A Heartfelt Christmas Promise

by Nancy Naigle

The smile in her heart faded.

  “I heard what you did to Bill and Edna today. That was wrong, and Edna is too much of a lady to say it for herself, but that woman loved that job. It was her whole life. What do you think she’s going to do home alone all day?”

  “I’m really not at liberty to discuss this with you.” Vanessa kept her voice as friendly and calm as possible.

  “I’m sure you’re not, and even if you did respond, I probably wouldn’t believe you anyway. I knew you were trouble when you came to town.” She circled a finger in the air outlining Vanessa’s face. “You with your snow-white smile, perfectly streaked hair and fancy handbags. What do you know about life in North Carolina?”

  “Location didn’t factor into the decision. I did what I thought was best for two employees who had shown years of dedication to the company.”

  “If you think this was the good news, I sure hate to hear and see what the bad news brings!”

  “Order up” came from the kitchen window, followed by the ring of a bell.

  “Excuse me.” Lisa stood, and went to the counter to retrieve the next orders.

  Vanessa ran her napkin beneath her eye. It shouldn’t have surprised her that the news had practically beat her here this evening, but she hadn’t expected it to result in negative consequences. She took out the compact mirror from her purse and brushed at the mascara below. Movement in the reflection caught her attention.

  She closed the compact and turned around to face him.

  “Buck? I didn’t hear you come in.”

  “Hello. I’m here every night for dinner.”

  “Every night?”

  “Yep. Can’t make this kind of food for what I pay here, and they know what I like.” He leaned back and slung an arm up on the back of the bench seat. “You’ve had a day, huh?”

  “You could say that. I thought it was a good day. I guess that’s a matter of opinion. I had good intentions.”

  “You know what they say about good intentions. The path to h—”

  “You know, I never really understood that phrase. Why is it that people want to turn good intentions into something bad? Is it that hard to believe that people really want to do good in this world?”

  “Right. I know. I’ve been caught by that over the years too. Here’s the thing. Sometimes you’re so focused on what you think is the best in a situation, that you don’t see the collateral damage. The dominoes falling behind the scenes. Trust me. The older I get the more I realize how much I really don’t know.”

  Before she could answer, he got up and came around to her table, taking the spot that Lisa had been sitting in. “All I’m saying is, just slow down. I’m sure you’re on a crazy schedule, especially with the holidays thrown into the mix. But if you take your time, you might realize there are other things right here in front of you that could change everything.” He pushed his hand through his hair. “You might be very pleasantly surprised what solutions you come up with once you get to know these people, and their talents. Talent doesn’t run out just because you get a few gray hairs on your head.”

  She blanched. “Edna and Bill?”

  He shrugged. “Just saying.”

  “I honestly think that the very attractive packages I gave them were far more than they’ll get later. There’s no guarantee what’ll happen a year from now.”

  “They were. But right now, it’s almost the holidays and you just took their jobs away.”

  “But not their money. They can celebrate and relax and enjoy the whole thing.”

  “Money isn’t everything. In fact, it’s the least of it. You’re a smart lady. You’ve got to know that.” He gave her a look that made her feel like a teenager being caught. She just wasn’t sure what she’d done wrong. That was the problem with small towns. Everyone was in everyone else’s business. She wished right now a few of them would mind their own.

  She turned to see Buck walk out and Mike walk in. The two men paused for the briefest of moments. No hello. No conversation, just the tiniest pause that seemed uncomfortable.

  A whoosh of cold air followed Mike inside.

  Vanessa pushed her fork around her salad bowl. She wished now that she’d ordered both salads to go. She looked up to hail Lisa over to get another box, but Mike was standing there.

  “So, you work for AGC.” Mike cocked his head.

  “I do.”

  “Why didn’t you mention that before?”

  “You didn’t ask. We were having chicken stew and watching a football game.”

  He gazed almost right through her.

  “Didn’t quite tell the truth, though, did you? Visiting your cousin?”

  “I wasn’t trying to hide the fact I worked for AGC. Believe me, I am quite aware that half the town knows my every move.”

  “You avoided the layoff question last night. Then today you laid off two of the best employees. Good people who have put their life into that company.”

  “Those were not layoffs. I offered those two longtime employees very nice packages. There’s no guarantee what would happen down the road. I promise you I did what I thought was best. I’ve seen situations where people with that many years of dedicated service get practically overlooked. This was something I had in my power, and budget, to do. They made out much better by taking those packages now, rather than waiting to see what the future holds.”

  “So, you think you did them a favor?”

  “I’ve seen the graying workforce get caught in the restacking of talent when factories are updated, or roles are changed, and it’s not always pretty. I’m not saying it’s fair … it’s just what happens.”

  “I’m sure you believe that company line too.” He dug his hands into his pockets. “Did you really give them any choice?”

  “Of course. There’s always a choice. You can’t make someone do something they don’t want to do. I discussed the package with them. It was their choice entirely.”

  “I see.” But his expression said otherwise.

  “Believe me, they were compensated very well for their contributions.” She pulled her lips together, sorry she’d let him bait her into a discussion about it. “I don’t owe you an explanation.” She picked up her bag and walked out of the diner. Her heart pounded as she walked down the street.

  Adrenaline pushed her along. She didn’t bother to call Jimmy for a ride, instead walking all the way back to the warehouse, and wearing a blister on the back of her left foot.

  When she got inside the apartment, she took her shoes off and then put the salad in the refrigerator.

  What was it about this town that had made her break every one of her own rules? She shouldn’t have engaged with Mike. It would take a miracle to keep things moving smoothly if the gossip went wild.

  First, no Paris. No fancy Christmas town and probably no bonus after the worst assignment ever. If folks around here dug their heels in, she’d never pull this off by the first of the year.

  Her cheeks stung as her body adjusted to the warm room. She made a hot cup of tea, then pulled the quilt from the bed and wrapped up in it on the couch. Walking had been a stupid idea, but Mike had really gotten under her skin. With each sip of tea, she yearned for answers.

  She was too embarrassed to call Anna and admit to the chaos she was creating already. Buck’s comments hadn’t helped either, but his words, honest and patient, kept haunting her. She didn’t want to be the domino that disrupted life in this small town. There had to be an answer. Something that worked for everyone. Something she could be proud of.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Unlike last Thanksgiving, this year the weather was mild enough for Mike to walk over to Lilene’s for Thanksgiving dinner. Ever since Olivia had passed, Lilene had insisted he and Misty spend the holiday with her family, and they’d done it ever since.

  He carried a box containing his homemade deviled eggs, as had become tradition, and a bottle of wine he’d been given as a gift. This year Misty had gone skiing with her friends. It was lonely w
ithout her. Probably the first of many changes to come now that she was driving.

  As he walked up to Lilene and Norman’s house, Mike thought of when he’d been a kid and trick-or-treated the white Cape Cod with navy-blue shutters. The cool house on the block, they’d always given out the full-size candy bars. Norman was much older than Mike, but they’d become good friends over the last few years.

  Mike knocked on the door, the scent of sage, turkey, and home cooking making his stomach growl.

  Lilene opened the door wearing an apron with a stressed-out turkey on the front and TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED underneath it. She pulled him inside. “Hey Mike. I was afraid when Misty decided to go skiing with the other kids that you’d bail too.”

  “No way. Happy Thanksgiving.” He gave her a quick hug. “You know me better than that. I wouldn’t miss a home-cooked meal from you.”

  “You always say that, but I know you’re really here for the desserts.”

  “Guilty as charged.” He handed her the box. “Thanks for having me.”

  “And my dinner wouldn’t be complete without your deviled eggs. What are we going to do when Henny, Penny, Oprah Henfrey, and all those celebrity chickens of yours get too old to lay eggs?”

  “I hate to tell you this but we’re on the third generation of some of those names.”

  “I thought they’d lived an awful long time.” She took the box. “Ooh, this is heavy.” She looked inside and pulled out the bottle of wine. “What is this?”

  “You know I don’t drink the stuff. It was a gift from when we did that big parade up north.”

  “Lucky me! Come on in. Norman’s watching the ball game with the others. The rest of my family went over to the cemetery.” She led him into the living room. “They’re supposed to be back in about fifteen minutes. Then we’ll eat.”

  “Sounds good.” The dining room table was set and the buffet was already filled with covered dishes. Card tables filled the den, and there was one in between the couch and fireplace too. Each one was covered with a fall tablecloth and a playful cardboard-and-tissue-paper turkey as a centerpiece. At each place setting Lilene had gone the extra mile, crafting a special place card and treat as was her tradition, and with over twenty people expected to pile in this house for the holiday that was a big task.

  He lifted one of the crafted turkey place cards made out of peanut butter cookies with a candy corn beak and a tail of almond slivers. “Is this edible, Lilene?”

  “Yes! Aren’t they adorable? I made one for you to take to Misty too. Peanut butter cookies, chocolate, candy corn … what’s not to love?”

  “You never cease to amaze me. Where do you find the time?”

  “Oh, it’s fun.” She swatted a dish towel in his direction. “I love making them even if I did have to go back to the store twice for more cookies because Norm kept getting into them.”

  “They’re my favorite,” Norman yelled from the other room.

  “Everything is his favorite.” She shook her head. “That man. He’s a snacker. Don’t ask him to share his snacks with you. Oh, no. He’s very stingy, but he’s plenty happy to steal mine.”

  “You were just playing with those cookies,” Norman shouted in his own defense.

  Mike stopped when he saw Vanessa sitting next to the hearth chatting with Lilene’s mother.

  He turned to Lilene. “You didn’t tell me she’d be here,” he said in a low whisper.

  Lilene blanched. “Shh. She’ll hear you. She’s a guest in this house. I’d already invited her before … before all that happened. It’s Thanksgiving. Be nice.”

  He tried to hide the aggravation flooding over him.

  “Come on.” She dragged him into the living room. “Vanessa, you’ve met Mike, haven’t you?”

  She leapt to her feet, her mouth parting slightly in surprise. “Oh? Yes. Almost every day actually since I’ve been here.” She lifted her hand and waved with a smile. “Hi, again.”

  “Hello.”

  Lilene must have noticed the tone in his voice, because she immediately spun around toward Vanessa. “Vanessa, can you help me with the wine?” She lifted the bottle like a carrot luring a donkey.

  “Sure. I’d be happy to.” Vanessa took the bottle of wine and looked at the label. “Goodness gracious. I know this wine. This is an amazing blend. It’s won awards.” She turned the bottle. “It’s the 2014 too. Where did you find this?”

  “Mike brought it.”

  “It was a gift,” he said. “My hitch has been in their annual parade for over fifty years. They always give me some kind of extra gift to thank us.” He was bragging, something he rarely did. Something he seemed to be inclined to do in front of her.

  “Fifty years?” She seemed impressed. “So, your family has been doing the horse thing for a long time.” She stepped closer.

  Is she flirting with me? “A very long time.”

  Her eyes sparkled, but he wasn’t sure what emotion they held.

  She licked her lips, then broke their gaze to look down and focus on the wine. “Well, this is not easy to find.”

  The vein in his neck throbbed. He was still mad at her, but she sure had a way of getting him off kilter. Mom was in great spirits when he’d spoken to her this morning, but that didn’t make what Vanessa had done right.

  “Enjoy it,” he said. “I’m not much of a drinker except for a champagne toast on New Year’s, but Mom always taught me to be gracious no matter what…” He paused. Why am I even telling her this? She doesn’t care, and he shouldn’t care if she did or not. She wasn’t even his type. Beautiful? Yes. But she didn’t belong here in this town, or in this house for that matter. Not that he’d ever say that to Lilene.

  “Yes, well that’s good advice. Your mother is a smart lady.” Vanessa nodded to Lilene.

  “I’m surprised to hear you admit that,” he snapped.

  Vanessa looked confused.

  He couldn’t let it ride. “Laying her off the day before Thanksgiving? Really? Because jobs might change in the future? What does that even mean?”

  She blinked. “Edna is your mother?”

  He shrugged and turned his back on her, walking into the living room.

  A little sound, almost painful, escaped from Vanessa’s gaping mouth. She dashed into the kitchen still holding the wine bottle.

  Miss Rose, Lilene’s momma, gave him a was-that-really-necessary look.

  Mike felt scolded, but only for a half second when Norman snickered from his recliner. “I didn’t have anything to do with this.”

  But you knew, Mike mouthed. “You couldn’t text me a warning?”

  Norman lifted his hands in the air. “I’ve been married to Lilene a long time. I pick my battles with her. This one ain’t mine.” He leaned over and flipped the lid back on the cooler next to him, snagging a beer.

  “Thanks a lot.” Mike started to join him until he heard his name mentioned in the kitchen. He leaned in toward their voices.

  “Mike was born and raised in this town,” Lilene said. “He’s such a great guy.”

  “I don’t think he’s my biggest fan right now.”

  “Well, I’m sure you had your reasons for what you did to poor Edna. I have to admit, I wasn’t too happy when I realized what was going on either. Laying off the poor woman right at Thanksgiving?”

  Mike admired Lilene’s spunk. More so when she was using it against Vanessa on his behalf. He’d been on the other end of Lilene’s lectures before. It wasn’t always pleasant.

  “It wasn’t a layoff. They had a choice, and they accepted the offer. Edna and Bill both.”

  “You don’t need to explain to me. I know you’re just doing your job. The people in this town are close. Word travels fast, and sometimes it’s not exactly as it happened. It’s better if you have complete transparency.”

  “People knew before I got down the block.”

  “Sure, sometimes it’s a pain to have everyone know your business, but at the end of the day you’ve got the sup
port of the whole town. Let me help you with how to communicate around here.”

  “I’m not at liberty to discuss some things.”

  “I see. Well, you have to trust someone. You know, Mike was married to my very best friend’s daughter. She worked at Porter’s too. When she died this whole town felt the loss. Their daughter wasn’t even in school yet. I’m sure Mike didn’t want everyone rushing in to help while he was grieving, but he let them. Sometimes you just have to let things happen the way they are meant to.”

  “That’s got to be hard. Raising a daughter by yourself.”

  “Mike would’ve done fine raising her on his own. They have a very special relationship, but folks around here like to be a part of the solution.”

  Is she going to tell my whole life history to that woman?

  He wanted to walk in and put a stop to the conversation, but Lilene meant well. Everything she’d said was true, and he wasn’t ashamed of it. He’d have never gotten through losing Olivia had they not rallied like they had. This village really did raise his girl, and he was grateful for the help.

  “Be nice to him, Vanessa. I’m sorry it might be a little awkward for you. When I invited you both I had no idea that things were going to go all kaphlooey at the office.”

  “Will Edna be coming too?” Vanessa sounded worried.

  Mike was half tempted to text his mom to tell her to come over right now. Instead, he pulled himself away from their private conversation and joined Norman, who had just hollered like a buck in rut as the Panthers fumbled again, leaving Washington in a really good position to pull out a win.

  The doorbell rang and Lilene’s family flooded into the small house. The men all hunkered around the television, and the women overflowed the kitchen, talking and cackling louder than his hens at feeding time.

  Kids played on the floor in the living room, while a group of others went outside to throw a football.

  Mike was thankful that the house had filled up, making it less awkward to be in the same space with Vanessa.

  Vanessa walked out of the kitchen with a tray of piping-hot sausage balls. Carrying the tray, she introduced herself and distributed the tasty snacks. “We’ve got more in the kitchen. Take a couple,” she’d say. Everyone in the room seemed captivated by the Chicago woman. That had been his first impression too, but he wouldn’t fall for those misleading cues again—the sweet smile and the way she lowered her lashes when she spoke. She wasn’t as nice as she looked.