“Look at it this way. What have we got to lose? We’re not winning like this. Let’s take a shot. If it fails, we’re no worse off. If it doesn’t, we could pull off the most epic comeback win ever recorded in gingerbread history.” His smile was both pleasing and hopeful.
“Screw it. I’m not quitting. Grab that food coloring.”
“That’s my girl,” Darius exclaimed, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek.
A hot thrill ran through her. She refused to admit it was due to the kiss. No. It was because they could pull this off. They wouldn’t win, but maybe, just maybe they might not come in dead last.
The harried mother came by, towing the two boys by their back of their shirts. She apologized profusely; shame clear on her face. She shook the boys lightly, and demanded they apologize for pushing the man who had fallen into Poppy. Through tear filled eyes, they mumbled, “Sorry,” in unison. The woman repeated her distress and sadness over the disaster.
Poppy forgave her, at least she tried to. It would be a long time until the pain of this disaster passed, but she tried her best to be gracious. “It’s okay,” she said. “Stuff happens.”
After another apology, the mother led her chastised children away.
Poppy breathed a sigh of relief that they were gone.
“I don’t know how you did that,” Darius said. “I wanted to grab them and shake some sense into them. I mean, I wouldn’t have, but it’s frustrating.”
“Kids will be kids,” Poppy declared, wishing she actually felt the generosity of the statement.
“You don’t believe that any more than I do,” Darius groused. “You’re a good person, Poppy Holiday. I’m going to try and forgive them too.” He sighed.
She looked at him. Her disappointment was echoed on his face. But it was mingled with sympathy and caring. His concern over the loss helped her feel better. Misery loved company and all that bologna.
“True, I don’t feel it, but I’m going to try to, and I’m going to try and fix this castle. I’m not quitting.”
They worked furiously. Redecorating the castle with colored icing. Greens, oranges and blacks. Darius took their extra gingerbread men and painted white bones on them, turning them into two sided skeletons. Others he painted as ghosts and pirates. Same for the horses.
When the timer rang, they stepped back, hands in the air.
Poppy burst into laughter. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen. It’s not remotely Christmassy.”
“Yes, it is,” Darius disagreed with a grin. “Nightmare Before Christmas.” He pointed to a crooked evergreen tree. “Christmas trees, skeletons, ghosts. It’s a pirate Hallow-Christmas.” He’d managed to change three of their knights into pirates, complete with eye patches.
“So it is.” Surprisingly, if she was being honest, it wasn’t all that bad. It was probably better than her effort last year. If nothing else, it was creative and it combined her two favorite holidays into one icing covered creation.
A sense of crooked pride filled her. She’d stuck it through until the end. She’d gotten past the disaster and produced a weirdly whimsical, mixed season display.
After cleaning their hands, they carried their monster-piece to the front of the room and set it alongside the other entries and put a tray of decorated gingerbread men in front of it for the judges to sample. At least their sample cookies looked Christmassy. They returned to the kitchen and began cleaning up their mess.
“It’s weird,” she said after a few minutes. “Last year I was a total wreck waiting for the judging. This year, I couldn’t really care. I guess that’s because I know we’re out of the winner’s circle.”
“Or because the pressure is off. We’re not winning this, so the results don’t matter.” He took Poppy’s hands in his. Icing glued them together. “I promise you this, I’m going to find a way to get you that oven. I’ll call in every favor I have to get it. I swear, in a few months you’ll have it and you can stop working yourself to death so you have time to go out with me.”
“Are you asking me out? And using a new oven as a bribe to get me to agree?” Her laughter rang out across the room causing several people to turn and look.
“Yup.” He grinned unapologetically. “I guess I am.”
“Well then, I accept the date, but not the oven. I’ll get one somehow.” Her pride wouldn’t let her accept the offering. It felt too much like pity, though obviously that wasn’t how he meant it. Working in quiet harmony they finished cleaning their mess and went, hand in hand, to view the entries.
Their shared disaster had changed the dynamics between them. Crossing that hurdle had brought them closer together. Darius squeezed her hand and a sense of well being and belonging bloomed through Poppy. Despite their failure, she was happy.
Each and every entry was stunning. A stable and manger scene, a Victorian home, a pristine white fairy tale castle and eight other great houses. At the end of the table, leaning crookedly was their colorful entry. All it all, it wasn’t great, but it wasn’t as bad as she feared.
“Attention everybody,” Mayor Nkosi called over the speakers. “Thanks to everyone for participating. Cranberry Cover offers our sincerest apologies to Poppy Holiday and Darius Badeaux for the accident.”
Poppy wanted to walk away right then and there. She didn’t want to hear the winners. She was pleased for those who won, but disappointment over not making the list weighed on her heart, dragging down her happiness at the change in her relationship with Darius.
“I’m going to announce the winners differently this year,” the mayor continued. “Third place goes to first time entrant, Carmen Cook, and her fairy tale castle.” The gathered crowd applauded. “First place goes to last year’s fifth place winner, Gertrude Schmidt.” Another round of clapping followed. “And second place goes to Poppy Holiday and Darius Badeaux.”
“Did you hear that?” Darius exclaimed. “We took second. We pulled it off.”
“What?” Poppy shook her head; unsure she’d heard correctly and wasn’t just dreaming.
“We won. You took second place. You’ll get a small cash prize. Not enough, but it’ll help.” He grabbed her in his arms and swung her around.
Suddenly giddy with excitement, she pressed her lips to his.
Darius stopped spinning and froze for a second. His lips took hers in a passionate kiss that rocked Poppy to her toes. Heat washed over her leaving behind happiness, love and contentment. Her soul soared into the sky and floated back down.
The crowd cheered.
