Page 29 of Christmas Past
The diner was overflowing with people. Every chair in the place was full. Folks stood along the walls. Mingled between tables. Crowded by the door.
The Poseys were all there, Camille held securely within her mother’s arms. Bella had heard the woman hadn’t taken a hand off the child in the nearly two weeks the little girl had been back with her.
“You sure you want to do this?” Chad whispered, his mouth just behind her ear.
“Positive.”
“You hate crowds.”
“I know. The surge of emotions overwhelms me.”
“We won’t stay long.”
It was Christmas Eve and Posey had offered free Peppermint Pie for everyone in town to celebrate the safe return of her cousin’s little girl. And to thank everyone who’d helped in the search for the child.
“I found it!” Damon, the Posey’s seven-year-old son screamed, pointing straight up from where he sat against a wall by the front window. “It’s right there!”
Bella had no idea what he thought he’d found.
“The Elf,” Chad said to her. “Different people hide it and whoever finds it gets a free slice of pie.”
“Tonight everyone gets a free slice of pie,” Bella reminded him.
“Yeah, but there’s something magical about Damon finding the elf, don’t you think?”
She didn’t know about that. She frowned.
“What?” Chad asked.
“I just…I had this…dream this morning…”
He stiffened. And she was frightened she was wrong.
“What dream?” he asked.
“It was more like…I was awake…it was like this sense…”
Chad ran his finger along the collar of his opened jacket. Maybe the wool sweater he was wearing was making him itch. She didn’t think so.
“What? What did you sense?”
“That if there’s a marriage on Christmas Day, one that has to take place before Christmas passes, then Christmas Town will maintain its Christmas spirit, no matter what happens, for the next ten years.”
She couldn’t believe she’d told him. Was afraid she was pushing him. But maybe the wedding was supposed to happen for someone else.
“I just…I was afraid that if I didn’t say anything…if this beautiful town lost its Christmas spirit because of me…”
The crowds moved around them. Noise was so loud he could barely hear. Cheers rose as Damon’s find was removed from behind the window valance and handed to him.
“I’m sorry.” Posey, who’d been with Damon, bumped into Chad. “Did you give it to her yet, Sheriff?” the audacious, fifty-something red head said loud enough to be heard over the crowd.
Chad looked slightly ill. But Bella couldn’t feel anything sick about him. “You have something to give me?”
“You, know, Sheriff, there’s no waiting to get married in Maine, once you have the license, and we just happen to have the clerk of court sitting right over there…”
Bella froze. Horrified. What was Posey doing? Didn’t she know Chad at all? He’d be running for the hills…never speaking to Bella again…
Bracing for the surge of fear, of despair she knew would follow the thought, all Bella felt was…sheer, unadulterated joy.
