A Christmas Duet

Chapter Ten

Hailey was dressed and ready for the Podunk Winter Festival forty minutes before Jay arrived to collect her. She stood at the window off the living room and watched as the headlights to his truck wound their way toward the cabin. While she was excited to attend the event, she was even more eager to spend time with Jay. She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about his kiss, convinced it was impulsive on his end and surprising on hers. Still, it felt right. They had shared an enjoyable evening, making music together. His praise for the songs she’d written over the years had given her badly needed confidence. The combination of his company and his encouragement made her feel as if she were walking on a cloud.

Once he arrived, Jay left the engine running and bounded up the steps to her front door. Hailey couldn’t look away. This was the strongest attraction she’d experienced for any man in longer than she could remember. Her draw to him felt magnetic. She’d gradually come awake that morning with a warm feeling, knowing she would be with him again soon.

“You ready for some local fun?” Jay asked when she opened the door to greet him.

“You bet.” Hailey hadn’t been this excited since she lost her first tooth and got a dollar from the tooth fairy. Come to think of it, she’d composed a song about that, too, and had sung it to her friends. She’d long forgotten the tune and the words. The memory lingered, along with the joy she felt when her classmates had applauded her efforts. Clarise, one of her best friends, claimed that one day Hailey would be a famous songwriter. It was that one silly song, made up on the spur of the moment, that convinced her composing music was what she wanted to do most in the entire world.

When they arrived in Podunk less than fifteen minutes later, the city was twinkling with multicolored lights that brightened the night sky. The main street was blocked off and cars were parked wherever there was space to be found.

From a quick scan of the area, Hailey couldn’t find a single place for Jay to park his truck. Every spot as far as the eye could see had already been taken.

He must have read her mind because he said, “Mom has an area blocked off for me in back of the store.”

“Good thinking.” The town was hopping, crowds filled the street, and there was an electric feel in the air, as if something wonderful was about to happen. Excitement buzzed all around.

Hailey had brought along her backpack and removed her phone to snap a couple photos before Jay headed to where he could leave the truck. Since there was no cell service at the cabin, it made no sense to have it on. The only time she’d used it was the last time she was in town, to google Jay.

After leaving the truck in the alley behind the store, Jay took her by the hand and led her around the building. Crowds lined both sides of the street. Children raced up and down the curb, bending in half to look ahead for the start of the parade, their anticipation contagious. Hailey remembered that Elizabeth, the stylist, had mentioned the parade would lead into the heart of the festivities.

“Mom saved us a spot,” Jay said as he steered her toward the front of Cantor Store. As promised, Thelma sat on the curb in a folding chair with two orange cones resting next to her.

She glanced up when Hailey and Jay joined her. “You’re just in time.”

No sooner had she spoken than a group of Boy Scouts holding a banner led the way, announcing the Podunk Winter Festival. Hailey snapped a picture as the crowds cheered. A couple of mothers stepped into the street to take photos.

Behind the scouts was a group of six- and seven-year-olds with pink tutus billowing out from beneath their winter coats. They each wore their hair in a ponytail with a hot-pink ribbon cascading down their backs.

Eight older girls followed behind, tap-dancing their way along the street to the delight of the gathering. Hailey reached for her phone again and took another shot. This parade, so unlike those professionally arranged ones in Portland, was homey and filled with community pride.

“Look!” Thelma burst out, nearly upsetting her folding chair as she stood and applauded wildly. She put two fingers in her mouth and gave a whistle so loud it rattled Hailey’s teeth. “There’s Sally,” she said, pointing to the girl on the opposite side of the street.

“My sister’s daughter,” Jay explained. He had his arm around Hailey’s shoulders. She leaned in to him, enjoying the jovial spirit and, even more so, being close to Jay. This feeling surrounded her like the warmth of a home fireplace.

A couple loaded lumber trucks passed by next, tossing candy out the windows. The children scrambled to pick up the goodies, clenching their fists, filled with bounty.

Hailey’s eyes widened as the next truck came into view. Placing her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing out loud, she asked, “What is that?” It demanded effort to keep from giggling at the odd sight. It appeared to be a septic pump truck. What made this one so unusual was the toilet seat on top with Santa sitting there in all his glory, tossing out candy to the kids.

“It’s exactly what it looks like,” Thelma said. “We only have the one company in town to tend to our septic tanks. Old Steve’s got a good sense of humor.”

“So it appears,” Hailey agreed.

The high school football team followed, led by the cheer squad. Hometown heroes, the players waved to the enthusiastic crowd as they trotted down the street, tossing footballs back and forth to one another. The bystanders roared with approval.

“Go Raptors,” Jay shouted.

He must have noticed her taking pictures. “Pretty great, huh? It’s crazy how many people show up for this event. It’s the biggest thing going on in town—well, other than the Fourth of July celebration. Even then, we don’t have the same size crowd as we do for Christmas.”

The homecoming court from the local high school rode by in convertibles, waving and tossing out candy to the kids.

The horses and riders brought up the rear. Their manes were braided, and the riders wore jeweled jean jackets.

“That’s the local 4-H group,” Jay’s mother explained.

“They’re amazing.”

“Yup,” Thelma agreed.

“I can feel the energy,” Hailey said, and laughed as a group of volunteers dressed in clown costumes trailed behind the horses with a wheelbarrow, shovel, and broom.

At the end of the parade, Jay reached for Hailey’s hand and escorted her to the city park. The area had been transformed into a winter wonderland with lights and evergreens. A band assembled in the gazebo, playing Christmas music. Several booths were set up at the park’s perimeter.

“The tree-lighting ceremony is next,” Jay said, and edged her toward the gathering spectators. The sequoia Christmas tree must have stood twenty feet tall. Jay’s mother was just inside the gazebo with the two ends of the electrical cords as the crowd started counting down from ten.

Ten

Nine

Hailey leaned toward Jay and asked, “Your mom gets the honor?”

“She’s the town’s mayor.”

Four

Three

Hailey vaguely remembered hearing someone mention that Thelma was the mayor; she must have forgotten. All at once, a boisterous cheer rose as the Christmas tree came alive with twinkling lights, brightening the entire area. The shout was followed by a loud burst of spontaneous applause.

“Come on,” Jay said, “let’s get something hot to drink.”

The temperature was below freezing. Caught up as she was in the excitement, Hailey had barely noticed the cold.

“Something warm sounds wonderful.”

Again, Jay held her hand as they walked to the western edge of the grounds.

Hailey remembered her promise. “Before I forget, I need to place my vote for the best decorated Christmas tree.” She explained how she’d met Elizabeth at Lovely Lather and pledged her vote. “It appears there’s stiff competition from an attorney in town who she believes cheated last year.” Hailey had found their conversation amusing. Small-town politics, she surmised.

“Oh yes, I heard all about Herbert Stephens from Mom,” Jay said. He seemed to have trouble holding back his amusement. “It was the scandal of the year. As the sitting mayor, Mom was bombarded with complaints. The city council was in an uproar. She certainly had her hands full. In the end, she made a decree that no business could win two years consecutively, thereby disqualifying the lawyer from entering this Christmas. The way she figured it, she wouldn’t be the mayor next year. She’d leave it to her replacement to deal with the issue.”

“What if she’s reelected?” Hailey asked.

“Knowing my mother, she’ll sort it out.”

Hailey didn’t doubt that for a second. While Jay stood in line at the booth selling hot chocolate, she wove her way through the throng of people to cast her ballot for the wig-topped Christmas tree at the Lovely Lather salon.

Jay met up with her, carrying two large paper cups of steaming cocoa. Hailey took one and savored her first sip of the sweet drink. It immediately warmed her insides.

“Are you game to try roasted chestnuts?” he asked.

“You mean to say there really is such a thing?”

“Find out for yourself.” They edged their way to another long line. Roasted chestnuts appeared to be a popular item.

A family stood in front of them with two youngsters around age five or six, both boys. The two looked to be twins. “Mom, Mom. I want to visit Santa.”

“We will, I promise,” the mother assured him. “As soon as he arrives.”

“When will he get here?” The young boy was jumping up and down with eagerness.

“Patience, Jaxon. You know as well as I do that Santa doesn’t arrive until after the songfest.”

Once the family had gotten their order, Jay explained, “For years, my parents wrapped up Christmas gifts for each of the children under ten years of age who attended the festival. Now that Dad’s gone, Mom continues the tradition. I imagine once she passes, my sister, Ruth, will take the baton.”

Hailey was amazed at the generosity of Jay’s family. “They do this every year?”

“Every year,” he returned, “for as long as I can remember.”

When Hailey had first met Thelma, she wasn’t sure what to think. She’d seemed intimidating and had insinuated that Hailey would run back to Portland at the earliest inconvenience. Sure, Hailey was a city girl, born and raised, but she wasn’t a quitter. As she got to know Thelma and heard more about her, she recognized Jay’s mother had a warm, generous heart.

The roasted chestnuts were indeed the real thing. Jay and Hailey shared a small bag. Because they were still hot, she bounced the first one between her hands until it cooled enough to peel away the outer shell. Popping it into her mouth, she found it to be surprisingly delicious.

“Who knew?” Hailey said, licking the salt from her fingertips. She helped herself to a second, and then a third, as they strolled around the park, taking in the sights and smells of Christmas.

At another booth, they shared a box of kettle corn, and from another, Jay purchased her a T-shirt with the name of the festival and the year on the front.

“This is fun,” Hailey said, and she meant it. Over the years she’d been to countless Christmas events that far outclassed this smaller Podunk celebration. And yet, the feeling, the atmosphere, was completely different. This was small-town America at its best. Neighbor greeting neighbor, friends exchanging wishes of good cheer, an innocence of sorts that was missing in Portland. The ambience was unlike anything Hailey had ever experienced. If she could wrap that feeling up, she would, as it was one she wanted to hold on to for a good long while.

“I will wear this T-shirt with pride,” she said, genuinely touched by Jay’s thoughtfulness. “I hope you bought one for yourself, too.”

Jay chuckled. “I couldn’t resist. The funds go toward expanding the town’s library.”

Library? What library?

Hailey had driven around town a few times and had yet to see any building that resembled a library. “I didn’t know Podunk had a library.”

“They don’t yet. Not a building, at any rate. What we have now is inside the barbershop, which is attached to the hair salon.”

“The barbershop, really?” Well, books were books, so she guessed it didn’t matter where they could be found.

“It started as a joke when Abel, the only barber in town, couldn’t keep up with customer demand. Men often sat around for an hour or so before it would be their turn. It’s better now that his son has become his partner. Until Junior came alongside his dad, folks in town knew it would be a long wait.”

“What about Lovely Lather? A lot of women style men’s hair.”

Jay shook his head. “Men around these parts want a barber, not a stylist,” he explained.

“Why not?” That was archaic thinking. “Are the men in Podunk afraid the stylist will wrap their head in curlers and perm solution?”

Jay laughed. “No. Men on this side of the state like to be men. It’s apple pie, guns, and the American flag in these parts.”

That was pure foolishness to Hailey’s way of thinking, but she didn’t say so. “Okay, now my curiosity is up. What led to the barbershop lending books?”

“It all started with Pete, who farms around here. He claimed in the time he had to wait for a haircut, he could read an entire book. It became something of a joke. Next time Pete was in town, he brought along the latest John Grisham novel and left it for the next patron. Soon there was an accumulation of thrillers, spy novels, and science fiction.”

A library that had started with a joke.

“Not to be outdone,” Jay continued, “the stylists at Lovely Lather added titles they thought women would be more inclined to read: romances, women’s fiction, cookbooks, and the like. Soon the shelves were bursting with books of every genre. The kids’ section was by far the fastest-growing. Books were overtaking the space.”

Hailey could imagine that happening, as if it became a competition between the two sides.

“After Mom was elected mayor, she reached out to the state for funding for a real library. It took some grit, but then, if my mother is anything, it’s determined. She got the state to agree to pay half the cost if the town could raise the rest. Last I heard, every store in town has contributed in one way or another.”

“That’s wonderful.”

Thelma walked up from behind them. “Jay and his band gave us a big push, donating the proceeds from one of their shows toward the building.” She slapped Jay across the back. “The singing is about to start. You need to be there.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Thelma headed toward the gazebo, and Jay and Hailey followed. “The singing?” Hailey asked. Earlier she’d heard the woman with the twin boys mention a songfest.

“A few folks in town get together a couple times a year to provide the music for special events.”

A small tidal wave of people formed a half-circle around the park’s gazebo. Hailey heard a little girl ask, “When will Santa arrive?”

“After the singing.”

“I don’t want to sing. I want to see Santa.”

“He’s coming, I promise.”

Hailey smiled at the exchange between the parent and the child, recalling her own excitement over Santa as a youngster.

Jay and Hailey were able to get into position near the front of the gazebo.

Thelma made her way up the steps and stood in front of the small band of musicians. The noise dissipated as she reached for the microphone. “Okay, folks, it’s time to celebrate Christmas with a few traditional carols you all know. Afterward, I have a special surprise for you.”

“Oh no,” Jay muttered under his breath.

“What?” Hailey asked, looking up at him, unsure about his reaction to his mother’s announcement.

“Mom is going to drag me up onstage.”

Hailey didn’t understand why he would object. “A stage is where you, of all people, should be most comfortable,” she reminded him. “Come on, Jay, get some Christmas spirit.”

He laughed, and Hailey saw something in his eyes that sent a clear warning. “Jay?” She dragged out his name. “What are you thinking?”

“You’ll see.”

“No.” She adamantly shook her head. “If you’re thinking what I think you’re thinking, then no. It’s not happening.”

“We’ll see.” His eyes twinkled with mischief.

Enthusiastic singing followed. The carols were familiar ones Hailey loved from her childhood.

“Silent Night.”

“God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.”

“O Christmas Tree!”

“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”

Before long Thelma was back, and with the microphone in her hand, she looked out over the audience until she saw Jay.

“As you know, my son, Jethro, is home for the holidays after several years traveling with the band. Please welcome him onto the stage. I have a feeling he’ll sing if we encourage him.”

The crowd went nuts, cheering and whistling. Jay had no choice but to step onto the stage. The noise didn’t stop once he stood next to his mother. She’d apparently planned this all along, because she reached behind her and handed Jay his guitar.

Jay waited until the applause had died down.

Hailey removed her backpack and grabbed her phone. She snapped his photo as he spoke to the crowd. She wasn’t the only one with a cell in hand. The town loved him, and several called out his name in praise and encouragement.

“I appreciate the warm welcome,” he said as he adjusted his guitar strap around his shoulder. “It’s good to be home.” After playing a few bars to warm up, he sang Hailey’s favorite Christmas song, “Mary, Did You Know?” His rendition was so beautiful, so moving and powerful, that it brought tears to her eyes. She wasn’t alone, either, as she noticed several others wiping moisture from their faces.

The applause was huge when he finished, along with whistles and shouts from the audience.

Jay waited until the noise level was manageable before he spoke. “As it happens, I have a special friend I’d like to introduce who has recently written a fun Christmas ditty. I think you’ll enjoy it as much as I do. Hailey, please join me on the stage.”