Page 49 of Not Another Christmas Movie

“Daddy, you have to save room for hot chocolate,” Holly encouraged him.

“I think a walk through the festival tonight will do the trick,” Chris winked back. “Did you get enough, Annie?” Chris asked. Annie stared down at the table, now free of all food.

“Apparently!” Annie shrugged. Luckily, her real-world appetite had yet to make an appearance in the made-for-TV Christmas movie world. Annie wondered about how Nick’s dinner must be going, but thinking of him with Bailey and Eve made her stomach squirm. “Can I help with any of the cleanup?” Annie offered. She hoped moving her body might shut off her brain. Felix agreed, and the pair moved into the kitchen to mindlessly wash dishes in comfortable silence, Annie drying each piece as Felix smoothly handed them to her. As the sink emptied, Felix slowed and gave Annie a look, turning to meet her eyes before gazing out the nearby window.

“There’s nothing better than a starry night in Simsbury, don’t you think, Annie?” Felix asked with his eyes sparkling. Annie studied his twinkly face. “The sky is full of magic and wishes.”

“Felix,” Annie said in a whisper. “Are you, like, in on this? Do you know what’s going on here?” Annie watched Felix’s cheeks bloom into peach roses. His answer came as a small laugh that sounded a lot like a happy “ho ho ho.” Annie would even go so far as to declare it merry. Her eyes narrowed in on him urgently, needing Felix to offer a shred of understanding.

“What’s your Christmas wish, Annie?” Felix finally asked, his voice soft. Annie shook her head in annoyance. What was this? Some sort of game? “What’s your happily ever after?” Felix continued, his eyes full of fantastical radiance.

Annie stared back, momentarily dumbfounded. It was a question Annie often didn’t allow herself to answer because too often her thoughts were clouded by negative memories and fear. If she didn’t hope to be happy, then maybe she could save herself from feeling hurt when it never came.

But, okay, fine, if Felix wanted an honest answer, maybe Annie should try and give one. She wanted to fall in love, to finally, fully take the plunge. Stop the lazy stumbling and catching herself right before the leap and let go. She wanted to build a family like her grandparents had, full of tradition and celebration and shared meals and laughter and love. She wanted—

“Are you ready? I can’t wait for you to see the maze!” Chris boomed in excitement, interrupting Annie’s thoughts. Chris and Holly skipped into the kitchen, holding coats, and Felix winked at Annie.

Chris escorted them all out of the house and straight to the festival, specifically to the entrance of the maze. As Annie was trying to take it in, Holly clapped in delight and looked at Chris.

“Beat you to the giant tree inside!” she squealed and hurled herself into the opening. Felix emitted his “ho ho ho” chuckle and waved to Noelle, who was holding a cup of cocoa for him. Chris looked at Annie with a grin, his eyes asking if she would race with him through the maze in search of Holly.

“Annie!” Eve called as she approached them. Annie looked up in surprise and felt immediately calmed by her familiar Marsha-like presence. “Please say you’ll be my escort through the maze. I’ve been hoping to become better acquainted,” Eve said, her eyes seeming to beg with each blink of her long lashes, and Annie’s heart tried to blossom within the winter’s snow. She needed Marsha, but she’d rather have her in an Eve costume than not at all. Annie looked at Chris to get his thoughts; she didn’t want to keep him from racing his daughter through their family creation.

“You two enjoy it and go at your own pace, we’ll meet somewhere in the maze, I’m sure,” Chris reassured her. “Wish me luck, Holly’s so precocious, she may have already won,” Chris added as he trotted off.

The Christmas Tree Maze was not only in the shape of a large Christmas tree, but it had been constructed using beautifully lit trees, as well. Around corners, you could see various light displays, some more ornate than others, creating additional spectacles everywhere you turned. Around one bend lights had been shaped into presents, and around another a waving Santa Claus. There was truly no end to what else was hidden here, but Annie allowed herself to walk slowly, Eve’s arm still trapping hers as Eve spoke in hushed urgency, Ferguson’s shadow at their heels.

“Annie, may I confide in you?” Eve asked.

“Yes!” Annie encouraged. “Please confide in me.” Apparently, Eve, this beautiful princess from a completely fictional country, also carried around Marsha’s signature flair for the dramatic. And considering Annie had been away from her beloved bestie and Bravo for a few days, she was thirsty for theatrics.

“Well, the truth is, I’ve been matched with Nigel,” Eve began in a somber tone.

“Nigel?” Annie asked, her mouth twitching as it waited for her to add some variation of “that must be Nigel with the brie.” When Eve didn’t say anything, Annie tried to prompt her. “With the brie?” Annie asked hopefully.

“Sorry?” Eve asked.

“Oh, just making sure I had his name correct. Nigel, you say?” Annie asked, knowing it was unlikely Eve would understand the Ten Things I Hate About You reference, but it still stung, reinforcing that this person was not her beloved bestie.

“Yes, Nigel. It’s been our destiny since before we were even born. Our parents arranged it, you see, and for years we’ve been expected to make the grand announcement, but I’ve managed to put it off, for one reason or another. Until now. This year, our engagement was planned to be shared with the kingdom of Wintermore during the annual palace gala on Christmas Day,” Eve explained. “When my plane was forced to land in an abandoned field due to a massive snowstorm, who would’ve known that Grant would be driving past, at that very moment, on his way to take over the ownership of his great-aunt’s inn?”

“Literally no one could have known any of that,” Annie assured her.

“But since I’ve been here, I’ve seen Ferguson in a new light,” Eve whispered close to Annie’s ear. “Since my father’s death, the royal family legacy lies on my beautiful, delicate, and small shoulders. It’s sometimes heavier than even I can bear,” Eve admitted.

“I’m sure,” Annie nodded, not having any idea what it would be like, but knowing that Marsha had also lost her father at a very young age and how it had impacted her. “I’m sorry to hear about your father. You must really miss him during the holidays.”

Eve glanced at Annie and nodded her head somberly. “I do miss him,” Eve said softly. “Every day. He passed away when I was only three.”

“That sounds so hard. Was he ill?” Annie asked, curious if Eve’s father had also been involved in a fatal car accident.

“No, he had a rather unexpected and traumatic encounter with a nutcracker,” Eve shared.

“Oh, wow, okay,” Annie said, trying not to ask the thousands of questions swirling through her head about what that death must have actually looked like, but thankfully for both their sakes, Eve spoke again.

“I still miss the memories we had together and all the ones we’ll never share.” Eve used her gloved hand to dab a dry eye.

“I know your dad would be so proud of you,” Annie said, and Eve squeezed her arm back in thanks. It had been something Annie had said to Marsha countless times before, but she hoped it would resonate with Eve.