Santa's Secret

by Heidi McLaughlin

  “What if Mr. Steve has one?” Holly suggests but does so in a way that makes me laugh because she’s shrugged her shoulders and put her hands up, almost as if she’s not sure her idea is worthy or somehow telling me I should’ve thought of this first.

  “I’ll call him and see.” I pull my phone out, scroll through my contacts and press his number. “Steve’s Tree Farm.”

  “Dom?”

  “What’s up?”

  “Hey, man, this is Aiden. Does Mr. Steve sell tree stands?”

  “Let me check.” Dominic covers the phone and hollers out. There’s mumbling in the background, but I can’t make heads or tails of what’s being said. “Nah, but he’s sending my dad over with one. Says you can return it after the holidays.”

  I give Holly the thumbs up, which results in her jumping up and down. “Great. Please tell him, and your dad thank you.”

  “Will do.” Dom hangs up but not before I hear Delaney laugh. Part of me wonders what made her laugh, while the other part of me wishes I were there to witness it.

  While I heat up the milk for our festive drinks, Holly starts opening the boxes. I’ve decided I’m not going to dictate where she puts things. I want her imagination to run wild and be free when it comes to decorating. I think it’ll mean more to her. I know it will to me.

  With the music on and our mugs full, I take on the dubious task of straightening out the strings of lights. I don’t care how nicely wrapped I made them last year, somehow they’ve all become a tangled mess. This right here, makes me want to get a fake tree, but I can’t do that to Mr. Steve.

  Lights shine through our front window, alerting us to Gio’s arrival. “The mayor is here,” I tell Holly. “I’m going to go out and meet him.” I may have known the Du Lucas for most of my life, but inviting Gio into my home is something I’m not comfortable with.

  She runs to the window to look. “That’s not the mayor.”

  “Oh?” I to look out the window, only to find Delaney walking past my truck with a tree stand in her hand, disappearing into my dooryard. Holly’s screeching has me rushing to the door. Holly opens it before I can stop her and meet Delaney outside. I’m a step or two behind when Holly invites Delaney in. To Holly, having a movie star in your house is probably a huge moment in your life. To me, it’s anxiety overload.

  Our eyes meet, and the smile she gives me has me forgetting for a moment that we’re standing in my kitchen. “Mr. Steve wanted me to bring this over.” Delaney hands me the plastic tree base.

  “I thought your dad—”

  “I wanted to,” she says, interrupting me.

  “Do you want to stay and help us decorate?”

  “Oh, no—” I start to say, only to hear Delaney blurt out, “I’d love to.”

  In the blink of an eye, Holly is pulling Delaney into our living room and offering her my mug of hot chocolate. I should feel dejected, but seeing Holly’s excitement changes everything.

  “Do you want me to hold Gwen so you can put her on the base?”

  I look down at the contraption in my hand and nod. Even if I wanted to ask Delaney to leave, upsetting Holly isn’t worth it. I have to suck up my pride and give my daughter this.

  Delaney holds Gwen upright, lifting when I tell her to, so I can make sure the trunk is secure. Holly tells us she’ll get the water for Gwen. “You don’t have to stay,” I tell Delaney. “I’m sure you’re busy. Holly will understand.”

  She shrugs. “I have nowhere else I’d rather be.” I want to believe that’s true, but I’m sure the list of places she should be is rather long.

  “Where’s Calvin?”

  “Sitting in the sugarhouse, at least he was when I left.”

  “And you don’t need to be with him?”

  Delaney chuckles. “Something tells me you and Holly aren’t going to corner me and demand my autograph or shove a camera in my face.”

  “Holly might. She’s a fan and known to be vicious.” I wink.

  Holly returns, walking slowly with two large cups of water. When I try to help her, she tells me she can do it herself. The whole time, she’s talking to the tree, as if it’s her best friend.

  “Can I offer you something to drink?”

  “We have hot cocoa with marshmallows. Daddy can make you one while we start decorating,” Holly tells Delaney.

  “Perfect!” Delaney raises an eyebrow and smirks. Yep, I’ve become the errand boy while my daughter monopolizes the starlet’s time. It’s okay; I know my place.

  For the time it took me to make Delaney’s drink, the ladies placed lighted garland on the mantel and plug it in as I enter the living room. “Wow, I never thought to put it there before.” I hand Delaney the mug and stand back, watching as Holly holds Heather’s stocking in her hand. I wait to see what she’s going to do, letting her decide on whether it’ll go up or not. She sets it aside, pulls her own out of the box, and places it on the snowman hook. Mine follows right after.

  I don’t say anything.

  I just watch.

  Delaney must sense the shift in my demeanor because she proclaims that the music isn’t loud enough and that Gwen is naked and in need of some lights. “Chop, chop,” she says.

  “Yeah, Daddy. Gwen is nakie!” Holly giggles and runs to one of the boxes and pulls out the angel. I go to her and lift her up, while Delaney helps Holly place it on top. “She’s beautiful.”

  “She will be once I get the lights on and Gwen is decorated.” I set Holly down and get to work on the lights. Delaney helps every step of the way. Once the lights are on, her and Holly start placing the ornaments on the tree. While they focus their attention there, I set all our other decorations out. Within the hour, the house is warm, festive and full of laughter.

  “Okay, I think we’re ready,” Delaney says.

  I shut off all the lights and press the switch that will turn on the white lights, to illuminate Gwen.

  “Ah, she’s so pretty,” Holly proclaims excitedly.

  “Wow. You both did an amazing job.”

  “Of course we did, Daddy.”

  I look at Delaney, who hasn’t taken her eyes off the tree. “What do you think?”

  She looks over and smiles. We maintain eye contact for longer than what should be socially acceptable. “I think it’s one of the most beautiful trees I’ve ever seen.” Her statement gives me pause. Surely, her mother’s tree or any one of the fancy trees she encounters in Los Angeles are prettier than the one she’s standing in front of, I would have thought.

  “It’s snowing! It’s snowing! Daddy, can we go out?” Holly tugs on my shirt, causing me to look away from Delaney. I glance out the window, and sure enough, it’s coming down in sheets, the wind is blowing, and I can barely see the outline of Delaney’s car.

  “I don’t remember hearing about a snowstorm tonight.”

  “Me neither,” Delaney adds. “I hope my car is still out there.”

  “Do you think Frosty took it?” Holly asks, and just like that, the mood shifts from the possible gloom to cheerful.

  Delaney gasps. “How will I ever get home?”

  Holly shrugs. “You can just sleep over.”

  I deadpan and sneak a glance at Delaney, whose eyes are wide, yet she’s grinning from ear to ear. I’m at a loss, not sure what I should say. I open my mouth, but words fail me.

  “Come on I have jammies you can wear.” Holly takes Delaney’s hand and pulls her behind me. If Delaney is pleading for help, she doesn’t show it. I don’t know what to do. Do I follow? Do I stay here? Do I hurry down to my bedroom and change my sheets?

  “Please someone tell me what to do,” I mutter to myself seconds before the power goes out.

  Nineteen

  Delaney

  There’s a loud bang. Holly gasps and starts to jump into my arms, only to have the power go out. We smack heads, both of us crying out in pain. She lets out a soft whimper, and automatically my embrace tightens around her. “Are you okay?”

  “Uh huh. I’m
scared.”

  “It’ll be okay. I’m sure your dad can fix it.” That’s what dads do; they fix everything. I stand, and Holly’s legs go around my waist. She’s not letting go of me, even if I wanted to put her down. I shuffle my feet toward her door, hoping I can get there without stepping on anything. She’s seven, and the clutter in her room reflects that.

  When I heard Aiden needed a tree stand I didn’t hesitate to bring it over. I want to feel useful while I’m here, and honestly I’m a bit tired of everyone handling me with kid gloves. My mom won’t let me cook or use the oven, out of fear I’ll burn myself, which is ridiculous. She’s worried I’ll do something to mess up my next movie role. Calvin refuses to let me drive, which I get. It’s his job to be by my side and protect me. Dominic… well, he doesn’t care what I do, as long as he benefits from it somehow. Yes, it seems rude, but I made a promise to him when we were younger that he’d get to relish in the perks of my success, and he hasn’t let me forget it. My dad, on the other hand, had no qualms tossing me his keys. Of course, the look he gave me threw me off kilter a bit. Instead of staying and asking him why he was making funny eyes at me, I hightailed it out of Mr. Steve’s with the tree stand in my hand.

  I intended to drop the stand off and head home, at least that’s what I kept saying to myself as I drove over here. When Holly invited me in and asked me to stay, I couldn’t say no. Maybe I should’ve, but there’s something between Aiden and me that I feel is worth exploring. I’m not looking for a relationship, and according to every woman in town, neither is he, but I’d like to re-establish the friendship we once had. I know I’m to blame for the lack of communication. I didn’t stay in touch with anyone, but being back here now, I want everything to be different. I’m going to make the necessary changes to keep Ramona Falls a part of my life.

  Much like Holly’s bedroom, the hallway is pitch black. The noise down the hall has my heart beating a bit faster than normal, and the howling wind can be heard through the walls. Holly’s grip tightens with each step I take toward the living room. I don’t know why, but I’m treating this like a scene from a movie. Although, I’ve never done any horror movies and if I have to feel like this — uneasy and unsure, I’d rather stick to rom-coms and romance.

  “Fish?” I call out and receive no response.

  “Where’s Daddy?”

  “Probably outside.” I finally make it into the living room where the large picture window does give off a bit of light from the moon reflecting on the snow. Holly and I sit on the couch and wrap up with the afghan that’s draped over the back.

  “My mommy made this,” she says, putting the blanket up to her chin.

  “It’s beautiful.”

  If the power weren’t out, sitting here would be peaceful with the heavily falling snow, even though it’s impossible for me to get home. The morning after a storm is my favorite time. There’s nothing better than driving down a tree-lined road, under a canopy of snow with the sun shining bright against the snow. Storms like this are a photographer’s dream. They’ll be able to capture nature at her best once the sun rises.

  The kitchen door flies open, startling Holly and I. I set her aside so I can close the door, only for Aiden to walk in with his arms full of wood. “Let me help you.”

  “Can you shut the door?”

  “Of course.”

  Aiden dumps the pile of wood into the box by the fireplace and drops down to his knees. “I bet you ladies are cold.”

  “We are, Daddy.”

  He looks over his shoulder, toward Holly and pauses. “Do you need me to do anything?” I ask.

  “Can you make sure her coat is ready? I haven’t used this fireplace for a few years, and I’m not sure what kind of draft we’re going to get.”

  “Yes, of course. Do you have a flashlight, Fish?”

  “Cupboard next to the refrigerator.”

  Right. Got it. Except I don’t, and I’m trying not to panic. I fumble through the kitchen, barely escaping a toe-stubbing accident and use my hands to guide my way until I’ve reached the cool metal of the flashlight. I press the button, and it comes on instantly. “So much better,” I say with relief.

  I do as Aiden asks, making sure all of Holly’s stuff is ready to go in the event we have to evacuate. It’s only when I pick up my coat, does my cell fall out of my pocket. I bring it to life; surprised I still have cell service here. It’s always been questionable here.

  Numerous texts are sitting there, unread. Most of them are from Calvin, asking if he needs to come pick me up. The last thing I want is for him or anyone else to drive in this storm, and honestly, I don’t want to leave Aiden and Holly.

  There’s a soft glow coming from the fireplace, illuminating Aiden. His back is to me, giving me the perfect opportunity to stare at him. Under his bulky clothes I imagine his muscles are straining each time he stokes the fire and how much he must feel a sense of pride for making sure his little girl has heat.

  My phone vibrates again with a text from Calvin. I open it and reply with: I’m fine. See you in the morning, before shutting it off. The weather turned what could’ve been a quick night into the slumber party Holly wants to have.

  “The fire feels great,” I say, standing next to Aiden with my hands hovering toward the opening.

  “Thanks. As I said, I don’t normally use it.”

  “Why not? It’s a great source of heat.”

  Aiden shakes his head slightly and doesn’t answer. I use this as my cue to go back to Holly. She’s lying down, watching her father as he builds a fire, but as soon as I sit, she crawls into my lap and nestles into me.

  “What’s it like to make a movie?” she asks.

  “Oh boy… well, it can be a lot of fun, but can also be a lot of work. I have to memorize my lines and say them repeatedly, all while someone is telling me what to do. However, I get to play dress up all the time, and someone is always playing with my hair and doing my makeup.”

  “That sounds fun.”

  “It can be.” My fingers start moving through her hair. She looks up and smiles.

  “What else?” Aiden asks. He sits down in the middle of the couch, his leg touching mine. I make zero effort to move.

  “Well, let’s see. Sometimes I get to travel and go to these amazing places to shoot the movies. Other times, they’re done on a studio lot.”

  “What’s that?” Holly asks.

  “It’s a giant place where a lot of television shows are filmed, along with commercials, movies, and a few other things. Someday, I’ll show you.”

  “You will?” she asks, sitting up straighter. “You mean I can come to your house?”

  “Of course, you and your dad can come anytime you want.”

  I can feel Aiden’s eyes on me. I’m hesitant to look at him, knowing I’ve overstepped. It happens. I get excited. I haven’t been able to be me in a long time. I mean sure, Holly’s asking about making movies, but somehow her questions feel different. She’s not doing it to be intrusive. She wants to know about me and my life.

  “Tell me, are you a Girl Scout?”

  She nods, and a yawn quickly follows. “A Brownie. I’m earning my badges.”

  “I was a Brownie too when I was your age. I couldn’t wait to become a Girl Scout so I could sell cookies.”

  “Cookies are my favor…” another yawn cuts off her words.

  “Why don’t I take you to bed, Holly.” Aiden reaches for his daughter. Only she snuggles deep into the hole between my body and the back of the couch.

  “No, I want to stay with Delaney, and I don’t have a nightlight.”

  “It’s late,” he states.

  “I’ll go to sleep right here.” Holly closes her eyes, causing Aiden and me to chuckle. He shakes his head, clearly admitting defeat. When he doesn’t reach for her, I adjust slightly, giving her more space, and making sure she’s covered.

  There’s a long bit of silence, where only the crackling of the fire, the whistling wind, and our breathing fills
the void.

  “How’s work?” I ask, breaking the silence.

  “I’m wondering if we should announce our intent to marry tomorrow while I’m at church or wait until the tree lighting ceremony.”

  I can’t hold back my laughter, even though I’m trying. Aiden and I both look at Holly, fearful that I might wake her. For a kid who closed her eyes to pretend to sleep, it didn’t take her long to pass out. “I can call Calvin and ask him to come get me.”

  He shakes his head. “No, it’s not worth it. No one should be driving in this stuff. I’ll find a way to deal with your brother.”

  “He’s as bad as my mother.”

  “He did learn from her,” Aiden points out. “After the incident at the mall, he serenaded me with the hero song.”

  “No, he didn’t?”

  Aiden doesn’t even have to confirm what he told me. I know Dominic well enough to know he’d do something ridiculous like that. “I’m sorry. He’s just…”

  “Dominic—”

  “The donkey.” I interrupt Aiden to finish. “I should ask my parents if that’s why they named him Dominic. Maybe they had a premonition before he was born.”

  Aiden does everything he can to hold back his laughter. Holly stirs, causing us both to cover our mouths. “No more jokes.” He begs.

  “I can’t help it. Dom tortured me while I was growing up. I can at least poke fun at his name, especially at Christmastime. I think tomorrow I’m going to play it loudly and make snorting sounds when he comes home.”

  Aiden’s eyes go wide. “Please, invite me over. This is something I have to see.”

  “Deal.”

  Aiden gets up to stir the fire, and I use the chance to readjust Holly, so I’m a little more comfortable. He takes the spot next to me, sitting so close our bodies are touching. He smells like wood, fire, and Christmas, all wrapped up. I’m tempted to inhale deeply, but don’t want to come off as a weirdo. Instead, on the inside, I’m giddy as a schoolgirl sitting next to her crush.

  “What’s your one regret?” I ask him.