by Davies, Cora
And now, here was Molly skipping out on her duties of taking the bunnies to an animal sanctuary. Instead, she was chasing after a drunk Izzie. "Izzie! What the hell is wrong with you?"
She came around the bleachers and found Izzie lying flat on her back on the damp ground. "I'm sorry Mols."
Molly put the cage under the bleachers and pulled out her cell phone to call her friend from the group. After she begged the boy to come to the bleachers and get the cage, she turned her attention on Izzie.
"Get up." She grabbed Izzie's hand and pulled her to her feet. "I hope you know I'm possibly screwing myself out of an amazing recommendation and backing to get into law school."
"Isn't stealing bunnies illegal?" Izzie asked around a hiccup.
"It's all about connections." The two girls walked in silence back to Izzie's dorm, only stopping when Izzie stumbled. The only thing Molly said was, "You drink too much."
When they got to Izzie's room, Molly walked her in and was surprised to find Izzie had a single dorm room. "Daddy's money," Izzie said waving her hands around.
Molly shoved Izzie into her bed, only helping her pull her shoes off. "You have to stop this shit Izzie, one day it isn't going to be someone like me who finds you drunk and wandering around the quad in the middle of the night. It's going to be someone like..."
"Who? Someone like who? Jack?" Izzie said rolling her eyes. Molly did not answer, even after three years it was still a slap in the face to hear his name. "Let me fill you in on that night Miss perfect Molly. Chad was beating me back in those days, did you know?"
Molly had been halfway to the door, and stopped to turn and look at Izzie. "No I didn't know that Izzie."
"Jack knew, he found out, and I begged him not to tell anyone. Not even you, that's why he gave me rides to school back then, so Chad wouldn’t harass me." Izzie pulled her blanket up to her shoulders. Molly waited for her to continue.
"Is that why he was with you that night?" Molly asked, stomach clenched just thinking about prom.
"Chad attacked me again that night, and Jack tried to help me. Chad beat the shit out of him, and then he made me lie. He made me lie to you and to Jack." Izzie stopped talking to sob. "Then he promised he wouldn’t send my parents the pictures he took of me at his dad's cabin. But he did anyway!"
"Izzie, what are you saying?" Molly stepped closer and grabbed the girls' hands in her own. "Jack didn't attack you? Are you absolutely sure?
Izzie's eyes were closed and Molly grabbed her shoulders and shook her until they fluttered open. "Izzie! Are you sure? Jack didn't hurt you?"
"He gave me his jacket, he told me to find you. Have you take me home," Izzie whispered. "And then I let Chad beat him up. And then when I found out Jack didn't remember what happened, I told him the same story I told you."
"You have to tell Jack; do you realize what he is walking around with?" Molly loomed over Izzie, wanting to throttle the girl and wanting to hold her at the same time. All of Izzie’s words were swimming around in Molly’s head. All this time she had spent angry at Jack, blaming him, hating him. And he had not done anything except try to save this poor girl.
Izzie had been a victim to Chad, and in that, they had made Jack a victim too. "Izzie!"
Molly sat down at Izzie's desk and pulled up the internet on her computer. She searched online for Jack’s phone number. She thought he probably still lived with his dad.
"Izzie! Do not go to sleep, you are calling him right now. Do you understand me?" Molly found Jack's number, and pulled Izzie to a seated position. She dialed his number on her cell phone and handed it to Izzie.
"Jack?" Izzie said. "It's Izzie, listen, I have to tell you something. Molly is making me tell you."
Molly listened as Izzie told Jack the entire story about what had happened on prom night. From when he stumbled upon her while was crying in the hallway, all the way until the lies Izzie and Chad had told Molly. Izzie hung up and handed the phone back to Molly after a few minutes. The drunk girl laid down and began to snore almost instantly.
Molly stuffed the phone into her back pocket and walked out of Izzie's room. The bunnies, her friends, her life at college. It had been so much fun just an hour ago. Jack had been nowhere on her mind. Now she could only think of Jack.
Molly had not had faith in Jack, instead, she believed Izzie, and the girl lied. She lied to everyone, for years. But Molly finally knew the truth. And more importantly, Jack knew the truth. She remembered what a shell of a person he had been the last few months of high school. Had that shell continued? If it had, he would be able to move on now. He would be free from the blame that had been on him the past three years.
If Molly had looked at her call log she would have seen Izzie's call to Jack only lasted five seconds.
Chapter Fifteen
It was the first Saturday of December, and finally the official first day of Dickens Village. Molly's store was alive with the sounds of Nat King Cole's Christmas music and the scents of hot apple cider. She smiled peeking out the front window of her shop. The street was filled with period characters that the other Main Street owners and employees turned into this time of year. Happy families filled the sidewalks meeting Bob Cratchit, Jacob Marley, the three ghosts of Christmas, as well as the many other characters invented by Dickens.
It was time to get ready for Santa's workshop, and she had a nervous excitement filling her at the thought of seeing Jack. Molly had not seen him since she tried to kiss him the other night, and she did not know if she was avoiding him, or if he was avoiding her. But, she had fulfilled her promise to Jack, and she had broken up with Jeremy the next morning. Mostly broke up with him.
They met in a small coffee house in Jeremy's part of town after he refused to come to Main Street to talk with her. He seemed to know what she was going to say before she even said it.
"Come on Mols, it's Christmas," Jeremy said as they sat down in a quiet corner booth. "You can't break up with someone over Christmas."
"It's not Christmas, we've barely passed Thanksgiving." Molly poured a tiny creamer into her coffee and stirred the liquid around until it changed color. "And even if it was, you know we've been holding onto this too long. We've been done, haven't you felt it?"
"You're right, I’ve been done since I moved to the city," Jeremy said and though Molly had suspected it, it still hurt.
"Then why pretend? Why string me along?" She asked.
"For my mom." Jeremy leaned back in his chair and placed his hands on the back of his head looking into the ceiling light. "She's sick again. It's bad this time babe."
Molly put her hand on Jeremy's knee. His mother had fallen ill over a year ago, and had bounced back to health a few times. But everyone knew at some point, she would no longer bounce. "I'm so sorry Jer, she is a wonderful woman."
Jeremy sat up and put his hand on the back of Molly's, stroking her skin gently. "She loves you Mols, and I didn't want her to think I fucked up by letting you go. Just pretend with me, just until after the family Christmas dinner. Then we’ll break up."
Molly stared blankly at Jeremy. Jeremy was pulling on her heartstrings. She loved his mom as though she were her own mother, and did not want to cause her any unnecessary stress while she was sick. But when she looked at Jeremy, all she could see was the fear she had felt the other day when he attacked her in the shop. His big family Christmas dinner was just two weeks away, she could pretend for a few weeks, couldn't she? For Lucinda.
"Please, knowing we broke up would break her heart. Just pretend in public." Jeremy smiled his sad smile that created that dimple in his cheek. Oh lord, how she had loved that smile. That was one of the reasons she fell for him years ago. Luckily, his black eye and cut bottom lip detracted from that smile and reminded her of the stark reality.
"I don't know Jeremy; it seems so deceiving." Molly pushed back the tears. Jeremy's mom was a sweet woman, overworked, over stressed by her boys and all the trouble they constantly got into. "If there is anything else I can d
o for her?"
"You could not break up with her little boy," Jeremy said wrapping his fingers around her hand. Molly let him hold on, just for a moment. "Just till after the dinner. Then I go back to the city, and we never have to see each other again. She doesn't have much time left."
Molly looked out the window at the falling snow and pulled her thoughts together. "You were right the other day; I haven't made the effort either this year. I should have tried to come to the city to see you," Molly said feeling guilty about the realization. Part of the reason their relationship failed was her unwillingness to leave Seaside Cove.
"Very big of you to say that Mols." Jeremy took her hand to his mouth to kiss it and she pulled it back. Nothing like that could happen if they were just pretending. He shrugged his shoulders.
"But you still terrified me the other day Jer. I've never seen you like that," she said her voice cracking. He had shown a violence towards her she did not know he was capable of. "I can't be with someone who treats me like that. Even if we pretend just for your family, you can't touch me again. Not like that. I think you need to talk to someone."
"I know Mols, I'm so sorry. I've been so stressed at work. I was just so excited to see you, I could barely contain myself." He winked at her, but she stared at him. She did not buy it. "I'll let my parents know after the holidays, just pretend until after the Christmas dinner. For my mom."
"For your mom." Molly nodded.
Molly pulled herself back into the present. She knew Jack was probably waiting to hear from her about breaking up with Jeremy. Rumors spread so fast in this town, the fact that there was not one about her and Jeremy breaking up was probably why she had not heard from Jack. Her stomach was in knots hoping he would show up today at the Workshop.
"Rachel." Molly walked over to the front desk. "I'm going upstairs to change into the Mrs. Claus dress."
"Oh, did they dry clean it?" Rachel asked, eyebrows raised hopefully for her friend.
"Better, they bought me a new one," Molly said feeling relief at that small favor.
"Oh cool! Does it look like the old one?"
"Probably, Doug just dropped it off last night and I haven't had a chance to look at it yet. It can't be any worse though can it?" Molly laughed.
Once upstairs, Molly tossed the package on her bed, and quickly pulled off her sweater and jeans. She turned and looked at herself in the mirror. She poked out her little pooch that appeared during Christmas season, shortly after all the chocolates and candies started showing up from her crafters. At least it would be camouflaged in the big Mrs. Claus dress.
She lifted the lid off the costume's box, grateful that no smell came out like had with the last dress. She noticed a note laying on top of the dress.
Here's to new traditions, and the new Mr. And Mrs. Claus.
Love, Bridget
PS you'll do great.
Molly smiled as she placed the note to the side and lifted the tissue paper out of the box. Doug said Bridget picked it out, maybe it would be more fashionable than the last. Molly lifted the dress from the box, and her jaw dropped. She had spoken too soon.
###
"Nice jacket," Rachel laughed. "But let’s see the dress!"
Molly stood in front of Rachel in the main room of the shop. She was hiding in a long red coat with white fur trim that hung to her ankles. There were more customers inside the store than Molly had seen in months, not surprising, as that was what happened during Dickens Village season. But she desired privacy to show her friend the dress.
"Shhh, quiet, look what Bridget did." Molly looked around to make sure the customers weren't paying attention to them, then pulled the front of her coat open for Rachel to see her dress. Rachel stared slack jawed for a second, then began to laugh. Molly quickly pulled her jacket shut again as customers began to look at the two women. "Stop it."
"I'm sorry but-" Rachel bent over laughing holding her stomach with a single finger raised in the just a second position.
"What am I going to do? I'm going to have to find Mrs. Boughman's Mrs. Claus dress!" Molly said feeling panicked. "I can't stand in front of children looking like this!"
"No." Rachel stopped laughing and shook her head. "I won't let you do that to yourself. That thing smelled like... I don't know what, but it was bad. You just have to suck it up, and go out like that."
"I can't do that," Molly whined. "What will people think?"
"That you're a super sexy modern Mrs. Claus." Rachel pulled out her cell phone and started typing. "Look."
She turned her phone so Molly could see Rachel had pulled up hundreds of images of Mrs. Claus costumes. "What the hell did you type in there?"
"Department store Mrs. Claus," Rachel said sticking her phone back in her pocket. "There are some on there, much much worse. I think you are just the modern Mrs. Claus."
The door opened and both women turned to look as Jack walked in dressed as Santa Claus. He was wearing the traditional suit and beard Molly noticed. No one made him update his look. He looked over to Molly and winked. "Ho, ho, ho. Are you ready to go Mrs. Claus?"
"Ho, ho, ho is right," Rachel muttered and Molly elbowed her.
Jack bent down to a couple small children who were staring at him, absolutely star struck. "Have you been good this year?"
Both children nodded furiously and looked at their mom for approval. Jack handed them each a candy cane and tousled their hair. "If you have time this morning, Santa's Workshop opens shortly a few storefronts down," he told the children's mother, winking at her, and even the woman seemed a little struck by Jack.
Those damn green eyes.
When he reached Molly he put his arm out for her to put her hand in his elbow. She took a deep breath. "Let’s go do this."
"I thought you'd be more excited," Jack whispered to her as they walked towards the front door. "After all, Christmas seems to be your thing."
Molly blushed as Jack wrapped his arm around her waist when they stepped outside onto the busy street. Children were waving and running up to them, and Jack kept giving them all directions to the Workshop. He was better at this whole Santa thing than she thought he would be.
Chapter Sixteen
The first day was almost unbearably long to Jack. While he thought he enjoyed talking to all children, he discovered he preferred talking to his nephews about fishing rather than strangers about what they wanted for Christmas. Most of the kids were sweet, kind, and excited to see Santa. But then there were the kids he could tell were from the other part of town. The part of town with the bigger houses and the fancier cars. The kids from Jeremy's side of town.
"Want, want, want, want," the word rotated through Jack's head all day, and he kept wondering what he had gotten himself into. But every time he felt his frustration rise, and he wanted to call "break!" a child would come along that would change his mind.
"Do you want to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what you want for Christmas?" Molly asked. Jack scanned her appearance for what felt like the hundredth time that day. It was so warm in the room, why was she wearing such a long heavy coat? The little boy Molly was speaking to shook his head.
"I'm too big to sit on Santa's lap," he said defiantly with his arms crossed.
"If you're too big for Santa's lap, doesn't that mean you're too old to ask him for a present?" Molly teased and Jack had to hold a laugh in when the little boy suddenly looked panicked.
"It's alright Mrs. Claus, I grant wishes to boys and girls of all ages, whether they are too big to sit on Santa's lap or not." Jack winked at Molly and was pleased to see her blush.
"I want a baby sister for Christmas," the boy said. Jack raised his eyebrow and looked at the boy's mother. She rolled her eyes.
"You don't want a race car, or a new dart gun?" Jack asked.
"No. My mom said when she got married I could have a baby sister, and instead she got a stinky baby brother, and he keeps hiding all my trucks." The little boy stomped his foot. "Bobby Michaelson said you are friends wit
h God, and that if I asked you maybe we could trade."
Jack resisted the urge to laugh at the boy's request, he sounded so serious. Instead he told the boy, "You know, I have a sister too, and when she got older she used to have makeup and stinky girls all over our house. But I bet when your brother is older, you guys will be best friends."
"Girls are stinky too?" the little boy asked. "But my mom smells pretty."
"They are, more than you know," Jack replied suppressing a chuckle.
The boy's mother mouthed the words "thank you" and led her son away by the hand. Molly smiled and rested her hand on Jack's shoulder. "Girls are stinky?"
"Most of them," Jack said then smiled at the next child in line.
The next few hours went in spurts of flying by and dragging on depending on the family next in line. When the last of the children had left Santa's workshop Jack locked the front door. He watched as Molly picked up a spray bottle and a roll of paper towels.
"What are you doing?" He asked, afraid of the answer.
"We have to clean up," she said brightly.
"What? We had to do all that, now we have to clean?" Jack took the paper towels from her though and started wiping the arms of his chair down.
"We didn't have to do anything, that is why it was called volunteer work." Molly stuck her tongue out at him, and he melted at her joyful attitude.
"How you can still be in a good mood after a day like that, I'll never know." Jack and Molly worked in silence for the next few minutes straightening up the room. It occurred to Jack this was the first time he had been alone with Molly since a week ago when they had almost kissed. He would never admit it to her, but he waited for her to come by each day to tell him she had broken up with Jeremy. He gently prodded Rachel for information about Molly and Jeremy, until Rachel asked loudly in front of the bar why Jack did not just go over and talk to Molly himself.