“What do a couple of letters from Quinn and your wedding bands prove?” Ashley asks. She crosses her legs.
“It proves that the separation didn’t work the way you all thought it would. Our love can still fuel the magic. Daily, the workshop is producing double the gifts it was when we started here allthanks to these letters. Quinn’s and my love didn’t need to end. We only needed the space to explore ourselves and our love on our own terms for it to continue,” I relay. Loaded silence permeates the room before…
“I knew this would work,” Colleen says, springing to her feet.
“Absence makes the heart grow fonder,” says Yvonne. “The oldest adage in the book. I should’ve known.”
“Wait, this was the plan all along?” I ask, bewildered yet relieved to find I’ve fallen into a trap.
“Love that overcomes is stronger than love that settles,” says Nicholas, imbuing the words with deep sagacity. “The magic is on the mend. Your love has proven itself.”
“Does that mean— Does that mean Quinn and I can get back together?” I fiddle with the rings. My fingers itch to remove this necklace, undo the wedding bands, and put them back where they belong.
“Indeed.” Colleen touches a hand to her heart.
“And he can stay in New Jersey even if I stay on as Santa?”
Colleen smiles then speaks again. “So long as he spreads cheer and love to everyone he encounters. We’ve already begun rewriting our bylaws.”
“Remember, not all shake-ups are bad,” says Nicholas with a wink. “That’s our mantra going forward. No more gendered language, no more overly strict expectations, and no morethis is how we’ve always done it. Times change. You and Quinn showed us that we need to change along with it.”
Hobart yips with glee.
The letters to Quinn, from then until Christmas, pour out of me.
Let’s just say a Christmas miracle is on its way,I write in the first one.
What? How? Have I told you recently that you’re amazing?Quinn says at the beginning of his reply.
As my days blur into nights and the big ride inches ever closer,I find time every evening to sit by candlelight, dip my quill into the inkwell, and write to my husband. I’m leaning into the drama of it all.
You’re really not going to tell me what to expect?Quinn writes in a later letter.
I’m really not going to tell you,I scribe back.Can I ask you another favor? Can you tell my parents to stay up until midnight on Christmas Eve? I need to see them.
Our letters start arriving closer and closer together as the excitement mounts.Of course. I’m actually seeing your mom this weekend. We’re picking out a restaurant for Christmas dinner. Apparently evenshe’sover cooking the ham. She told me she doesn’t evenlikeham! It’s just tradition at this point. Suffice to say, we had a good laugh.
My heart thumps steadily as everything falls into place.
I sign off my final letter to Quinn for the year:See you soon, my love, when all will be revealed.
53’TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMASQUINN
There’s nothing more exciting than watching a festive Christmas movie in your garland-festooned living room at midnight on Christmas Eve.
Scratch that, there’s nothing more exciting than watching a festive Christmas movie in your garland-festooned living room at midnight on Christmas Eve when you know, any hour now, your magical husband is going to slide down the chimney and kiss you madly.
I’ve got hot cocoa to keep me up, kettle corn to keep me fed, and Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel to keep me company. I’ll never get tired of this movie. Never, ever.
It’s the perfect treat after a grueling yet rewarding weekend of performances with the coalition kids. Their holiday pageant went off without a hitch, thanks in large part to me, which is why, in the New Year, Kacey and I plan to discuss potential full-time employment with the nonprofit. I’m excited to ring in a new chapter for my career.
My phone pings with a text from Veronica. Included is a video of Luca and Milo coming in from her mom and stepdad’s backyard with mud all over their snouts and paws.Merry Christmas, ya filthy animalsshe’s captioned it.
Me:Adorable!
Veronica:Has your husband come yet?
Me:Wouldn’t you like to know…
