Chapter 1
Candy Baker hummed, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” by Darlene Love as she worked to glue a pair of pretty blue eyes onto the face of a cute Christmas bear. Oh, how Candy loved working at thePine Snow Toy Factory. Pine Snow was Candy's hometown. Sadly, the town, located in northern New York, was poor, and the toy factory was the only business that offered substantial employment other than the local grocery store, bank, and schools. If a person managed to get a job at the toy factory, they held onto the job for life. Candy had begun working at the toy factory right out of high school. Now, at the age of forty—twenty-two years later—she managed what she called theTeddy Bear Toyland. Not much had changed in Pine Snow during Candy's time at the toy factory other than a miserable divorce—and an economy growing weaker by the day. No matter. Candy was sure the toy factory would never fail.
“Christmas...please baby come home...baby come home,” Candy hummed as she worked. Carol had called in sick for the day, and Candy was more than happy to take Carol's place at her old table. Candy adored teddy bears more than any Christmas gift that the toy factory helped bring to life. Teddy bears were sospecial. Being promoted and offered an office and a higher pay had been great, but Candy missed making teddy bears. “There you go...now you have eyes.” Candy smiled a sweet, tender, precious smile that touched a pair of beautiful blue eyes.
“He's very cute,” a voice spoke next to Candy. “It's good to have you back in here with us for the day.”
Candy put down the white teddy bear whose color matched the color of the sweater she was wearing. It did feel good to be back in the toy room instead of being crammed up in her office taking orders all day. “I've missed being here, too, Fran. I love this toy room...and I've spent a good many years at this table.”
Fran Lane studied the beautiful brunette who had the rosiest cheeks she had ever seen. Fran always swore that if Santa Claus was real and needed a wife...well, Candy Baker would have been the perfect woman to fit the role. Candy epitomized everything Christmas was. The woman wasMs. Christmas. There was no doubt about that. “And it's even snowing.”
Candy smiled, and it lit up the entire toy room. “And it's only the first week in November. We're going to have a snowy winter this year...lots and lots of snow.”
“We always have lots and lots of snow, honey.” Fran laughed. Fran was sixty years old. She was a “thirty-year” worker at the toy factory, but because she didn't have a high school diploma and refused to get one, the only position Fran could have was working in the teddy bear toy room. That was just fine with Fran. She was married to a man who managed the local grocery store. Between the two of them, they managed to pay their bills and live in a nice home.
Candy smiled again. “I know,” she told Fran and then looked around the toy room. No one was present except for Fran and herself, as the other two ladies who worked there were out sick. “Working here is like being at the North Pole because of the candy cane walls, artificial Christmas trees in all four corners ofthe room, boxes designed to look like Christmas presents, tons of Christmas teddy bears, and four tables covered with stuffing, glue sticks, ribbon, and clothes.”
Fran nodded at a long window hugging the north wall. “With all the snow falling outside, we might as well be at the North Pole, and speaking of the North Pole…” Fran's voice reluctantly became serious. She folded her arms over her sweater. “I've been hearing rumors.”
Candy's smile slowly faded, and she turned to look at Fran. Fran appeared tired. The woman, who had once had the prettiest black hair Candy had ever seen, was now gray. Fran had survived cancer, but the fight to live had taken its toll. Candy had fought tooth and nail to keep Fran on at the toy factory after the owner, Bob Vance, wanted to fire her for missing too much work. “Fran, we all know Bob Vance is nearly seventy years old. He's a real Scrooge, and he's never treated anyone here at the toy factory with kindness or respect.”
“That's because he knows everyone needs a job,” Fran pointed out in a tone that had turned sour. “I stay here because of you and Betty. Both of you are angels in my eyes.”
“Betty is an angel. Sometimes I wonder how she remains married to Mr. Vance.”
“You're an angel, too. You saved my job while I was taking cancer treatments,” Fran pointed out.
“Well, Betty went to war with Mr. Vance in the end...and won. There wasn't much I could do except beg Betty to help me and try to talk sense into Mr. Vance.” Candy sighed a little. Bob Vance was an awful man. That much was true. However, Betty Vance was a real darling and an angel.
“Well, I guess it doesn't matter if I would have lost my job. I've been hearing rumors that the toy factory is going to shut down after Christmas,” Fran told Candy.
“Mr. Vance is going to put the toy factory up for sale,” Candy clarified. “We're not shutting down.”
“Well, I think I might have five years left in me. After that, I'm going to retire regardless.” Fran looked deeply into Candy's glowing eyes. “I get lonely sitting at home, Candy. My two sons never even call. My husband works ten hours a day at the grocery store because he can't stand sitting in front of a television, and if we're in the same room for too long, we start barking at each other. So, with that said...do you think this toy factory has five years left?”
“Oh sure.” Candy nodded. “We're famous for making teddy bears and other toys that have been in production since the 1930s. We make traditional Christmas toys.”
Fran studied Candy's eyes. Either Candy was extremely naive or lying. Fran wasn't sure which. “Honey, I'm eligible to retire and collect my pension...and so are you. We're only required to work twenty years—”
“I'm far too young to retire,” Candy cut Fran off in a gentle voice.
“I know that...but...what if...whoever buys this toy factory is worse than Bob?” Fran asked. “I won't be able to stand that. I'll lay down my apron and walk away quicker than anyone can blink an eye.”
“I'm sure whoever buys the toy factory will be—” Before Candy could finish her sentence, the door to the toy room opened. A sixty-eight-year-old woman appeared with the gloomiest face Candy had ever seen. “Betty...what's wrong?” Candy jumped off the stool she was sitting on and ran to Betty Vance.
“It's...Bob,” Betty answered as tears began spilling from her eyes. “Oh, Candy, Bob betrayed us...all of us.” Betty threw her arms around Candy. “I found papers. I know who he is selling the toy factory to.”
Candy placed a loving hand on the back of Betty's head. “It's okay, Betty...please don't cry...try to calm down.”
“I can't.” Betty continued to cry. Tears dripped from her eyes and fell onto her Christmas sweater. Betty's short gray hair rested on her sweater like piles of messy snow. Most people at the toy factory called BettyJessica Tandy. Betty didn't mind. She liked Jessica Tandy. “Bob is selling the toy factory to a company that's going to tear it down and build a recycling plant.”
“What?” Candy stumbled backward.
Betty waved a trembling hand around the toy room. “All of our memories...all the years we've spent here...everything is going to be torn down. The county has already approved the deal. Supposedly, the deal is going to bring in more jobs for Pine Snow. This is...our last Christmas, Candy...our last Christmas. I've spent sixty years working at this toy factory...this is my home. This is where I met Bob.”
Fran stood up, removed her candy cane-designed apron, threw the apron down onto her worktable, and went for her pocketbook. “That's the last straw. I'm going to lunch, and when I get back, I'm putting in my two-week notice and filing my retirement papers.”
“We're closing our doors for good on Christmas Eve,” Betty told Candy and Fran. “I demanded Bob give all the workers a good Christmas bonus as not many workers have worked enough years to earn retirement. I felt so bad for them, so I begged Bob not to do this. He...threatened to divorce me if I didn't leave him alone. He's...changed.”
