Holly’s heart was pounding as her breath came in rapid succession.She rushed up the stairs to her apartment.She felt as though her life had been blown up again.And she realized that was not the normal response when one saw their parents.Nothing about her life had been “normal.”
Tears of frustration stung the backs of her eyes.She blinked repeatedly.She refused to give in to them.Her parents weren’t deserving of her tears.The truth was that she’d already shed enough over them.
What were her parents doing there?And why were they in her apartment?She looked around but didn’t see anything disturbed.That was a relief.
She stepped into the kitchen and placed Tater Tot on the floor.He raced to the living room window and stared out into the darkness as he barked.It was as if he were warning her parents to stay away.
When he noticed her looking at him, he ran over to her.Tater jumped up, putting his paws against her thigh.She was tempted to pick him up and cuddle him.There was something about having his tiny body in her arms that always made her feel better.
And that was when she knew what she needed to do.She reached for her phone and called Merry.The phone rang once, twice…
By the fifth ring, it switched over to voicemail.“Merry, this is Holly.I was checking in to see if you have found Tater Tot a new home.It’s been a few days now.Anyway, please give me a call back and let me know.Bye.”
She slipped the phone back into her pocket.She still couldn’t figure out what her parents were doing in Kringle Falls.She didn’t believe they were there just to visit with her.They could have seen her a million different times throughout her life, but they never had time.What made this different?
All of a sudden there were hands on her upper arms.She jumped.
“Relax.”Colin’s voice was soft and close to her ear.“They’re gone.”
She leaned back against him.She let out a pent-up breath.“I can’t believe they’re in Kringle Falls.”
“Are you okay?”His arms wrapped around her mid-section.“Can I do anything?”
She shook her head.“I’m fine.”She didn’t feel fine.Her heart had longed to jump into her mother’s arms, while her mind warned her that her parents always had an agenda that centered around themselves.“I, uh…” She glanced around.“I need to…”
“Find the Christmas decorations,” he said.
She moved out of his embrace.“I’m not in a Christmas mood.”
“Don’t let them ruin the evening.We were having some fun.And there’s a tree in my pickup just waiting for some lights and ornaments.”
She didn’t want to trim a tree, but Colin had gone out of his way to bring some Christmas cheer into her life.She didn’t have the heart to turn him down.And so, she’d fake a bit of holiday spirit and decorate the tree for Colin’s sake.
Pushing thoughts of her parents to the back of her mind, she said, “Okay.But I can’t promise we’ll find the ornaments.”Her gaze moved to the stacks of boxes she hadn’t unpacked yet.“If I still have them, they are in there.Somewhere.”
“How about you start looking while I get the tree?”
“Okay.”
Tater Tot ran over to her side and sat down.Holly set to work, opening the boxes.She’d been putting off this task.She just wasn’t ready to see the stuff that reminded her of her loving grandmother.A pang of grief stabbed at her heart.
Holly wondered what her grandmother would think of her parents’ arrival.Gran never minced words.She’d probably have told them that they were too late and slammed the door in their faces.
Maybe that was what she should have done.Instead, she’d left the door cracked open.Would her parents be back the next day?And if they were, what would she say to them?
She moved a box from the top of the stack.She placed it on the floor and ripped off the packing tape.She didn’t know what was inside.Halfway through the moving process, she’d run out of time and patience.This box was unmarked.
She opened the flaps and stared inside at nothing more than bubble wrap.Something told her this was not the box with Christmas ornaments.But that didn’t stop her from picking up the first item and unwrapping it.
It was a framed picture of her and her grandmother.It had been taken at Holly’s high school graduation.A few months ago, it would have made her cry, but on this day, she found herself smiling through the pain.
“Oh, Gran.I wish you were still here…”
“What did you say?”
She spun around to see Colin standing there.“Uh, nothing.I didn’t find the decorations yet.”
“Don’t worry.We’ll find them, but first, can you help me get the tree up the stairs?”
