Page 82 of The Forever Christmas Tree

“It was wonderful. I can’t believe how you transformed that ballroom in less than a day.”

“Gabe couldn’t believe it, either.” Laura rolled her eyes with mischief.

“So, is it something serious with you and Gabe?”

“I don’t know. He went back to Durham today, and I’m not sure when he’ll be back. I think I scare him.”

Wendy laughed. “Sometimes you scare me with your wild enthusiasms.”

“Hey, without wild enthusiasms, life would be boring. Speaking of boring, how is Ethan?” She waggled her eyebrows, knowing that they had spent the night together in her apartment. “Are you two a thing again?”

“Hardly. Oh, Laura, I still love him, after all these years. But I don’t know how he feels about me. And what’s the point anyhow?”

“Are you kidding? The jerk is crazy in love with you like he always has been. Disgusting, really! And the point? Does love have a point?”

Wendy’s traitorous heart lifted at those words. “How do you know that Ethan still loves me? He hasn’t said so.”

“Have you said it to him?”

“Well, no. He should say it first.”

Laura sighed and said, “You two remind me of a bad romance novel. No, I’m not saying all romance novels are bad. I devour them, just like you do. I’m talking about the ones where the hero and heroine just can’t get together because of all these miscommunications, and the reader wants to yell at them, ‘Just talk to each other, you idiots!’ Know what I mean?”

That was easier said than done.

“By the way, you people planning on opening a Christmas store?” Laura asked.

She was referring to the huge mountain of wrapped presents that were under the tree, around the tree, and spilling out into the hall.

“The gift exchanging got a little out of hand. We’re going to start unwrapping this evening, after the Bell Walk but before Midnight Mass. You going?”

“I wouldn’t miss either of them. Or tomorrow’s service at St. Andrew’s. This is what Bell Cove is all about, honey.”

“And the open house here, too. Don’t forget. If Gabe is still out of town, you might want to meet the new doctor.”

“Jefferson Hale? You’ve met him? Is he hot?”

“Fickle much, girlfriend?” Wendy remarked with a smile. “I don’t know about hot, but I think you’ll like him.”

“Wow! Sex and the Single Bell Cove Girl is suddenly getting a boost with an influx of males.” She glanced pointedly toward the dining room where Geek and JAM and K-4 were looking over some maps with Frank.

About seven p.m. the Bell Walk began. With the town and its environs sectioned off into quarters, members of the two church choirs split into four groups and began singing carols as they moved from the farthest points toward the center of town. Some of them were dressed in Edwardian era attire (men in top hats and waistcoats, women in long gowns) while others just dressed in normal attire, and still others wore choral robes. Because there was a chill in the air, Wendy wore her mother’s red coat.

As they sang, and rang their bells, people emerged from their homes and joined the walk. All of them carried candles in paper cones and bells of all sizes, everything from tiny dinner-type bells to school bells to cowbells. They sang and rang their bells at the end of each lyric. It should have been discordant, but it wasn’t. There was an odd harmony to it all.

Adding to the aura, snowflakes began to come down, lightly at first, then heavier. Everyone smiled. Snow at Christmas on Bell Cove was considered a gift.

Starting with “Do You Hear What I Hear?” leading to “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “Silver Bells,” “O Holy Night,” and all the old traditional songs, the line of carolers got longer and longer until they reached the town square where there was already a crowd of business people and tourists. By now, a half inch of snow lay on the ground, and it was still coming down. It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas, Wendy and many others remarked.

All the bells began to ring at once. Circling around the town square, the marchers stopped, went silent for a moment, then everyone yelled, “Merry Christmas.” And rang their bells some more.

JAM and Geek and K-4 and Diane kept glancing around with wide eyes. Small-town traditions like this were new to them. Their running commentaries amused Wendy, as well as others around them.

“Cool! This is so cool!”

“Oh, wow, look over there. That guy looks just like George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge.”

“Maybe it is George C. Scott.”