AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Holly is on the job as head elf of Bells Pass,” she said proudly.
To say I was surprised by how into the whole elf and Santa thing Holly was at her age, was an understatement. According to everyone in Bells Pass, she truly believed that Ellis David was the real Santa Claus. It was the space-time continuum that kept him in both places at once. While I wasn’t sure how this came about, I also couldn’t say it wasn’t true. The reasons she believed it weren’t ones I was privy to, so I wouldn’t judge her for what made her happy during the holidays. One day at the diner, Mason had explained to me how Holly had come to Bells Pass, so I knew that situation, but how she’d decided the real Santa Claus lived here was still a mystery.
“We’d better wrap these around his legs and get him zipped up. Can you help me?” I asked, setting the bag on the table and unzipping it. Heat poured from the solar bag, and I wrapped a blanket around his calves, while she did the same with the other blanket around his thighs. When her hands were clear, I zipped the bag closed and patted his knees. “I know you can’t feel it, but hopefully your nervous system can.”
“I can feel it,” he said. “It’s starting to warm my core. That’s how I know I’m warming up. First my belly and then my chest starts to flush. This is great. Seriously, Holly, you saved me from a trip to the hospital.”
She tucked the bag back under her arm like it had been all in a day’s work. “It was no problem, Irving. We’re here to serve. Just remember, the warmth won’t last forever, so the EMT says you have to pay close attention to your signals.”
This time, Irving saluted her. “You got it, Head Elf Holly. I hope I can make it, since I want to see your grand entrance!”
“Oh!” she exclaimed, hopping once and running to the door. “I gotta get this bag back to the ambulance and then meet Santa and the reindeer to run through our final preparations. Good luck tonight!” she exclaimed, giving us two thumbs up before she headed out the door in a swirl of Christmas spirit.
“Wow,” I said, laughter filling my voice. “That was a lot.”
“A lot of awesomeness,” Irving agreed. “Considering what she’s been through, she has every right to be quiet, shy, and anti-social. Instead, she’s joy. Just pure joy, doesn’t matter the time of year.”
“I can see that,” I agreed, still smiling. “So helpful, too. It doesn’t matter if it’s with the little ones or running warming blankets through the park to save the tree lighting. Holly is on the job!”
“I think you’re starting to see why I don’t want to leave Bells Pass,” he whispered. “This town has changed me over the last year, and something tells me they’ve barely scratched the surface.”
My mind drifted back to what Heather had said and I knew how true that was. “Something tells me you’re right. Are you ready to make our mark on Bells Pass in the best possible way?”
He held out his fist for a bump. “Lead on, Miss Cane. We’re right behind you.”
With a wink of my eye and a twitch of my nose, I opened the door, and off we went into a new shared adventure that we’d never forget. If I remembered nothing else about this Christmas, I would remember the feeling of walking down the path next to the man I loved to share a little piece of my soul with a town that had filled it to overflowing since the day I arrived.
When I glanced down at Irving wheeling toward the gazebo, I knew that he, and the love he offered me, would be what I remembered about this holiday season.
∞∞∞
Mayor Tottle stood at the podium, ready to speak when the madrigals finishedRockin’ Around the Christmas Tree. I couldn’t help but notice that Hazel had a beautiful singing voice. When she sings at work, it’s more goofy than serious. I didn’t realize that when she’s in the right environment, she flourishes. It gave me an idea, but I decided to look into it more and maybe talk to Gabe before I mentioned it to her.
“Thank you for coming to the fiftieth year of the Bells Pass Christmas Tree Lighting in the Park!” Mayor Tottle said, earning him a roar from the crowd. “I know you’re probably cold and ready to head home, so I’m going to keep my comments short this year, but what a banner year it has been!” Another cheer went up and it took Mayor Tottle time to get everyone calm again. “I could bore you with the crime rate statistics, it’s low, or the exciting changes coming to main street and beyond, more to come in the new year, but I won’t because I want you to meet some truly wonderful people. I know many of you met Irving Wallace and Star last year in this very park, and this year, they’re back with a friend in tow. Her name is Hazel Cane, for those of you who haven’t had the pleasure, and she is the second half of the team for our housing development at New Beginnings.”
Clapping and cheering went through the crowd and I glanced up at Hazel, giving her a wink as her cheeks heated from embarrassment. “See,” I whispered when she leaned down by me. “You really are all that and a bag of candy canes.”
Her laughter made her shoulder’s shake, but always the consummate professional, she stood with an easy smile on her face and waved at the crowd.
“Though they didn’t open a business, they were chosen by the council and business leaders to flip the switch this year. They were integral in implementing the finishing touches to the Bells Pass Bungalows, our new family housing complex. They also worked with the families until every i was dotted and t was crossed. They’re working just as diligently to get New Beginnings open as soon as the accessible apartments are finished, which should be any day now, right?” he asked, turning to us. We both nodded and gave him a thumbs-up. “The new options for housing here will change the face of Bells Pass for years to come and we couldn’t have done it without their time, talent, and appreciation for the future we’re trying to build here.”
This time, the applause was joyous and appreciative at the same time. It wasn’t loud or rowdy. There wasn’t a sound other than their applause. I couldn’t help but feel loved by these people even though I hadn’t met half of them. There was camaraderie and respect between those who knew what they had and those who wanted to work hard for the same thing.
“Before Irving and Hazel take the podium to speak, I’d like to invite all of the prior Bells Pass Christmas Tree Lighters to come up and join us under the gazebo. Of the forty-nine prior years, I believe thirty-seven are in the park tonight!”
Hazel leaned down into my ear. “Did you know about this?”
“Not at all,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s a great idea, though.”
“It is!” she said, laughing as familiar faces jogged up the stairs to hug us.
Ivy and Shep, Mel and Mason, Addie and Ellis, Heather and Gabe, Becca and Cameron, Lance and Indigo, Mrs. Violet, several council members, business people I knew from the community and at least a dozen people I had never met before filled the gazebo to overflowing until they trailed down the stairs to stand. The girl gang had surrounded us as soon as they were in the gazebo, laughing at our surprise since they knew Jack had planned this all along.
Once everyone was quiet, Jack motioned at those of us behind him. “A round of applause for all these faces tonight! They have built Bells Pass from the ground up and made it the thriving, lively, prolific entity we are today!”
The celebration began, and I looked up at Hazel when it passed one minute. “They need to move this along,” I said loud enough that Ivy and Gabe heard me.
Gabe put his hand on my shoulder, but only I could feel his fingers taking my pulse. “You’re good yet, but I agree.” He stepped over to Jack and said something into his ear. The mayor nodded and spoke into the microphone, asking for calm. While the crowd settled, I noticed Shep slip away. He had to be under the gazebo when we flipped the switch since he was the one who made the tree light up. Our switch was just for theatrics.
