“I came to invite you to go to the tree lighting party tonight with me and my dad. They turn on all the lights and sing carols and the town council puts out hot chocolate and cookies.” His invitation came out in a stream of words with barely a pause between them.
“Does your dad know you’re asking me this time?”
“Yes, he does. Look.” Josh pulled a wadded up piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to her.
If you’d like to join us tonight for the tree ceremony we’ll pick you up at the cottage at six. Thought you might like it in writing.
Holly grinned at Josh. “I see it’s official then.”
“Please come. Please?” Josh danced around from one foot to the other. Louie looked at her and wagged his tail as if pleading along with Josh.
The last thing she wanted was more Christmas festivities, but she didn’t know how in the world she could turn Josh down. He pulled at her heart in ways it hadn’t been pulled at in a long time. She’d been doing a good job this past year of keeping up walls and protecting her heart, but she couldn’t bring herself to disappoint him. “Okay. I’ll go with you.”
“Yes.” Josh did a success fist pump. “Come on, Louie, let’s go tell Dad. See you tonight, Miss Holly.” The boy and the dog left in a burst of energy and movement.
She finished up at the clinic and drove back to cottage. She had just enough time to change into jeans and a sweater. Steve and Josh showed up at the cottage at exactly six. She grabbed a jacket and opened the door.
“Let’s go, Miss Holly. This is going to be so much fun.” Josh tugged at her hand, pulling her out the door. She smiled down at the boy. Life was just pretty exciting for him all the time. Well, except for the doing homework part.
They all climbed into Steve’s truck with Josh and Louie in the back seat. They headed back into town. As they got near the city park that lined one side of a block on Main Street, she could see the crowd of people gathered. Steve parked the car and led the way over to the gazebo in the middle of the park. A couple of fires burned in scattered fire pits chasing away the bit of nip to the air. Steve placed his hand on her arm and led her over to where a group of people had gathered. Josh and Louie wove their way through the crowd and headed off to a cluster of kids by the swings.
“Hey, Steve.”
A man came up to them and clapped a hand on Steve’s back in the way that males did that she didn’t really understand. Not quite a slap, not quite a punch, just a… clap.
“Ma’am.” The man smiled at her.
“Gil, this is Holly. She’s working Doc Benson’s clinic while he’s away for Christmas.” Steve tilted his head towards the other man. “This is Gil Amaud. Good friend. Owner of the Feed and Seed.”
“Nice to meet you, Gil.”
“Good to meet you, too. I heard someone was working the clinic for Doc. Glad he got the chance to get away for a bit,” Gil said.
Two women walked up to them, their arms laced together in an easy friendliness. “Hi.” The red-haired woman reached up and kissed Gil’s check.
“Hey, Sis.”
“Holly, this is my sister, Bella, and her friend, Jenny.”
“Hi.” Holly smiled at the women, wondering how she was ever going to remember the names of all the people she’d met in the last few days.
“Where’s Becky Lee?” Gil asked.
“She’s working at Magnolia Cafe. A couple of waitresses are out with the flu, so she stayed to help Keely with the crowd they usually get after the tree lighting ceremony.”
More names. Great.
“Bella, Jenny, and Becky Lee are like the unbreakable threesome around town. Have been since they were kids,” Steve explained.
Holly just smiled and tried to keep everyone straight.
“We came early to help set up the hot chocolate and cookie table. We always helps out with that.” Jenny nodded towards the tables laden with cookies and big urns of hot chocolate.
Holly felt instantly welcome by the two women and the three of them chatted while the crowd milled around them. A few other people came up to them and Steve spent the evening introducing her to the town’s people. More people. More names. More brothers, sisters, friends. After about the twentieth person, she gave up trying to keep everyone straight, but they were all very friendly to her.
Finally the mayor came and stood on the raised gazebo. “Welcome. We’re glad you could join us again this year.” The mayor nodded to the high school band standing beside the gazebo and they began to play Silent Night. One by one the people around her joined in.
Holly stood and took in the sounds of the familiar carol, watching the faces of those around her. They all belonged. They all were enjoying time spent out with their friends. They were celebrating Christmas with friends and family. The exact thing she was trying to avoid this year, she reminded herself.