Page 31 of December Wishes
“You bet your ass I did.”
“Nothing?”
“Nothing.”
“What are you so worried about? Do you think it was that important?”
“Guess I…” Mik ignored the kids bumping against them in an attempt to get closer to the tree. “Sometimes I worry she’ll try to get back at me for that night ten years ago.”
“Oh.” Skylar hadn’t thought of that, not that it sounded like something Ariana would do.Definitely not like this.“I’d think if she were gonna ghost you, she’d pick a bigger event than the town’s Christmas Tree Lighting.”
“Thanks, Sky. You always know how to make me feel better.”
“Thank you again for coming, everyone! Please be sure to get your free complimentary tea or coffee from either of the lovely ladies still handing them out!”
Skylar was about to say something when she heard Sunny behind her.
“What’s wrong, hon? You’ve got that look on your face.”
Brandelyn Meyer practically breathed down Skylar’s neck. “It’s Joan Sheffield over there. She don’t look too good.”
“Is she supposed to be standing up?”
“Probably not for too long. I dunno. I’m not that kind of doc…”
Soon, everyone in attendance would wish that Brandelyn was, in fact, “That kind of doc.” For not three seconds later Joan declared she was going into labor.
“Nice call, Bran,” Sunny said. “You made her have a baby.”
“How is that my fault? She was the one over there sweating and acting like everything was okay when she got out of that wheelchair.”
“Are you gonna go over there and help?”
A big, fat sigh hit Skylar in the back of the head. “Come on. Let’s go shove aside that TV actress and a damn firefighter. Might need your help for that one.”
“Uh oh!” Karen must not have realized her mic was still on when she caught sight of the commotion. “You okay, Joan? Hey! Brandy! Where you at! Do we have any other doctors here!”
Mik put down her phone and grimaced. “Would be areallygood time for Ari to be here, huh? She’s an EMT.”
“Does she know how to deliver babies?” Now was a good time for Skylar and Mik to back away from the crowd. As people surrounded Joan and someone yelled for them to give her air, Skylar found herself in the city hall parking lot with Mik still staring at her phone. “Never mind. One year from now, people will be asking what you were doing when Joan went into labor at the tree ceremony, and all you’ll remember is what your phone’s background looked like at the time.”
“Hey.”
Mikaiya’s head snapped up. Sure enough, there was Ari, passing the rush of people trying to get Joan to her car. “What’s going on here? Sorry I missed the event. Lost track of the time.”
“Apparently, someone’s in labor,” Skylar said.
“Oh, shit. Is it Joan? Does she need a ride?”
“Looks like someone else is taking care of it.” Mikaiya took a step forward. “You worried me sick, Ari. Now, why would you make damn sure I’m here and not show up on time? I thought something terrible had happened to you! Or… I dunno…” she sniffed. Was Mik really going tocry?Sheesh. It must have been hormones. She wasn’t usuallythisuptight. “That maybe you were skipping out on me.”
Skylar couldn’t stomach this. While Ari and Mik had their “thing,” Skylar turned back toward the Christmas tree and focused on the bright, illuminated star poking into the sky. It may have been thirty degrees out there, but Skylar didn’t feel a thing as long as she focused her breathing and attempted to look past the frenzy over one woman going into labor and the rising voices behind her.
One little thing happens, and this town goes crazy.Was this what it was like to live in the moment? To take stock of one’s life and wonder how they got there? Skylar wasn’t usually the type to getsointrospective. Not even when her life wasn’t going her way. Not even when she stood behind the register at Paradise Pizza with nothing to do but watching the till. Whenever Skylar wasn’t doing something else, she was thinking about… nothing. Because to think about something instead of nothing simply courted madness.
“Don’t let her fall down!” someone shrieked behind Skylar. “I swear to God, Jay, if you knock this baby out of her yourself I’m coming for your head!”
“…Bob, could you help me with this freakin’ mic? It’s stuck in my collar, and I’m afraid if I try to unhook it myself, it will squeal again…”
