The Christmas Conversation

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B A B Y ,

I T' S C O L D

O U T S I D E

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The snowfall started up again, filling my window shield. The car ride was silent and sometimes I would peak over at Adam whose attention was at the road in front of us.

There was a time where our car rides would be filled with music that I sang my heart out to. Adam would laugh at my ridiculousness but sometimes he'd bob his head with me. One time he sung along, making my heart skip a beat. I made sure to engrave that memory in my brain.

We silently exited the car into the vacant bakery. Margery, the owner and my former boss, stood at the counter, jotting down notes. Her eyes flashed up from the chiming of the bell. "My, my," Margery said, somewhat awe struck. "I've got sudden deja vu." She placed her papers down and came around the counter, embracing me. "Last time I saw you, you were heading off the California—Which by the way, was four years ago."

I smiled, bashfully. "It's been that long?"

Margery pinched my cheeks. "It has," she seethed. "I see you've brought your compadre." Margery set her hands on her hips, looking like the stern older woman she was. "I remember when he came by at your every shift and ate our sweets."

I chuckled lightly, remembering the days that Margery was recalling. The best days were those. "How did you not fire me?"

"Because I love you, babygirl."

A twinge of guilt came over me for not visiting. When I was able to leave this small part of New York, I really never looked back.

Margery sighed. "Why'd you come by when I'm closing?"

"My mom forgot to pick up the desserts for our party."

Margery looked down at her watch, huffing. "I need to head home to my husband now. I closed up the freezer." She moved around and dangled the bronze store keys up. "You can grab whatever you need from the freezer and then lock up. I'll come by yours in the morning and grab 'em."

"Sure thing." She dropped the keys in my palm before gathering up her belongings and heading towards the exit. "Don't be a stranger," she directed towards me. Then she pointed at Adam. "And you, don't eat the pastries."

"No promises," he mumbled.

The room became silent once Margery was gone. Adam followed me to the backroom as I unlocked the massive freezer. I scrambled around and finally found two large yellow boxes in the corner of the bakers rack. When I peaked inside I noticed the reindeer cookies had been disfigured. I inwardly groaned.

"Do you mind if I fix these? It shouldn't take long."

"Okay," he answered gruffly before going back out to the kitchen.

I pulled out the ingredients and displayed them on the counter. I began plastering the correct sweets to the proper areas. The red M&M laid cutely on the Rudolph themed cookie. The chocolate eyes looked wonky but I kept them on.

I felt the room become hot as Adam moved behind me, peeking over my shoulder at the cookies. I grinned and plucked one up, offering it to him. "Here. There's extra."

"I shouldn't," he said unsurely.

"I won't tell on you. Promise."

He remained adamant but took the cookie anyways. In two swift bites, it was gone. My smile reached my eyes as Adam looked more than pleased.

A smidge of chocolate resided on the side of his bottom lip. I squirmed and out of habit, reached out and rubbed the chocolate off his surprisingly soft lips.

Adam backed away, his eyes guarded.

"I didn't—" I began but he just looked away and went to sit somewhere else.

I closed my eyes and sighed. There used to be no boundaries behind Adam and I. I never worried about swiping food off his lips or cleaning him up. Everything was a natural. But it wasn't my place now. Accepting that was seemingly harder than I thought.

The box of cookies were tucked to my chest. Adam stood and we waltzed outside. We didn't get far as the floor had grown with inches of snow. I peaked outside at the car that was buried underneath the white fluff.

I looked over at Adam for any reassurance of us getting out of here, but there wasn't any. We both knew there was no way we were getting out any time soon.

We were stranded. And very much, alone.