She set a pot of coffee brewing and watched it impatiently while it slowly dripped into the pot. As the rich aroma filled the air, she leaned against the counter, still mulling over the unexpected turn of events. There was nothing she could do to change the missed tour, but she decided to make a new plan, determined not to let this blip spoil her entire day.
She walked over to the large window that faced the Royal Mile and looked out into the bustling street. It had snowed again overnight, and although the city was blanketed in white, the bright mid-morning sun was beginning to melt it. The edge of the roof dripped, and the sun cast tiny prisms of color against the kitchen walls with each drop of melting snow. Following their rainbow trails across the room, her eyes landed on the little red book resting on the side table.
Stepping forward, she picked it up. She still couldn’t shake the eerie coincidence that had unfolded—the near miss with Christmas bells echoing a scene from the very book she held in her hands. A shiver ran down her spine as she thought about the uncanny parallels between fiction and reality. It was odd: it read like a journal but was printed and bound like a book. And what about the book appearing as blank pages at first, only to transforminto printed text in her hands, adding another layer of mystery to the whole situation.Maybe it is one of those illusion books with heat-activated ink, she thought. Still, that didn’t explain the strange coincidence with the Christmas bells. Perhaps it was just that—a bizarre coincidence.
Interrupting her stream of thought, the coffee pot’s beep signaled that her much-needed caffeine was ready. Setting the book aside, Nora went back into the kitchen.
Pouring the steaming coffee into her mug, she couldn’t resist the temptation of the gingerbread men peeking out from the bakery bag. She plucked one out and without hesitation, dipped its foot into the coffee and then promptly bit it off. The sweet taste of sugar and spices provided a welcome distraction as she washed it down with a sip of the hot coffee.
Nora, still nibbling on the cookie, strolled back into the bedroom and retrieved her grandmother’s photo album from its snug spot in her bag. Carrying it into the kitchen, she felt a spark of serendipity. If this album was to be her travel guide, now was the perfect moment to let its pages unfold the map of her next adventure. This was her chance to be a little spontaneous and go off course.
Flipping through the pages of memories, she paused at a photo capturing her gram in front of a Christmas tree in the hospital ward, hand raised up toward the top of the tree, and a radiant smile gracing her face.
Nora paused for a moment, staring down at the photo, and then it came to her. The Christmas Market was something on her list to do anyway and now that the tour was out, it was the perfect activity for the day. Swiftly grabbing her phone, she mapped out the location of this year’s market while finishing off her gingerbread man.
Eager and a tad proud of herself, she hurried to prepare forthe day, ready to embark on the new and unexpected adventure her grandmother’s memories were unfolding for her.
After a good shower and some clean clothes, she was ready to go. Grabbing her bag and her jacket she walked out the door of her rental. As she prepared to leave the building, Nora reached to zip up her coat. However, just before she could secure it, the zipper jammed halfway up, leaving half her chest exposed to the wintery air. She tugged at it and tried to free the fabric from its grasp.
“Good thing I opted for layers today,” she muttered to herself as she gave up on trying to free the stubborn zipper.
Despite the sun casting its full glow, the temperature lingered just above freezing as Nora stepped out into the frigid morning. Emerging from under the awning, she checked her phone, pulling up Google Maps to pinpoint her destination. Just as she was about to step out onto the street, a large clump of snow slipped from the awning, landing squarely down into the open gap of her jacket.
“Shit,” she said as she let out a small scream, the cold snow sliding down her back. She began jumping up and down while pulling at the bottom of her jacket to release the snow. People stared at her like she was a crazy person but at that very moment, she couldn’t care less. All she wanted was the icy snow out of her shirt. As hard as she tried, it was no use as the snow melted quickly at the touch of her warm bare skin and left her with goosebumps from head to toe.
Quickly, Nora made her way down Princes Street, her breath visible in the crisp air. The unexpected snow shower had left her chilled, and she was eager to find the market and a hot cup of cocoa.
Extending across the large gateway into the market, a festivered and white banner proudly announced Edinburgh Christmas Market in gold-trimmed letters. She found herself taken aback by the sheer size of the space. It unfolded before her like a festive labyrinth, not just a multitude of vendors but also an assortment of fair rides. Twinkle lights brightened every stall, and small Christmas trees nestled in pots were scattered along the thoroughfare. The air seemed to crackle and spark with Christmas magic, and she felt like a wide-eyed child as she looked around in wonder.
Amidst the lively hum of voices, the distant sound of a bagpipe wafted from the far end, complemented by cheerful tunes of traditional Christmas music echoing from a nearby merry-go-round. The smell of mulled wine and hot chocolate filled the air where she stood.
Turning around, she found a small stall painted in pine green with a vinyl banner that said Coffee and Cocoa in bold red letters and lit with twinkling fairy lights. A tall woman, slightly older than Nora, stood behind the counter, taking orders. She joined the line behind a middle-aged couple dressed in business attire. The man whispered something to the woman, who chuckled and playfully nudged him. Watching their flirtatious exchange, Nora guessed they were newly dating and out on a lunch date.
The sun ducked behind a cloud as a pang of loneliness settled in her stomach while she watched the couple pay for their cocoa and disappear into the bustling crowd. As much as she hated to admit it, she missed the kind of companionship she once had with Sam.It would’ve been nice to have someone to share this experience with, exploring Scotland together. Then her thoughts drifted to her grandmother, who had ventured to Scotland alone. She didn’t need anyone with her to find the magic of this place; she had discovered it on her own with her adventurous spirit.
Nora needed to channel her grandmother’s drive and zest for life by embracing this adventure. Now was her time to truly immerse herself in the magic of the moment.
Chapter Thirteen
Collision
After ordering a cup of cocoa, Nora continued wandering the pathways through the sea of vendors with a new determination to step outside her comfort zone.
The countless vendor stalls formed a bustling row, accompanied by hundreds of people strolling through, enjoying the spirited atmosphere of the market. Ahead, a fiddler played a lively jig while the sweet smells of Christmas—ginger, allspice, and cinnamon—filled the air from a nearby tent selling an array of baked goods.
Traveling down a long row of vendors, Nora sipped at her cocoa and perused a few stalls that caught her eye. A jeweler displayed hammered silver and gold necklaces, a small booth offered homemade herbal tea blends, and a vintage music tent showcased old records and memorabilia. Her eyes lit up when shespotted an Oasis pin, and she knew she had to have it. The band had been a favorite of hers in high school, and she remembered attending one of their concerts with her friends as a last hurrah together during their senior year.
After purchasing the pin and securing it to her jacket, she tossed her empty cup into a bin and made her way down toward the end of the row. The smell of fresh popcorn and spicy-rich foods hit her nose, and her stomach began to groan. That lone gingerbread man she had eaten earlier was having a hard time combating her hunger. She followed the savory aroma of meat mixed with tangy spices over to a vendor’s tent to her right with a sign that read Meat Pies.
Doing her best to be adventurous, she got in line. This was not normally something she would have gone for, but she reminded herself that stepping out of her comfort zone was the only way to experience a truly authentic life.Something as small as trying a meat pie counts, she thought as she stepped over to the menu.
The only meat pies she had ever eaten were turkey ones her mother cooked after Thanksgiving. These pies looked very different from that. They were small square individual sizes with brown flaky crusts and slits carved into their tops to show off what was inside. She had a variety of pies to choose from—minced, lamb, beef, pork, and venison, and it took her a moment to decide.
“Can I help ya?” a portly man behind the table asked as she stepped forward.
“Yes, could I get a venison pie?” she asked. She had eaten venison before but never in pie form.
He nodded and turned to face a large pair of warmers, pulling a pie from the smaller of the two and putting it in a to-go box. Then he uncovered a Crock-Pot and generously added a dollopof what appeared to be mashed potatoes on top of the pie, completing the savory dish.
