Mistletoe Motel

Epilogue – Mack

Mack tried to wiggle her way out of Maude Mistletoe’s enthusiastic embrace, but the older woman’s grip was surprisingly strong.

“Oh, it’s so wonderful to see you two again!” Maude exclaimed, finally releasing Mack only to immediately pull Holly into an equally exuberant hug. “And together! You know, I’ve always had a knack for putting the right people in the right room at the right time. It’s a gift. And you two…well, let’s just say I had a feeling about you from the start and the Mistletoe Motel works in mysterious ways.”

Mack chuckled, both at Maude’s crazy statement and at the sight of Holly’s slightly overwhelmed expression as she was enveloped in Maude’s arms. A year had passed since they’d been stranded in Watertown, forced to share a room at the Mistletoe Motel. Now here they were, back again by choice to celebrate their anniversary. It wasn’t the most romantic choice for a getaway, but it certainly felt fitting and even oddly romantic.

Mack took in the motel lobby. Nothing had changed. The same over-the-top Christmas decorations covered every available surface, strings of twinkling lights crisscrossed the ceiling, and tinsel garlands framed every doorway and window. And then there was Maude herself, resplendent in a Christmas sweater that put all others to shame. This year’s creation featured a three-dimensional Christmas tree, complete with actual tiny ornaments dangling from the knitted branches.

“We’re so happy to be back,” Holly said, reaching for Mack’s hand and giving it a squeeze. “We couldn’t think of a better place than Watertown to celebrate our anniversary.”

Mack nodded in agreement. Although it wasn’t the most comfortable option, there was something undeniably charming about the Mistletoe Motel, with all its kitschy glory, and it held a special place in their hearts now.

“Oh, you two are just the sweetest,” Maude gushed. She bustled behind the reception desk, rummaging through a drawer. “Now, let me just find your key. I’ve got you in Room Fifteen again—I assumed you’d want the same room? I saw your name on the reservation, Holly, so I made sure to keep that one free for you. Now, I should warn you, we haven’t quite gotten around to renovating that room yet. But don’t you worry, we’ve made sure to tape off those peepholes this time.”

“That’s perfect, thank you,” Holly said, while Mack tried not to think too hard about the state of that particular room.

“It’s no trouble at all, dear,” Maude said as if she’d done them a favor. “I noticed you’re only staying the one night. Are you sure you don’t want to extend your stay? There’s no storm this year, so we’re having a special Christmas Eve bonfire in town tomorrow night, complete with s’mores and hot cocoa!”

“That sounds lovely, Maude, but we really do need to head back tomorrow,” Holly explained. “We drove here to make sure we’d be able to spend Christmas with our families this year.”

“And it’s my niece’s first birthday,” Mack added. “Can’t miss that.”

“Oh, of course!” Maude spread her arms. “Family is so important, especially at Christmas. And a first birthday! How exciting. Did you manage to get there in time last year? Holly told me you were in a rush when she came to check out.”

“I did.” Mack smiled, a warm feeling spreading through her chest at the thought of Isabel. She and Holly had become Sarah’s regular babysitters, and she loved spending time with the little bundle of joy. “She’s so big now, I can hardly believe it’s been a year already.”

“My, how time flies,” Maude mused. “So what are the plans?”

“We’re spending Christmas Eve with Holly’s parents,” Mack said. “And Christmas Day with mine.”

“That sounds lovely. Well, we’re just tickled that you chose to spend your anniversary with us. We’ve had a beautiful fresh layer of snow overnight, but the weather’s supposed to be good for your drive back tomorrow.”

“Yes, we made sure to check the forecast before we left,” Holly said humorously. She held up the key and shot Maude a beaming smile. “Well, we’d better go and freshen up before we head out for our date night at Marty’s diner.”

“You do that, dear.” Maude winked. “Enjoy your date night and say hi to Marty from me!”

Holly giggled as they headed out and walked toward their room. “She’s so sweet. Isn’t it fun to be back?”

“It’s wonderful.” Mack pulled her in to kiss her temple. “And I love going anywhere with you. Even the Mistletoe Motel,” she joked. A wave of nostalgia washed over her as they stepped into Room Fifteen. So much had changed in the past year, and yet being here made it feel like no time had passed at all. She’d expected that at least their modified wall art had been painted over, but even that was still there. “Wow…”

“Updates are clearly not their priority.” Holly laughed. “Decorations over renovations, that should be their tagline.” She and Holly exchanged an amused glance before simultaneously looking up. There, hanging from the ceiling, was a large sprig of mistletoe.

“Well,” Mack said, a slow grin spreading across her face. “I guess the Mistletoe traditions haven’t changed either.”

Holly laughed and closed the distance between them. “And we shouldn’t break tradition. That would be bad luck.” She wrapped her arms around Mack’s waist, pulling her close, and their lips met in a kiss that was both familiar and thrilling.

Mack could never get enough of kissing Holly, even now that they’d moved in together and shared countless intimate moments. Each kiss still held that spark of excitement from their first night together in this very room. As they broke apart, Mack gazed into Holly’s eyes. They had grown so close over the past year. The initial attraction had blossomed into a love stronger than anything she’d ever experienced. Somehow, in this bizarre place, she’d found the love of her life, and Mack marveled at how a series of inconveniences had led to the greatest convenience of all—finding her perfect match in Holly.

“Happy anniversary, princess,” she murmured. “I love you.”

Holly giggled at the old nickname that Mack refused to give up. Some things never changed, and they weren’t supposed to. “Happy anniversary, babe.” She cupped Mack’s face and kissed her again. “I love you too.”