Page 35 of Catching the Mistletoe

We were greeted by a small army of volunteers wearing bright blue “Twin Falls Foster Care” T-shirts. They seemed genuinely stoked to see us, which was always a good sign.

“Hey there!” chirped a petite woman with a pixie cut and infectious enthusiasm. “I’m Tina. We’re absolutely rapt you’re here!”

“Hi, Tina, it’s great to meet you,” I grinned back, shaking her hand.

Mack offered a polite smile, his eyes finally meeting mine for a brief second before darting away. I had to admit, the guy was an enigma wrapped in a flannel shirt and a pair of worn-in jeans. An enigma with an amazing ass, but hey, let’s not get sidetracked. We were here for a reason.

“We’ll just load up the cart and head straight in.” We’d already established a good routine with the packing of the cart, with me and a crew member handing them to Mack and another crew member, from inside the storage compartment and them stacking them neatly. It meant we were good to go in no time at all.

Tina led us through the double doors and into the heart of the community center. The atmosphere was electric, buzzing with the laughter and chatter of kids of all ages. Handmade posters adorned the walls, each proclaiming messages of love, hope, and unity.

The instant the kids saw us, it was pandemonium. Lots of jumping up and down and squealing. Laughing and gesturing to us over the noise, Tina showed us where we could park the cart. Then she called for the kids to calm down and sit, so we could make sure each kid got the right gift.

We took it in turns to call out names, and the room erupted in cheers as each child stepped forward to accept their present.

New toys were immediately put to the test—dolls, trucks, puzzles, you name it. I, for one, reveled in the excitement.

Mack stood next to me, holding a small box in his hand, his Santa hat slightly askew. Fucking adorable. “Ben.”

I turned to grab the next gift from the cart to have it at the ready when Mack had passed his off. But then I frowned. No one stepped forward.

“Ben?” Mack raised his voice, trying to be heard above the excited chatter. Still, no kid came forward, and we both looked at Tina. If Ben wasn’t here, we needed to make sure he’d still get his present.

“Ben, honey, it’s your turn.” Tina smiled encouragingly and gestured to Ben.

My heart squeezed, hard and painful, in my chest, when a little boy of around seven or eight years old stepped forward. He was thin, with a thick mop of dark brown hair, in desperate need of a trim, and serious gray eyes.

“Here you go, buddy.”

“Thank you.” Ben looked up at Mack from under his thick hair and I don’t know if it was my imagination, but it was like something passed between them. But it happened so fast, and Ben was stepping back, holding his present against his scrawny chest, that I couldn’t be sure.

After all the gifts were handed out, Tina gestured around the room. “So, this is where the magic happens. We’ve got arts and crafts over there, a snack station in the corner, and of course, the stage for the talent show later. We’re making a whole day of it for the kids, but if you guys have to head off, we understand.”

I looked around for Evelyn, who was standing in the corner with Sam. It sure didn’t look like we were going to get the wind up anytime soon. “I think we can hang around for a bit?” I shot Mack a questioning look and when he nodded, turned back to Tina. “Where do you need us?”

Tina clapped her hands together, delighted. “Oh, you guys are lifesavers! How about you start at the arts and crafts table? The kids would love to make friendship bracelets with you!”

“Lovely!”

We were half an hour into friendship bracelet-making, and I was totally nailing it. Seriously, I had this whole color coordination thing down. Mack, on the other hand, was fumbling with the strings like they were some sort of complex mathematical equation. It was adorable, in a “big, tough guy meets arts and crafts” kinda way.

I was about to crack a joke when I noticed him. Ben, standing on the edge of the group, watching Mack intently. His eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and something else—something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. It was just like before, when Mack had handed him his present.

“You wanna join in, buddy?” Mack finally said, breaking the silence. His voice was gentle, a stark contrast to the wall he’d put up earlier.

The boy nodded and slowly made his way over. Mack moved aside to make room for him at the table, offering him a set of strings. They began working together, their heads bent close, while the room buzzed with the happy chatter of other kids engrossed in their projects.

We spent the next twenty minutes quietly crafting. Kids came and went as they pleased, some staying long enough to finish a whole bracelet, others giving up after a few minutes. Ben stayed, though, listening to Mack’s quiet instructions as he put his bracelet together.

Finally, when it was done, Mack said, “That’s great, Ben. Good job.”

“Can you help me put it on?”

“Sure thing.”

Ben held his arm out and Mack leaned over to tie the bracelet on. At the same time, Ben leaned in, whispering something into Mack’s ear. I couldn’t hear what was said, but the shift in Mack’s posture was instant. His spine snapped straight and tension slammed into him. His eyes met mine briefly, and in that second, I saw raw anguish before it was quickly smothered. What the fuck was this about?

Mack spoke to Ben in a low, urgent voice, but I couldn’t make out the words. Then he stood up and scanned the room. His eyes landed on a woman wearing a CPS badge, standing near the entrance. He gently patted Ben’s shoulder, signalling for him to stay put, and made his way over to her.

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