Eggnog & Evergreen

34 • Pear Tree Pageant

I spend the entire morning replaying my conversation with Preston. To clear my head, I help my dad move loads of firewood from the shed into the mud room. I even spend an hour making a mini version of PB in my front yard.

Deja calls on her lunch break around noon. I can see she's sitting in our favorite booth at the bistro across from her office building –drinking a sparkling water with her Caprese salad. I tell her about Preston, but she is not impressed. In fact, she demands that I ignore him at all costs. Deja mandates that I spend the rest of my wayward holiday vacation with Nik.

After promising I'll call her after the pageant, I hang up to dial the Js.

"Girl!" Jayden answers.

"Hi, Jayden. What's up? How's Miami?" I ask.

"It's hot and Grandma keeps shoving Cuban food down my throat."

"That's lovely," I joke.

"Her one friend, from Puerto Rico, keeps bringing over this coconutty eggnog thing called a Coquito. I must have had three gallons last night, but I can't say no, because she's like, ancient." Jayden rolls his eyes.

I laugh at him, shaking my head.

"I've been drinking eggnog too. No coconuts involved."

"Yas. Eggnog better be code. Gimme the deets." Jayden urges.

"No deets. Not yet," I tell him. "Going to this 12 days of Christmas inspired pageant tonight. So maybe I'll have some stories after that," I smirk.

"Here for it."

I hang up after 20 more minutes of small talk. It's still too early to get ready, so I heat up some of mom's ham bean soup and sit on the couch in front of the fire.

I allow myself to bask in the warm glow of the Christmas tree lights and the twinkling garland that drapes down the mantle. I scroll through social media, liking everyone's holiday posts, and checking out some drool-worthy aesthetics. I even let myself find Preston's page and watch his latest story, hoping I'll find some clarity in the Hawaii waves.

As agreed, I'll be driving with my parents to the school hall for the Pear Tree Pageant, where I'll meet up with Stella and (hopefully) see Nik. So when 7:00 finally rolls around, I'm already dressed and ready to go. I traded in my quilted puffer coat with fur-trimmed hood for my old black peacoat.

The school hall is in downtown, two blocks from Main Street. We pull into the crowded front lot, and I'm reminded of just a few nights ago when Nik and I first delivered trees in my dad's creaky pick-up truck. Except no herd of deer in headlights blocking the entrance.

Stella and Dani are at the front of the line inside, queued up right behind the fancy velvet ropes. The line snakes all the way around the lobby. A faint Christmas melody is audible from behind the thick emerald curtain.

"Noe!" Stella shouts, beckoning me over.

I leave mom and dad and scurry over to the front of the line.

"Hi Stel. Hi Dani," I smile.

"Glad you came."

I inconspicuously scan the entire lobby to search for Nik, but it appears he is not yet here. My spirits drop a bit. I feel my phone buzz inside my coat pocket. Its chime can be heard over the horde of people waiting to be dazzled by 10-year-olds.

It chimes again.

And again.

It can't be my parents and I know it can't be Nik. I fish out my phone, expecting full well to see missed texts or snaps from Jayden and Jules.

Preston

1 message

Preston

1 message

Preston

1 message

Ugh! I can't! I can't worry about him right now.

"Come on," Stella says, tugging on my arm.

I come back to the present to discover myself being pulled through the velvet emerald curtain; Stella ushers me down the center aisle of the school hall's makeshift theater. We sit three rows from the intensely decorated stage.

I stow my phone away, determined not to even think about Preston's texts, let alone read them.

Once the hall fills, the lights dim, and the high school orchestra starts playing the beautiful yet melancholy Auld Lang Syne.

"Is there a beginning? Or do they sort of just go for it?" I lean in and whisper to Stella.

"Um, good question. I think it's just that one skit–"

Before Stella can even finish, the music comes to an abrupt end.

The curtain draws back to reveal an almost baren stage. A sole spotlight rests upon a singular tree in the center. You guessed it –a Pear Tree. I spy the stuffed partridge perched upon the highest branch.

The next 40 minutes are filled with skits from the 12 Days of Christmas characters. A bunch of lovely fourth graders were maids of milking -carrying gallons and cartons of every milk imaginable! There was a clatter as five golden (cardboard) rings fell from the strings and hit the stage floor -in an endearing way, of course.

I casually check every corner of the cozy, wannabe auditorium and finally spot Nik in the back row. He looks better than ever in his tight mocha sweater and black vest. The glimmer in his eyes match his smile when he sees me across the center aisle. I look away quickly, smiling and rolling my eyes at Stella.

"Yes, I did see that," Stella says.

"Stop."

"It's almost over," Stella says, eyeing the inflatable swan pool floats. "Go get your boo."

"I'll see him when it's over." I whisper-shush her.

I steal another peek, but Nik is turned sideways and in deep conversation with the man sitting beside him. The square of his jaw is a nice view though.

It's the 12th Day of Christmas now and slowly, group by group, all the kiddies pile onto the stage until every single act is present. All the gifts for all the days.

The audience stands and applauds and the look on every one of the kids' fervent faces is priceless!

"What a little cutie!" Dani gushes over Logan.

"He is!"

Logan is front and center, dressed as the most adorable little lord a-leaping.

"And... that's a wrap." Stella says as they draw the curtains shut.