Chapter 27
HARDY
The gym is a total loss. Half of the framework is burned, and the rest isn’t structurally sound. You can see into the building from the outside that half of the Workshop is gone, and what’s left is covered in snow and water from the hose.
“All that work. We worked so hard on this, and now it’s gone.
And there’s nowhere for the kids to shop.
” Bella’s voice breaks as she snuggles into my chest. We’re huddled in the parking lot as the crew puts out the last embers.
The students have long since gone home, and only a few of us are gathered.
“But everyone’s safe,” I say. “The kids are with Delilah, and no students were harmed.”
“Oh my God, Amber was right. She knew I would screw this up, and here we are, one day left before break with nothing to show for it. I do ruin everything I touch. And I managed to ruin everyone’s Christmas in the process.”
I grab her shoulders and force her to look me in the eyes. “This is not your fault. You didn’t ruin anything. You made magic, and something happened that was out of your control.”
She grips my forearms, running her hands up and down.
“I know that in my head, but my heart’s a different story.
I didn’t start the fire, but bad things seem to follow me.
My mom’s accident wasn’t my fault, my marriage ending wasn’t my fault, but bad things keep happening, like the universe thinks I don’t deserve happiness. How is this any different?”
I don’t even know how to respond to that even though I know it’s not true. But after everything she’s done for me, for Avery, and for her students, I can’t let her think that any of her thoughts hold merit.
“Sometimes bad things happen to the people that least deserve it. But you’re so much stronger than the bad shit that happens to you.
I’ve seen how you used that pain to sharpen your sword and defeat your adversaries.
You have this incredible way of turning tragedy into hope, using your grief to make things better for others.
You’ve experienced profound loss, yet you’re determined to learn from it and make the world a better place because of it. ”
“So even if someone screws up Christmas, I can help them make it better?”
“Exactly.”
“That’s a fun way to describe my optimism.” She chuckles. “Like I’m a badass spreading joy whether you like it or not. Like some little elf running around throwing glitter in your face saying, ‘You’re going to make this a Merry Christmas or else!’”
“Exactly. We’ll get through this too. We’ll figure something out for the kids.”
She snuggles into my chest again just as something occurs to me. “What if it was Amber? She’s had it out for you since you signed up. Do you think she would go this far?” I ask.
Her head pops up. “I don’t know. She doesn’t like me, but it seems more like her projecting her insecurities than actual hatred. I don’t think she’d do this.”
“Well, we’ll find out once they wrap the investigation,” I say as I pull her back against my chest.
“Bella!” a voice calls out, and I see Lucy run up, Summer and Raven close behind her. “Did you hear?”
“Hear what?” Bella asks.
“They made an arrest, or they will as soon as he’s out of the ICU.
It was Chuck. Apparently, he got so blitzed when Amber didn’t come home last night that he came up to the school today looking for her and snuck into the gym.
Rumor has it, he passed out on Santa’s throne with a lit cigarette in his mouth. ”
“And everything around the throne was wood…and flammable,” I say.
“Exactly,” Lucy says.
“Why didn’t Amber go home? We saw them fighting last night, but I don’t know what it was about,” Raven asks.
All four women turn to me.
“Don’t look at me. He didn’t say anything other than drunk ramblings when I drove him home.”
“What are we going to do? Not only was this supposed to give our students an opportunity to shop for their families, but the proceeds were supposed to help the community. Tomorrow’s the last day before break.
We can’t rebuild all this by then.” Bella’s shoulders slump, and I wrap my arms around her.
“We’ll think of something,” I assure her.
“Actually, that’s why we’re here,” Summer says. “I talked to Ned down at the Chestnut Mountain Market, and he’s agreed to let the students shop in his store this weekend. He said someone paid for his meal in the drive-thru recently, and he wanted to pay it forward.”
Raven nods in agreement. “Several of the stores on Main Street are going to participate. Sandy at Chestnut Roasters said she wanted to help because someone paid for her soda on a vending machine. The hardware store, Chestnuts and Bolts, is in, and Meredith at Bookish Wonderland wants to help because she said a certain elf paid for her groceries recently. And Susy over at Peak Sweets was going on about kids bringing in the trashcans in her neighborhood. The whole community is helping. Everyone was inspired by your idea to collect donations and give back.”
“We’re going to hand out these special shopper cards that we designed,” Lucy tells us. “I just need to print them at school tomorrow, and we can explain the process to the kids and send an email out to parents.”
“There won’t be wrapping, and it won’t be a one-stop shop—” Summer starts.
“Actually, some of the stores are offering wrapping,” Raven interrupts.
Bella perks up in my arms. “So, Christmas isn’t ruined?”
I cup her face in my hands. “It’s not ruined. And everyone is coming together for the community because of what you did.”
“It’s the magic of Christmas!” Summer exclaims.