Page 30 of December Wishes
Turn out to the lighting ceremony was much bigger than Skylar anticipated.This is how I’m spending the rare Sunday night off, huh?The schedule at Paradise Pizza was all over the place the week before Christmas. Normally, Skylar worked evenings all weekend, but that day she had swapped with Carrie and taken the morning and early afternoon shift. While that freed up Skylar’s evening, the first thing she heard when she walked through the Marcotts’ door was,“So, we going to that Christmas tree thing tonight?”
That request came from Mik, who claimed Arianainsistedthey go, no matter what. That “no matter what” still meant Abby couldn’t go, since nobody wanted to risk her wheelchair going down the slushy sidewalks toward City Hall.Ask me what it was like getting to work this morning.Although it hadn’t snowed that much the night before, enough of it stuck into the wee hours of the morning and turned into slippery slush as soon as the sun rose.
So here they were, standing in a patch of grass – mud? Slush? – to the left of City Hall. The big evergreen tree that few noticed throughout the year was now bedecked in unlit strings of lights. Meadow hurried down a ladder after putting up the last wreath on a neighboring lamp post. The district’s school children amassed on crates and followed their teacher’s conductions. To the sounds of “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” townspeople filtered in from their nearby houses and from the vehicles they parallel parked down the street. The whole city council and most of the local businesses were in attendance, which surprised Skylar.Is this really the only thing to do around here? It’s so freakin’ cold!She’d much rather be back in the house, enjoying the heat, blankets, and warm dinners.
“Where is Ari?” Mik asked. “My ears are freezing. Why didn’t I wear a hat like you?”
“Because you’ve got that weird Oregonian pride.” Skylar saw plenty of it in the audience right now. People complained about the cold and the sprinkle hitting their heads, but they all refused to wear hats or use umbrellas. Even in Portland, where people were slightly more reasonable about the weather, Skylar couldn’t understand it. Almost like peoplewantedsomething to complain about. Did they think that drowning like rats and getting frostbite made them tougher?
“Why would she ask me to meet her here if she didn’t plan on showing?”
Skylar sighed. “No idea, Mik.”
People parted to admit the illustrious mayor of Paradise Valley, a forty-something Californian who somehow beat the odds and was accepted in this small Oregonian town.Not bitter at all!As a fellow native Californian, Skylar couldn’t help but feel a little bitter. After all, she heard jokes, from how Californians “ruined everything” to how they “drove like idiots.”
Mayor Karen Rath approached the podium beside the tree. While they figured out what was wrong with her mic, someone glided past Skylar and Mik, offering cups of hot tea.
“You gals look like you could use some heating up!” Elaine Hadley handed a steaming paper cup to Skylar. “Don’t worry. It’s caffeine free. Nice and warm.”
She was followed by Frankie Delacour, the owner of the deli.Guess they’re friends or something.Skylar couldn’t keep up with the drama. She did, however, understand how weird it was that Heaven of Heaven’s Café andhergirlfriend followed up with cups of decaf coffee.
“Y’all know you want coffee,” Heaven said through a frozen smile. “Enjoy the tree lighting with something hot to drink!”
“Tea! Get your tea here!”
They both wandered away. Skylar had no idea what she held until she brought the scent of strawberry rooibos up to her nose. Well. Better than decaf coffee.
“Ladies and gentlemen!” the mayor bellowed, the feedback from her mic nearly drowning her out. Great. Now they had ambient music to compete with the caterwauling from the kids. “Just a second! Sorry!” Her unamplified voice was much harder to understand, especially with the commotion erupting behind Skylar.
“Stop pulling your sister’s hair!” Sally Greenhill chased down her son, a spry kindergartener who hadn’t taken off that Marvel costume since, what, Halloween? Every time he followed a parent into the pizzeria, he was dressed as Captain America.I definitely wouldn’t have the patience for that.Skylar held her hot tea close to her chest as a little girl bumped into her and screamed that the ground was lava. “Paige! Gage! Please stay with me!”
Apparently, the kids had seen their friends among the choir, and insisted on saying hello.
“If someone splits their skull open,” a voice behind Skylar said. “I’m not stitching it back up.” She slightly turned her head and caught sight of Dr. Meyer nursing one of the hot coffees, her cute wife right beside her.At least they tip well, I guess.Skylar scooted over a bit to give Dr. Meyer and her wife room to squeeze in. “Those kids are wilder than a biker gang.”
“Doesn’t it make you want to have five?” Sunny asked.
“Makes me want to get my tubes tied. Thank God menopause is coming like a truck.”
As if to offset the doctor’s comment, Lorri Abrams rolled her pregnant partner into the group of people who were kind enough to make room for her. Joan insisted on standing as soon as the brakes were put on her wheelchair. Soon, she was flanked by their friends, which may or may not have included that celebrity who did her best to not cause a scene.Guess she doesn’t know that wearing a surgery mask and throwing a hood over her head only makes her more suspicious around here.Skylar sipped her tea. The strawberry flavor was a little… strong.
“Seriously, where’s Ari?” Mik asked.
The mic fixed, Mayor Rath held up her hands and announced, “Welcome, everyone, to the seventeenth annual Paradise Valley Christmas Tree Lighting!” She waited for the applause to die down before continuing. “A special thanks to Mrs. Wallace and the Paradise Valley Children’s Choir for serenading us tonight! She has asked me to thank you all as well for attending the annual Holiday Sing-along at the high school last Friday night.”
Wow. Not sorry I missed that.
“This year has been pretty crazy, huh, guys?” the mayor continued. “Whether your 2019 was happy, sad, frustrating or okay, I’d like to extend a happy holidays and a wish that we all enjoy our new decade when it hits in two weeks!”
Murmurs that nobody could believe time passed so quickly filtered into Skylar’s ear. She sipped her free tea and sighed.
“Well, you don’t want me to say more. Let’s get this thing lit up!”
Applause and whistles accompanied Karen as she pushed the big red button at the bottom of the tree. A riot of rainbow-colored lights illuminated the clear night sky. The star at the top of the tree was particularly lovely, Skylar had to admit.
Damn. Did she actually like it?
“Pretty,” she said to Mik, who was still looking over her shoulder. “Oh, come on. Ari will be here when she’s here. Did you check your messages.”
