“It’s never happened before,” said Bella, scratching her head. “I usually have leftovers that I discount online in January. They’ve wiped out my entire stock. I could’ve sold three times as much.”
“That’s what happens when you have a marketing guru on the team,” said Ryan.
Fred guffawed. “Hardly!” But she enjoyed the warmth of his praise all the same.
“Well, if this is a sign of things to come, I’d better get next year’s designs finalized. It’s going to be a busy crackering year.”
Fred could sense that, as pleased as her mum was at the prospect of improved sales, she was feeling a bit overwhelmed. “I’ll be here, remember,” she said kindly. “And the aunts will chip in; they can’t help themselves, even if they are supposed to be retired. If you take care of the designs, I’ll do the rest. Take some time, travel with Liam. I’ve got this.”
Bella smiled. “Thanks, love. I don’t know about taking time off, but I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me too.”
“Well, since you’ve sold all your wares, you might as well join us down at the hardware store for the Christmas Face-off,” said Ryan. “It’s been a close-run thing this year.”
“As long you don’t mind your old mum tagging along?” Bella addressed Fred.
“I’d love it,” Fred declared. “We can swing by and steal Liam on the way.”
—
As far backas anyone could remember, the face-off had always resulted in jollity triumphing over devilment, and Krampus being sent back to his lair for another year.
A crowd had built, and while they waited for the two opposing forces of Christmas to arrive, the Pine Bluff Choir sang Christmas carols. Fred stood on tiptoes and craned her neck to see over the heads of the people in front of her.
“Are you trying to see the Naughty List?” Ryan asked, his face split with a grin.
“Obviously,” she returned.
“Okay then,” Ryan said in a strained voice as he bent to wrap his arms around her hips and lifted her off the floor. She squealed and laughed, feeling as though she was going to tumble forward into the people in front of her, but then he steadied his hold on her, and she was able to see the board. Relief swept over her. The Naughty List had been wiped clean; not even a trace of her name remained.
“Happy?” Ryan groaned.
“Very,” she replied. “Thank you. You may put me down.”
With an “oomph” he lowered her to the ground. “I think you’ve given me a hernia.”
“Stop accusing me of breaking your body,” she scolded, but she leaned in and rewarded him with a kiss for his troubles.
It was only two o’ clock but already the light was fading as dark mink-colored clouds unfurled themselves across the sky, shutting out the sun. When the snow arrived, it fell like thick white feathers, settling on shoulders and in hair.
Liam stood with his arm around Bella’s shoulders, and she crossed her arm over her heart to hold his hand. They radiated contentment and Fred was filled with love for them both. Though the sun had been banished, and themoon was yet to rise, Fred harnessed her gratitude and manifested on the snowflakes as they drifted down from the sky, asking the universe for her and Ryan to share the same fierce bravery and endurance in their love for each other that her mother had always shown her.
The door to Frost Hardware opened and Martha as Mrs. Christmas stepped out. A cheer went up and then quietened.
“Welcome, everyone, to the annual Krampus versus Christmas Face-Off!”
The crowd whooped.
“This year has been a close-run thing. The Naughty List has been fuller than it has been for years,” Martha went on.
“That’s what you get when Freddie Hallow-Hart comes back to town,” someone shouted, and those in the know laughed.
Fred scanned the faces in the crowd and saw people patting Mr. McCalister on the back. She rolled her eyes. “Of course it was him,” she said, throwing her arms up in the air. “I am never going to live those pigs down, am I?”
“They say that on a clear night you can still hear the ones that got away squealing for joy in the forest,” shouted Ryan. “They’ve taunted Mr. McCalister from that day to this.”
Fred’s mouth dropped open, and she laughed. “You traitor!” The crowd laughed too but she didn’t care, she had no regrets; she liked to think those pigs she’d helped escape the abattoir were out there somewhere, living their best piggylives. It was the least she could have done, given how much bacon her family ate between them.
