10. Holly
10
HOLLY
I embraced my Christmas self as I sang my favorite holiday songs and danced around my house as I got ready for work the next morning. My hair wasn’t styled the best and my makeup lacked a little something, but nothing bothered me today. I was in the best mood ever.
I slid down the hall in my favorite snowman socks, belting out song after song as I packed a lunch, knowing I most likely wouldn’t be able to drive anywhere for food today. Not that it mattered. I didn’t need to spend money anyway.
My phone rang and I turned down the music, grinning when I saw my mom’s name on the screen. “This is the Lane residence.”
If I didn’t answer that way for my mother, she always said I was using bad manners.
“You’re awfully chipper this morning.”
“I am, aren’t I?”
“Is business going well?”
“It’s a little slow, but that’s normal for this time of year.”
I grabbed the last of my things and packed them in my bag as I continued to talk to her.
“I was just telling your father the other day that it was going to snow and then it did. He never listens to me. It was on the news.”
“Tell him to watch the weather channel.”
“He says they’re communists.”
I frowned at that. “The meteorologists or everyone at the weather channel?”
“I don’t know. Probably all of them.”
“Well…then tell him to listen to the radio. They still report the weather.”
She snorted into the phone. “I’m not allowed to listen to the radio. He insists the government is sending signals through the radio to control our brainwaves.”
I nodded. That sounded like him. “Well, I guess you’ll have to live in a bunker at some point. Are you sure the phone isn’t being tapped?”
“Don’t you even mention it. I’ll never be able to speak to you again.”
“Listen, if he gets really worried, just make him wear a tinfoil hat. That should stop anything.”
“You think?”
“It can’t hurt to try.”
The doorbell rang and I grinned. “Hey, that’s my ride. I have to go.”
“But what about your father?” my mom shouted.
I headed for the door. “Hey, you married him,” I said right before I hung up. I unlocked it and pulled it open, grinning as I let Asher in. “Hey, sorry about that. My mom was rambling about my dad and the government and brainwaves…it was a whole thing,” I laughed, waving it off.
But he didn’t laugh. In fact, he was a little off this morning. Deep circles pressed into the skin under his eyes and he even looked like he was wearing the same clothes as yesterday.
“Hey, is everything okay?”
“Oh, yeah. I just didn’t get a lot of sleep last night.”
“Were the roads that bad?” I shouldn’t have let him drive home.
“No, nothing like that.”
But he didn’t come in. He just stood there, standing on my stoop, looking completely lost. I’d never seen him like this before and I had no idea what to say or do.
“Just let me grab my bag. I’ll only be a minute.”
He ran his hand over his jaw and nodded, glancing back at the truck. I hurriedly tugged my coat on and purposely waited until I was at the door to put on my hat, just to see if he would tug it on like he usually did, but he was so out of it that he didn’t even notice I was holding it. After slinging my bag over my shoulder, I grabbed my keys and smiled up at him.
“I’m ready.”
“Alright, let’s get Naomi.”
I frowned. He knew her name. “Noelle.”
“Huh?”
“Noelle. You said Naomi.”
“I did?” He scratched the back of his neck, sighing as he shook his head. “Sorry. It’s just…”
“Hey, it’s no big deal,” I chuckled, playfully elbowing him. I thought he was going to fall over from the gentle nudge.
“Aw, shit. I forgot the hot cocoa.”
“Again, not a problem.”
He sighed like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. I had no idea what was wrong, but whatever it was, he was really screwed up over it. I kept my mouth shut the whole drive to Noelle’s. I had the feeling that even if I talked to him, he wouldn’t hear me. He was so lost in thought that I wasn’t even sure he should be driving. At least the roads were clear this morning.
When we pulled into Noelle’s drive, I knew she would be just as desperate for her cocoa fix as me, so I was gonna have to get ahead of this.
“I’ll just go get her.”
I hopped out before he could protest and hurried to her door. When she opened it, I shoved her inside, even though she was ready to leave.
“What’s going on? Let’s go,” she said, looking at me like I was a psycho.
“He forgot the cocoa.”
“That monster!”
“I’m serious, Noelle. Something’s off. Like seriously off with him. He’s zoning out and…it’s just weird. So, don’t try to talk to him or anything. He’ll take us to the shop and we’ll say our goodbyes. End of story.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, glancing out the door. “Should we do something?”
“Like what?” I had no idea what to do for him.
“I don’t know. Get him to talk?”
I raised an eyebrow at her. “Do you know many men who talk about their problems?”
“Good point.”
“Just…don’t ask about the cocoa.”
She sighed dramatically. “Fine, but if we don’t get some this morning, I’m gonna be a bear.”
“Maybe we can have some delivered.”
“Is there a hot cocoa delivery service?” she asked hopefully.
“I don’t know, but there should be.”
She could be so dramatic when she didn’t get her way, but I was counting on her to not show that side of herself. Just as I turned to leave, she snatched me by the arm, her eyes wide as saucers. “Um…I have something to confess to you.”
“Okay.”
“Um…I may have done something yesterday.” She turned away from me, flapping her hands as she started hyperventilating. “Oh, God. I think I broke your boyfriend.”
“I seriously doubt that.”
“You didn’t hear me! I told him I was going to feed him to a bear after stabbing him with a sewing needle repeatedly! And then I told him I was going to bring my travel kit with me,” she said, digging through her purse and pulling it out to show me. “What if I did this to him? He’s terrified I’m going to follow through on my threat and now he’s contemplating running!”
I quirked an eyebrow at her. Frankly, I thought it was hilarious that she thought she had that much sway over Asher’s mental state. “I can guarantee that you’re not the reason for his mood. He told me about your threats and I can assure you he was not frightened.”
She flinched back in shock. “Not even a little?”
Great, now I’d offended her. “Well, maybe a little. But he was in high spirits when he left. Whatever happened, it wasn’t because of you.”
She pursed her lips and glanced down at her kit. “Well, just to be on the safe side, I better leave this at home.”
“Maybe that’s best,” I nodded, trying my best not to laugh.
“Alright. I’ll put on my game face.”
“What’s that?”
“You know…morose and…unhappy.”
I smirked at her. “And here I thought that was your everyday face.”
“Oh, you’re funny,” she said, swiping her hand at me, but missing. I hurried for the door and rushed out before she could catch me. By the time I got to the truck, I remembered that Asher was not himself and wiped the smile from my face. Not that I had to be sad because he wasn’t in a good mood, but I wasn’t going to try to make him happy either.
Noelle got in the back seat, tapping me on the shoulder. “Hey, Asher,” she said cheerily.
“Hey,” he responded, not any happier than when he picked me up. “Sorry, I forgot the cocoa this morning.”
“No problem. I’m not really in the mood for it today. My stomach’s a little upset.”
He glanced in the rearview mirror, frowning slightly. “Should you go to work?”
“Oh, I’ll be fine. I brought some Pepto with me.”
His frown increased.
“You know, the pink stuff.” Then she sang the original song, ending with her hands in the air, ending with a shout.
His lips didn’t even twitch.
She shrugged her shoulders. “Well, that’s the original song, anyway.”
“So, you’re good.”
“Yep.”
I choked back a laugh as he backed out of the driveway and took us to work. I really hoped his day got better. He was missing out on some great stuff.