Mistletoe

December 19th

Friday December 19th

01.14pm

I'd packed everything we'd baked into plastic bags, everything was piled in a neat way so it wouldn't end up crushing. This was a new one for me, but I still couldn't wait to join Parker on this tradition, simply because it was such a nice gesture. 

Parker had devoted himself to drive. Having once again borrowed Jared's truck he showed up at my door on time, making butterflies erupt in my stomach, except they were not regular butterflies; these seemed to be wielding machetes judging by the force of them."Hi, hey, hello!" I said as he stood in my doorway.

"Hi yourself," Parker greeted, leaning in for a kiss. I wasn't one to protest on such a thing so I savored it for as long as I could. Parker was the one who found the internal strength to pull away, but he did so with a very displeased groan. "I really wish I could stay here and enjoy this a lot longer, preferably for ages," he said.

I felt all giggly, and it was so out of character for me, but I didn't question it. Instead I hopped onto the balls of my feet and gave him a quick final peck. "But we have to go," I finished for him.

"Sadly yes, except right now I just want to kidnap you and have you to myself all day."

The machetes in my stomach grew prominently more aggressive. I tried not to let it show just how appealing that threat was to me, instead I simply said, "We have plenty of time." 

Even I almost believed my words, but the truth was that time was the one thing that we were quickly running out of, but I refused to think about it so instead I shoved it to the back of my mind where I locked the thought up safe and sound. Forever to be ignored. Or at least for as long as I could help it.

Parker helped carry everything into the truck and he held my hand while he drove, only letting go in order to shift gears. The music was cranked up loud and we both belted out the lyrics between fits of laughter, simply because neither of us was any better than the other. Turns out we were both practically tone deaf.

We pulled up outside of the homeless shelter a little way later and I hopped out of the truck, my soles hitting the ground in silence as the snow molded to my shoes. Puffs of condensing air rose and evaporated alongside my breathing, and I grabbed a bag in each hand before closing the door behind me, Parker did the same.

Shivering I rushed inside, once the warmth hit me I tried to make my muscles relax a bit, but the shock of going from warm to cold to warm still remained inside me and it took a while to make my body obey. I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing next, but Parker seemed to and I followed him diligently through the entrance hall and into what seemed to be a big cafeteria.

There were five rows of long tables stretched out across the space, and people filled up almost every single space of seating available. I felt my heart drop a little at the sight. First of all I hadn't even given it a thought that Mannling might have a homeless shelter, and I certainly hadn't expected it to be this many people here.

In that moment I felt like a horribly selfish person for not knowing any better. I followed Parker in silence up to the kitchen and a woman greeted us by the door, wiping her hands on a stained apron that was tied around her waist.

"What can I help you two with?" She asked, her smile so incredibly warm and inviting.

"We come bearing cookies," Parker told her and then held out his hand, which she took gladly. 

"Greta," she said once he'd introduced himself and she then shifted her eyes at me and I shifted the bags over to one hand and clasped her awaiting one.