“Every now and then we manage to pull off an event without Emma’s help,” Mike said with a laugh, “but not often.”
Parker stopped himself from blurting out questions about Emma that were none of his business. “Uh, I should explain why I stopped in. It’s a legal issue, but nothing big. Divorce details.”
Mike nodded. “Okay, let’s see if I can help.”
It took only a few minutes to lay out the one remaining item on the list of things he and Jackie did to separate their lives for good. A simple out-of-state property transfer.
“That’s it?” Mike asked. “No liens, no taxes due, no disputes?”
“Nope. Like I said, it isn’t a big thing. My divorce lawyer is in North Carolina. I don’t talk to Jackie much, so I thought it was better to let the lawyers deal with it. She gets sole title to the cottage she inherited and I’m compensated for improvements I made.” He passed the sheet of notes he’d written. “I wrote down the points we agreed to and the contact information for Jackie’s lawyer.”
“Consider it done.” Mike scanned the agreement. “You’re right. This looks like a straightforward transaction.” He tilted his chair back. “But since you’re here, Parker, don’t take off. Tell me how things are going. Everything on track for the open house—and the Christmas ceremony?” Mike grinned. “My term for the relaunch.”
From the faraway look in his eyes, Parker could tell this was a big deal to Mike. The sanctuary was nothing short of his parents’ legacy. Parker stretched his long legs out in front of him and crossed his ankles. “I don’t want to jinx it, but we’re making good progress. We had a little tree damage back in the woods from the storm the other day. But the new boardwalk held up.”
Mike squirmed in the chair. “What about our buddy Jim Kellerman? Has he stopped by?”
“He hadn’t taken me up on my offer to talk. At least not yet.”
“What happened the other night at the reception turned out okay,” Mike said. “It’s not so much that Jim has changed, but everyone in that room saw you make him an offer. The rest of us were groaning, wishing he’d go away.” Looking sheepish about being so blunt, he added, “I admit I get tired of clashing with Jim all the time.”
Parker took a second to gather his thoughts before telling Mike about identifying with Jim in an odd way. “In my senior year in college, I was part of a small group from the town and the school trying to keep some acres of woods from being cut down to make room for a giant mall. We lost that fight. It felt lousy.” Parker shrugged. “Who knows, maybe we were wrong and the mall was worth it. I believe Jim is wrong now, but I have a little empathy for him.”
Mike tapped his fingers on the arms of the chair. “I hear you, Parker, I do. But this is about so much more than Jim being a crabby old man about our holiday festival.” Mike let out a cynical scoff. “I mean, who votes against Santa Claus coming to River Street?”
“Fill me in.” Parker settled in his chair. “I’m never sure who to ask. I don’t want to blunder in and offend people with sensitive questions.”
“Jim’s problem is with me. He didn’t like my parents. Long before my dad deeded the land over to the conservancy, Jim was itching to get his hands on it to build—he’s had a dozen different ideas about what to do with it. My dad didn’t agree. When he left to come live near me in Ohio, he wanted the land to be like the sanctuary you worked in before you came here.”
“And it will, Mike. The board wants to go slow and it’ll take time. It’s hard to please all the factions involved in change.”
Mike nodded. “Tell me about it.”
“I also get that Jim Kellerman hates to lose. Especially to you,” Parker said. “I may not be privy to the history, but I know what a vibe is. And yours with Kellerman seems to go way beyond a piece of land.” Parker hadn’t meant to say all that, but he’d had a feeling that when it came to Emma and her friends Mike and Ruby, a whole lot was left unsaid.
Mike rested his cheek in his palm. “Bluestone River doesn’t have a lot of secrets and scandals—”
Parker interrupted with a quick, “Oh?”
“The town’s one big scandal involved my family—and Ruby’s.”
Parker grimaced. “Oops. I was being flip. Sorry.”
Mike tightened his mouth. “The facts of what happened aren’t that complicated. The aftermath was.”
In the next few minutes, Parker understood why Mike was a happy guy—today. Going back twenty years, though, he could imagine how people in town reacted to finding out that his mom and Ruby’s dad died together in a car accident, making their affair obvious.
“Our families fell apart. My dad never recovered. We all went our separate ways, and I came back so I could raise Jason here. He’d lost his mom in a fire and didn’t speak for months. Ruby came back to help Emma through her back surgery a year or so ago.”
At the mention of Emma, Parker’s heart beat a little harder, a little faster. He didn’t know why. “And now, here you are.”
“With a whole new life. Together.”
Parker grinned. “Now, that’s what I call a happy ending.” He paused. “Emma hasn’t said a lot about her husband, but she did mention you were all friends back in the day.”
“Neil and I were best friends,” Mike said. “But I lost touch with them and didn’t know Neil died until I was back in town.”
Parker nodded, but would have liked Mike to confide more about Emma.
“My dad was a shell of his old self when my mom died and he never recovered. The only things he could keep the same were the woods and the lake. Jim acted like my dad was obligated to sell him the property. Jim didn’t like losing that one.”
“It all happened ages ago,” Parker said, “and yet the aftermath lives on.”
“So, now you know why Jim wasn’t a fan when I ran for mayor,” Mike said. “He associates me—and Ruby—with scandal.”
“Guess he’s not big on Christmas villages, either?” Parker said, laughing.
“Exactly. He’s Scrooge,” Mike said. “I mean, he asks what the payoff is for Santa to visit?” Mike raised both hands in the air. “Go figure.”
Parker inched to the edge of the chair to get ready to leave.
“What about you?” Mike asked. “Are you happy here so far?”
He hesitated. “I am. My daughter likes Neville. And her job with Star Lenski.”
“According to the board, we were lucky to lure a guy with your credentials out here.”
That was true, Parker thought. He didn’t mind that Mike knew it. “And, uh, just between us you might as well know my wife—ex-wife—is in Vermont with someone else.” “The whole thing blindsided me. And was hard for Nic.”
Parker surprised himself by how ordinary it felt to say that. He must have turned a corner somewhere. He was usually embarrassed to say that, more out of foolish pride than anything else. “Unfortunately, our daughter bore the brunt of it. I think she’s still hoping her mom will want her to move up there. But Nic is mad at her, too.” Parker shook his head. “And at me. Just because.”
“Your Nicole seems like a terrific kid.” Mike frowned. “I shouldn’t call a college girl a kid. She’s a young woman.”
“I know, but to be honest, I still think of her as my little girl.” Parker got to his feet. “I try not to be harsh about Jackie. My daughter and her mom will have to work it out.”
“Feel free to talk to me about anything. I’m your lawyer. Whatever is on your mind is safe with me.” Mike smiled as he got up and walked Parker to the front door. “I’ll let you know when I’ve talked to Jackie’s lawyer. You’ll need to sign the documents. So, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow at the Halloween party.”
What was it with these people? Why would they think he’d show up there, like it was a part of his job? He waved off Mike. “Sounds like a good time for parents and kids. Nic will be there
working with Star, but I’m in the midst of the renovations.”
Mike’s face showed surprise, and he looked like he was about to say something, but changed his mind.
As an afterthought, Parker added, “I sure enjoy watching you and your boy rowing around out on the lake.”
“It’s his favorite place.” Mike’s voice was pure joy. “It’s kind of our thing. Pretty soon he’ll be rowing me. Ruby comes with us sometimes. She tells me she wants to enjoy it before she gets too big. Imagine that?”
An image of a pregnant Jackie flashed uninvited through his mind. Round and healthy and happy to be having their baby. He nodded along with Mike and tried to ignore the lump in his throat.
Parker took fast strides to his truck, hoping to outrun the sadness threatening to overtake him. He could fool other people sometimes but not himself. He couldn’t handle a Halloween bash in a roomful of giggly kids in costumes. Sometimes his memories were like little swords piercing his heart. Man, they wielded way too much power.
* * *
EMMA CAME TO a stop a few feet away from the table where Nicole was arranging cookies on platters. Her sparkly tiara doubled as a headband that tamed her long blond hair flowing loose down her back. No more multicolored nails. Today, all ten matched her light blue strapless dress with a full skirt, which in turn matched the color of her eyes. What flare, Emma thought. Nicole was a fairy-tale princess in a modern dress.
On her way into the town hall for the Halloween party Emma had spotted Star Lenski, also sporting a tiara and looking queenly in a flowing floor-length red gown. Queen or not, Star also was a business owner unloading more boxes from the back of her van.
Emma approached the table to say hello to Nicole, but the teenager’s expression didn’t match the party-like mood in the room. It looked more like the blue she wore. “Princess Nicole, I presume,” Emma said tentatively. “And looking every inch like royalty.”
Nicole offered a wan smile that quickly vanished. “It’s my prom dress.”
“And very beautiful on you.” Another cheerful remark, Emma thought. No one could accuse her of not trying.
“Thanks. I’m glad to get this extra shift today,” Nicole said, finally offering a real smile. “According to Star, this year’s party will be bigger and better than ever.” She studied Emma head-to-toe. “And look at you. A dancer. Cool.”
Emma glanced down at herself in a blush pink ballet dress. It draped over one shoulder, gathered at the waist and then fell loose just above her knees. She steadied herself with her cane and lifted her foot so Nicole could see her ballet flats with crisscrossed ribbons tied around her ankles. “I started with the shoes and built from there. This dress is from a costume I put together for a party years ago.”
“Do you... I mean, did you take ballet?” Nicole asked, dropping her gaze for a second or two.
“For a couple of years as a little girl,” Emma replied, dramatically clutching her hands over her heart. “Oh, I liked being a ballerina a lot, but then I fell in love with a horse named October. When my heart was stolen by softball, second base to be exact, I said goodbye to both October and ballet.” Emma chuckled as she picked up the skirt of the dress and let the light chiffon swish into place. “But not to dancing, if you know what I mean. I was always the first out on the dance floor. Partner or no partner.”
Nicole nodded knowingly. “Me, too. Wow, that costume suits you. Like Star said, being in that red dress just makes her feel good. Kind of like a queen. I bet you feel that way, too.”
“I do. And I’m sure that Ruby will give us her seal of approval.” She scanned the room, decorated with bouquets of orange and black balloons and skeletons and black cats mounted on the walls. Bales of hay and scarecrows sat on either side of the caramel apple booth.
“This is a noisy party already. And we haven’t even had the parade. There’s something going on in every corner,” Emma said. “So many kids and parents are already milling around.”
As the crowd grew, volunteers started organizing games. A few adults were filling orange-and-green paper bags with treats at the candy table. With everyone in costumes, the room was more colorful than Emma had seen it in years. Nicole had gone back to fixing up her platters of sugar cookies cut in pumpkin and maple leaf shapes and iced in a rainbow of colors.
“Uh, so tell me how’s it going? Is school good?” Emma asked. “I hear the owl is on the mend—getting better every day.”
Nicole started to answer, but when she raised her head tears had pooled in her eyes and threatened to spill down her cheeks. Looking as if she’d surprised herself, she turned her head and used her knuckles to dab at her eyes. “Oh, no, no. I didn’t expect that to happen.”
Emma extended an arm toward Nicole, but stopped short of touching her, unsure that the teenager would welcome that kind of comfort. “I could see you were upset about something. Can you talk about it?”
Nicole pressed her knuckles harder. “I’m being stupid...stupid.” She glanced furtively around the room.
“No one is paying any attention to this corner, Nicole,” Emma said, her voice reassuring. On the other hand, she cringed hearing Nicole call herself stupid. She fought back the urge to speak up about it, but a little inside voice cautioned, let the girl talk.
Speaking barely above a whisper, Nicole said, “Halloween was a big, huge deal with my mom and dad. Mom made our candy...really, she knew how to make chocolate drops with sprinkles. And she’d cook sugar and butter and make caramels.”
Emma nodded along, wanting Nicole to know she was listening.
“The two of us used to go to thrift shops to find odds and ends to make funny costumes.” She patted her arms and chest. “One year I went as a garden. We found artificial flowers and attached them to a green T-shirt and tights.” Nicole’s eyes were wet, but she laughed. “I looked like I was sprouting roses and daisies.”
Emma held back a heavy sigh. No wonder Nicole was sad. Eighteen or not, she missed her mom.
“Then everything changed,” Nicole said. “We won’t ever have those times again.” Then she shrugged. “I don’t know why I’m thinking about it. I outgrew the little kids’ parties a long time ago.”
“But that doesn’t mean this kind of holiday will be easy,” Emma said. Was it worse because Parker dismissed the town party like it was beneath him?
“It was a really huge thing for my dad.” Nicole shook her head as if resigned. “He and Mom took all the kids out trick-or-treating in a group. They helped out at the party at my school.” She glanced around. “This kind of party.”
“A family occasion, huh?”
“Oh yeah.” Nicole dramatically opened her arms. “Way bigger than Christmas.”
So much for the pretense of being too busy, Emma mused. It was all about memories he couldn’t handle.
Nicole filled her lungs and huffed as she exhaled. “I’m okay now.” She gave her head a little shake and smiled. “I’m not sure what came over me.”
“I understand,” Emma said. “Memories hit me like that sometimes. I can’t order them to go away.”
“That sounds like something my dad would say.”
“He’s really wise, huh?”
“Don’t tell him that,” Nicole joked. “He’ll get a big head.”
“It’s a deal.” Emma pulled out her phone. “Can I take a picture of the princess?”
“Only if I can take one of you,” Nicole said with a big smile, her shaky moments behind her. She held up one finger. “Wait. Don’t move. I want to go first.” She retrieved her phone from the end of the table and then pointed it directly at Emma’s shoes. “They deserve their very own shot.”
Posing for Nicole, Emma rested her cane on the table and put one arm over her head and the other to the side in a ballet pose. She added some extra style with a tilt of her head.
Nicole let out a low laugh. “Oh, yea
h, attitude. I like that.”
It was Emma’s turn to get her pictures. “I like seeing you at your first Bluestone River Halloween shindig. You’re sparkling in your tiara and fabulous dress. Stand still, you. Here I come.”
Nicole giggled, but Emma got her pictures—and a couple of selfies. Then Nicole’s gaze shifted to the doorway, where Star was pulling a cart through the door. “Oops, I better go help.”
Nicole raced across the room in time to help Star maneuver the wheels of the cart around the corner and toward the table. Then Mike appeared in the doorway in a tux with an exaggerated bow tie and a top hat. Emma watched as he made his rounds through the room saying hello to kids and parents, taking off his top hat and bowing to a bunch of little preschoolers playing a game. The room was transformed into a sea of quick hugs and greetings, and the buzz of “nice to see you again” greetings and hoots of laughter as parents herded kids down the atrium walkway where they lined up for the costume parade through the room.
The picture Nicole painted of past Halloweens stayed with Emma. She was used to parties like this one, full of laughter and silly fun. Alone for the moment, Emma stood near a wall and observed. Once upon a time, she’d been engaged and involved, particularly in the early years with Neil, when their marriage still stood a chance, or so she believed. When she came to town events with or without him, she knew most of the people who showed up. Not so anymore.
After almost three years eaten up by her fall and the aftermath, dealing with Neil’s death, and her last-resort surgery a year ago, she was only now starting to redefine her life, and that included her place in town. Other than writing checks for things, she’d been outside what was happening in the wider community.
Why had she arrived so early? To wait around for the party to start, as if she had some job to do. But she didn’t. It was all running along without her. The games, the food, the parade about to start.
Her spirits lifted a notch when Ruby’s wave caught her eye. She was coming in with Jason, the seven-year-old dressed up to look like his golden retriever, Peach. Ruby and Mike had found a costume to match the orangey color of Peach’s coat. This year Ruby was a ghost in a grayish-white caftan that almost hid her dark red hair. It didn’t hide her pregnancy, though, not that she’d want it to. Emma watched Ruby offer her cheek for Mike to kiss. She took both of his hands and stepped back to admire him in his tux and hat.
The Christmas Kiss Page 6