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“No one blamed you.”
Holly shook her head as if to clear it. “It’s weird that everyone knows. It’s been years, so it shouldn’t matter. But it still hurts, you know?”
“I don’t think you ever get over the pain of it. But it helps to focus on what you do have.”
“I can do that,” Holly said softly.
“Did you want to try the kiln?”
Holly nodded, her expression filling with excitement. “I have a few ideas.”
“Let’s get started.” I helped her set everything up, then got started on my own project. I easily got lost in making more ornament stands. Marley had mentioned that she’d like hooks that hang from the ceiling and ones that could rest on the windowsills of the inn last night.
I’d do anything to help Holly, so I readily agreed. My schedule was clear since I’d finished the commissioned piece.
I hadn’t perfected the lights in the pond, but I didn’t need to figure that out now. I could focus on Holly and help her dreams come true.
I had accomplished everything I set out to do professionally. I often turned work away, so I wasn’t looking to increase visibility or reach some milestone. I was content. I liked to have time and space to come up with new ideas for my light fixtures. I couldn’t do that if I was busy.
A few hours later, Holly approached my table. “What are you making?”
I lifted my goggles to my forehead and lowered my headphones to hang around my neck. “The stands Marley asked for.”
“I can’t believe you worked on it so fast. Let me see how it would look.” Holly pulled an ornament out of her bag and hung it on the stand. “It’s perfect.”
“You can use it to sell them at a store or at the inn. These other ones will hang from the ceiling, maybe in the window so it could catch the light.”
“Speaking of, I think I got the icicles.” Holly grabbed my hand and pulled me to her table where one icicle rested on the table. She lifted it, the glass catching the sunlight coming through the windows. “What do you think?”
“It’s beautiful.”
“It’s an easier shape, but it’s the first thing I made with the kiln.” Her voice was a mix of awe and relief.
I pulled her to my side while we admired it. “You did it.”
“I almost can’t believe it. This was my dream. It felt like a far-off kind of thing. You know, when I make more money, when the business is more profitable.”
“Believe it.”
“I’m going to make a few more for Marley to hang on her tree, and then I need to make her a stash of ornaments. She texted earlier that she’s getting steady sales of the ornaments. It seems that each guest wants one as a souvenir to remember their stay at the inn.”
“I told you Marley knew what she was doing.”
Holly lowered the icicle and turned slightly so that she was pressed against me, her palm on my chest. “This is all because of you. The connection to Marley. The kiln.”
“I helped you with the kiln, but you were already friends with Marley. I didn’t have anything to do with that. She saw something in you and your work that was special.”
“It feels like all my dreams are coming true at once.”
I felt the tension in her body. “That’s not a bad thing.”
Her forehead creased. “Isn’t there a saying that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is?”
I shook my head. “It gets to be good. There’s no waiting for something to go wrong. Stay positive.”
“I can do that.”
“It’s a good time to take a break and grab lunch. Where do you want to paint the ornaments?”
