“A baby, huh?” he asked.
I nodded. “I guess that explains why I’ve been feeling so nauseous lately. How’s that news make you feel?”
“Like I’m walking on sunshine. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for us, Sierra.”
“For better or for worse, right?”
He grinned. “For better or for worse. But I have a feeling there’s a lot of ‘better’ waiting for us.”
He planted a tender kiss on my lips, and I suddenly realized that this trip home wasn’t a bad idea after all.
Chapter One
“Sierra! You’re just as cute as I thought you’d be!” Chad’s grandmother grabbed my cheeks and squeezed them like someone going gaga over a three year old. The problem was that I was closer to thirty than three. The other problem was that I had no choice but to smile through the I’m-the-new-girl-in-the-family ceremony. After all, I didn’t want her first impression of me to be as someone who was difficult to get along with. She’d discover that soon enough.
“Thank you,” I said, forcing a grin. His grandmother was exactly as I’d pictured her to be. She might look thin and frail, but her voice and her eyes said otherwise. She was petite with straight white hair that fell to her chin, and she smelled like roses.
I’d just driven six hours from Norfolk, Virginia to Oldsburgh, West Virginia where my husband Chad’s aunt and uncle lived. The couple had invited us to spend Christmas with them, and we’d agreed.
Chad had arrived a day early to help out with some yard work. I’d insisted he go without me while I tidied things up at my office before taking four vacation days. It was one of the downsides to being the head honcho at a nonprofit—there was always work to be done.
At the moment, I stood in the cozy living room of his aunt and uncle’s house. It was an oversized log cabin with a glowing fireplace and lots of natural light. The house smelled like evergreen and cinnamon and was decorated for Christmas, all the way down to the Santa hat perched on top of the mounted deer head above the mantle.
Or was that a reindeer head? I couldn’t tell.
A grand Christmas tree, so laden down with what appeared to be homemade ornaments that one could hardly see any green branches, stood in the corner.
“Grandma, you’re going to scare her,” Chad said, putting his arm around my waist.
“But I’m just so happy you finally met someone.” She turned her attention to Chad and squeezed his face together like it was silly putty now. “You’re such a handsome young man, even with that rodent growing on your face.”
“I’m happy, too, but muha pwhide . . . .”
Chad’s lips were a scrunched up mess, making most of his words unintelligible.
It was a tradition that his family gathered here every other year. The odd years, apparently, were reserved for the spouses’ families. Anyway, Chad’s family was everything mine wasn’t: they were loud, boisterous, and warm.
My stomach had been in knots all week whenever I thought about this trip. I really wanted to make a good impression. Chad’s family was important to him. I’d already met his mom and dad, but I hadn’t met anyone else.
Thankfully, another woman swept onto the scene and distracted Grandma. “Sierra! You made it. Wonderful.”
“You got here just in time.” A round man with a round face, a full beard, and a gaudy Christmas apron emerged from the kitchen carrying a platter of colorful cookies.
“By the way, I’m Paula.” His aunt had poofy blonde hair, a square face, boxy features, wore a Christmas turtleneck, and apparently liked green eye shadow and red lipstick. She also wore earrings inspired by gaudy Christmas light bulbs.
“And I’m Paul,” his uncle said. “We know. It’s strange.”
“Even stranger, my maiden name was Davis also. Can you even imagine what a hoot our wedding was?” Aunt Paula slapped her leg and cackled with warm delight.
Chad had warned me about their names before we came, but insisted I let them take delight in telling me the story behind it. So I did. Stories were best told by the people who had lived them. That was my theory, at least.
“Anyway, the Davis family’s annual Mountain Christmas Light Extravaganza starts tomorrow night,” Aunt Paula said. “You got here just in time!”
I glanced at Chad and saw the guilt on his face. “Mountain Christmas Light Extravaganza?”
Chad shifted. “Did I not mention that? Well, we here in the Davis family have an annual Christmas light tradition.”
“I gathered that,” I deadpanned.
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell her about our Christmas light tradition, Chad,” Aunt Paula said with a playful scoff.
“You see, my family pretty much owns this mountain,” Chad said, pointing out the back window to the winter landscape that stretched upward toward the sky. “They decorate it with Christmas lights every year and people drive from miles around to see it.”
“Why have you never told me this?”
He shrugged. “Didn’t I? I thought I’d said something about it when I mentioned coming early to help out.”
“With yard work,” I reminded him, keeping my voice light.
“All of the light work is in the yard. Therefore, I guess it is yard work. Potato potato, you know?”
As an unknown emotion passed through his gaze, my lips twisted in thought. I had a feeling he wasn’t telling me something. We’d have to talk later.
“Anyway, we spent all day yesterday working on everything, and we’re still not done,” Chad said.
“Speaking of which, we need to assign everyone their tasks for the week,” Aunt Paula said. “Sierra, we were hoping you’d be Mary.”
I blinked, suddenly feeling out of sorts. “I’m sorry?”
“Mary, Mother of Jesus.”
“For the light extravaganza,” Uncle Paul explained.
“We thought it would be appropriate, especially since . . . you’re expecting!” Aunt Paula squealed and pulled me into a hug.
Then grandmother pulled me into a hug.
Then Uncle Paul.
“We’re just so happy for you both.” Paula clasped her hands together and nestled them under her chin as she looked at Chad and I with adoration. “What a great Christmas surprise.”
“One day, that baby of yours is going to love coming here to see our light display,” Uncle Paul said, pride across his face.
“Don’t let him fool you.” Grandma waved her hand in the air. “It’s more than a light display. It’s a Christmas wonderland.”
I nodded, feeling like I’d been sucked into a whirlwind, one filled with tinsel and fake snow and a whole lot of Christmas cheer. “I noticed there were a lot of decorations when I pulled up.”
A lot would be an understatement. Their entire front yard had been filled with wooden decorations, plastic decorations, wire decorations, and lighted decorations.
You name it, Paul and Paula probably had it.
“We have a live nativity,” Paula said. “We even have Santa!”
“I guess there’s something for everyone then.” I shifted, trying to comprehend all the new faces, the new ideas, and the unexpectedly busy schedule we’d have while here. I’d envisioned our stay as being laid back and relaxing. “You have a real Santa?”
“Oh, honey, Santa isn’t real!” Aunt Paula burst into laughter, clapping with delight at her own joke. She could rival St. Nick in the jolly department.
I started to explain. “Well, I know. I meant—”
“Besides, Santa’s not the real reason we do this. Christmas is about so much more than Santa!” Aunt Paula continued. “It’s about Jesus and giving back and being with the ones you love.”
“Right,” I agreed, realizing I was taking myself entirely too seriously.
“We even have reindeer!” Aunt Paula’s entire face beamed. She stuck a headband with antlers on my head and jingled the little bell on top with a delighted grin.
I glanced at Chad. That’s what he wasn’t telling me.
I felt sure of it.
I cleared my throat. “Did you say reindeer? As in, live reindeer?”
She nodded, apparently clueless as to how I’d feel about that. There was too much excitement in her eyes for her to possibly know I was offended at the very notion.
“We raise them ourselves, right here on this property,” she continued. “Chad didn’t tell you that either?”
“No, he didn’t,” I said, my voice sickly sweet. My husband had kept this from me on purpose, which was curious. Why would he do that? He wasn’t usually an avoid-conflict-at-all-costs type of guy.
I glanced over at him, but he didn’t make eye contact.
“Now, I know you don’t want to be bombarded. You just walked in. But we have got to get busy,” Aunt Paula said, taking my arm. “So, let’s put your suitcases down and get going, okay? We only have twenty-four hours until all the fun starts. Then we’ll be jingle, jingle belling!”
She wiggled her hips like she was mentally listening—and dancing—to music.
I had no choice but to nod.
Instead, I operated on autopilot and followed Chad’s aunt upstairs. I deposited my luggage in a rustic looking bedroom with reindeer embroidered on the burgundy coverlet before being ushered back downstairs.
“This is quite the house,” I told his aunt. I’d arrived earlier than I intended, but everyone had been gone. I’d sat on the porch to wait for them, but this was my first glimpse of the home’s interior.
She nodded. “Oh, I know. Isn’t it grand? We just love it. How could you not?”
“And a reindeer farm? Here of all places? I had no idea.” I gave Chad another look, but he turned away before he could catch it.
He knew exactly how I felt about farms and animals in captivity and the poor conditions most of them endured all in the name of “training.” I also didn’t approve of animals being used as entertainment or being handled like they were property.
“Now, let’s give you a tour.” His aunt grabbed something off the kitchen table and thrust it into my hands. “Here’s some hot chocolate to get you started.”
I started to object, but Chad shook his head. Apparently, his family didn’t know I was a vegan and therefore didn’t eat or drink any animal byproducts. I wondered if they even knew I was an animal rights activist.
Tension began to build between my shoulders. Chad had endured my crazy family, I reminded myself. I guess I needed to endure his now. And, I suppose that I hadn’t told my family about our marriage, so I couldn’t very well be mad at Chad for not telling his family the details of my life.
Unfortunately, this had the makings of a major disaster.
I held onto the hot chocolate as we stepped into the frigid outdoors. As soon as Aunt Paula looked away, I dumped the liquid into a bush. I didn’t drink cow’s milk, but I didn’t want to offend her, so subtly ditching the liquid seemed like the best option.
We started toward the backyard. The ground felt hard and frozen beneath our feet, evidence of the especially cold winter. Part of me hoped it might snow while we were here because there was something about Christmas that beckoned a ground covered in white.
The backyard was huge with a large portion of the land cleared. Stables and a barn, along with a fenced in area, stood in the distance. There were tons of trees, most of them absent of any foliage, which made them look like skeletons standing guard over the property. The mountain was steep and the ground was covered with brown leaves.
Was this a reindeer farm?
I braced myself and tried to measure my reaction once I met the animals. After all, even someone like me—who was outspoken on all matters concerning animals—wanted to make a good impression on my in-laws. Tearing them apart or scolding them would not be a good idea—at all. Besides, I had more class than that, and I loved Chad too much.
“I guess Chad didn’t tell you that our reindeer were even used in a movie once?” Aunt Paula asked, popping a peppermint into her mouth.
“A movie?” Animal treatment on the sets of movies was the worst. “No, he never told me that. Which one?”
“Santa’s Road Trip. Do you remember that one?”
I nodded, vaguely recalling the name. I wondered if that’s where Paul and Paula made their money. By all appearances, they weren’t hurting for cash, not with a house this size on a piece of property this large. “I think I do.”
“Yes, our reindeer are very special. They make Christmas feel like magic for kids. You’ll see what we mean.” She paused at a weathered wooden fence and looked around. “Now, I wonder where all my furry friends are?”
“Resting maybe?” I suggested.
She frowned. “As soon as they hear my voice, all my little darlings usually come running. They think it’s feeding time. Their favorite is caramel popcorn, but we try not to give it to them. Every year at our light show, at least one unsuspecting visitor will have their bag snitched by one of the deer, though!”
And Chad hadn’t even given me a hint about all of this. He’d only told me I was going to love it and that there was no one who loved Christmas more than his Aunt Paula and his Uncle Paul.
“Donner, Dasher, Prancer, Vixen!” Aunt Paula called.
Of course they’d be named that.
We waited but no one came.
No reindeer came, I should have said.
No reindeer who were being held captive here, outside of their native environment where, in the winter they were paraded around like Christmas royalty, all while being treated like four-legged slaves in the process. I’d seen it happen too many times before.
“Paul, go check around by the stables,” Paula said. “Maybe they’re all over there.”
Paul nodded and started around the perimeter. He returned a few minutes later, his expression grim as he shook his head. “They’re gone, Paula. All of them.”
Paula sucked in a quick, loud breath. “What in heaven’s name are you talking about? They can’t be gone.”
He nodded. “They are. And there are tire tracks proving someone backed right up to the gate and reindeer-napped them.”
Chapter Two
“You think someone stole your reindeer?” Chad asked, gazing beyond her at the pasture as if the animals might magically appear. “Why would they do that?”
“Who knows?” Paula squeezed the skin between her eyes like she might cry. When she opened her eyes wide again, fire burned within their depths. “Maybe it’s one of those crazy animal rights activists! They sent us some nasty notes not too long ago. I wouldn’t put it past them. They threatened to take action against us!”
My cheeks reddened. Did my organization send Chad’s relatives one of those letters? My coworkers were always on the lookout for the mistreatment of animals. We may even, on occasion, look for suitable campaigns that had a holiday tie in around Christmastime—but only because it made for better press opportunities. Getting the word out was half of the battle.
I wanted to slink back, but I couldn’t.
Chad squeezed my hand.
“This is going to be awful. We can’t have a Mountain Christmas Light Extravaganza without our reindeer!” Aunt Paula burst into tears, real ones this time, not the kind she tried to hide.
Paul pulled her toward him. “It’s going to be okay. We’ll find our beloved reindeer.”
We began walking toward the gate. I had a feeling Paula wanted to see for herself that the reindeer were gone. I did too, for that matter.
“Do you think they could jump this fence?” I asked, shaking the sturdy structure.
Paul shook his head. “It’s doubtful. They haven’t ever done it before. None of them.”
I leaned down by the tire tracks. There was a deep impression right by the gate, but otherwise the pattern faded quickly on the gravel. The ground was probably too frozen to leave many impressions.
“There are a few hoof prints right there,” I said, pointing to the opening of the gate.
Paul nodded. “Then they disappear right here where a
trailer would have pulled up.”
I glanced beyond the driveway. The rest of the ground was blanketed with dry leaves. Finding any shoe impressions or hoof prints anywhere else seemed improbable.
“Should we call the sheriff?” Paula asked, her earlier jolly all gone.
Paul let out a loud sigh, his breath freezing in the frigid air. “I can’t say Sheriff Orlando’s going to jump right on this, given his dislike of our family. He’ll come, but he’ll drag his feet and claim he has speed traps to man or something asinine.”
“That seems unethical,” I said, outraged that someone could be that lackadaisical. It was the sheriff’s job to help out in times like this.
Paula shook her head, popping another mint into her mouth. “Politics. That’s what it is. We’ll put in that phone call, but I don’t expect him to take this seriously. What are we going to do?”
“Sierra’s pretty good at tracking down answers. Aren’t you, honey?” Chad said. “You remember when we were at your parents’ house a couple of months ago and that dog—”
He stopped when he saw my narrowed eyes.
“Chad, can I talk to you?” I asked, batting my eyelashes sweetly—a sure signal something was wrong because I wasn’t the bat-my-eyelids type of girl.
“Of course, dear.” His words sounded stiff.
We walked far enough away that his aunt and uncle couldn’t hear us. Still, I leaned close and lowered my voice. “Have you lost your mind?”
He stared at me contemplatively, as if trying to find the right words. “I want to say no, but I have a feeling I’m supposed to say yes . . . .”
“First of all, did you mention to your family that I am an animal rights activist?”
He cringed. “Not exactly.”
“Why not?” My voice rose, and I mentally scolded myself. I had to keep my distress under wraps.
He rubbed his lips together for a moment, and I could see his inner turmoil. “I just didn’t want them to form any impressions of you before they met you.”
Surprise burst from me, unchecked. “What’s that mean?”
The Sierra Files Box Set: Books 1-3: Plus a bonus Christmas novella! Page 29