Merry and Bright

Chapter Fourteen

WINTER

There was nothing, and I mean nothing, that could ruin my mood.

Nothing. Not two little ginger demons who were legit mad at me for leaving them.

Not the blustery freezing cold wind that blew through all the next day.

Not the customer who I think was also legit mad at me because I couldn’t name the book they were after when their entire description was, “I can’t remember the author or the title, or much about it at all, really, only that I loved it and the cover was green. ”

Not even then.

Not even when Merry realized he too could escape the playpen at work with his brother.

I wasn’t bringing the crate to work, but keeping the playpen in the storeroom would have to do.

Not even when the only way I could get any work done was when they were asleep or with Merry in the baby carrier and Bright perched up on my shoulder like an orange-gremlin parrot.

My customers thought it was the cutest thing.

Gunter and Rob dropped in to tell me they could see me smiling through the window from across the street. “Jokes aside,” Gunter said. “I’m happy for you both. Deacon’s a sweet guy.”

I whipped out my phone and found this morning’s text, showing them the screen.

“. . . like sunshine after rain.” I wasn’t about to tell them it was a partial quote from Shakespeare.

The full quote was, “Love comforteth like sunshine after the rain,” and I was doing my best not to unpack the L-word he didn’t use but kind of did.

I looked at Gunter and Rob in turn. “I’m sorry but could he be any more romantic?

” Then I drew my finger across my palm as if they were supposed to know the relevance of that.

And then I swooned.

“Ohhh,” Rob said, shaking his head pitifully. “That Christmas Cupid got you goooood.”

Gunter laughed, and I couldn’t even be mad.

Because maybe they were right.

I wasn’t mad about the freezing cold wind or the snow flurries swirling around my car on the drive home. I wasn’t mad about the color Ro wanted to paint the kitchen.

I held up the paint swatches. “It will look like a tequila sunrise threw up in here,” I said.

This, apparently, was the best answer. “I love that description! I want it to be funky and light and colorful and fun. And there’s a lime-green appliance set I have my eye on.”

Of course there was. And of course it was lime green.

I gave her a quick hug. “Then you should absolutely do it.”

Still in a great mood, I cleaned out the boys’ crate and kitty litter, washed all their bowls, and sat on the floor with them as they ran, jumped, and skidded around the room. I loved them so much. They were the two sweetest little things ever, and I already couldn’t imagine my life without them.

I managed to catch a great video of them wrestling and hopping, using me as a launching pad in their game of crazy parkour, and I sent it to Deacon.

Looooooook at them

He read the message and didn’t reply.

I waited and waited.

And waited.

My mood deflated with every passing minute.

I checked the time. It wasn’t dinnertime. Maybe he was watching his show with his dad . . . Maybe he was busy. Maybe . . .

Maybe I was overthinking things. Okay, so there was a very good chance of that. In fact it was highly likely.

But did he not know that I could see he’d opened the text and not replied?

Did Deacon not know that I could see he’d left me on read?

“What’s wrong?” Ro asked.

“Hmm, maybe it’s nothing.”

“If you’re worried, it’s not nothing.”

“Deacon didn’t reply.” I had to unstick Bright off my sweater without pulling a thread. “He never doesn’t reply. I can see that he read it. Does he not know I can see he saw my text and he chose not to reply?”

Ro’s smile was patient and warm. “He’s not the kind of guy to do that deliberately. He would have good reason. Maybe he’s on a call on a farm. Maybe he’s tending to some poor, sick animal.”

Oh.

“I didn’t think of that.”

She held up her arm. “Maybe he’s up to his elbow in a cow or a horse.”

“Okay, I didn’t need to think of that.” I grimaced. “Yeesh. Do you think he’s done that before?”

“He’s a vet in a small town surrounded by ranches and mountains. I can almost guarantee he has.”

“Dear god.”

She laughed. “You’re welcome.”

“What for? The images in my head are nothing to be thankful for.”

“At least you’re not overthinking the text message anymore.”

Except now I was thinking about that again because she just mentioned it, and she could clearly tell because she sighed. “Call him, Win. You’re both grown adults. There is no reason whatsoever to play guessing games. If you need him to not leave you on read, then he should know that.”

Then his text bubble appeared. “Wait,” I said, relieved. But then it disappeared. I frowned at my phone. “Oh.”

I thumbed out a quick text.

Everything okay?

His reply was instant.

No

My heart sank, and before I could overthink some more and hit panic stations, I hit Call instead. “Deacon, what’s wrong?”

There was a beat of silence before he answered, his voice quiet. “It was not a good day.”

“Oh, Deacon, I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do? Want me to come over?”

Another beat of silence. “No. It’s late, and the weather isn’t good. As much as I’d like to see you.”

“I can come over—”

“I’d rather you didn’t,” he murmured. “I would only worry. I’m in my room anyway. I had a shower and I’m in my pajamas, so I’d have to get changed again and I’d rather not do that either, so . . .”

I sighed. “I get it. I understand. As much as I want to see you too. I’m sorry you had a bad day.”

Ro relaxed when I said this, knowing he was okay. I smiled for her.

“Was it a bad day in general, or did something happen?”

He was quiet, and I could picture him frowning. I could imagine his anguish.

“It’s okay,” I offered. “You don’t need to tell me.”

I knew that too much pressure to do something he wasn’t comfortable doing wouldn’t end well, and I didn’t want him to feel overwhelmed. “I’ll tell you about my day if you like?”

More silence followed by a soft hum, which I took for a yes.

“Well, you see, it all started with this really cute boy I’m dating. He sends me poetry every morning and he does this amazing thing where he runs his finger over my hand. Sometimes he holds my sleeve. It’s the cutest thing ever.”

There was more silence for a beat, but then there was a soft sound that could have been a laugh. “Are you talking about me?”

“Why, yes. Yes, I am.”

“That’s absurd.”

“Every absurdity has a champion to defend it,” I quoted.

“Is that a quote? I’m not familiar.”

“Yes, it is. Oliver Goldsmith, Irish poet.”

He was one hundred percent smiling. I could tell.

“And I’ll have you know, that guy I’m dating? He is very cute. And very sweet.”

He sighed quietly and, after a long beat of silence, murmured.

“One of my customer’s dogs passed away today.

Mrs. Stevens. She’s an elderly lady, and she loved that dog so much.

He was all she had. She lives alone, and she was so upset.

I know it’s part of my job. We train for this.

My dad has told me all my life that it’s part of his job, and it is a part of life.

I deal with it all the time but today was . . . not good.”

Oh, my heart . . .

Ro seemed to understand that this was meant to be a private conversation. She gave my shoulder a pat as she walked out.

“Deacon, I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine. It’s not easy, and you’re allowed to feel sad. Poor Mrs. Stevens. She must have been so upset.”

He swallowed hard. “Yes. She was. I think that’s what is harder for me. To see her so upset. She’s been my client since I started. She trusted me with his care.”

“Oh, Deacon. I’m sure you did everything you could.”

“He was old. Sixteen, to be exact. And he’d had liver issues.

It wasn’t unexpected. But she was so upset.

I . . . I can’t deal with that. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do or say in these situations.

When it’s a ranch and livestock go down, it’s not like this.

It’s to be expected, and ranchers and farmers know it’s a part of farming.

It’s not ideal, but they understand the cycle of life.

But poor Mrs. Stevens. She has no one.” He sniffed.

“And I can’t stop thinking of her by herself. In her empty house.”

I wished I could see him, sit beside him, comfort him somehow. Not that I could touch him or hug him. But something . . .

“She was Dad’s client before,” he continued quietly, “and she was one of the first to agree to see me. Some folks in town didn’t want me to be their vet. Not at first. I know my people skills aren’t . . . I know what people say. What they think of me.”

“Oh, Deacon.” I shook my head, not sure what else to say. “It’s only because they don’t know you. If they knew how sweet you are, how deeply you care. Remember when I first met you? When I brought in the stray momma cat? What you told me was the sweetest thing.”

“Because you like books.”

“Well, yes. But you didn’t know that then. You said what was in your heart and it really helped me.”

“I wish I could help Mrs. Stevens. I wish I knew what to say or what to do. I wanted to console her, put my hand on hers, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t do it. Like how I want to hold your hand but I can’t do that either.”

Oh, his pain hurt me.

“Then let’s help her another way,” I offered gently. “Why don’t we go see her tomorrow. We’ll take some Christmas cookies and have a cup of coffee with her, or tea. And we’ll see how she’s feeling. You and me. I’m sure she’d appreciate that.”

A long beat of silence. “You’d do that with me?”

“Of course I will. On your lunch break. I’ll ask Ro to mind the store for an hour. I’m sure she won’t mind. We can go together. I’m sure she’d appreciate the company.”

“I’d like that,” he whispered. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Deacon. Thank you for telling me what was bothering you. I’m glad we talked.”

“I am too. I feel better now.”

“Aww, I’m glad about that too. Now, I’m not an expert on dating or anything, but I’m pretty sure this is what dating people do. They talk about what’s bothering them and they try and make each other feel better. A trouble shared is a trouble halved, or something like that.”

“I’m not an expert on dating either.”

“Just as well we found each other then, isn’t it?”

He made a contented sound. “Yes. The video of Merry and Bright was cute, by the way. I can appreciate it more now. Sorry I ignored you. I didn’t want to burden you—”

“You’re never a burden, Deacon,” I said. “If you’re ever sad or having a bad day, you just have to tell me, okay? I only worry when I don’t know what’s going on.”

“Okay,” he murmured. “Thank you.”

“Feel better now?”

“Much.”

“Good. I’ll buy some cookies or something from the diner tomorrow morning and we’ll go see Mrs. Stevens. You can come pick me up from the store and we’ll go together.”

“Okay.”

Bright and Merry were now curled up on my chest, purring loudly. “Can you hear this?” I put the phone close to them so he could listen before putting it back to my ear. “Their little electric motors are running hot.”

“They sound very content.”

“They’re asleep on me,” I said. “I can’t imagine my life without them,” I said quietly. “For little purry, furry gremlins, they totally own me.”

“I’m glad it was you who found them. They’re very lucky.”

“I’m lucky too. Because if not for them, I wouldn’t have met you.”

He was quiet again before he made a happy sound.

“Are you smiling?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“Then my work here is done. I’ll let you go now, and I will see you tomorrow at lunchtime.”

“Okay,” he whispered.

“Oh, and your text in the morning. Let’s not forget that.”

He chuckled. “I won’t ever forget it.”

“Night, Deacon.”

“Goodnight, Winter.”

I ended the call and totally would’ve hugged my phone if two sleeping kittens weren’t on my chest.

Ro poked her head in. “Everything okay?”

“It is now,” I said with a smile. “He had a bad day and wasn’t sure how to talk about it. Or if he should talk about it at all. I think he didn’t want to bother me with it.” I sighed. “He’s such a gentle soul. He had a customer’s dog die today.”

“Oh no,” she murmured.

“And it wasn’t even the death of the dog that upset him. It was how upset the customer was. It was an elderly lady. He struggles dealing with heavy emotional stuff.”

Ro frowned. “Is he okay now?”

“Yes, we talked and he was smiling in the end. And I told him I’d go with him to check on his customer. We’ll take some Christmas cookies and have a cup of coffee with her.”

“Oh, that’s really sweet, Win.”

“I’m glad you think so because I was hoping you could mind the store while I go with him. It won’t be for long. An hour max.”

She pretended to be put out for half a second before she smiled. “Of course.”

“He’s the sweetest guy I’ve ever met,” I said simply.

Ro’s smile was warm and maybe a little proud. “You’re a good one, Winter Atkins.”

“I had the best role model,” I said, giving her a pointed look.

She got a little teary, but she fanned her hand in front of her face. “Don’t you make me cry. I just put my night cream all over my face, and that stuff is expensive.”

I laughed. “I’m gonna put these two to bed. Can I get you anything before I turn in?”

“No, I’m fine. Get some sleep.”

I yawned right on cue. “I plan to. The sooner I sleep, the sooner I get Deacon’s poem text in the morning.”

She snorted. “You sound like a kid going to sleep early on Christmas Eve, thinking it will make Santa come quicker.”

“It totally does. And anyway, my eight a.m. poem is way better than Santa. I get this every day, not once a year, and it’s poetry. About how he’s feeling, or what he’s thinking. It tells me more about him than he ever could, and I think tomorrow’s is going to be the best yet.”

I wasn’t wrong, and I wasn’t disappointed.

“My heart is stronger now you’re in it.”

Ghibli. He’d gone and quoted The Secret World of Arriety by Studio Ghibli and fixed himself a permanent place in my heart.