s grip tightened on Mick’s hand. All the lights in the living room were off except the lights on the tree. A blanket of cotton snow surrounded the base of the tree. A train rounded a track repeatedly. A few lights blinked from ceramic buildings and crossing lights. “Mick,” she said again.

  “Pretty cool, isn’t it?” Mick asked.

  “Mom, look!” Logan sped over to the train, pressed a button and the track moved so that the tracks changed direction.

  “That’s amazing,” Ruby said.

  “Yeah. Mick let me put all the trees and people where I wanted.”

  “I’ll bet she did,” Ruby replied.

  “Yeah, and we used it to send a letter to Santa too,” he told her.

  Ruby turned to Mick. Her hand reached for Mick’s cheek. “Thank you.” She kissed Mick softly.

  “Ick! Mom! That’s gross,” Logan said.

  Ruby chuckled. “Says the boy who likes hot dogs in macaroni and cheese.”

  “So do you!”

  “Not really,” Ruby muttered.

  Mick chuckled. “I’d offer to order a pizza, but we had that for lunch.”

  “Mac and cheese for dinner and pizza for lunch? He has you trained,” Ruby offered.

  “It’s tradition,” Logan came to Mick’s defense.

  “Tradition?”

  “Sort of,” Mick said. “That’s what I did every Christmas Eve with my dad. He’d order us a pizza, and we’d spend the afternoon setting up the train under the tree.”

  “I’ll tell you what,” Ruby said. “Since you have a few hours—how about I make us dinner? Logan can have his delicacy and I’ll figure something out for us.”

  “You don’t have to cook, Ruby. You worked already today.”

  “Looks like you did some work too,” Ruby said. “Logan, come eat, and then you can play with the train.”

  “Okay!” Logan bolted for the kitchen, eager to eat and return to the train set.

  “I wanted to do something for you and Logan,” Mick said.

  “You did.”

  “Not really. I mean, I think he had fun. The mac and cheese was kind of an epic dinner fail, huh?” Mick asked.

  Ruby leaned in and kissed Mick soundly. “Nothing about you being here is a fail.”

  “Except the mac and cheese.”

  “If you really want that mac and cheese, we will all eat mac and cheese.”

  “I don’t care,” Mick said. “I don’t want you to have to do anything.”

  “I would’ve cooked dinner if you weren’t here.”

  “Nah, Mom would’ve already had it done.”

  “You probably have me there,” Ruby confessed. “I’m not promising anything gourmet—just edible and identifiable.”

  “Okay,” Mick agreed.

  “Good.”

  “Hey, Ruby?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Do we get to leave cookies for Santa later?” Mick asked.

  Ruby’s eyes twinkled. “And carrots for the reindeer.”

  Mick smiled. Maybe this Christmas thing isn’t so bad after all.

  ***

  Mick watched as Ruby placed a few cookies on a plate.

  “We need milk!’ Logan reminded his mother.

  “I remember,” Ruby said. She poured some milk into a glass.

  “Can Mick help with the carrots?” Logan asked.

  “If Mick would like to.”

  “They have to go outside,” Logan told Mick.

  “On the roof?” Mick questioned.

  “Not exactly,” Ruby said. “We usually put a couple on the window sill outside my bedroom.”

  “Uh-huh,” Mick tried to understand the logic.

  “That way they can get them when they fly away,” Logan explained.

  “I guess that makes sense,” Mick said.

  “First, we have to give Santa his cookies,” Logan said.

  Ruby handed Mick a few carrots. Mick followed Ruby and Logan back into the living room.

  “Okay,” Ruby said. She set the milk on the mantle and then lifted Logan, so that he could place the plate of cookies beside the milk.

  “We forgot!” Logan said when Ruby set his feet back on the floor.

  “What did we forget?” Mick wondered. “I have the carrots.”

  Logan shook his head. “We have to say thank you.”

  “Oh.”

  “We always write a thank-you note,” Ruby said. “You’re right, Logan. I’ll get a piece of paper and you can write a thank-you note.”

  Mick watched while Ruby helped Logan write the words Thank you, Santa in blue crayon on a piece of paper.

  “Okay!” Logan grabbed Mick’s hand. “We gotta put the carrots out now.”

  Mick held her laughter in check and let Logan lead her up the stairs. She stepped into Ruby’s bedroom nervously.

  Ruby caught the hesitation in Mick’s step. “It’s just a note, Mick,” she said. “For now,” she whispered playfully.

  Mick coughed.

  “Are you sick, Mick?” Logan asked innocently.

  “Huh? No. No,” Mick said. “Let’s put these carrots out there.”

  Ruby sniggered. Mick was adorable. She was content to watch Logan give Mick directions, and Mick dutifully follow each.

  “Okay!” Logan announced.

  “That means it’s time for you to hop into bed,” Ruby said.

  “Okay,” Logan agreed.

  One thing Ruby loved about Christmas Eve, Logan never argued about bedtime. Somehow, she’d managed to convince him that unless he was asleep, Santa couldn’t come. After all, Santa had secrets to protect.

  “That was easy,” Mick commented.

  “Only tonight,” Ruby replied. “Say goodnight to Mick and brush your teeth.”

  “Night, Mick! Will you be here tomorrow?”

  Mick’s heart sank. Suddenly, she wished she could be with Logan on Christmas. “Aw, I’m sorry, Buddy. I have to work.”

  “But how will Santa find you?” Logan asked.

  “Don’t worry about me,” Mick said.

  Logan stared at Mick. He was worried. Santa needed to find Mick too.

  “Santa will find Mick,” Ruby promised. “He knows where everyone is,” she said.

  Logan wasn’t so sure. “Is there a chimney there?” he asked.

  “At the hospital?” Mick asked.

  Logan nodded.

  “There are a few,” Mick replied. “But Santa doesn’t need a chimney,” she told him. She knelt to his height and looked him in the eye. “I already got my Christmas present.”

  “You did?”

  “Yep. You helped me with the train.”

  “Yeah, but that’s to help Santa,” he reminded her.

  “It is,” Mick agreed. “And, you need to get in bed, so that Santa can find you.”

  Logan frowned.

  “Logan, I promise, Santa will know where I am,” Mick said. “He’s always managed to find me.”

  Logan looked at his mother.

  “Mick’s right,” she assured him. “Now, go brush your teeth and hop into bed. I’ll check on you when I come up.”

  Logan sighed. He hugged Mick tightly. “Write him a note,” he whispered.

  “What?”

  “Write Santa a note like me,” Logan said. “Leave it with his cookies. Then he’ll know where you are.”

  Mick held Logan close. “Okay,” she said. “Next time I see you, you can show me everything Santa brought.”

  Logan smiled at Mick and ran into the bathroom.

  “He’s really worried about Santa finding me,” Mick commented.

  Ruby looped her arm around Mick’s. “Let’s go downstairs for a bit before you have to leave.”

  Suddenly, Mick felt nervous. She’d enjoyed the day. She’d been happy to see Ruby walk through
the door. She would need to leave soon. Mick wasn’t sure what to say to Ruby. The afternoon and evening had been filled with Logan’s excitement and tasks to prepare for the morning. Now what?

  “Mick?” Ruby wondered what was going on in Mick’s mind.

  Mick faltered.

  “Hey, are you okay?”

  “I don’t know what to say.”

  “About what?”

  “Today.”

  “I don’t think you need to say anything,” Ruby replied. “Since I can’t offer you a glass of wine, how about a cup of the caffeine you love?”

  “Think you’ve already discovered the way to my heart, huh?”

  Mick’s playful comment made Ruby’s heart skip. Ruby wanted to find the way—any way to Mick’s heart. She was confident that she’d captured Mick’s interest—at least, a little bit. Mick’s heart? That was another story. And, what about Ruby’s heart? It seemed to beat erratically whenever Mick was close. She found herself wondering about Mick when they were apart. What was Mick doing? What was Mick thinking? Most of all, what was Mick feeling? Ruby wasn’t prepared to put a name to the emotions that bubbled in her veins. Attraction was present. Fascination was evident. She valued Mick’s friendship. Could she fall in love with Michaela Mulligan? Yes. Yes, she could. She stared at Mick. Love. No one could feel they were in love in the space of a month. Could they? Could she? Could Mick? A lump formed in her throat. Love was supposed to take time. Wasn’t it? It was. Millions of thoughts and questions collided with overwhelming emotion in an instant, and Ruby found herself speechless—powerless to silence any of them.

  Mick took a gentle hold of Ruby’s arms to steady her. She had expected her life to change drastically when she arrived home. She’d spent her entire adulthood on the opposite coast—away from home. Mick had convinced herself that she was home in California. She owned a cozy house by the beach. She had friends that she spent time with. She enjoyed her job and continued to find it both challenging and rewarding. She’d had the chance to travel and see parts of the world most people only dreamed about. She loved to sit on her porch, sipping a cup of coffee or a cold beer and watch the waves crash on the shore. That was home; wasn’t it? She looked into Ruby’s eyes and lost something she’d always kept firmly in place. Unsure of what else to do, Mick pulled Ruby into her arms and held her.

  Ruby’s arms surrounded Mick’s waist. Her head rested under Mick’s chin. If there were words she was supposed to speak, she was unable to form them. She closed her eyes and held on. Attraction could sometimes eclipse reason. Ruby took a deep breath. She wasn’t seeking Mick’s seduction. She reveled in Mick’s closeness. Only once in her life had Ruby experienced the sensation. Katherine. Katherine had made Ruby promise she would be open to love again. Ruby never wanted to talk about a future without Katherine. Talking about it made the possibility real. That meant that Katherine’s death was inevitable. As Mick held her, Ruby replayed one of the last conversations she and Katherine had shared.