Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
EMILY
I draped tinsel around the freshly cut Christmas tree in the living room set, humming “Deck the Halls”, a smile plastered on my face.
Dana had done so much for me this last week.
She’d let me shadow her and pepper her with questions, saved me from the fir tree, de-foamed me, helped me with my lines, taken me ice skating and looked after me when I’d hit my head.
What could I do for her that would show how much I appreciated all her help?
The thought had followed me around all day as we filmed on set in the old barn and I still hadn’t come up with a good idea. The low-level headache I’d had since waking this morning probably hadn’t helped matters. Although, at least the sharp pains I’d experienced last night had subsided.
I took a step up the ladder and wrapped tinsel around the top of the tree. Charles wanted shots of me decorating the fir for a montage scene. Thankfully, I was no longer feeling dizzy and it didn’t require much brain power so I could do it while thinking about Dana.
When I’d snuck past her on my couch early this morning, she’d been deeply asleep, dark circles under her eyes. Not wanting to wake her, I’d left a thank you note and then walked down Main Street, picked up my car and driven to the farm. But I wanted to do more than that.
I mulled over the issue as I finished the last scene of the day and packed up to leave. At a loss, I called Lucia as I walked out of the barn and into the cool afternoon air. We were due to talk anyway.
“Hi,” she said. “How are you? How’s filming?”
“Good. The schedule is intense—early starts and long days—but it’s going well. And I learned how to ice skate yesterday which is a relief.” I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the natural light, and started down the dirt road toward my car.
“Oh, thank god! I’ve been worrying about that. Was it hard?”
“It was, actually.” Better not to mention my head injury, especially since I seemed to be on the mend. It would just worry her. “How are you doing?”
“Fine. Just busy.”
Lucia’s voice was flat. Was there something going on with her?
“Is everything okay? You sound tired.”
“Yeah. There’s just… there’s a lot happening right now. Sorry Em, I’ve got to run to my pilates class. Perhaps we could talk more later this week?”
“Okay, love you.”
“Love you too.”
Lucia hung up, and I frowned. Was she okay?
At least I’d see her at Thanksgiving. Hopefully in person she’d be willing to open up to me. But for now, I needed to solve my Dana problem.
I jumped into my car, pulled on my seat belt and tapped my thumbs on the steering wheel. What did Dana need help with? She was a self-sufficient person. The only thing I knew she struggled with was Christmas.
Christmas.
That was it!
I dialed Dana’s number. It went to voice mail. She must be out of range. I was so close to her place, I might as well see if she was home.
I turned on the ignition and started to drive.
—
At Dana’s cabin, I knocked, then listened for the sound of footsteps. Nothing.
Perhaps she’s gone out. It is a Sunday, after all. Or maybe…maybe she was chopping wood?
I headed around the side of the house. I couldn’t hear any wood chopping, but Dana could be taking a break. An image of Dana sitting on the chopping block, grasping an axe, her chest rising and falling from exertion, damp tendrils of hair escaping her ponytail, made me pick up my pace.
What would she do next? She’d throw down her axe, pull me to her, and kiss me.
I blinked. The wood-chopping related fantasies really were getting to be a bit much.
Dana might not even be queer. Although, all her friends were, so perhaps that made it more likely?
That, combined with the flannel, the wood chopping and her general vibe…
I shook my head. I was making a lot of assumptions based on stereotypes and wishful thinking.
Just friends, Emily. Even if she was interested in women, nothing could happen.
Despite my head injury, it had been nice last night, hanging out with all her friends.
They were so comfortable being themselves—being queer and showing affection in public—that I’d felt a little envious.
Had they grown up listening to church services saying same-sex relationships were immoral, unnatural and sinful and witnessing classmates being taunted for being gay?
I walked into the clearing, my shoulders sinking. The chopping block stood in the middle of the grass. There was no sign of Dana. I sighed, turned on my heels and started back toward my car.
“Emily?”
I twirled around. Dana had emerged from the shed, wearing dark-green work pants and a navy jacket with a black backpack over it, her hair tied back in her usual ponytail. Instead of the axe I’d fantasized about, a large metal cage was in her hands.
“Are you okay?” she asked. “How’s your head?”
“Hi!” Heat rose in my cheeks. “I’m feeling much better today, thank you.
Sorry to intrude. I tried calling and thought you might be out here, chopping wood.
” My eyes darted to the chopping block and another image of Dana—this time pulling off her tank top, muscles flexing, her gaze intense, while I sat on the woodblock watching—flashed into my mind.
I swallowed. “I—I just wanted to thank you for looking after me last night and everything else you’ve done for me this week.
I really appreciate it. So I… I wanted to come around and offer my services. ”
Dana tilted her head. “Offer your…services?”
Heat rushed to my face. That came out wrong.
“I thought I could help you set up for the Christmas market. I’ve got the afternoon off on Friday, and...well, you know how much I love Christmas. So if that timing works, I thought it could be a win-win situation.”
I could help Dana with a task she hated. It wouldn’t exactly be hard for me, but hopefully it would make the experience more enjoyable for her.
Dana sat the large metal cage on the chopping block and looked at me. “I appreciate the offer, but you shouldn’t spend your day off working. You should be resting.”
“I’ll be bored otherwise. I’d much rather be doing something Christmassy.” With you.
And if I gave myself time to dwell, I’d probably spend it thinking about Cat’s revelations—something I’d been trying to block out. Rebecca wanted to move fast, but I didn’t.
Dana zipped up her jacket. “Okay. I’d love that, thanks.”
“Excellent.” I clapped my hands, grinning, and pointed to the cage. A single apple and half a pumpkin were inside. “What’s that?”
“It’s another trap,” Dana said. “I was just about to take it out to the firs and check on the other one. I’ve been trying to check it every couple of hours, so if it does catch something it’s not trapped in there for too long.”
Warmth bloomed in my chest. Despite the mysterious animal destroying her trees, Dana still cared about its welfare.
“Want some company?” I asked. “I could do with a walk after being cooped up in the barn all day filming.”
“Sure.” Dana picked up the trap.
We strolled amongst the firs, the afternoon light casting long shadows on the ground. The apple and pumpkin rolled around in the cage.
“Has the mysterious critter caused any more damage?” I asked, glancing at Dana. She looked so at home, walking in the woods. And her butt looked incredible in those pants. I swallowed and dragged my eyes away.
“I found another damaged tree this morning,” Dana said.
“This one, just up here.” She pointed to a medium-sized tree.
She stopped just before we reached it. “Let’s leave the trap here.
” She placed the cage between two trees and stared at it, before bending over and shifting it slightly.
She set the trap door open and pushed the apple and pumpkin to the back.
She stood and turned to me. “There we go. The other trap is this way.” Dana nodded her head further into the firs.
We walked side by side through the rows of trees that stretched out in all directions.
How did Dana know exactly where to go? All the firs looked identical.
Without Dana, the forest would have been intimidating.
But with her next to me, I could relax and enjoy deep breaths of the pine-scented air.
Enjoy the stillness, punctuated by the crunch of fir needles under our shoes and the occasional trill of a bird.
I could get used to this. Surrounded by nature and fresh air.
I glanced at Dana again. I could definitely get used to this.
“It’s just down here.” Dana pointed to a fir twenty feet away.
Our pace slowed as we approached the cage.
“I think there’s something in it,” Dana murmured.
I took another step forward and blinked. The cage was moving.
I caught a flash of black. And then a black and white striped, furry tail. Oh god.
“Um, I think that’s a skunk,” I said.
Dana inched closer to the cage. “Shit, I think you’re right.”
“Do skunks eat trees?” I asked. While my character had cared for an injured skunk in an episode of Animal Rescue Hospital, the veterinary knowledge I’d picked up didn’t extend to skunks’ snacking habits.
Dana shook her head. “No. They dig holes; they don’t eat trees. We should let it go.” She took another step forward. The skunk lunged toward us and hissed, sending the cage rattling.
We both jumped.
Damn, its claws looked sharp. I swallowed. They must have filed down the claws on the skunk I’d filmed with. I definitely didn’t remember them looking so vicious.
“Why don’t you stand back just in case it gets aggressive? I’ll open the door and then we’ll both run in the opposite direction,” Dana suggested.
Behind her, I noticed that the skunk was stomping its feet.
It arched its back.
Then it lifted its magnificent tail, long black and white hair spreading out on each side like some kind of fancy feather duster.
Oh no.