Meri nodded. “Consider it taken care of.”
I exhaled. We were making good progress.
“Lucy,” I said, “I need you on logistics with Dex for the Christmas market. I have a stack of vendor forms and they need to know where they are setting up, who gets hydro, what the times are, all that..”
Lucy gave me a look that was both approving and wary. “This is a lot.”
“I know,” I murmured.
“We can do it. If Lucy and I could organize the annual Fitzwilliam and Hale Christmas party, we can do a Christmas market,” Dex confidently said.
“Okay, the Christmas market is ours,” Lucy agreed.
“Lydia, can you take over skate night and snow sculpting? Caleb has the music, you just need to let people know, ensure the times, and have someone judge any contests,” I requested.
“Absolutely. What are the prizes?” Lydia asked.
We all paused.
“I don’t know yet, but I will find prizes,” I decided. I turned last to Ephram, who had gone very still. “And you…”
He blinked. “Me.”
“Yes,” I said. “Besides permits, you’re… flexible.”
Lydia laughed. “Oh no.”
Ephram glanced around. “What does flexible mean in this context?”
“It means,” I said carefully, “that you are now helping anyone who needs an extra hand with something. Everyone, please don’t abuse poor Ephram.”
He opened his mouth to object.
Dex clapped him on the shoulder. “Welcome to the family.”
“I’m not in the family,” Ephram said weakly.
“You’re dating Lydia,” Lucy replied. “That’s the same thing.”
Lydia beamed.
The room buzzed again, but this time it was productive. Chairs scraped as people repositioned. Papers were shuffled into new piles. Jane started labeling stacks with quiet efficiency. Dex began sketching a rough vendor layout on the back of an envelope.
Caleb leaned toward me slightly.
“You’re doing well,” he said, low enough that only I could hear.
I swallowed. “I feel like I’m making it up as I go.”
“Everyone does,” he said.
I almost laughed.
When the meeting finally wound down, the kitchen looked like it had survived a storm and remained standing. Lists were refined while responsibilities were assigned. My head still ached a little, but it no longer felt like it might split open.
People drifted out one by one. Dex lingered long enough to refill his mug and give me a look that was all quiet approval.
“You’re good at this,” he said.
