38. Miracle
38
Miracle
Hoynes clapped his clipboard. “Come on, big day. Last chance for holiday karma, let’s keep up the energy.”
“Got it.” I had to focus on a positive mental space: Harvey’s kisses, nice bonuses, and cinnamon twists.
Security opened the gates, unleashing the last-minute shoppers.
Jolly Santa waved and projected deep, hearty, “Ho, ho, ho’s” to the crowd.
I welcomed our first batch of guests with a bright, “Happy holidays."
Chestnut was ten minutes late, pulling his cap over his head.
I handed him a bunch of candy canes. “Did you oversleep? Or have a date?”
He yawned and trudged over. “Traffic was insane. You’d think people would be at home on Christmas Eve, drinking eggnog and watching sappy TV.”
“A lot of people need last-minute things. Also, you have front-of-line duty,” I said.
He slumped against the poinsettia planter. “Oh, great, so I get to be the bearer of bad wait times?”
“The guardian of a good time.” I winked and nudged him with my hip.
Most of the day, I was too busy to register how many 'lasts' were happening. Then, Santa signed to a hard-of-hearing guest. She beamed and excitedly gestured back. It was so pure and sweet. I sniffled.
Hoynes gave me an exasperated look. “Sugarplum, go check on the trees.”
“Okay.” I wiped under my eyes and slipped into the nook. Dozens of ornaments glittered around me. Here, I had everything, a million tiny miracles. At home, I’d have a few days of exhausting, happy bonding, and then I’d be empty.
Wait, no. Not empty.
I had the poinsettia plant. Dates planned. Harvey.
A box from the Bern sat atop our little cubby. I lifted the note.
“Thank you for your hard work and happy holidays. Love, ‘Santa.’”
What a great gesture. The box had a dozen baked goodies. One was a heart cookie with three 'sizes' outlined as if it had been growing. Did Harvey make that one for me? I bit into it, savoring the sweetness. My tears dried up the more I chewed. Love. It made everything better, whether that was love for my job, my man, or my family. Even if I’d said it early, and it wasn’t the most romantic slip-up surrounded by soft lights and a tree, I was honest, and that was the important thing.
I skipped out and tapped Chestnut on the shoulder. “Did you see the snacks from Santa? Talk about the spirit of generosity.”
“Yeah, I sampled one already. Too bad they didn’t sneak coffee back there," he said.
But they could sneak boyfriends. I scanned the trees for an olive cap, but didn’t find anything. “Where’s Harvey?”
Chestnut frowned. “He didn’t deliver those.”
“Who did? Mario?” I frowned in contemplation. “Did Hoynes get it on break?”
Chestnut scoffed. “I doubt it’s part of our bonus.”
“Did you get them, then?” I was getting tired of guessing–and his low-key grumpiness. I gasped and clutched his arm. “Was it an actual spirit of Christmas?”
He chuckled and shook me off. “I’m pretty sure it was Frosty Santa.”
“Pretty sure?” How could he not know? Why would he even guess that? Frosty Santa didn't give us snacks.
“I don’t know. He had the same beard, but without the suit… You probably wouldn’t recognize me out of this thing.” He plucked at his green tunic.
“Especially if you were smiling. Are you cheerier outside of these cutoff pants?” I teased.
He raised his chin. “Come on. I doubt you’re this cheery without the polyester.”
“Oh, I am. I just sing less.” I giggled and twirled around, still high off my sugar rush. “Don’t pretend you don’t love costumes.”
He leaned against the poinsettia planter. “I do in the right role.”
My chest tightened at the idea of never knowing another side of him. “You’ll invite me to your next show, won’t you?”
“Of course.”
“Good. Because I might be able to convince Mario to come with me and Harvey.” I clasped my hands and bounded in place.
For once, his face lit up, even if he still scoffed. “That’d be a miracle.”
“Today is a miracle,” I decided. “At least a little one.”
Chestnut shrugged. “If those existed, we would have gotten a paid holiday off.”
I tsked and nudged him off the planter. “That’s not what Christmas spirit is about. Although it would be nice to spend time with loved ones.”
The crowd parted, revealing a familiar silhouette of a woman in a long, black coat walking briskly. She scanned the shops and turned to talk to someone. Was that my mother? The figures behind her came into focus: Zack and Aunt Coral herding the little cousins.
My family came. But they weren’t hunting me or Harvey. Maybe they actually wanted to support us.
I smiled and waved them over. “Welcome to the winter wonderland. Would you like to meet Santa?”
Zack paled and pushed Joon in front of him. “No.”
I chuckled. It was still nice of him to come. “You can stand on the other side of the sleigh, if that makes you feel better."
Joon reached for me, then hesitated. “Um, can we call you Shelby when no one else is around?”
I patted his head. “Not yet. I’m Sugarplum until 5 PM. Good job for remembering and asking about it, Joon.”
Chestnut quirked a brow. “You know them?”
“My cousins, they’re famous. Santa marked them on the nice list.” I was sure the moment Aunt Coral opened her mouth, Hoynes would have flashbacks. “I can take you up if you’d like to say hello to the big man in red.”
Zack stepped back. “You go ahead. I’ll wait here.”
“Are you afraid of Santa?” Chestnut mocked, so judgmental.
“No. I don’t like anyone who isn’t wearing their normal face. You can’t tell me that guy actually has a white beard." Zack crossed his arms and glowered.
“Frosty does.” I said. “I wish you could’ve met him.”
“The snowman?” he balked.
Laughing, I ushered them in. “Never mind, it’s an inside joke. Thanks for braving the holiday crowd for this.”
“It was better than shoveling again,” he grumbled.
Mom gestured to the signed exchange between Santa and the hard of hearing child. “Does this happen often?”
I nodded and clasped my hands behind my back. “More than you might think.”
“That’s…lovely.” Mom smoothed her coat and craned her neck. “Beautiful ornaments. The snow is obviously fake, though.”
I giggled. “Too glittery for you?”
She nodded stiffly. “Sorry.”
I shrugged. It wasn't for everybody. I smiled at my little cousins, “Do you like it here?”
“Yes. I want that tree.” Joon pointed.
“Me too. I’m not tall enough to put something on the top, though.” I demonstrated, stretching on my tippy-toes.
“If Harvey held you…” My littlest cousin kept one hand on her mother and reached up. “High, like me.”
The aunts and my mom chuckled.
I propped my hands on my hips. “You know what? You’re right. I probably could reach for the stars with Harvey. Or if I rode a reindeer.”
My little cousins gasped.
“Really? Would they come to our house?” Joon asked.
"Can I feed them carrots?" May begged.
Zack rolled his eyes, but my mom genuinely smiled as I continued to play with my cousins and the other guests.
More miracles and sweet moments were waiting for me. Especially with Harvey.