Page 44 of Postmarked December

Escape into an old-fashioned Christmas! In Wears Valley, Tennessee, Christmas unfolds like an old story humming through the mountains. Snow powders the edges of wooden cabins, while wreaths of cedar and holly adorn doors that have seen generations come and go.

After our famous mountain-Christmas-tree tour, featuring decorated trees, take a hayride or jump in a horse-drawn wagon and delight in the chorus of carolers in town. When you get cold, you can get hot cocoa at The Local Mug and then snuggle up in Mason’s Bookshop where history buffs tell stories about Christmases past.

For those looking for a quiet retreat, bundle up in a blanket on your cabin’s porch by the fire and relish the view of the distant hollows and the glitter of twinkle lights…

Wow. This might be just what she needed. She’d pack her things, stop by The Steaming Quill, get herself a decadent coffee, then crank up Christmas music and make the three-plus-hour drive to the cabin. Once she got there, she’d buy herself a few groceries and settle in for the holiday. And seeing the renovations firsthand would be a good idea since she hadn’t gotten up there like she and Toby had planned.

As she folded her fuzziest sweaters, excitement built. Just as Toby’s note had said, she needed to relax. She’d have sweeping views of the mountains, light a fire, and spend her first Christmas alone getting to know this new version of herself.

It didn’t take her long to get her things together. She had her clothes, her new journal, a couple of novels she wanted to read, and her favorite slippers. She’d even considered packing her tree and taking it with her, but there was no way it would fit in her little car. Perhaps she could find a small one to decorate when she got there.

When Heather got to The Steaming Quill, she couldn’t help but scan the tables to see if Nick would appear like magic, since it was closer to his neck of the woods—as if sheer will could summon him. But no familiar face appeared. Her fingers drummed lightly on the counter while she waited for her to-go cup, and she glanced at the door when it opened, imagining it swinging wide to reveal that easy smile. She actually missed him.

This time away would be good for her. She needed to feel strong on her own. Maybe when she got back, she’d have had some revelation about who she was and what she wanted in life, and then Nick would materialize with some grand story about why he hadn’t been able to call. She pushed the growing concern out of her mind that he might be ignoring her texts. Her fragile heart couldn’t take that kind of rejection.

When her name was called for the coffee, she took the cup and climbed back into her car for the long drive into the mountains. Without looking back, she took off down the road.

Three and a half hours later, she found herself on the final stretch—a steep, winding road up the mountain. Her car groaned against the icy surface, and she gripped the steering wheel with both hands. She probably should have stopped in town to get groceries first. She’d assumed she could run back out, but given the weather and the treacherous roads, she now considered whether that had been a good idea. Could she get food delivery way up here? She’d never tried, since Toby had always had the cooking under control.

The narrow road was barely wide enough for two cars, so when another vehicle came toward her, she tightened her shoulders as if that would keep them on their respective sides of the road. It got closer, and suddenly, a thought hit her.

It’s a white SUV.

The vehicle passed and she craned her neck to see who was driving, but the tinted windows revealed only a shadow. She glanced at the vehicle in the rearview mirror. It was a Suburban. Had the one they’d followed at the tree lot been a Suburban? This one could’ve been anyone, right? Except not many cabins were off this road.

The dense forest finally gave way, and she gasped. At the very top of the mountain, the cabin stood like a guard against the gray winter sky. The front yard gleamed with the glow of a single Christmas tree, every branch twinkling with tiny lights that flickered like stars. Snow cradled the roof and pooled around the porch, reflecting the warm colors of the decorations and making the tree’s glow seem almost magical. From the windows, a faint golden light spilled outward, hinting at warmth inside, as if it were waiting for her to come home. Surely, holiday decorating wasn’t included in the renovations…

She parked her car and put on her emergency brake and then took her bags up to the front door. With a quick slip of the key into the lock, she was inside, where she found another huge surprise. The whole interior had also been decorated for the holiday. Twinkling lights traced the edges of the room, reflecting off ornaments that hung from a tall Christmas tree in the corner, while garlands of evergreen and red berries wound along the mantel and the iron staircase that led to an upstairs loft with a view of the living room.

She shut the door behind her and walked over to the roaring fire. Someone had prepared the cabin for her. She fiddled with the stockings that swayed gently above the fireplace, each one stuffed with little surprises. She peered inside—chocolates, candy canes, candles, bubble bath… The fire crackled in the stone hearth, sending shadows dancing across the log walls. The Christmas tree in the corner was full of mountain-themed ornaments—reindeer, black bears with little red-plaid bows around their necks, miniature hot cocoa mugs, and campfire replicas. She hadn’t chosen these, but they were perfect. Everywhere she looked, the cabin felt alive with peaceful joy—the kind that made time slow, inviting her to sit, breathe, and savor the moment.

With a sense of calm, she walked into the kitchen and opened the pantry, only to be surprised once more. The whole place was stocked with food, baking items, and anything she might need. A wave of relief overtook her. She wouldn’t have to go out again, thank goodness. She checked the fridge: milk, orange juice, coffee cream, fruit, vegetables, condiments…champagne. She opened the freezer: frozen pizzas. She laughed. She’d told Toby more than once that frozen pizza was the closest she’d ever get to cooking anything.

The white SUV came to mind. A punch of amusement hit her when the thought arose: Would Toby have an SUV in heaven? It was white after all… Whoever the angel was who’d done this for her, they’d thought of everything.

Under the tree were three wrapped gifts. What could they be? She wouldn’t rush to open them. It was Christmas Eve. She could at least wait for tomorrow.

She found a radio in the kitchen and tuned it to Christmas music, the familiar songs winding through the house as she carried her bags up the stairs to the master bedroom. She unpacked, piling her heavy sweaters into the deep dresser drawers. The bedspread she’d chosen was quilted with various patterns on each square, and across from the bed, in the fireplace, a fire was going already.

She looked around at the evidence of someone having been there. A twinge of worry overtook her as Marion’s warnings came back. Was the SUV the same one they’d seen at the tree lot? To do all this, someone else had to have a key to the cabin, but she’d locked the extra security latch on the doors when she’d come inside, so no one could get in. And with all her provisions, she wouldn’t have to go outside again until she was ready to go back home. She’d be fine.

Just to be extra safe, she clutched her phone and walked around to every room, checking behind shower curtains, under beds, in closets, until she’d exhausted every possible hiding spot. No one was there.

With everything unpacked, she took one of her novels downstairs and preheated the oven to bake one of the frozen pizzas. Then she took down a stocking and dumped it on the coffee table, picking through the contents and selecting a few of her favorite chocolates—hazelnut, ganache, and coconut cream. While the oven preheated, she curled up in the armchair by the fire, a blanket she’d gotten from a basket on the hearth draped over her knees as the soft hum of the radio filled the cabin with holiday tunes. The DJ’s voice threaded through the music, and it felt as though someone was sitting across from her, sharing a laugh or a quiet sigh. Snow pressed against the windows in gentle drifts, but inside, the crackle of the fire and the DJ’s smooth cadence made the cabin feel less lonely, as if the world beyond the mountains had completely disappeared. As the music played, she opened her book, a small, comforting reminder that even in solitude, she wasn’t entirely alone.

Her phone rang on the table, interrupting her little moment.

Hopeful the caller might be Nick, she jumped up and ran over to answer.

Marion.

“How was the drive?” Marion asked.

“Snowy. I’d originally thought I’d do some things in town, but Toby always used to drive, and I’m not comfortable going up and down the mountain.” With the phone on speaker, she went into the kitchen and turned down the radio.

“Do you feel safe out there by yourself?”

“You’d be proud of me. I checked the entire house to be sure it’s empty, and I locked the extra locks on all the doors, so no one can get in.” She walked back into the living room and pulled the latch on the sliding doors that opened to the deck, then walked out into the cold. “And the only door that matters is the front door, because out back it’s gotta be a couple hundred feet down. I’m outside looking at it now.”