Page 10 of The Christmas Mittens
Out he went into the cold, mittens in the pockets of his Prada coat, helmet sadly smashing down his curls. I bolted to the front door. My mind filled with concern now for that poor baby left alone in a cold camper. He was pedaling away when I stepped out into the cold, the first flakes drifting downward from a thick, gray cloud. I was caught up in a jumbled mess of emotions all caused by one man. Obviously, I was going to have to go out and check on that child sooner than Sunday.
Tonight was packed full with running Gilda and several of her friends to the movies and then taking them all home afterward. I didn’t want to go wandering around the campgrounds in the dark. That seemed incredibly scary and creepy to me as it would to Anders, I was sure. Maybe I could head out tomorrow after weclose the shop. I could flip theOPENsign toCLOSEDat noon. I’d miss some sales, but this tiny baby check had to be done and soon. Also, I’d have Gilda with me since Saturday was the day she helped Franny dust and mop the craft shop, but that would be okay. She’d be fine here if I closed early and locked the doors. Or she could come with me. Gilda always loved spending time with her dad. I was her favorite person in the whole world after all…
Chapter Six
Saturday, December 12
I’d seen all kinds of violent weather living here in the mountains but nothing that could rival the sheer power of my daughter blowing through the door to my shop.
“Dad, oh my God, I hate you so much! How could you?! And all the other Woolverines?! That’s so shitty. I hate that you did that and am never going to talk to you ever again!”
Gilda stormed past me and Keith and Ellie Morgan, who were here looking to buy a new snowblower, and threw herself through the drape into the backroom with all the flair of an old Hollywood actress.
Maybe I wasn’t her favorite person in the world after all. I wet my lips. “Sorry about that. Teenagers,” I weakly joked, hoping to save the sale, but Keith and Ellie suddenly recalled that they had wash on the line. Off they went like Satan was on their heels. I rubbed my face with my palms so hard it hurt before sneaking back into the work area to talk with Gilda. Since I had no idea what I had done to bring about such wrath, I was truly flummoxed. I noticed that the bathroom door was closed. I treadcarefully as one would when trying to sneak up on an angry grizzly and tapped ever-so-gently on the door.
“Gilda,” I called softly while trying to turn the knob. Locked.
“Go away! Do not talk to meeveragain. Ever! I hate you.” That struck deep. I don’t think she had ever said that to me. Not once. And we’d had spats before.
“Gilda, I don’t know what I did that has made you so angry, but if you would just come out—”
The door flew open. Her face was red, tear-streaked, and locked into an irate expression. “As if you don’t know!”
“I don’t. I swear.”
She was so upset she stamped a foot. I hadn’t seen that since she was five years old and was told she couldn’t eat crayons to make her poop purple.
“You told the Woolverines that I got my period! Why, Dad, why would you tell them that?!”
Oh. Oh hell. “I just wanted to get some advice on how to handle it when it happens next month. I got lots of good tips like using a heating pad and—”
“Dad! Oh my God, I know all of that! It’s all online, and most of my friends have started already, so I didn’t need the advice of some old women! They probably told the whole town! Why would you even talk about it? You’re the worst father ever. Ever!”
The door slammed shut in my face. If I’d been an inch closer, it would have broken my nose. Instead, just my heart was broken.
“Gilda, honey, I was just hoping to get some help.” I let my brow rest on the doorjamb. If Katie were here, she would know how to handle this. “The knitters had some really good ideas. For both of us!”
“I don’t want their ideas! They’re old and dumb. Franny said not to drink lemonade or dance. What does that even mean? Lemonade?! Gah, I hate that you told them. Just go away. Go be a dumb man somewhere far away from me!”
Not sure how to approach things, I took a step back, thinking that perhaps I should let her cool down before trying to smooth my blunder when the damn bells over the damn shop door rang out. I didn’t want to leave things but felt that perhaps a few minutes would be good. Easing away from the scarred wooden door, I hauled my dismal ass through the curtain. Anders was there, looking as fantastic as ever, with a small bundle wrapped up in what looked to be a pink cashmere blanket.
“Did I come at a bad time?” he asked as his bundle wriggled in his arms.
“Just a little preteen and dad misunderstanding,” I replied, hoping I could fluff it off. Guess I really did wear my emotions on my sleeve and face as everyone tells me. “It’s nice to see you, Anders, and is this the little girl who chews through her mittens?”
“It is. I thought perhaps I should introduce you to her since it is your skill with yarn that is keeping her little feet warm and dry when she leaves the mittens on.”
I moved closer, eager to see his little bundle of joy, even though that meant he probably had a baby mama somewhere. I’d not jump to a straight conclusion after that handholding session yesterday, but he could be bi like me with a child.
“Mitchell, this is Langley’s Ladyship Sprinkles Della Mint Cream.” He pulled back a flap of pink cashmere to reveal a tiny black-and-tan dog. A miniature pinscher with a pink collar and a very wet nose. “I just call her Della for short.”
“Oh. Oh, that is not at all…” I fumbled to get my head in gear. “Now I understand where all the mittens were going. I thought it odd that a baby that small would have teeth to chew through yarn.”
He laughed, and it helped lift my dour mood a little. Della yipped. He placed her on the floor. The min pin began sniffing about as dogs do when they enter a new place.
“Yes, I was picking up strange vibes from you and a few ladies I passed in town yesterday. I wondered if everyone thought I had a human baby with me, given a few disparaging comments from a tall woman at the grocery store. So I’m now taking her out to assure everyone that I don’t have an infant that I leave alone for long stretches of time. To be honest, I can’t leave the dog alone for too long or she chews my pillow in spite.”
Della barked from behind the counter. The curtain opened slightly. I watched as Gilda slipped out into the showroom and fell to her knees behind the counter. I couldn’t see them, but I could hear excited yips and soft giggles. Much happier sounds than ten minutes ago.
