Christmas Comes to Dickens

by Nancy Fraser

  Except. No. Not quite finished yet.

  Ariana glanced about, one last time.

  If she had some glass ornaments, they would go perfectly in the wooden bowl over on that side table. And if she could find some tinsel, she could tie it around the candlesticks. And...

  Oh. She snapped her fingers. Kat said there were decorations. Ariana’s gaze swept to the bottom of the hutch.

  Crouching there, she opened the doors and pulled out a few boxes.

  There. Some tinsel.

  Oh, this holly will work great.

  And some glass balls. Perfect.

  Taking what she needed and setting them aside, Ariana set the boxes back on the shelf. When she did, a framed photograph dislodged and fell out. She managed to catch it before it hit the floor.

  Turning the frame over, she ran a finger over the dusty glass. The image was several years old, to be sure. The photograph was of a family standing in front of the inn. There was snow on the ground and the house was lit up behind them, as was the picket fence and arch.

  There were four people. Two adults, two children. A boy and a girl.

  “Kat and Matt?”

  She thumbed over them, wiping away more dust. “Yes.” And their parents, she guessed.

  The kids looked to be in their pre-teen years. Everyone was smiling. Happy.

  Turning the frame over, she read a note. The first annual Holly Hill Inn Christmas Lighting, 2005.

  Ariana took a deep breath. Glancing into the cabinet, she located a dust cloth and cleaner. Quickly, she swiped the frame and picture, and set it atop the buffet. Then, she went about to place the final touches around the room—some holly on the hutch, tinsel on the candlesticks, ornaments in the bowl—and returned to the picture.

  With one last glance about the room, she made a quick decision to place the picture on the hutch—front and center and eye level—where it would surely be noticed when people got their hot cocoa.

  Stepping back, she smiled. What a lovely tribute to this family and the inn—from the very first Holly Hill Inn lighting, to now, fifteen years later.

  Her heart full and excited for the evening to come, she left the room to change for dinner.

  Chapter 6

  “WHY CAN’T WE GO OUT on the porch?” Aimee looked up at her mom. “And why are all the lights turned off inside?”

  “Because Uncle Matt said so, and he told us to stay here in the entryway and wait for him. Patience, little one.”

  Ariana smiled at the anxious child. “The surprise will be so much better if you wait,” she told Aimee.

  The girl rolled her eyes and did a little jiggly dance. “But I am patient....”

  “Impatient.” Kat smiled down at her daughter.

  “Oh look. I see lights.” Aimee jumped and pointed out the door window. “Is that Uncle Matt?”

  Ariana watched as a vehicle drove up from barn area, circled the drive, and parked in front of newly shoveled sidewalk. The snow had stopped earlier in the afternoon—which was a godsend—and Matt had shoveled and worked outside since then. In fact, he didn’t even come in for dinner.

  “I can’t believe it.” A wide-eyed Kat glanced at Ariana. “Do you know anything about this?”

  “No. I’m as clueless as you.”

  “I think I’m witnessing a miracle,” Kat added.

  Ariana noticed tears in Kat’s eyes. “Hey, are you okay?”

  In the next motion, Kat embraced Ariana and held her tight. “Thank you,” she said. “Thank you.”

  “But I didn’t do anything.” Ariana pulled back and looked into Kat’s eyes.

  “You’ve done more than you know.”

  The door swung open. “Uncle Matt!” Aimee excitedly flew forward. “Are we ready now?”

  He swept her up into his arms. “We are, elf. Let’s go.”

  Ariana watched as he paused briefly, held Kat’s tearing gaze for a moment, and reached out to touch her shoulder. Then just as quickly, he stepped away.

  “This way, folks. Follow me. Watch for icy snow on the bricks.”

  He carried Aimee and walked ahead. Kat locked arms with Ariana and they made their way down the porch steps and along the brick walk to where Matt had parked. It was dark, the sun had set about thirty minutes earlier, but the porch light and an outside lantern lit their way—plus the outside security lights away from the house. When they were all there, Matt lowered Aimee to the ground and turned to the pair.

  Kat stepped forward. “Matt. How did you get this old thing running again?”

  He shrugged. “Luckily, with a little tinkering and some good gas, she started right up.” He glanced at the truck. “But I didn’t want to risk turning her off again so that’s why I left her idling.”

  Ariana looked at the old pick-up truck. She didn’t know anything about trucks but as far as this one went, it was charming, to be sure. Red with white wooden siderails, the words Holly Hill Inn were painted on the passenger side door. “What a cute truck.”

  “It’s a 1956 Ford F100. A classic. I’m just glad she started.”

  Laughing, Ariana returned, “All of those words and numbers means nothing to me, but I still think she is adorable.”

  “This was our father’s truck, Ariana,” Kat said. “He drove it every day until... Well, until he didn’t. But on the evening of the lighting, we had a tradition.”

  Matt nodded. “Yes, and we need to quit standing out here in the cold and get to that tradition.” He reached for Ariana’s hand. “Do you mind sitting in the middle, Ariana? Kat, you sit by the door with Aimee on your lap.”

  They all scrambled into the truck cab. Matt rounded the front and got in beside Ariana. When he did, they made eye contact for a moment. “You’re full of surprises,” she told him.

  He patted her knee, leaned closer, and whispered, “Just wait.”

  Ariana’s heart fluttered at his closeness. “So, about this tradition?” She directed that to Kat.

  Matt put the truck into drive.

  “Well, before the guests would come for the lighting, Dad would pile all of us in the truck, just like now, and we would drive around the property looking at the house from all angles.” She stopped talking and leaned forward to look out the windshield. “Matt, did you snowplow this path today?” She glanced sideways at him.

  “I did.”

  “Just like dad.”

  Ariana looked back and forth between them.

  “Yep. I guess so.”

  Kat’s eyes welled up again. Ariana reached out and clasped her hand. Kat squeezed it tight.

  Matt drove toward the back of the inn, circled around, and parked the truck so they could get the full and unobstructed view of the back of the house and the side garden.

  “Wait for it.” He pushed his coat sleeve back to look at his watch.

  “What?” Kat glanced his way.

  “Now.”

  At once, the entire house lit up like a burst of fireworks. Lights twinkled on the trees and holly bushes outside the inn, skittered along the picket fence, and raced up and over the arch. To Ariana, the most beautiful part was the candles dancing in all the windows, like little punctuation marks of prettiness. The sunroom was especially magnificent.

  She gasped. “That is splendidly beautiful.”

  Matt exhaled, and Ariana looked his way. He stared straight ahead, and she noticed that his eyes, too, had grown misty. He turned her way.

  “Dad was all about the dramatic,” he said. “He was ahead of his time with electronics and he loved to tinker. Running the hardware store was perfect because he had access to all kinds of gadgets and tools and devices. When there was downtime, he was fiddling with something. One year, he rigged up the lighting system in the whole house—inside and out—to come on and off with a series of timers. I had no clue if it would still work, but by Christmas, it did.”

  Ariana sighed and looked again at the inn. “By Christmas, you are right.”

  “Well, it’s beautiful,” Kat said. “An
d that sunroom literally pops.”

  Aimee bounced in her mother’s lap. “I see a tree in there.” Her eyes grew wide.

  “Yes, we added a few trees here and there,” Ariana told her.

  “It’s lovely.”

  “It’s magic.” Ariana softly spoke the words and stared ahead. She too, felt a little like crying. “Thank you both for letting me be part of this day.” Suddenly, she knew that she had found the perfect Christmas, and it wasn’t in Dickens—it was here at Holly Hill Inn. Christmas wasn’t only about tinsel and snow globes and mistletoe—it was about family and relationships.

  While she knew that, being with Kat and Aimee and Matt, and being privy to their family struggles, made her not only appreciate the holiday and her own family even more, but in a different way.

  Matt fumbled for her hand and clasped it tight. He’d taken off his glove, and Ariana welcomed the warmth of his fingers wrapped around hers, not to mention his affection. That warmth and affection traveled from her hand right up to her heart. Slowly turning, she met his searching gaze.

  “Thank you,” he whispered back.

  The moment was suspended for a heartbeat or two.

  “Is that a light coming up the road?”

  Matt quickly released Ariana’s hand and pulled the truck out of park and into reverse, again glancing at his watch. “Crap. Yes, it is.”

  “We have guests?”

  Ariana was confused. “I thought the roads were still closed.”

  Matt slowly drove around to the front of the property again. “They were earlier, but there are ways to get through. If there is a will...” As they grew closer, everyone in the cab of the truck grew silent.

  “There is a way. Dylan always says that. Oh my God. Matt? What have you done?”

  Ariana watched him shrug, then catch his sister’s questioning gaze. “I just helped Santa a bit.”

  “It’s not a car. It’s a sleigh. Is it Santa?”

  Ariana followed Aimee’s gaze and immediately felt her bouncing excitement. As they pulled up closer to the front of the inn, she noticed a driver—who did happen to look a lot like Santa—help a man get his gear out of the sleigh and onto the ground.

  A man who was wearing a military uniform.

  Aimee screamed, “It’s my daddy!”

  “Oh my God.” Kat burst into tears.

  Matt parked the truck. Kat’s door flew open. Aimee jumped out and ran. Kat let go a sob, looked again at Matt, and then followed behind her daughter at a slower pace.

  Ariana sat in the truck with Matt, tears in her eyes, and watched the reunion scene unfold before her. Dylan Hall hugged and kissed his wife, pulling her close with one arm, while holding his daughter with the other. After a moment, Ariana turned to Matt...who was looking back at her.

  “You did this?”

  He shook his head. “No. Dylan did this. I just helped him set the scene, a little.”

  “You have a good heart, Matt Matthews,” she said. “You are a good man.”

  Matt’s gaze traveled over her face and landed on her lips. One hand cupped her cheek as he leaned in, searched her eyes momentarily, and then placed a soft, sweet, kiss on her mouth.

  Their lips danced for a few seconds. His lingered over hers with featherlike touches. Then he gently pulled back.

  Ariana sighed and closed her eyes at this release of his lips.

  Matt’s arms went around her and tugged her closer. Wrapped up in his embrace, her head against his chest, his heart beating wildly against her cheek, Ariana had never been more content in her life.

  WALKING SLOWLY INTO the inn, holding hands with Ariana, Matt felt on top of the world. They followed a chatty Aimee, who was animated and talking with her dad, and a noticeably quiet Kat who clung to Dylan’s arm while hanging on to every word her husband and daughter said.

  The trio hurried down the hallway and turned right.

  “They are so happy.” Ariana slipped out of her coat and boots and looked up at him. “I need to run upstairs and get my camera.”

  “Can’t it wait?” His hands lingered at her waist. Her full lips looked like they needed kissing again.

  She shook her head. “Oh no. I want to capture their expressions from the beginning.” She started to break away.

  Matt stopped her with a hand to her cheek. “Wait.”

  Her eyes grew round and then she smiled. “Oh?”

  “Your mouth needs nibbling,” he said.

  “Ah....”

  So, he did. Pulling her into his embrace once more, he brushed his lips over hers and then deepened the kiss. His heart sang as her arms went around his neck and she solidly kissed him back.

  Pulling away slowly, her gaze tangled with his. “More of those later?”

  He grinned. “Oh yes.”

  “Good. Because right now we need to get in that sunroom.”

  He dropped his arms. “All right.”

  “And I need my camera.”

  Matt frowned a little and watched her fly up the stairs. He wasn’t sure he understood this blogging business and the need for pictures, but it seemed important to her. Her feet padded quickly along the carpeted hallway overhead, entered her bedroom, and then reversed. She came flying back down the stairs as quick as she’d left.

  “Hurry,” he said. “I want to see their faces when they see the lights.”

  “Yes. Of course.”

  They hustled down the hall and burst into the sunroom. Aimee twirled, eyes wide, her gaze shooting about looking at everything. Matt watched Ariana aim her camera and snap picture after picture as an excited Aimee delightfully chattered with her parents as she took in all the Christmas cheer.

  Matt had to admit the room looked awesome—lights twinkling and reflecting, the cookies, the decorations. Ariana had evidently added a few more touches after he’d finished with the candles.

  Dylan and Kat settled onto the sofa. Aimee plopped down with them looking at the cookies. “I want one of those, and one of these, and oh, one of those too.”

  “Slow down there, little one. There will be plenty. You don’t have to eat them all tonight.”

  “I know.” She turned toward her dad. “We have to save some for Santa tomorrow.”

  “Absolutely.

  Dylan winked at Kat.

  Aimee reached for a cookie. “Can I have some cocoa too?”

  “Of course, you may,” Kat told her.

  “I’ll get it, elf.” Matt turned toward the buffet. “I’m closer.”

  “Thanks, Matt.”

  “I’ll help,” Ariana said.

  Matt glanced her way, tossing her a covert grin as she joined him. He liked that they shared this little kissing secret between them, and he wasn’t ready to share it with anyone else yet. It was nice that it was just the two of them.

  But when he reached the buffet, he stopped abruptly, and their stolen kisses were forgotten. His gaze focused on a picture on the hutch—one he knew wasn’t there yesterday—one he hadn’t seen in an awfully long time. “What is this?” He flipped around, looking at Kat. “Why is this here?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You know what.” He pointed. “This picture.”

  ARIANA WATCHED THE unfolding scene as if it were happening in slow motion.

  Kat headed toward the hutch—her gaze connected with Matt’s. Her expression puzzled. “I don’t know. What picture is it?”

  Then she stopped up short, too. “Oh.”

  Ariana froze. From the looks on their two faces, she knew she’d made a mistake. “It was me. I’m so sorry.”

  They turned and stared.

  Ariana took a step forward. “I found it in the lower buffet cabinets and thought it was a great picture. The note on the back said—”

  Matt snatched the picture off the shelf and shoved it back into the cabinet. Rising, he looked Ariana square in the eyes. “You have no right to butt into our family business.”

  “Matt.” Kat grasped his arm.

  Ariana
was floored. “I... I’m sorry. I thought it was a beautiful family picture and...”

  “And it was not up to you to decide to put it there.”

  “I thought perhaps you’d like your parents to be... Earlier today, you mentioned them and....”

  His face was stern, bitter-looking, and he appeared frustrated. “Ariana, that’s enough. You’ve come in here with your glitter and sparkle and you think you can make everything all right. You can’t. Nothing can change the past. Not even an old picture that should never see the light of day again.

  “But Matt. It’s your family.”

  “Was my family.”

  “They are still your family.”

  He stepped closer. “All you care about is getting your Christmas pictures for your blog or article or whatever. You want to portray the perfect Christmas, the perfect town, the perfect inn, the perfect family. Well, that’s not us, so put your camera away. Besides, I hate all this commercial Christmas crap anyway.”

  She looked to Kat. “No. It’s not like that.”

  “Oh, I’m sure it is.” He glared.

  “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I’ve done wrong.”

  Kat touched her shoulder.

  Matt headed for the door. “I’m going to the farm.”

  Rushing after him, Kat called out. “Matt, the roads.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  Ariana moved past Kat and followed Matt down the hall and into the entryway. “Matt, please. Can we talk about this? I don’t know what I did wrong, but I want to understand and apologize and make it right.”

  He looked up as he grabbed one of his boots and shoved a foot into it. “I’ve been a fool. Just got caught up in the magic of it all. Magic isn’t real. Christmas isn’t real. You and I are not real.” He paused, glanced off after he said that. “Nothing can bring them back. Not a picture. Not a memory. They are gone and you can’t fix that.”

  She halted, stunned by his words. They weren’t real? “I didn’t try to fix anything, Matt. I can’t. But I do believe that you can keep their memories alive in your heart. You just have to believe that, too.”

  His other foot in his boot now, he grabbed his coat. “I don’t believe in any of this. I told you that from the beginning.”