“In the living room,” Orene called out.
Randy and Natalie walked in carrying presents. “Thought we’d drop off your presents today, so you can open them in the morning.”
“You two are too good to me. Thank you. Come in. Sit down.”
Randy stepped wider. “Looks like you two were having a serious conversation. Are we interrupting?”
Natalie tucked the gifts under the tree.
Sheila shrugged. “Good morning.”
“How’d it go last night?” Natalie asked.
“He didn’t come back.”
“At all?”
“Nope. All the trucks came back and he wasn’t on any of them. Turns out he got hurt.”
“Oh no.” She raced to sit next to Sheila. “How is he?”
“Fine. He called a little bit ago. I don’t know the whole story, but he sounded okay.”
“Wait. That doesn’t make sense.”
Randy said, “Sounds like it was a rough night.”
“For me,” Sheila said. “I sat around all that time worried.”
Randy withheld comment, taking a step back and sitting in the chair.
Sheila saw the look that passed between them, as if they’d already been discussing it. “What?”
“He’s a good guy. He has a dangerous job. An importantone,” Natalie said. “This is just part of getting to know one another. Y’all are getting along so well.”
“We were.” Sheila shrugged. “I’ll be leaving the day after tomorrow anyway.”
“No. I thought you were staying through New Year’s.” Natalie looked at Randy. “Tell her to stay.”
“She’s not going to listen to me,” he said. “And I might regret this, but go talk to him, Sheila. At least give him a chance to explain, and you really should stay until New Year’s. We’ve been so busy we’ve barely had time to really visit.”
“I’ve had fun,” she said. “This has been the best Christmas I’ve had in a long time. I should leave while I remember it that way.”
“You have to at least take him the present you made for him.” Orene told Natalie and Randy about how Sheila spent the day in the kitchen making soup and cheddar bites as a holiday gift for Tucker.
“Did you make us some?” Randy asked.
“We have plenty in the kitchen,” said Orene. “Can I get you some?”
“Yeah. We used to get those things delivered to the police station all the time. I haven’t had any in a long time.” Randy got up and followed Orene into the kitchen.
Sheila looked at Natalie, who was staring at her.
“What?” Sheila slumped forward.
“I’m sorry you’re upset.”
“Me too. I didn’t sleep a wink last night. I was so worried, and then so mad.” She shook her head. “I know I shouldn’t have been that mad about it, but it struck me so wrong.”
