Chapter 14
Rory
The Christmas market on Main Street is jam-packed when we pile off the wagon. Competing strains of Christmas music come from opposite ends of the street, and the unmistakeable scent of cinnamon sugar wafts out of Jules’ favourite store on Main Street, the bakery enthusiastically named Bake Sale!
And because in Pine Harbour everyone is related to someone, the baker is Garrett’s cousin-in-law.
“All right, let’s divvy up our shopping list,” I say, pulling out my phone to check the list Garett sent me. “Fancy crackers, cheese, crusty bread, apple cider donuts.”
“That would be at the cider shack which is usually at the far end.”
“Okay, let’s head down there,” I say, scanning the rest of what Mom needs.
As we start moving, a new message appears.
Garrett
Tree delivered. How’s the market?
Rory
Over the top festive, you’d hate it.
Jules grabs my phone. “No texting boyfriends during sister time! Bechdel Test!”
“Fine.” I snatch it back. “But the list is in the text messages, so the best you get is a promise to ignore anything new he sends me.”
We dive into the crowd, immediately getting separated by a gaggle of pink-cheeked kids in snowpants and toques chasing someone in an elf costume with candy canes in his pockets.
Jules snatches one of the candy canes and hands it to Cassie. “For you, Middle.”
“Aw, thank you.” She breaks it into three pieces and hands us each a part of the peppermint candy. “Hey, there’s Rafe!”
Dani’s oldest brother is just ahead of us with his wife and two kids.
He hears Cassie say his name and turns, a warm smile spreading across his face. “Hey there, cousins!”
We exchange hugs all around. Then the kids ask where Cassie got her candy cane.
She points to the elf, who’s now dancing in front of the speakers.
“Okay, we better go catch him,” Rafe says, winking. “See you on Boxing Day?”
“Absolutely,” Jules says. “Bye, guys!” Then she nods down the street. “Onward to cider.”
It takes us almost half an hour to navigate the crowd to the midpoint of the market, where the bakery is, because we keep getting happily distracted by stalls with yummy food and adorable Christmas decorations.
Only one person stops Cassie to ask about Nate, and Jules runs an interference play so aggressive, the poor woman blanches and scuttles away.
I consult the list again. “Bakery next?”
“There’s probably a line,” Jules says. “Do you want to keep going for cider donuts and we’ll check it out?”
“Sounds good.”
They disappear, and I shuffle forward. The couple in front of me is arguing about whether Die Hard counts as a Christmas movie, which makes me think of Garrett.
As if he can feel his ears burning, he sends me another message.
Garrett
Just did the drive-by cousin elf thing.
Rory
If I go radio silent, it’s because I’m being shamed for texting you.
Garrett
Jules?
Rory
Who else?
Garrett
Are you hiding from her right now?
Rory
Something like that.
Garrett
How festive.
“Is that Garrett?” Cassie asks, appearing at my elbow.
I jump and look for Jules.
Cassie shakes her head as she laughs. “I left her in line, because it’s wrapped around the corner. Let’s go get the stuff Mom wants and then we’ll meet up with her again. And it’s okay if you’re texting Garrett the whole time. I’m not offended.”
Still, I put my phone away. “I definitely don’t need to be. But it’s good to hear you laughing, Middle.”
We wander through the market, accumulating red pepper jelly and bacon jam, and two kinds of artisanal crackers from a pop-up shop called the Laughing Ladle.
“Do you think it’s weird they don’t sell soup?” Cassie asks after we move on.
“Mmm. And it’s also strange that their ladle logo isn’t laughing.”
Jules joins us, swinging a bakery bag, as we lean on each other, cackling hysterically. “What did I miss?”
“Soup,” Cassie wheezes.
“And I texted Garrett a bunch,” I admit.
“No cookies for you.” Jules wiggles her fingers. “Hand over your phone.”
“I’m going to the cheese stall,” Cassie says before disappearing.
“I’m handing this over willingly,” I say.
The phone vibrates the second it hits Jules’ palm. She eyes me. “The two of you are pathologically entwined.”
We don’t even live together, I want to admit. You wouldn’t have to scroll back very far to see that. Instead, I deflect. “It could be Mom.”
She checks. “It’s him. He says he’s back at the farm now.”
“No other update?”
She shows me the screen.
A queer little feeling I don’t want to name flutters in my belly.
“Do you want to dictate a reply?”
“No.” Yes is the real answer. I want to drop a thumbs up on the update, and fire back a micro update of my own.
Something small enough to not be necessary to send, but just sharing because once upon a time, we shared everything.
We loved everything. We were entwined, and it wasn’t pathological at all.
I hate that we lost that.
I hate that so, so much.
But today, this afternoon, is not the time for that.
Bechdel Fucking Test.
Jules puts the phone in her pocket, oblivious to my inner turmoil.
We find Cassie deep in conversation with a young woman at the cheese stand.
We wander to the thrifted goods stall next door, and a red sparkly vest catches Jules’ eye. We stop so she can inspect it and that’s when I see a kitchen timer in the shape of a garishly painted chicken.
And it winds up to exactly ninety minutes.
“What’s that?” Jules asks, looking over my shoulder.
I test it out to see if it works. It starts…making clucking sounds.
“Oh my God,” she says when I hold it up for the vendor to give me a price. “Why?”
We’ve talked about Garrett enough.
And I don’t want to have to explain why an objectively weird gift is the perfect present for him this season.
Knowing Jules, she’ll just ask if I’m mad at him, and wouldn’t that be ironic.
I was, for so long. But even the little flare of resentment I had when we were counting trees faded away pretty quickly.
“Bechdel Test,” I simply say as I hand over money for both the timer and the cocktails book.
And then Cassie joins us.
“You got cheese?” I ask.
“So much cheese.”
“Cider next?”
Jules links arms with me on one side, and Cassie on the other. “I mean, yes, finally!”