Page 29 of Fated Midlife Christmas
The lights in the auditorium dimmed and came back up again, and there were rustlings behind the curtain. A mic crackled. Concerned, Lars turned to the back of the auditorium just as Amanda came rushing in. She took a program from the attendant and then scanned the room. Lars waved her over.
She rushed up to the empty seat and sat down breathlessly. “Sorry, I’m late,” she murmured.
“You’re here, and that’s all that matters.” The narrow seats were so close together that he only had to move a couple of inches to lean over and kiss her cheek. She smelled of essential oils.
Amanda gave the briefest flash of a smile. He sensed tension in her energy, but the auditorium lights were dimmed completely now, and there was no time to ask her what was wrong.
Someone behind the curtain began pushing at it, working all the way toward the center until they finally found the opening and slipped through. It was a little girl dressed as an angel. “Thank you for coming tonight,” she said, looking shyly out at the audience. “We ask that you please silence your cell phones. We’ve all worked very hard on our play, and we hope you enjoy seeing it as much as we enjoy performing it.” The angel worked her way back behind the curtain as everyone applauded.
The curtains opened to reveal another child, this one dressed as an old man with a beard. He sat in a wingback chair on the corner of the stage, pretending to read from an oversized storybook as he took on the role of narrator. “Once upon a time, there was a pine tree in the middle of the forest. It was very sad and lonely.”
Forest creatures came to talk to the pine tree, who was so sad that his needles were falling off. It was an adorable play, but Lars kept glancing at Amanda. He reached out with his mind in much the same way that he tapped into ley lines, quickly finding that her energy blockages were not only still there, but even worse than before. Lars flexed his jaw and turned back to the play.
“I know!” a young boy dressed as a squirrel said. “We can decorate the tree!”
“But we don’t have any ornaments,” another squirrel pointed out.
“Don’t worry. I have an idea.” The squirrels skittered off the stage.
Lars twined his fingers on his lap. He longed to reach for Amanda’s hand. Having even that small amount of their bodies touching would alleviate at least some of the desire he felt forher, but it was as though she’d put an invisible wall up between them. What had changed?
Arden pranced out onto the stage in his reindeer costume. “What can I do to help?” he asked.
A bunny hopped over to him. “We’ve decorated the tree and put presents under him, but he’s still sad. We need to find someone very wise who can help us.”
“I know someone!” Arden ran off the stage.
The play was short but very sweet, with all the forest creatures working together in their own way to help the tree feel special at Christmas. Arden was a hero, fetching Santa to bring the last needed bit of light and joy. The audience gave them a standing ovation, and the little actors grinned with pleasure.
Out in the hall, the family gathered around Arden to give him their congratulations.
“You were wonderful!” Maeve gushed. “The best reindeer I’ve ever seen.”
“We’re so proud of you! You said your lines perfectly!” Erin told him.
Arden, however, seemed more interested in what Sage thought. “Did you like it?” he asked eagerly.
“Yes! The song at the end was my favorite. Would you teach it to me?”
Arden positively beamed.
“They’re serving refreshments in the cafeteria,” Erin told them all.
“Thank you, but I really need to get home,” Amanda told her. She gave Arden one last hug. “You did great, buddy.”
Lars took his chance when he saw it. “Let me walk you to your car.”
She looked hesitant, and her eyes didn’t quite meet his. “All right.”
They stepped into the parking lot. It was packed with cars, but most of the families were still inside celebrating the successful performance with their children. Only a few parents were bundling their kids into their vehicles and racing off into the night before the rush.
Lars could still feel that tense energy from her. It was more than just the chakras they’d discussed before. This was something that practically pushed him away, and it hurt. “What’s wrong?” he asked softly.
She bit her lower lip and took several more steps. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to spend any more time together.”
Pure panic ripped through his inner beast. It fought and raged against that idea, and Lars fought to keep it calm. At some point, he knew that he and Amanda would have to part ways. He’d been putting off thinking about it as much as possible, but now he was forced to face it head-on. “Did I do something wrong?”
“No,” her voice was high and thready, as though she might cry. Amanda sucked in a breath and blew it out through her cheeks as they walked down the parking lot aisle. “You’re polite and generous. You seem to be a truly kind person who cares about other people. You’ve been helping to take care of the dragons while they’ve been ill, and you’ve been game enough to tag along with all the craziness that seems to come along with the coven.”
