An Alaskan Christmas

by Belle Calhoune

  So far she hadn’t seen Finn. Oliver kept asking for him over and over again as they explored the lights and ice sculptures. He had been looking forward to spending time with Finn this evening. As a diversion she sent him to play with Aidan and a few children from school. Maggie stood and watched from a distance as Oliver raced around the square with absolute abandon. Her chest tightened with pride. He was acclimating nicely to this wonderful town. A casual observer would never have known he was a newcomer to Love.

  All of a sudden Maggie spotted a flash of red and a rugged frame. It was Finn! He had walked up to Oliver and lifted him up from behind. Finn was spinning him around in circles. Maggie didn’t need to see Oliver’s expression. She knew he was grinning from ear to ear.

  “They’re so sweet together.” Ruby walked up beside her and jutted her chin in the direction of Finn and Oliver.

  “They really are,” Maggie acknowledged. “Oliver is Finn’s biggest fan. And Finn is so attentive and caring. He’s been a wonderful friend for both of us.”

  “Are the two of you...circling around each other?” Ruby’s brown eyes were twinkling with interest.

  “Not at all. We’re just friends.” She quirked her mouth. “Finn isn’t looking for an instant family. Or a wife. And I need stability for Oliver.” She made a face. “I actually caved and went out on a date with Hank Jeffries.”

  “How was it? Any sparks?” Ruby asked, curiosity glinting in her eyes. “I know you said you’re not really looking for romance.”

  Maggie shook her head. “Hank is a nice man and dinner was delicious, but I can’t really see anything developing between us. As much as Oliver has let it be known he wants a father, I’m not interested in a romantic relationship. I’m still dealing with my husband’s death. Romance is the last thing on my list.”

  “Of course you’re still grieving his loss, Maggie. Losing a spouse is one of the most traumatic life events a person can go through. Not to mention you’ve moved all the way to an Alaskan fishing village far away from home. You have to give yourself time.” Ruby patted her on the shoulder. “But, somewhere down the road you might be ready to open up your heart to the possibilities. Speaking as a mother, your life doesn’t begin and end as a mom. You need to be happy too.”

  Maggie said. “That’s very true. Everyone deserves to be content in their lives.”

  Happiness. For so long Maggie hadn’t even considered her own joy. Back in Massachusetts she’d been so miserable in the aftermath of Sam’s death. And if she was being honest with herself, her marriage had been rocky for quite some time prior to the tragic loss of her husband. Sam Daviano had put her through the ringer during their marriage. Arrests for petty crimes. Chronic unemployment. Verbal abuse. In the aftermath of his death she had even changed Oliver’s last name to Richards in order to avoid the stigma associated with his father. In the end, there had been nothing left for them in Boston.

  Moving to Alaska had transformed Maggie’s life. Day by day, she was building a life for herself and Oliver. There were moments of pure happiness where she knew they were both healing. The residents of Love made Maggie feel as if she’d landed right where God intended her to be.

  And it had everything to do with being in this small fishing village, her friendship with Finn and the remarkable people who were helping her find peace in Love.

  * * *

  After parting ways with Oliver, Finn headed over to the concession stand. All of the proceeds from the winter carnival event were going to a homeless shelter in Homer. He surveyed the goodies. Sugar cookies. Cupcakes decorated with frosting reindeers. Bûche de Noël cake. He had to admit his Christmas cookies looked delectable. At least half of them had already sold. He didn’t have much of a sweet tooth, but these items looked scrumptious. He imagined Oliver would get a kick out of the whimsical baked goods.

  Finn still hadn’t come face-to-face with Maggie, although he’d spotted her from a distance. He was deliberately keeping away in case Hank and Maggie had come here together this evening. Although he liked to think he was taking the high road, it still irritated him that Maggie and Hank could potentially be the next It couple in town. He shook the feeling off, stuffing it down to a place where he wouldn’t have to examine his emotions.

  “Your cookies look good. I’d recognize them anywhere.” Declan’s voice heralded his arrival before Finn saw him.

  “Thanks. Why aren’t you out there at the dogsledding track?” Finn asked, jutting his chin toward the dogsled area. Declan had always been a huge fan of the sport.

  “Annie was feeling a bit tuckered out, so I was keeping her company. I didn’t want her to run the risk of falling off the sled. Liam says fatigue is normal at this stage of her pregnancy, so I’m trying not to worry.”

  “Makes sense. Liam wouldn’t steer you wrong,” Finn said in a reassuring voice. He could see the worried expression etched on Declan’s face. To say Annie was Declan’s world was an understatement. “Speaking of Annie, where is your better half?” Finn asked, looking around the area for his sister-in-law.

  “She’s somewhere talking to Jasper about the town council vote on library funds. At which point I recused myself from the conversation,” Declan said in a dry voice.

  Finn chuckled. Knowing Annie, she was reading the town mayor the riot act. He almost wished he could witness it. Not many people could go head-to-head with Jasper.

  Just then Finn caught sight of Maggie. She was wearing a puffy white coat with matching ski pants. On her head was a jaunty pink hat that was tilted to the side. Her cheeks were rosy and the tip of her nose was pink. He couldn’t help smiling.

  “Go on over, Finn. You know you want to talk to her,” Declan said, jabbing him in the side.

  He scowled at his brother. “Declan, will you give it a rest? Stop meddling. You’re acting like you’re twelve years old.”

  Declan held up his hands. “All right. I won’t say another word.” He held up his hand. “Scout’s honor.”

  Finn couldn’t help but chuckle. Declan always managed to make him laugh. “You were never a Boy Scout. Not even close.”

  Declan snorted. “Neither were you!” Finn smiled, enjoying the familiar rhythms of his relationship with his brother. He prayed they would continue to grow and strengthen as siblings.

  “Finn! Finn!” Oliver was calling to him from across the way. Finn waved at him, then beckoned him over. The boy grabbed Maggie by the hand and began pulling her toward Finn and Declan.

  “I’m going to go find my lady,” Declan said, crossing paths with Maggie and Oliver and exchanging pleasantries as they passed by. Declan turned back toward Finn and winked at him in an exaggerated manner.

  “I’ve been looking for you everywhere,” Oliver said as soon as he reached Finn’s side. “I wanted to show you the dragon ice sculpture.”

  “You should have known I’d be over here by the snacks,” Finn said in a teasing voice. He rubbed his stomach. “They’ve got some mouthwatering treats, including my very own gingerbread cookies.”

  Oliver rubbed his mittened hands together. “Ooh. I love gingerbread.”

  “Hi, Finn. How are you?” Maggie greeted him with a warm smile.

  “I’m good. Are you having fun?” he asked.

  She nodded her head. “This is a wonderful holiday event. Everyone is so down-to-earth and welcoming. They really know how to make a person feel at home.”

  “Are you here alone? Or...did Hank come with you?” Finn blurted out the question before he could reel himself in.

  Maggie wrinkled her nose. “No, I didn’t come with Hank tonight. Oliver and I came together.”

  “No?” he asked, as a feeling of relief swept over him. Thoughts of Hank being with Maggie had been gnawing at him. Suddenly, Finn felt on top of the world.

  “Did you guys get a dogsled ride?”

  Ma
ggie bit her lip. “No. I haven’t ridden on one since I was a kid.”

  “So what? It’s like riding a bike. You’ll be fine.”

  Maggie shook her head vehemently. “Nope. It’s not going to happen. I don’t need a broken ankle or a bruised hip if I fall off. Thank you very much. Those dogs go so fast.”

  “Come on, Mags. I’ll ride with you and Oliver. I’ll even hold your hand and keep you from falling off if that’s what’s worrying you.” The image of them riding together made Finn feel like a kid all over again.

  Maggie began to giggle. Finn loved seeing the way her eyes crinkled and the sides of her mouth twitched. He looked at Oliver, who was watching him watch Maggie. He had a glint in his eye and Finn had the strangest feeling wheels were turning in his six-year-old mind.

  “Mom said she’ll ride the dogsled,” Oliver piped up. He was grinning from ear to ear.

  Maggie held up her hand. “I said maybe. It wasn’t a promise, Oliver.”

  “But, Mom, they’re only here for the winter carnival.” Oliver’s face fell. “They came all the way from Nome.”

  “Oliver, I didn’t buy any tickets. And the line is really long,” Maggie said, pointing toward the team of huskies.

  Finn didn’t know if this was becoming a habit, but he found himself wanting to make everything right with Oliver’s world. The kid had him wrapped around his little finger.

  “Well, I just happen to have some pull with the person who brought the huskies to town.” He turned to Maggie as Oliver began hooting and hollering.

  “How about it, Maggie? Let’s ride the dogsled for old times’ sake.”

  * * *

  Finn’s invitation to take a ride on the dogsleds made Maggie feel like the ten-year-old version of herself. If she closed her eyes, she could picture them being led by the pack of huskies with the wind whipping against their faces and snow gently falling all around them. It had been pure joy.

  “I have a surprise for your mother.” Finn’s huge grin threatened to overtake his face.

  “What is it?” Oliver asked, jumping up and down with excitement.

  “Why don’t the two of you grab some hot chocolate? I’ll be right back.” Finn dashed off, leaving the two of them wondering what he was up to. Maggie walked to the concession stand with Oliver and bought two hot chocolates, as well as one of the reindeer cupcakes for Oliver. Before she knew it, Oliver had stuffed half of the cupcake in his mouth. He swigged it down with some gulps of hot chocolate. Maggie shook her head. She hoped Oliver wasn’t going to be on too much of a sugar high.

  Live in the moment, she reminded herself. Tonight was special and she wasn’t going to ruin it by focusing too much on the sweets table. Her son was happier than she had seen him in well over a year. That in itself made Maggie feel like doing a jig.

  Thank You for blessing us with this evening, Lord. For the fellowship and goodwill of this wonderful community. And thank You for bringing Finn back into my life and for allowing him to be a guiding light for Oliver. We are truly blessed.

  By the time Oliver had finished the cupcake and hot chocolate, Finn was walking back toward them with Aidan at his side. He was holding a bunch of tickets in his hand. “It’s official. We have tickets for the dogsled.”

  Oliver began cheering. “Yippee!” he yelled.

  “I told you I had a little surprise,” Finn said. He pulled a sled from behind his back—an old-fashioned wooden one with red trim. Although the sled was worn down, Maggie instantly recognized it.

  “Are you kidding me?” Maggie asked. She raised her mittened hands to cover her mouth.

  “I wouldn’t kid about this,” Finn said. “This sled is a classic and a cherished memory.”

  Maggie reached out and traced the faded letters spelling out her name. “After all these years you still have it? I can’t believe it.”

  “It’s seen better days, but it’s been sitting in the attic all this time.”

  Oliver frowned. “What’s so special about it?”

  “This was your mother’s sled,” Finn explained to Oliver. “She used to ride like the wind down Cupid’s Hill over at Deer Run Lake. I’ll have to take you there sometime so you can sled with Aidan.”

  “That would be awesome,” Aidan said in an excited voice.

  Oliver’s jaw dropped. “Wow. You must have been cool back then, Mom.”

  Maggie and Finn began to laugh. Aidan giggled.

  “We sure thought we were,” Maggie said. “Finn was pretty mischievous. This sled actually belonged to Declan. Finn borrowed it then wrote my name on it. You should have seen the steam coming out of Declan’s ears.”

  “No one ever accused me of being a choirboy,” Finn said in a teasing voice.

  “No, they never did,” Maggie said in a low voice as memories of the first time she’d ever met Finn flashed into her mind. It had been straight after church service and he’d tried to frighten her by putting a frog down the back of her shirt. Maggie had chased after him and, after giving him a piece of her mind, she’d accepted an invitation to go salamander hunting with him. It had been an auspicious beginning to a wonderful friendship.

  “So, Mom. Are you going to ride on the dogsled?” Oliver asked. “Aidan and I are going to head over there.”

  “I don’t know, Oliver. It’s been a long time,” she said, suddenly feeling a little anxious. She wasn’t a kid anymore. What business did she have racing around and being led by a pack of huskies?

  Oliver shrugged and walked away with Aidan.

  “That’s unacceptable, Maggie Richards,” Finn said in a scolding voice as soon as Oliver was gone. “I seem to recall you’re saying you wanted to be brave. Am I right? What could be braver than racing like the wind on a dogsled and showing your son how it’s done?”

  Maggie rolled her eyes. “You’re not going to give up on this, are you?”

  Finn smirked and shook his head. “Nope. Absolutely not.”

  With a sigh of resignation, Maggie tucked her sled behind a bush for safekeeping and turned back toward Finn. “Let’s do this,” she said, motioning toward the area where the huskies were gathered to take people on rides.

  When they got to the dogsled track, Maggie watched as Aidan and Oliver stood together in line. Their little faces were full of excitement. Seeing their blossoming friendship reminded her of the way she and Finn had done the same dogsled run twenty years ago.

  “Hold on tight!” Maggie called out as she watched the boys settle onto the dogsled with one of the mushers, then take off down the snowy path as the beautiful huskies exhibited their speed and power. She heard Olivier cry out with delight as they headed out of sight. When it was her turn to ride with Finn she held on tightly and prayed to make it back in one piece. Despite her nerves, it was an exhilarating feeling to fly across the snow-packed ground with the frosty air lashing against her cheeks. When they returned to the starting point she could hear Oliver and Aidan loudly cheering for them.

  Gliding across the snow led by the team of huskies was a thrill ride for Maggie. She loved the exciting feeling of being pulled by the dogs at breakneck speed. After two rides, Maggie was chilled to the bone and done with dogsledding, although Oliver and Aidan wanted to continue to stand in line for another ride. Maggie chuckled. The boys didn’t even seem to feel the cold.

  “Why don’t we go get something to drink to warm us up?” Finn suggested. He pointed at Oliver and Aidan. “These two will be fine. Something tells me they might go on a few more runs. I gave Oliver some extra tickets. He seems determined to use them.”

  “Oh, Finn, you’re going to spoil him. I can’t remember the last time we had so much fun,” Maggie gushed. Even though her face felt slightly frozen, her teeth chattered and her wool mittens were slightly wet, Maggie wasn’t about to complain. This evening had been stellar.

 
“This is one of my favorite town events,” Finn said. “You can almost feel Christmas flowing in the air.” He rubbed his hands together. “The lights are spectacular.” He winked at Maggie. “I reckon they could spot us from space.”

  They made their way to the concession area where Finn bought two hot apple ciders and sugar cookies. Maggie didn’t miss the curious glances thrown their way. She felt a moment of discomfort when she saw Hank watching them from across the way. She imagined everyone thought something romantic was brewing between her and Finn. Hazel began waving at her from behind the concession stand. She pointed toward Finn and gave Maggie a thumbs-up sign. Maggie frowned at Hazel and shook her head insistently, but Hazel continued to grin.

  Maggie frowned. First Ruby. And now Hazel. She didn’t want to have to explain to everyone later on about her platonic relationship with Finn. Was she sending out signals about wanting more than friendship? How could she expect Oliver not to get confused when most of the town seemed to be questioning their status?

  “Don’t mind the looks and the stares,” Finn instructed. “In a place called Love, the residents are always looking for the next couple. Don’t let it bother you.”

  “I’m sure they mean well, but it’s a little nerve-racking.”

  “I grabbed a blanket from the warming area. If we sit over there you can keep an eye on Oliver without him seeing us,” Finn suggested. “Plus, we won’t have to be the object of any whispers.”

  Maggie nodded in agreement. She was fine with Oliver dogsledding, but she didn’t mind watching him from a discreet distance. And Maggie had never enjoyed being stared at. Although the townsfolk of Love weren’t being mean-spirited, she had endured enough stares in Boston to last a lifetime.

  As they moved toward a quiet area with a clear view of the dogsled track, Finn found a perfect spot and took a moment to lay a blanket down on the ground. They both sat and got comfortable.