“Four cappuccinos to go, please,” Mack said. “And an extra black coffee. I’ll have that here while I call my family. And…do you have any apple pie left from last night? Holly really loved it and her parents drove here from Minneapolis. I think they might be hungry.”
Marty winked. “For you, I’m sure I can find some leftovers. Come on in, it’s cold outside.”
Inside the diner, the scent of fresh coffee and baking pastries enveloped Mack. She was the first one in, she noticed, as she sat at the counter, watching Marty and two staff members bustle about.
Mack called her sister, but there was no answer. Then she tried her parents, and again, there was no answer. She was starting to worry until a message from her mother came in. “Sorry dear, we’re driving. I’ll call you back in twenty minutes.”
She frowned. What did that mean? Were they driving to the hospital with her sister? Were they driving to the store because Sarah had cravings again?
“Here you go,” Marty said, setting a tray with four large coffees and a paper bag in front of her. “It’s on the house—consider it a Christmas gift.”
Mack’s eyes widened as she looked up from her phone. “Marty, you don’t have to?—”
“Nonsense,” Marty interrupted with a wave of his hand. “It’s Christmas, and by the looks of it, you might be able to get home today. One of my waitresses told me they were bringing in extra Greyhounds to leave from the bus station throughout the day for all the stranded tourists. Now go on, before those coffees get cold.”
“That’s so kind of you. You’ve all been so kind.” She thanked him profusely before heading back out into the cold, carefully balancing the tray of coffees. As she walked, her mind drifted back to her sister and her parents. She would drop off the coffee and the pie, then head to the bus station to see if she could get a ride home. It felt bittersweet having to say goodbye to Holly after such a beautiful time together, especially because it would end so abruptly. She was hopeful they’d see each other again, but for now, Holly needed time with her parents, and Mack needed to be with her family.
Chapter 16
Holly
Holly’s heart raced as she opened the door, coming face-to-face with her parents for the first time in nearly a year. The moment felt surreal, like a scene from a movie playing out in slow motion. Her mother’s eyes, brimming with tears, met hers, and before Holly could say a word, she was enveloped in a tight embrace.
“Oh, sweetheart,” her mother whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “I’ve missed you so much.”
Holly felt her own eyes welling up as she returned the hug, breathing in the familiar scent of her mother. It was a scent that brought back a flood of memories—childhood Christmases, family dinners, quiet conversations over cups of tea. For a moment, she allowed herself to melt into the embrace, to be that little girl again, safe in her mother’s arms.
When they pulled apart, Holly turned to her father. He stood a few steps back, his posture stiff, his expression unreadable. He had always been the more reserved of her parents, less prone to emotional displays. But as their eyes met, Holly saw a softening in his gaze.
“Hi, Dad,” she said.
He cleared his throat, nodding. “Hello, Holly.” There was a pause, and then, in a move that surprised her, he stepped forward and pulled her into a brief, awkward hug. It wasn’t much, but coming from her father, it spoke volumes.
“How did you find me?” Holly asked as she ushered them into the room. “I don’t remember mentioning the name of the motel on the phone.
“We started driving at three in the morning, as soon as the snow stopped,” her mother explained. “We didn’t want to wake you up, so we traced the number you’d called us on back to this motel. We wanted to bring you home for Christmas.”
Holly’s heart swelled at their effort, even as a twinge of panic set in. Her gaze darted around the room, suddenly hyperaware of every detail. The garish decorations seemed even more outlandish in the light of day, and she cringed inwardly as her parents took in the sight.
Her father’s eyebrows rose when he saw the modified wall art. “‘Don’t fall asleep without flossing’?” he read aloud, his tone a mix of confusion and amusement.
“Oh, that,” Holly said, feeling her cheeks warm. “It’s a long story. The room came with some…interesting decor.”
Her mother’s gaze traveled upward, and Holly’s stomach dropped as she remembered the mistletoe hanging from the ceiling. In her panic to get dressed, she had completely forgotten about it.
“Well,” her mother said, a note of forced cheerfulness in her voice, “they certainly went all out with the Christmas spirit, didn’t they?”
Holly nodded, grateful for her mother’s attempt to gloss over the awkwardness. She busied herself with making the bed, trying to erase any evidence of the night before. “Please, have a seat,” she said, gesturing to the small table by the window. “I’m sorry it’s not very comfortable. You must be tired.”
As her parents settled into the chairs, Holly caught her mother’s gaze lingering on the scattered candles around the room, and Holly felt a flash of defensiveness.
“We tried to make the best of the situation,” she said, her voice coming out sharper than she’d intended. She took a deep breath, reminding herself that this was supposed to be about reconciliation. “It wasn’t ideal, but Mack and I actually had a nice time.”
“Mack?” her father asked, his brow furrowing. “Is that the young woman who answered the door? How do you two know each other?”
Holly perched on the edge of the bed, facing her parents. This was it—the moment of truth. “We were both stranded, and when there was only one room left here, I offered to share it with her.”
Her mother cleared her throat. “In one bed? With a stranger?” The question hung in the air, heavy with implication.
