A heaviness was beginning to settle over me at the realization that I was feeling, well, a little bit lonely. I had nothing to do on days like today but think about how alone I was in the world. Dad died when I was in college and Mom followed him a few years later. At twenty-seven, I’d been on my own for a number of years already and I was no stranger to holidays spent alone, yet each year around this time felt more and more depressing.
I’d received invitations to join people over the years, but I didn’t want to be the orphan at the party. It always felt like I was being invited out of pity, because everyone knew I was all alone. Eventually, the invitations quit coming. People knew I wanted to be alone. Or, that’s what they assumed, anyway.
I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes. Instantly, a postcard perfect image popped into my head. My friend, Helen, had sent me the picture from her mother-in-law’s living room. Helen, her husband, perfect children, cute dog, and a perfect backdrop of a fireplace, stockings, hot cocoa mugs, and even more family photos. I couldn’t help the jealousy I felt. I was happy for her, but I truly wished I had something like that for myself.
I’d proven to myself that I was okay being alone. I was healthy enough to sit alone in a silent room without going insane. Didn’t that mean I was ready for someone to love? Wasn’t that what people said? Once you were okay with yourself, the right person would come along? So far, that wasn’t true for me.
I opened my arms, looked up at the ceiling and said aloud, “I’m okay, world. I’m okay with me!”
I refreshed my email again and sighed. At the rate I was going, I’d be dead from boredom by nightfall.
The shrill sound of my office phone interrupted my thoughts and I practically dove at it. “Hello? Jay Travel. Can I help you?”
“Busted!” Leila Long’s voice barked into my ear. “I knew you’d be at the office. Dammit, Lettie, that’s no way to spend Christmas.”
I made a face at the phone. “I just had to run in and finish up with something. Jeez. Do you harass all of your friends this way?”
She laughed, and then I heard others talking in the background. “Just the ones I love. Are you going to be free later?”
I’d had my back to the front door of my office, so when the bell rang, it startled me. I spun around and froze at the sight in front of me. Three children stood, without jackets, shivering, and staring at me. The oldest one, who was probably twelve, rubbed her hands over her arms and gave me a forced smile.
“I’ve got to go, Leila. I’ll talk to you later.”
She was talking when I hung up, but she’d be fine with me hanging up on her if she knew what I was looking at.
“Hi.”
The oldest, a girl, gave me another forced smile. “Hi. You’re the only shop open on this street.”
I nodded and jumped into action. I didn’t know what was going on, but these children had to be freezing. “I am. C’mon in, kids, here, let’s get ya’ll warmed up. I have a heater over here. Huddle on up to it, you’ll all be able to feel the heat.”
They rushed over to it, the smallest one getting pushed right up against it. He looked up at me with the biggest brown eyes I’d ever seen and stuck out his full bottom lip. He couldn’t have been much older than three and everything about his sweet little face broke my heart.
“Why are you open?”
“I’m… not quite sure. Why are you walking out here alone?” It was direct, but I couldn’t help it. I knew everyone in Landing. Everyone and everything. It was a small town and people talked. Yet, I didn’t recognize these children. In fact, if I were a betting woman, I’d wager I’d never seen these kids before.
The middle boy, only about five, started to cry. “Mommy left us.”
His big sister nudged him. “Be quiet, Joey.”
I knelt in front of them and smiled up at the girl. “You in trouble?”
She sucked her bottom lip in between her teeth and roughly shook her head. Her messy brown hair matched her brothers’ and they all shared the same huge brown eyes. Their pale skin was slowly turning rosy as the warmth returned to their little bodies.
“What’s your name?”
Joey struck again. “Abby. And I’m Joey. This is Bear.”
The small one’s eyes turned bright and fur started spouting out on his little body. He let out a little sound that sounded more kitten than bear. Abby grabbed his arm and shook it.
“Stop it! Stop it, Bear!” She looked at me with panicked eyes and pushed him behind her body. “Don’t hurt us. Please.”
I reached around her and pulled her hand away from Bear’s little arm. “It’s okay. You don’t have to stop him here, Abby.”