Page 1 of Under the Mistletoe
one
It was a Thanksgiving miracle. Devin Hendrixson’s parents were actually going to carve out time for her—at a restaurant, no less—because nothing said American family holiday like filet mignon. As soon as her mom sent the address of the restaurant, Devin was more than happy to drive two hours on snowy roads to make it happen. At least she could count on an hour of uninterrupted quality time with them, and that was more than she’d had in six months.
Devin paced the length of her living room, her phone clutched in her hand. At this rate she’d wear right through the plush gray area rug and at least the topcoat of the dark cherry floors. She needed something to distract her, but both of her roommates, Jess and Piper, had each gone to spend Thanksgiving with their families. Jess had even taken her French bulldog, Pearl, with her, so the place was quiet. Too quiet.
Devin dropped on the couch by the window and opened her text messages. Still nothing from her mom, but the one her boss at LIFE had sent last night taunted her. She tapped it and read it over once more, as if there was some small chance it might have changed overnight.
MaryLynn
The meeting with the board didn’t go as well as I’d hoped. Let’s talk soon. And pray.
Devin sank back into the couch and closed her eyes. Pray? Pray for what? That the board of the small nonprofit would approve the new budget she’d sent over? Pray that she still had a job? Those were very different prayers.
Devin
Can you elaborate?
She’d sent that response last night, but it still sat unanswered. What did she expect? It was Thanksgiving, and most people spent the day with people.
The phone rang in her hand, and she jolted upright. But it was Jess’s face that appeared on the screen, not her mom’s. Devin accepted the call. “Hey, Jess, how is Grandma Evans?”
“Spicy as ever. You’d never guess she’s pushing ninety-five.” There was laughter in the background that became muffled as if her cousin had escaped into a bedroom. “I’m calling to make sure you saw the weather.”
Devin eyed the Heritage town square across the street out the big front window. The sun was bright off the fresh snow that had fallen last night, creating a Christmas wonderland. She’d been surprised a few weeks ago when the town had put up Christmas decorations so early before Thanksgiving, but now she could see why. “We got about ten inches last night, but the sun is out now.”
The thirty-foot Christmas tree just south of the gazebo was covered with thick snow, creating different-colored glow patches where the Christmas lights struggled to shine through. Even Otis, the mysterious moving brass hippo statue sporting a Santa hat, had drifts up to his ears.
“It’s supposed to start up again.” Jess’s worry didn’t seem to match what Devin was seeing outside. “Maybe you shouldn’t leave.”
Ah. That’s what this was really about. “Jess?—”
“I just hate the idea of you sitting alone in that nice restaurant on Thanksgiving. I wish you’d come to GG’s here in Indiana with me. We are cousins, after all.”
“Second cousins once removed and on the other side of the family.”
“I don’t care if she isn’t your great-grandmother. She’s known you since you were born and would love to see you.”
“And I would love to see her. But I haven’t seen my parents in six months.”
Jess huffed. “How are the illustrious Drs. Hendrixson? Have the two eccentric scientists cured cancer yet?”
“Their work is in type-one diabetes, not cancer—and if they’d cured it, you’d know. I know I’m not close with my folks like you are with yours, but I take what I can get.” Devin swallowed down a lump as she picked at the treads of the couch. When someone’s life work was to cure a disease that affected more than three million children in the United States alone, everything else came second—even their only child. “Besides, GG is six hours from here, and you know I have the pinewood derby race tomorrow and I can’t miss that.”
“Maybe I should’ve stayed home.”
“Would you stop worrying about me?” Her phone buzzed with an incoming text.
Mom
About to leave. See you in about two hours.
Then there was a location link to the restaurant.
She sent back a thumbs-up.
“That’s my mom now.” Devin stood and grabbed her teal winter coat and pulled it on. “I need to go.”
If her parents were really going to follow through this time, she wasn’t going to be late.
