Mistletoe Not Required

by A. D. Justice

  She pulls the door closed behind her as she leaves, taking all the air out of the room with her.

  I’ve known all along there was a possibility she wouldn’t come back home after college. After getting a taste of what the world has to offer, she could decide she preferred the fast pace of a big city over the slower lifestyle of small-town living.

  But hearing her say the words out loud, confirming what I’d inwardly questioned over the last few years, hurts worse than I thought they could.

  “Hello, Hunter. Good to see you again.”

  I didn’t even hear the door open or sense Pete walk into the exam room. I’m still standing in the same spot where Mallory left me, rubbing Banjo to keep him calm. “Hey, Doc. How are you?”

  “Good, good. Mallory said she thought the incision looks okay, but let’s be sure before we send him back home.” Pete’s bedside manners are nearly identical to Mal’s earlier methods, confirming she watched his every move over the years she grew up in this clinic. “No sign of infection at all. It’s normal for the incision to pucker like that as it heals. Tell Lisa not to worry.” He describes the signs we should watch for and reminds me to keep Banjo from licking his wound for at least another week or so.

  “Thanks, Doc. Mom will be very relieved to hear all is well.”

  “Hunter?”

  I stand after setting Banjo on the floor and meet Pete’s gaze. “Yeah?”

  “Jackie and I raised Mallory to be independent and self-sufficient. We give her advice when asked and guidance when needed. We try to let her make her own mistakes so she’ll learn from the consequences of her decisions, while also shielding her from a lot of the unpleasantness in the world. Maybe we protected her from a little too much, though. There are a few details about the past and the present she doesn’t know. Maybe it’s time she learns the whole truth.”

  “What you share with her is up to you, Pete. She makes up her mind without help from anyone else, and she made up her mind about me almost four years ago. You know what I find odd about our split?”

  “What’s that?”

  “She never asked me why. Not once. She never questioned or argued that we belonged together. She never offered a suggestion of how we could make it work while she was in school and I was here working. Before she walked out of this room a few minutes ago, she informed me she’s not coming back here after she graduates from college. Her course is set, and I’m not part of it.”

  “No one’s course is set in stone, Hunter. She can change her mind as easily as anyone else can.”

  “I wouldn’t advise holding your breath for that.”

  Chapter Nine

  Mallory

  “I hate you.” I keep my eyes on the road as I drive toward Gran’s house. It’s officially the last place on God’s green earth I want to be.

  “You love me, and we both know it.” Amelia is unfazed by my bad mood and continues to point out everything she loves about Cringle Cove. “You have no idea how fortunate you are to have grown up somewhere that’s almost guaranteed to have a white Christmas. Do you know how many Christmas cartoons, movies, and paintings depict that as the ideal setting? And the people here are so interesting.”

  “Like who?”

  “Like, Chad, for starters.”

  “You can’t use him as an example. You’re unusually twitterpated over him. That makes you biased.”

  “Fine. Hayden Jaxon, then. He’s a competitive snowboarder and has endorsement deals. There’s Roan McDaniels, the hugely popular country singer, and his brother Grey, who owns The Cove. Even though I haven’t met Roan, it’s cool that he’s from this area. I think I could get used to living in this town and really enjoy it. I may even have a few ideas for bringing in more tourists and sprucing up the Christmas decorations.”

  “Already putting that marketing degree and your flair for design to use?”

  “Always. That’s just who I am.” She shrugs one shoulder, as if those last five words explain everything.

  “You’re so funny. Keep kidding around like that, and you’ll convince my parents you’re considering moving here after college.” I laugh out loud at the absurdity of that notion.

  “Mal, I’m not kidding. Cringle Cove could really be a great opportunity for my career. It’s small, so working with the city council through the tourism department would be easy. They’re customer-focused, so they’re open to suggestions. This could be a real game changer for me, especially just starting out of college. The more I list the pros and cons, the more pros I find.”

  “I literally can’t believe what I’m hearing, Meli. Is this sudden urge to move to Cringle Cove because of Chad? Are you looking for ways to make a career here work so you can be with a guy you just met?” We roll up to the stop sign, and I openly gawk at her while I wait for her reply.

  “No, I’m not that naïve or desperate, and we both know it. I wouldn’t hinge my entire career on a man I just met a few days ago and barely know. But getting to know him better could be a perk.”

  “Wow. Okay. My bad for assuming we’d be roommates for a bit longer after college while we’re finding jobs and getting established. But thanks for letting me know now so I can start making other plans for living arrangements after graduation.”

  “You could make arrangements to move back to Cringle Cove with me.”

  “That’s not happening. You’ll just have to visit me wherever I happen to be living and teaching. You can travel with Mom and Dad when they come to see me.”

  “Oh, that’s yet another perk. I’ll be your parents’ only daughter when you’re not around. By the way, are you going to drive, or are we just going to sit here at the stop sign all morning?”

  “Right now, I’m going with sitting here all morning.”

  We ride the rest of the way to Gran’s in mostly silence. Not because I’m sulking over her decision, but because I’m imagining how hard it’ll be to say goodbye to her in six months when we graduate. After living with her and seeing her every day for the last four years, I imagine it’ll feel a lot like a divorce—one I don’t want and didn’t initiate, but can’t avoid.

  What’s strange is I’ve never even considered Amelia wouldn’t be part of my everyday life until now. Yes, there are always phone calls, video chats, and the occasional visits, but soon everything I’m used to will completely change. It’s a sobering thought, and I’m slightly ashamed that I never considered how my absence has affected my parents. Of course, they want me to live my life and do what makes me happy. But I’m sure they never considered my pursuit of happiness meant they wouldn’t be part of my day-to-day life.

  It really sucks when the shoe is on the other foot. And that shoe doesn’t even fit. Because it’s on the opposite foot and makes me walk all wonky.

  We pull into Gran’s driveway, and I shift the car into park. Before I reach for the ignition switch, Amelia puts her hand on my arm and stops me.

  “You’re uncharacteristically quiet. Are you mad at me?”

  “No, of course not. I’m just thinking about a lot of things. You know how one thought leads to another, like you start out thinking about the color blue, and you end up in a private bungalow in Bora Bora?”

  “Of course. That exact thing happens to everyone.” Her deadpan expression makes me smile.

  “Anyway. My final conclusion is I’m going to miss you, and now I get a sense of how much my parents have missed me. Especially with my determination to stay away from here because of Hunter and Gran. I’ve lost so much time with my parents, and for what? The ones I love are the ones who have suffered, and I punished myself for nothing.”

  “Does that mean you’ll move back here with me?”

  “No, that’s not what I mean. But I will come back and visit you instead of staying away even longer.”

  “You let me know if you change your mind. I’m sure we can find you a place to stay. A cot or a sleeping bag, maybe.”

  “You’re too kind. Now get your ass out of my car, and go take ca
re of your Gran. You took over my parents, so you have to take her too. She’s a package deal.” I shrug my shoulders and tilt my head. “I’m sorry for your bad luck.”

  “Nice try, bestie. You’ve experienced one major family epiphany today. Let’s go in here and see if you have another one.” Amelia rarely yields when she has her mind set on something. Like reuniting me with my grandmother.

  “It’s much more likely that I’ll experience a complete break from reality and turn into a screaming banshee.”

  “In that case, I’ll have the camera on my phone set to video. We don’t want to miss that opportunity.”

  Even though I’m still on record as saying this is the worst idea she’s ever had, we exit the car and approach the front door. Amelia rings the doorbell, and soon a cheery older lady in nurse’s scrubs opens the door.

  “Hi. I’m Mallory Conner, and this is my best friend, Amelia Fisher. We’re here to see my grandmother, Ernestine.”

  “Your mom said you were coming. Miss Ernestine is excited to see you. I’m Sue, her caretaker at night. Please come in.” She steps aside to give us room to pass. “I’ll just grab my coat and be on my way. She’s resting in the den, so you two can go on in and see her.”

  “Thank you, Sue. Drive safe.” I walk toward the den with Amelia close behind me. There’s nothing quite as awkward as visiting a relative you don’t actually want to see.

  There she is, resting in her recliner with a thick blanket draped over her. She’s lost quite a bit of weight since the last time I saw her. Her cheeks are sunken in, and around her eyes appears hollow, even with them closed. When I thought of her, I always saw the strong, robust woman I’d known all my life. Now, age has caught up with her and is taking its toll. Her recent surgery probably added to the ghostly pallor of her skin, but it can’t completely account for her gaunt appearance.

  “It’s okay to come in, Mallory. I don’t have my teeth in, so I can’t bite you. And I look worse than I feel. I’m not quite dead yet.” She opens one eye and peeks out at us, a small smile playing on her lips. “You’re even more beautiful now than when you left for college. You haven’t been home in a long time.”

  “No, I haven’t. This is my best friend, Amelia. We go to college together. She’s helping out at the clinic while we’re on semester break.”

  “Ah, yes. Amelia. I’ve heard all about you from Jackie. My son and daughter-in-law are very fond of you.”

  “The feeling is mutual. I’ve adopted them as my parents.” If Amelia has ever met a stranger in her life, I’ve never witnessed it. She is as comfortable talking to the college dean as she is with our next-door neighbor. She walks into the room and takes the chair next to Gran, acting as if they’re old friends.

  The other empty chair must be reserved for me, so I move to the opposite side of the room and take a seat. My discomfort from being back in her house again can’t be hidden, though I’m still not sure I even want to try. Why should I pretend everything is okay and let her get away with being such an awful person?

  “You know, when Mallory was a little kid, she used to stay with me all the time. If I ran into her on the sidewalk in town, she insisted on coming home with me every time. So I bought a bunch of extra clothes to keep here for her. She called them her special clothes.” Gran chuckles weakly, mostly to herself.

  “I remember that—I’d forgotten all about it. Seems like that happened during another lifetime now.” Nostalgia is a bitch—trying to rob me of the grudge that keeps me warm at night.

  “It was during another life. One I’m glad you got out of when you left this town. You’ll be happier for it in the long run. I tried to give your father the same advice, but he wouldn’t hear it.”

  Hello, big wooly blanket of resentment, my old friend. I’ve missed you. For the last forty-five seconds.

  “What advice, exactly, did you give Dad?”

  “I told him he should move away from here. He deserved to have the entire college experience—moving in to the dorms, having roommates, going to parties, and meeting new people. Life has a funny way of making you appreciate the small things more after you’ve endured a few hardships. He needed to experience that.”

  “That’s true. Everyone experiences that whether they leave their hometown or not. Whether they go off to college or stay home and work. Whether they follow their mother’s advice or not. What makes you think Dad didn’t have that same experience? Better yet, what makes you think he needed that experience?

  “I’ve never known him to be unhappy with his life and his choices, and I’ve known him my whole life. Any moments of sadness he had were caused by you and your actions. I remember the names you called my mother. I remember the cutting remarks you made toward her. The problem was, I didn’t understand any of it when I was a kid. But I’m not a kid anymore.”

  The shocked expression on her face is priceless. Even when my parents were quarreling with her, I never heard either of them put her in her place. They tried their best to keep the peace and not stoop to her level, but I’m not as nice as my parents are.

  “You’re right, Mallory. I was wrong for pushing what I wanted on him the way I did. At the time, I thought I was doing what was best for him. You’ll find out one day when you have kids of your own. They don’t come with an instruction manual. What works perfectly for one could end in disaster with another. When I graduated from high school, I didn’t have the option of going off to college. It was completely out of reach for me, but I wanted to give my son the best. Only, he already had the best—because he had Jackie and you.”

  “When did you come to this conclusion?”

  “I suppose I’ve known it all along, but I was forced to accept it recently. Now that I’ve gotten past my own ego, I can see where I was wrong in how I handled it.”

  “Well, thank God for small miracles, right?”

  Gran cuts her eyes at me, narrowing them as she stares at me. Amelia clears her throat before she interrupts the full conversation occurring in silence.

  “So, Gran. Have you watched Game of Thrones yet? If not, I suggest we have a marathon today to catch you up, complete with junk food and Jell-O shots.”

  “Amelia, I like the way you think, little girl. You have yourself a date.”

  Her plan works like a charm. We old-lady-sit Gran for the rest of the day and into the evening until her nightly caregiver returns. All the insults I wanted to hurl at her evaporate when I’m sucked into the fictional world of my favorite show. We make sure she’s well fed and help her every time she stands.

  But nothing is resolved.

  Something tells me we’ll revisit the huge elephant in the middle of the room. We’ve danced around him long enough.

  On the way back home, Amelia, being Amelia, states the obvious.

  “Hunter didn’t call or text you at all today.” She tries to sound so nonchalant, but she fails.

  “Nope.”

  “I think it bothers you even more than you’re showing.”

  “I’m not showing anything. What are you talking about?”

  “Do I really have to spell everything out for you? All right then, you asked for it. You are crazy for turning away a good man who is obviously trying to win you back. Especially when you’re still in love with him. You’re just scared. You’ve turned into an overgrown scaredy-cat, and you need to snap out of it because you’re embarrassing me.”

  “Let me know when you’re ready to tell me what you really think instead of holding back. We’ll talk then.”

  There’s her smartass snicker again.

  Chapter Ten

  Hunter

  When my phone rings, I stare at the screen in disbelief. The name that flashes up shocks the shit out of me, rendering me mute for a moment.

  Something must be wrong.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Hunter. This is Mallory. Are you busy?”

  “Not too bad right now. What’s on your mind?”

  “You went to a lot of trouble to pl
an and coordinate everything for us the other night, and I realized I acted like a total bitch. I want to apologize for not being more appreciative. And I wanted to ask if you’re free to maybe hang out together tomorrow. I know it’s short notice, but I hoped your schedule would slow down some since it’s only a couple of days until Christmas.”

  I’m stunned speechless from her apology and her request. She willingly wants to spend the day with me? Is this a Hallmark movie in disguise?

  “Hunter? Did I lose you?”

  Never.

  “No, I’m here. Just surprised, honestly. First of all, you don’t owe me an apology for anything. I sprang that night on you out of left field. But I appreciate the gesture. As far as spending the day together tomorrow, I think I can make that happen. How about I pick you up at nine in the morning? I have the perfect idea.”

  “That sounds great. How should I dress?”

  “Comfortable and warm. Wear your good boots.”

  “I know you don’t mean my Chanel boots by that comment.”

  “Not in the least.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow morning, then. I’m looking forward to it, Hunter. And thank you for being so amiable about all of this.”

  “My pleasure, Snagglepuss. We’ll have fun and enjoy the day.”

  After we disconnect, I stand rooted to my spot for a few more minutes, just smiling like a crazy man.

  “Are you and that horse eloping, or are you ready to move on to the next one?” Chad deadpans as he passes by the stall.

  Have I mentioned how great working with my best friend is?

  “Definitely eloping. We’ve already picked out our honeymoon spot.”

  After I finish working in the barn, I head to the office to find Mom. She’s busy in front of the computer screen again, but this time with a huge grin on her face.

  “Are you watching porn at work again, Mom?” Her face turns bright red, and I bust out laughing at her expense. Again. After the first hundred times, you’d think she’d get used to my teasing.