Page 85 of The Santa Rules
“What are we going to do? Not only was this supposed to give our students an opportunity to shop for their families, but the proceeds were supposed to help the community. Tomorrow’s the last day before break. We can’t rebuild all this by then.” Bella’s shoulders slump, and I wrap my arms around her.
“We’ll think of something,” I assure her.
“Actually, that’s why we’re here,” Summer says. “I talked to Ned down at the Chestnut Mountain Market, and he’s agreed to let the students shop in his store this weekend. He said someone paid for his meal in the drive-thru recently, and he wanted to pay it forward.”
Raven nods in agreement. “Several of the stores on Main Street are going to participate. Sandy at Chestnut Roasters said she wanted to help because someone paid for her soda on a vending machine. The hardware store, Chestnuts and Bolts, is in, and Meredith at Bookish Wonderland wants to help because she said a certain elf paid for her groceries recently. And Susy over at Peak Sweets was going on about kids bringing in the trashcans in her neighborhood. The wholecommunity is helping. Everyone was inspired by your idea to collect donations and give back.”
“We’re going to hand out these special shopper cards that we designed,” Lucy tells us. “I just need to print them at school tomorrow, and we can explain the process to the kids and send an email out to parents.”
“There won’t be wrapping, and it won’t be a one-stop shop—” Summer starts.
“Actually, some of the stores are offering wrapping,” Raven interrupts.
Bella perks up in my arms. “So, Christmas isn’t ruined?”
I cup her face in my hands. “It’s not ruined. And everyone is coming together for the community because of what you did.”
“It’s the magic of Christmas!” Summer exclaims.
CHAPTER 28
BELLA
The students were able to attend the last day of school—luckily the fire was isolated to the gym, and since it’s mostly separate from the rest of the building, classes went on like normal. Well, as normal as the last day before winter break can be with kids who are hopped up on sugar and have no gym to run around in to burn off their energy.
Lucy was able to distribute all the Santa shopping cards so the kids can do their holiday shopping over the weekend. It’s not going to have the same magical experience we created in the gym, but it’ll be close. It’s incredible the way the town stepped up.
Once the last of the kids leaves my room, I gather up my bag, pulling on my hat and coat. The binder I made for the workshop catches my eye on the corner of my desk, and I run my fingers over it, thinking about all the joy and agony it brought me. Okay, mostly joy with a little heartache at the end. But it also brought me Hardy, and I wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world.
The door to my room swings open just as I finish packing up my bag. “Finally, Isaac. Are you ready to—” I look up and am surprised to find it’s not my son standingthere.
Amber shuffles her feet, looking down at the floor. “I owe you an apology,” she mumbles as she picks at her nails.
“For what?” I ask, walking over to her as she leans against the doorframe.
“For ruining Santa’s Workshop for you,” she says softly.
Inside my head I’m screaming,“I knew it, I knew you sabotaged me!”but when I examine her face, she swipes at her nose and then rubs along her forehead like she’s trying to shield her eyes from me. I instantly recognize the guilt, and I know that she had nothing to do with this. Just like I had nothing to do with my mom’s accident, yet I still blamed myself, just like she’s doing now.
“You can thank Chuck for getting drunk and passing out with a lit cigarette. The fire wasn’t your fault.”
“It kinda feels like it was.”
She doesn’t offer more, so I stare at her expectantly.
“I asked him for a divorce. The night we were setting up Santa’s Workshop.”
“Is that what you two were fighting about?”
She nods as she shifts, visibly nervous. “Look, I don’t have my life all figured out like you.”
I stifle the laugh building inside of me. For once it seems like she’s being genuine and not poking at me.
“You have all these friends, and your kid likes you. And now you have this great guy who seems to really care for you, and I was jealous. I know it may seem like I have this amazing life, but it’s all for show. It’s a house of cards that is a light breeze away from collapsing. The truth is that things in our marriage have been awful for a while even before Chuck got drunk that night and talked about your past. And I know what he said wasn’t your fault, but I was embarrassed, and I took it out on you. I kept thinking that if everyone kept talking about you, no one would notice the disaster our marriage was.”
“That’s really shitty of you, Amber,” I say, crossing my arms.
“I know and I’m sorry.” Her face is so sincere as her brows knit, and she clasps her hands in front of her.
