to believe that she’d got all the information that she needed so easily.
A few minutes after she left her office, she heard James’s knock on her door. She answered it with a big smile on her face. James looked anything but happy. “What’s wrong?”
James walked in the door and paced the living room. Clearly, something bothered him. “Did something happen to you on the way over?”
He still didn’t answer.
“Are you okay?” Mary asked. She walked over to him and reached up to touch his forehead. “Everything—”
“Everything is just fine. You’ve upset my grandmother.”
“If I have upset your grandmother that is her own doing. I just asked her a few questions. The questions may have upset her, but I can assure you, James, that I am just doing my job.”
“Stop writing that damned article!”
Mary jumped, she knew James would be upset, but he’d never yelled at her. “No.”
“No? Then I’ll go to your boss.”
“Go ahead. I really don’t care what you want, James. I am writing the article, with or without your permission. The people of this town need to know the truth.”
“You really think people want to know how cynical you are.”
“I am not cynical!”
“Yes you are. You are the most stubborn woman I know. You say you don’t believe in romance, fate, happily-ever-after…Well, let me tell you something. My grandparents are happy and you are out to destroy that for some reason. I will not let that happen. For years I have watched the way they look at each other. What’s wrong with you?”
Mary looked down at her hands as she continued to type. “Nothing is wrong with me. I just think people should know the truth.”
“I thought you were different.”
Mary stopped what she was doing and looked up, as tears glistened in her eyes. “I am.”
“No, no you’re not. I asked you to marry me. I love you, Mary, and here you are—just the same as everyone else that I talk to every day, and I’m sick of it.”
“James, no!”
“I can’t see you anymore, Mary,” James said quietly as he started for the door.
“But what about your proposal?” Mary started to panic now. She’d just begun to get used to the idea that she and James would be together forever.
“Did you think I could be with someone who would tear apart the lives of my family?”
“But it’s the truth, James.”
“So, what?”
“So what? So, it’s my job.”
“Your job was to write about the festival, not destroy it. I am just sorry I ever got involved in the first place.”
“Go then. Do what everyone else always does.”
“I asked you several times to stop writing it. You still haven’t listened. When you love someone, you compromise. I guess I got the answer I needed.”
“But…”
“You were right, Mary. It was way too soon. Have a good Christmas,” James said, then walked out the door, slamming it.
Mary put her head in her hands, sat on the couch and cried the rest of the evening.
****
That night, while Mary cried, little things happened in the town of Noel. Odd things…things that people who didn’t know about the problems Mary and James faced, wouldn’t notice.
The Tomlins sat in their living room in a loving embrace. Gary brought his wife flowers for the first time in five years, a feat that surpassed the most romantic gestures, according to Mrs. Tomlin.
The Rochesters sat in front of the fireplace in the retirement home’s great room and shared a hot cocoa, wrapped up in a blanket, reading a book by Frost.
The Turners ate dinner together, even though it was difficult for the doctor and his wife to get time alone.
It seemed the night was filled with small miracles. A time to love one another in secret, before an even bigger secret came out. The committee members and their unaware partners spent their nights in loving embraces, having great conversations and spending much needed quality time with one another.
****
The next morning, when Mary awoke, she felt the
A few minutes after she left her office, she heard James’s knock on her door. She answered it with a big smile on her face. James looked anything but happy. “What’s wrong?”
James walked in the door and paced the living room. Clearly, something bothered him. “Did something happen to you on the way over?”
He still didn’t answer.
“Are you okay?” Mary asked. She walked over to him and reached up to touch his forehead. “Everything—”
“Everything is just fine. You’ve upset my grandmother.”
“If I have upset your grandmother that is her own doing. I just asked her a few questions. The questions may have upset her, but I can assure you, James, that I am just doing my job.”
“Stop writing that damned article!”
Mary jumped, she knew James would be upset, but he’d never yelled at her. “No.”
“No? Then I’ll go to your boss.”
“Go ahead. I really don’t care what you want, James. I am writing the article, with or without your permission. The people of this town need to know the truth.”
“You really think people want to know how cynical you are.”
“I am not cynical!”
“Yes you are. You are the most stubborn woman I know. You say you don’t believe in romance, fate, happily-ever-after…Well, let me tell you something. My grandparents are happy and you are out to destroy that for some reason. I will not let that happen. For years I have watched the way they look at each other. What’s wrong with you?”
Mary looked down at her hands as she continued to type. “Nothing is wrong with me. I just think people should know the truth.”
“I thought you were different.”
Mary stopped what she was doing and looked up, as tears glistened in her eyes. “I am.”
“No, no you’re not. I asked you to marry me. I love you, Mary, and here you are—just the same as everyone else that I talk to every day, and I’m sick of it.”
“James, no!”
“I can’t see you anymore, Mary,” James said quietly as he started for the door.
“But what about your proposal?” Mary started to panic now. She’d just begun to get used to the idea that she and James would be together forever.
“Did you think I could be with someone who would tear apart the lives of my family?”
“But it’s the truth, James.”
“So, what?”
“So what? So, it’s my job.”
“Your job was to write about the festival, not destroy it. I am just sorry I ever got involved in the first place.”
“Go then. Do what everyone else always does.”
“I asked you several times to stop writing it. You still haven’t listened. When you love someone, you compromise. I guess I got the answer I needed.”
“But…”
“You were right, Mary. It was way too soon. Have a good Christmas,” James said, then walked out the door, slamming it.
Mary put her head in her hands, sat on the couch and cried the rest of the evening.
****
That night, while Mary cried, little things happened in the town of Noel. Odd things…things that people who didn’t know about the problems Mary and James faced, wouldn’t notice.
The Tomlins sat in their living room in a loving embrace. Gary brought his wife flowers for the first time in five years, a feat that surpassed the most romantic gestures, according to Mrs. Tomlin.
The Rochesters sat in front of the fireplace in the retirement home’s great room and shared a hot cocoa, wrapped up in a blanket, reading a book by Frost.
The Turners ate dinner together, even though it was difficult for the doctor and his wife to get time alone.
It seemed the night was filled with small miracles. A time to love one another in secret, before an even bigger secret came out. The committee members and their unaware partners spent their nights in loving embraces, having great conversations and spending much needed quality time with one another.
****
The next morning, when Mary awoke, she felt the
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