Page 23 of Tee the Season
Aunt Mae answers when Tabitha doesn’t. “A charity event that collects books for the children’s hospital. I started it twenty years ago when Tabitha was just a girl and was so sick one winter she had to spend Christmas there.”
“Once we started, Starlight Bay rallied around the idea.”
“It’s been an annual town tradition ever since.”
I watch Tabitha adjust a tiny pine tree, her movements precise.
“It’s something I look forward to all year, and I—” She stops, shakes her head. “I hate the idea of canceling it.”
The defeat in her expression does something to my chest.
“Beautiful,” Aunt Mae announces, surveying the completed village.
Tabitha manages a smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. “I’ll make it up to the kids, somehow. Maybe create something extra special next year.”
With that, she turns away, stopping to adjust the throw blanket on the back of the couch, making sure it’s within Aunt Mae’s reach. Tabitha’s still taking care of everyone else even when she’s disappointed.
Her generous spirit. A refusal to give up even when she’s clearly hurting.
“Maybe, there’s another way,” I offer before I can help it.
Both women’s eyes snap to mine.
“What do you mean?” There’s a flicker of hope in Tabitha’s eyes.
“Tell me about the event. What exactly happens?”
“Santa reads stories to the kids in the bookstore,” Tabitha explains. “Families bring book donations for the hospital. We serve hot cocoa, take photos…”
My brain’s already working the problem like a tricky course layout. “So the key parts are Santa, the stories, and collecting donations.”
“And the community aspect,” Aunt Mae adds. “Families coming together.”
“Right.” I’m piecing it together now, thinking about reading to Sophie. And my virtual meeting with Hays this morning. “What if you didn’t cancel? What if you just moved it online?”
Tabitha blinks. “Online?”
“A livestream. You know, families tune in from home—which would be safer, anyway. And it will give people something to do.You set up a donation page, maybe even a wish list feature for specific books the hospital kids want.” I’m gaining momentum now. “You could probably reach more families than you ever could in person.”
“But we don’t have a Santa,” Tabitha points out, her mind working through the logistics.
“You have me.”
She’s silent for a beat as her eyebrows lift.
“You’d play Santa?” Her voice is careful as if she’s afraid to believe it.
“I could play the part, read the books, wear the suit.” I shrug, but the truth is, I’d do a lot more than that to put the light back in her eyes. “I’ve had practice doing different voices for Sophie.”
“Your niece,” Aunt Mae says with a knowing smile. “Tabitha mentioned you read to her over FaceTime.”
I look at Tabitha, who frowns at her aunt, but I press on. “If you want to try it, we can test the tech tonight, then promote it on social media. You said you had a way to get the word out.”
“The Starlight Bay Community page,” she says, nodding.
“Why not then?”
Tabitha stares at me as if I’ve just offered her the world. “You’d really do all this?”
