Turning to Lilli, who suggested we make the rounds of the mountain where her and her lumberjack husband, Landon, live, I nod. “Yes, I am. I will make gifts for the shelter, which I love to do. Why not make a little more?”
“A little more...Serena, you said you were giving a gift toevery single house in town. That is...more than a few more.”
Laughing, I nod as we approach the first house. “It is, but I love making gifts. It is me giving a little of myself to someone.”
“To an entire town, in this case. You’re a good one, Serena Bell.”
Beaming at her kind words, I join the others on the porch of a small cabin set back from the main road. This is Mack and Mollie Felle’s place. Mack runs the lumber landings here in Driftwood. Two landings ship lumber all over the country. They’re diligent about planting just as much as they take so they never ruin the lovely landscape of the mountains they work on.
Mollie comes to the door with hot chocolate, as we launch into our first song. We practiced for over a week, but this first go we’re a mess. Laughing at how awful we’re harmonizing, we pass the cups of hot chocolate around then start again. The second go we’re on fire. Mollie and Mack watch us with beaming smiles, and I know we’re doing a good thing.
“Be sure to go to Elena and Everett’s place,” Mack suggests, smirking when someone gasps. “Oh, no need to fear him. Elena has tamed that big old beast, I assure you. This is nice, Serena. If any of the other guys give you a hard time, you let me know and I will deal with them.”
“Well, I hope they welcome us as it is the Holiday season. Here, for both of you,” I hand over the bag with the ornament I made just for them.
“Oh, Serena,” Mollie coos as she takes it from the bag, letting the golden shimmer shine in the light. “This is beautiful,” she breathes, tracing the letters of their last name embellished on the glittering ornament.
“I am so glad you like it! I am giving everyone in town some sort of ornament. Well, I am going to try, at least,” I correct myself with a laugh.
“That is amazing. The whole town?”
“Yes, ma’am. I love making them, so I thought I would make one for each house. We make some down at the shelter, so it got me thinking I could bring some joy this holiday by making some for everyone.”
“If you need anything at the shelter, or for your gift-giving, you let us know,” Mack tells me, jerking his head in a way to let me know he means it.
“I will be sure to do that. As suggested, we’re off to the other Felle household. I will let your cousin Everett know you sent us,” I tease as we turn to head down the mountain to another cabin.
We stop at his cousin, Everett’s place, where we chat with his wife Elena as their daughter Loa sings along with us. I bend to her level, gifting her the ornament I made for their tree. It’s her favorite color, a bright teal blue that shines in the gray evening light. Loa’s eyes get huge as she holds it in her little hands, beaming a beautiful smile up at me.
“It’s for us! It’s our name!” She enthuses, turning to show it to her mother and father.
“That it is. You did not have to do that,” Elena says warmly.
“Well, we’ve got another song for you, so hold that thought.”
Behind me, our lead alto starts off on her favorite song, O Come All Ye Faithful, and we all join in. Loa does not know the words, yet tries to hum along with us, dancing between her parents. If no one else answers the door, if not one other mountain man or lumberjack on this mountain lets us sing for them tonight, this will be good enough for me.
Finishing up with them, we head a little further down to another cabin tucked back from the road. The door swings open and Luke and Leia Wade beat us to the punch. Leia is playing a guitar as Luke sings into a karaoke mic, his voice echoing intothe mountains.
“Thought we would join for a song or two, Serena,” Leia tells me.
“Is this you two making fun of our good tidings?” I shoot back, brow arched, hand on my hip. We stare each other down before we all erupt with laughter.
“Never! This is the cutest thing to happen to Driftwood Peaks in ages!”
“Do not tease these kind folks,” I warn her before I cue them to start singing.
Luke joins in, still singing into the mic, even holding it out for some of the carolers. It is my second favorite stop of the night. Passing them their ornament before I go, I thank them for being such good sports. Luke teases me that we will have to visit his brothers and sister in Crystal Cove, to give them a real show once we’re done on the mountain.
We hit half a dozen other houses, and I hand out gifts to each house. Even the growly mountain men who soften once we finish a song, and I present their gift. We’re halfway done with making the rounds when I notice a light glowing in the distance. It’s not a house I had on our list of ones to stop at, so I hesitate to suggest going.
Can’t show up to a mountain man’s door without a gift, can I?
“We might not want to hit that place,” Lilli tells me, nodding down a long, narrow drive that stretches for half a mile before disappearing into the dense woods. “Slater Roth will not welcome any of this. I promise.”
Tilting my head, I ignore the shiver that runs up my spin.Slater Roth. If ever there was a beast up on this mountain, it is him. At least that is what people in town say. He works on the landings with Mack Felle’s crews, but he is not one of them. Thatis also what others say.
“Well, now I am definitely going, with a gift or not. We all need people, Lilli. None of us are an island,” I tell her something my mother always tells me, whenever one of us was trying too hard to be strong.
