I nodded. “Yes.”
“Okay, guys,” Winter announced. “We’re just going to catch up with Deacon’s folks. We’ll see you in a bit.”
They waved us off and we headed further down Main Street to where there was a crowd of mostly children. I kept hold of Winter’s hand the whole time. I knew my parents would see, and they’d understand the significance for me.
How big this was.
As soon as they saw us, Dad grinned at me, and I remembered that I’d hugged him earlier today. “Oh, Deacon, love, there you are,” Mom said. “Winter, hello.”
“Merry Christmas,” he said. “Isn’t this all so magical?” He looked around, and it was only then that Winter seemed to realize where we were, or more to the point, what was in front of us. “Oh my god, is that... is that anactualreindeer?”
I chuckled at his reaction. “Yes, it is. Toni Beltran has a breeding pair.”
His eyes were comically wide. “Toni, the mail carrier?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
He looked around then, at the crowd, searching for someone...
“Ro!” he called out.
His aunt Ro turned around, and seeing him, she waved. She was talking to Toni, said something to her, then made her way over to us.
“Remind me to tell you about this later,” Wintermurmured to me before he greeted his aunt. “Hello there, fancy seeing you here. At this stall in particular.”
“Oh, shush,” she said to him, giving him a nudge. “Hello again, Deacon.” Then turned her attention to my parents. “Hello again.”
“Oh, lovely to see you,” Mom said, and they all exchanged pleasantries and small talk.
“I cannot believe that’s an actual reindeer,” Winter said to me, bewildered, almost.
“Have you not seen one before?”
“Only on TV.” He couldn’t take his eyes off it. “That’s... that’s incredible.” Then he looked at me. “Do you tend to them?”
I nodded. “Yes. If we have a scheduled house call to the Beltran ranch, you should come with us. You can see all her animals. She has quite the menagerie.”
He nudged Ro with his elbow. “I’d love to go to Beltran ranch one time.”
She leveled a tight smile at him, which he seemed to find funny. I wasn’t sure what that was about.
“Did you have a good day?” Mom asked me.
“Yes. I had a great day.”
“Me too,” Dad added, his smile aimed right at me. I was certain he was referring to the hug...
“Ah, the Clarks,” Mrs. Phillips said, coming over. “Merry Christmas to you all.”
Then the Jacksons stopped by to wish us a merry Christmas, then my parents got chatting with Mr. Hayes and his two boys, then the mayor, then someone else, then someone else after that. And of course, people said hello to me too, and as Winter chatted with Ro, he included me as well, but throughout all the interaction, I was more than happy to stand back and watch.
It was as if I was a part of it all but not in the middle, and that suited me perfectly.
I noticed Mom watching me. She saw that I was holding hands with Winter, and her smile was pure joy.
“I’m so happy for you,” she said quietly to me.
“Mm,” I said, unsure what I could say. “I am too.”
