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“We’re all in the same grade and have the same teacher,” Wren added her two cents.
Lucky teacher, Chace thought, if the rest of the class was as chatty as his nieces. Bet the woman had some interesting stories to tell about all she’d seen and heard in the classroom. Though she dealt with older students, Chace imagined Holly did too.
“Look, Daddy,” Sophie said, pointing across the street. “There’s Aunt Frankie and Uncle Holden.”
Chace looked up to find Holden Blackwood and his wife making their way toward them.
As the Prescotts and Blackwoods exchanged greetings and hugs, Holden turned toward Chace. “Damn, man. Don’t see you in years and run into you twice in as many days.”
“It appears our nieces are friends.”
“And we’re in the same class,” Sophie elaborated for the newcomers.
Emme looked up at Holden. “How do you know my Uncle Chace?”
“We grew up together and were in many of the same classes in school like you girls,” Holden answered.
Since Holden hadn’t made introductions between Frankie and Holly, Chace assumed they already knew one another. Not that he had time to do the honors, as two blue and white Hickory Ridge police cruisers slowly drove down Main Street with awoop woopof their sirens to signal the start of the parade.
The girls claimed their positions front and center for an unobstructed view, plus (and likely more importantly) easy access to the candy some of the entrants were sure to toss into the crowd. Once the police cars and Color Guard passed, the high school band followed, playing a variety of holiday tunes.
And so it continued. More bands from the middle school and bordering counties were scattered amidst antique cars, seasonally decorated floats by local 4-H clubs along with other school and civic organizations, numerous gleaming firetrucks with horns honking and sirens wailing, multiple walking units, and even the Grinch processed along the parade route.
After about an hour, the main attraction, Santa and Mrs. Claus, arrived in an antique, red, horse-drawn carriage that closely resembled a sleigh with bags of what appeared to be presents piled high in the back. Even the majestic Clydesdale horses wore antlers in keeping with the holiday spirit.
“Remember the year we decided that one Christmas when we were much older, we’d play Santa and Mrs. Claus?” Chace whispered in her ear.
Smiling, Holly nodded.
“Maybe, someday, we still can.”
“Maybe,” Holly replied, surprising the hell out of Chace until he realized she probably spoke without thinking and was now totally regretting her response.
Fortunately, he was saved from commenting as the crowd dispersed around them. They said their goodbyes to the Prescotts and Blackwoods, with Holden reminding him they needed to get together while Chace was in town.
The other families hadn’t taken three steps away when Emme and Wren began debating what to do next.
“Why don’t we just walk around and check things out first,” Chace recommended.
Agreeing, they headed down the street. Festive music played through the speakers fastened to light posts at the beginning and end of each block. Holiday scents mingled together, some, like cinnamon, pine, and gingerbread, dominating the others, especially as they passed street vendors and stores where doors were opening as people came and went.
“Can we get our faces painted?” Emme asked, stopping in front of the community center. “Maybe do a craft?”
“Sure.” After all, that’s why they were here.
Judging from the number of kids darting between the stations set up around the perimeter of the downstairs space,thiswas the place to be after the parade. Without seeking permission, the twins rushed to the corner where three tables were joined in a horseshoe and about six teenagers sat painting the faces, arms, and hands of children as well as adults.
When Emme and Wren jumped into two vacated seats, Chace and Holly moved closer as the artists asked what design the girls wanted and where. Emme chose Rudolph, and Wren went with Frosty.
The blue-haired artist working with Wren looked up, her smile widening when she saw Holly. “Hey, Ms. McCade.”
“Hi, Gemma,” Holly replied with a smile of her own. “I wondered if you’d be here showcasing your talent today.”
“Yeah. I had fun last year, so I thought, why not.”
Holly’s smile warmed all the way to her eyes. “I’m glad.”
“Are these your daughters?” she asked, lifting her hazel gaze toward Chace as if to include him in her question.
