Stuck With My Christmas Crush (Sweet Christmas Kisses)

15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Jason

I t’s been a week since I dropped Charlie off at the auto repair shop downtown. But somehow, she’s still with me. It’s ridiculous. And it’s not just the pink glitter that refuses to be hoovered up. I miss her. It’s hard to admit but it’s true. I miss the way she curled up on the couch with her feet tucked under Rocko. I miss the way she said things; the way she got excited about the snow; the way she sang in the shower. She surprised me. She knocked me off guard. Sideways. She got to me .

I thought about calling her. I already have the number for Sparkle Entertainers from the call she made from my phone in the storm. So, why have I been delaying this mission? And why did I drive away from her so abruptly at the mechanic’s? Because, let’s be honest here, I was as scared as heck. I drove away fast because I didn’t want to say goodbye. And I didn’t want any kind of tug on my heart. But that’s exactly what I’m feeling now. Tugging and nagging. The idea of calling Charlie is nagging me. And I’m getting nagged by Meredith and Maddie. I called round to see them after I dropped Charlie off. I was restless and didn’t want to drive straight back to the mansion.

“What?” says Meredith, incredulously when I turn up unannounced. “You left her at a repair shop?”

“Yes, Meredith. Her car needs some serious work. I’m not sure if they’ll have the parts for it. It may not be fixable at all.”

“Stop. Stop. Stop.” Meredith holds up her hands. “Did you at least get her number?”

“I have her work number and her friend’s number.” I hold up my phone. “She made the call from my phone because her phone wasn’t charged up.”

Maddie comes into the kitchen.

“Hey, Jason. I thought it was you. Where’s fairy Charlie? You didn’t bring her over with you?” Maddie’s little hands plant firmly on her hips. She fixes me with an accusatory stare. “Why?”

“We’re just discussing that, sweetie,” says Meredith turning from her daughter back to me.

I’m about to defend myself with a lie. Something about Charlie wanting to get back to her friends, but I think better of it, not wanting to add fuel to the fire.

“I’m going now,” is all I say. And I backtrack out of my sister’s house, climb into the Chevy, and drive away.

I can see how the situation looks for Meredith and Maddie. And it doesn’t put me in a good light. As I drive back up the hill carefully in the dark, I hope my tires have enough grip to stop me sliding out of control. I will call Charlie but I’ll choose my moment and call when I am good and ready. And not because I’m being bullied into it. Maybe tomorrow. Or the next day. I don’t want to come across as needy or desperate.

In the library of the closed-up Mansion Hotel, I laugh at myself as I grab a handful of books and stack them in the cardboard carton at my feet. I figure I’ll get everything that’s not nailed down in the hotel, boxed up ready for the valuation guy who’s scheduled to come in the New Year, sometime. Although I don’t have firm dates yet. I’ve been keeping myself busy to avoid calling Charlie. But the longer I leave it, the harder the task becomes. I’ve been doing everything possible to fill up my days, but that isn’t making things easier, the way that I’d hoped it would. The nagging, “Call Charlie,” is on repeat in my head and, what began as a whisper, is now an unavoidable yell.

I pack the leatherbound titles carefully, spines facing up, as requested. Then, I pause my action to look around the elegant room and the empty bookshelves. My gaze falls on the stack of cardboard cartons, full of books that I’ve stacked against the wall. I could always burn them on the fire. It would probably make better economic sense to do that.

Maddie comes rushing in.

“Hey, Jason.” She’s dressed in her thick warm pink sweater with a string of pearls looped twice around her neck. She found them in a box of jewelry and was over the moon when I said she could keep them.

“Hey, Maddie.” She’s ‘helping’ me pack up the hotel’s chattels. Meredith dropped her off and I’m taking her home later.

“Can I show you something?”

“Sure. What is it? ”

I follow Maddie to the wide, open living room area overlooking the untamed garden.

“I’m not sure.” Maddie takes me by the hand and leads me to a panel in the wall. “It’s in a secret closet,” she whispers with wonder. I didn’t realize before, but there is a closet door. It has the appearance of the surrounding pale blue wall and blends in. “Look at this.”

Maddie pulls open the secret closet which reveals an ornate inlaid wooden cabinet with decorative mirrors and gold details. In pride of place on top is an old-style gramophone, with a winding handle and huge brass trumpet, possibly from the twenties or thirties. Underneath the gramophone, a double set of glass doors displays two shelves of dog-eared record sleeves.

“What is it, Jason?” Maddie’s eyes are wide with curiosity.

“It’s a gramophone.”

“A gramophone. It’s so beautiful. What does it do?”

“It plays music.”

Maddie’s eyes almost pop out of her head and her mouth falls open. “Can I hear the music? Does it work?”

I sigh, as all plans to pack up the hotel would now be on hold until I got the ancient music machine working .

“Well, we can try, Maddie.” My niece laughs, jumps up and down clapping her hands, which makes the pearls of her necklace click together joyously.

As I watch Maddie’s exuberance, my attention is caught by someone peering in through the conservatory door. My heart leaps to my throat because I know who it is immediately. It’s Charlie. She looks adorable in jeans, knee-high boots, a padded jacket, and a colorful knitted stripey beanie and scarf. A very different look from the sparkly fairy outfit she was wearing when we first met. She sees me, then steps back from the door and waves. A rush of happiness fills me as our eyes meet. The moment stops time. Then I snap into action and hurry to the door to let her in.

“Hey. Jason. I hope you don’t mind me interrupting but…”

“Gosh. Charlie. I was just thinking about you.”

“You were?”

“I mean. Yes.” I cough nervously. “I was wondering if you got your car fixed.”

Maddie runs over to join us. “Hey, fairy Charlie. What are you doing here? Do you like my necklace? Jason said I could keep it. ”

“Yes, I do. It’s very pretty.” Charlie crouches down to look at Maddie’s necklace up close. “Do you know what the beads are?”

“Yes. They’re pearls from the ocean and probably belonged to a mermaid.” Maddie twirls with her arms out. “And now they belong to me.” She stops twirling. “I hope the mermaid is okay with that.”

“I’m sure she is.”

“So, Charlie, welcome.” I suddenly find my voice, and something to say to mask my delight at seeing her.

“Wow. So, this is the legendary Mansion Hotel.” Charlie follows me into the living room and takes in the generous dimensions and architectural design. “It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?”

“A gorgeous albatross around my neck,” I shake my head and snort a mirthless laugh.

“What’s an alba-truck?”

“An albatross, Maddie, is heavy burden someone is forced to carry. Something they don’t want that weighs them down.”

Charlie glints a sideways smile at me. “It doesn’t have to be,” she says.

I exhale audibly. “Now, don’t you start. We’ve already had that conversation. ”

“Hey, Charlie. We found a secret closet with a… what did you call it?”

“A gramophone.”

“No way,” says Charlie excitedly. “Can I see it? Does it work?”

“We can try.”

Now I have two distractions leading me away from packing books and doing useful things and back to the gramophone in the secret closet. One on either side. I sneak a glance at Charlie who is smiling from ear to ear. I look away quickly hoping she doesn’t notice, but not quickly enough. She catches me looking and wrinkles her pretty nose at me which causes an involuntary cough and my stomach to flip. Charlie stands in front of the gramophone, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

“It’s beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of these before. Maybe in a museum. How extraordinary.” Charlie reaches out to touch the musical artifact. “Jason, you are so lucky to have one in your house. Hotel, that is.” Charlie beams at me and Maddie beams too. “Maddie,” Charlie says. “Would you like to turn the handle?”

“Yes.” Maddie’s eyes gleam with anticipation.

“Alright.” I step in barring Maddie from touching the ancient object. “Before that happens, I’m going to check that it’s not hazardous in any way. ”

“What? Like explosives or a booby-trap,” says Charlie, teasing.

“Actually, no. But these old things could be spring-loaded, and I wouldn’t want Maddie to get hurt. I take uncle duty very seriously.”

“He really does,” says Maddie rolling her eyes as if my care and attention are things she must endure.

I check around the gramophone and test that nothing is about to fall off. I check the stylus, which looks secure and ready to go. I gently spin the turn table, which moves with surprising ease.

“Seems fine. Maddie. Would you be so kind as to wind the handle?”

Maddie nods graciously and I pick her up so she can reach.

“Wait a minute,” says Charlie. “What are we going to listen to? What records do we have?”

“Ah. Good point.” I put Maddie back down on her feet.

“And maybe…” Charlie is at my side. “Do you have something to clean it off first so dust doesn’t ruin the record? A rag or a cloth. A tea towel, maybe?”

“Sure.” I hurry to the reception desk in the hallway where I left a bucket of cleaning products, cloths, and sponges. When I come back, Charlie has pulled out one of the vinyl records from its sleeve. She studies the label .

“This is what people used to play music on before there was Spotify,” she tells Maddie who is enthralled.

“No way.”

“Yes.” Charlie nods and smiles at the little girl. “This is extremely clever and you’re going to love it.” Charlie reads the label out loud. “Duke Ellington. He was famous. Right up there.” She puts the record carefully back in its sleeve and repositions it on the shelf, then pulls out another disc in a tatty cover. “This one. Oh my.” She puts a hand on her chest. “It’s so great. Bing Crosby.” Charlie looks with reverence at the faded label showing through a circular hole in the protective paper sleeve. “Do you know it? ‘White Christmas’.”

Charlie’s eyes shine. I am mesmerized. How could I refuse her anything? She holds my gaze before Maddie says, “Are we going to play some music or just stand around staring at each other?”

I carefully use a damp cloth to wipe the surfaces free from dust. Then, Charlie slides the disc out of its sleeve and places it on the turn table. She steps aside as I lift Maddie up so she can turn the handle. But it’s too stiff for Maddie to crank, so I ask Charlie to help out and put Maddie down on her feet.

Finally, Charlie cranks the handle four or five times.

“I hope it’s not broken,” she says .

“Nothing’s happening,” says Maddie with a perfect upside-down smile.

“Oh, what about taking the brake off?” Charlie says, reaching for a shiny metal bar close to the turn table. It clicks as she pushes it to the side and the record begins to spin.

“Ah,” exclaims Maddie. “It’s magic.”

Charlie lowers the arm with the stylus onto the revolving disc. It crackles and hisses and then we hear the orchestral introduction.

The music sounds wobbly and there’s a lot of interference but, somehow, the lack of clarity adds to the listening experience, and I feel as if I’m transported back in time.

There isn’t enough power in the motor to finish playing the record and Bing Crosby’s voice gets deeper and slower as the turn table slurs to a stop. Charlie carefully lifts the arm clear of the record.

“Well, thanks for that. It’s a wonderful piece of history, isn’t it?”

“Wonderful,” says Maddie dreamily.

“And it doesn’t need electricity to work,” says Charlie. “You just wind the handle. It would’ve been great to have this in your house when we were stuck in the storm, Jason. ”

Memories of being snowed in with Charlie flood my mind, but they are quickly replaced with a deep longing to be snowed in with Charlie again. For longer this time. With a gramophone and a stack of old romantic 78s.