An Evergreen Christmas (4 page)

By the end of the movie, they had devoured the cookies.

Noel leaned back into the couch and rubbed his belly. “That takes care of dinner.”

“I’m stuffed as well.” She scooted into the corner of the couch and sat cross-legged facing him. “You’re new at the hospital. Where did you come from?”

“I grew up in the Northeast, but when my family moved to Houston, I followed them. I practiced general surgery there for a few years. After the woman I was going to marry ran off with a fellow surgeon, I needed a change of scenery. That’s how I ended up in New Hampshire. Granite State Medical Center offered me a good position. I accepted.”

Holly shook her head. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m not.” He grinned. “I like it here so far. Some things are just meant to be.”

Her palms grew moist. She quickly wiped them on her snowflake pants. “I don’t think so.”

“Don’t believe in kismet, do you?”

“I believe random events happen.”

They sat in silence.

Why does he keep smiling at me? Especially since I trounced his destiny theory
.

“This is quite a large house for you. Did you grow up in it?”

“Sort of. I spent my childhood here. I moved out for a while, then I returned.”

“Ah, sentimental reasons. Your folks retire to a smaller place? Are they nearby?”

Holly pressed her lips together. More questions. Questions she didn’t want to answer. Noel was a nice enough guy. He meant no harm. Apparently he didn’t know, and she wasn’t ready to confess the past to him.

“Yes. They are in a smaller place close by,” she said. That was true. The cemetery was not far.

He ran his fingers through his hair. “I didn’t intend to pry.”

“That’s all right,” she said pointedly, hopefully making it clear to Noel that she didn’t want to discuss the issue any further.

He picked up their empty mugs and the tray with cookie crumbs. “I’ll take these to the kitchen.”

“Thanks. Put them in the sink. I’ll get to them later.”

Noel returned to the living room and sat back on the couch, tossed the pillow that had separated them to one side and scooted closer to Holly. Her foot twitched. “Where’s your Christmas tree?”

Holly shrugged. “I don’t have one.”

“I don’t either. I have boxes all over my apartment. I’ve been so busy getting used to the hospital, I haven’t purchased one yet. But there’s time. I passed this Christmas tree lot on the way here. They still have plenty of nice evergreens left.”

“I’ll pass this year. Besides, I’m on call Christmas Eve, and I have plans for Christmas Day. I really don’t have time to decorate a tree.”

That explanation would have to suffice. Aunt Mae dismantled the last Christmas tree to grace that house after her parents’ funeral while Holly stayed tucked away in her aunt’s home with family friends.

Noel snapped his fingers. “What a coincidence! I’m on call Christmas Eve, too. Hey, I have an idea. Since we’re both pressed for time, and away from our families, let’s share a tree.  I’ll even pay for it.”

He had a childhood glimmer in his eyes with that “please, please, can we?” kind of look. She couldn’t completely decline his proposition, not now anyway.

“Noel, that’s sweet of you. Maybe. I don’t know.”

He took her hands. “It will be fun.”

She didn’t pull away from him, but shook her head.

“Just think about it.” He let her loose. “I’ve taken up enough of your night. I’ll see you in the morning on rounds.”

“I enjoyed the company and the cookies.” Holly didn’t want him to leave, but they had just met. She didn’t want to be pushy. And she was hopelessly out of practice.

“We’ll have a proper dinner next time.” Noel stood. “May I use your bathroom before I go?”

“Sure. It’s down the hall, first door on your left.”

Holly rocked out from the couch and walked over to the window. Peeking through the drapes, she watched the boys from next-door tap snow from their shovels. With the TV on and then immersed in conversation with Noel, she missed that they had cleared the snow from the drive. She opened the front door and yelled, “Thanks, boys. Wait here. I’ll get some money.”

“No need to pay us, Dr. Green. It’s the holidays.”

“Yes, it is. But I want to give you something.”

She hurried to her bedroom to retrieve her wallet. Holly halted in the doorway. There stood Noel, in her bedroom, staring at the ornament decorated framed picture of her and her parents.

Holly skidded to a stop. Her breath pumped. “What are you doing in my bedroom?”

Noel stared her, question deep in his eyes. “They’re not alive, are they?”

He had discovered that which she had worked so hard to bury during the holidays. Now she was forced to tell him.

Chapter Four

“I didn't mean to take a wrong turn," Noel said. “I was on the way to the bathroom when I saw a sparkle from the corner of my eye. It was coming from these ornaments.” Noel pointed to the glittering globes hanging from the picture on her dresser. He reached for the photo. Holly held her breath. But his hand stopped short of the frame. “This is an old photo of you and your parents. I noticed there aren’t any recent ones anywhere in your house. And you were so evasive when I asked you about them. Then I figured it out. They aren’t retired. They’re gone.”

Her throat burned and her eyes began to sting.
Don’t do it! Don’t cry!
Emotions banged in Holly’s head so she simply nodded.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “I recognize you. You look about twelve here."

 Holly took a stuttering breath. "Actually thirteen. It's the last photo of my parents and me. They died two weeks after that picture was taken at a Christmas tree farm we visited every year."

Noel backed away from her dresser. Their awkward gazes collided in silence.

Holly cleared her throat and interrupted the quiet. "Uh, the bathroom is one door down. I’ll meet you afterwards in the living room.”

Noel raked his fingers through his hair. “I didn’t intend to invade your privacy, and I, uh, certainly didn’t expect to be in your bedroom, for uh, any other purpose,” he stammered.

Holly lightly scratched her cheek. “It’s all right, Noel. I didn’t take it that way.”

“Okay then.” He pointed toward the door. “I’ll meet you back in the living room.”

They danced around each other, their heads bobbing to and fro, dodging one another just like in the hospital when they first met.

She waved her hand toward her bedroom door. “Please, you first.”

He fiddled with his shirt collar. “Thanks.”

Between the two of them, she didn’t know who was more flustered.

***

Meanwhile, Holly sat on the sofa, pressing her palms to her knees, steadying them before Noel arrived. She yanked a throw pillow onto her lap in a desperate attempt to camouflage her knocking knees.

Noel let out a “Humph”, heralding his approach. He sat diagonally, facing her. Holly hugged her pillow.

"If you're not ready to tell me about it, it's okay. I don't want to force you."

He touched her hand. It was warm and unwavering. She hadn’t trusted anyone but Aunt Mae in years. But there was something about Noel. The way he looked at her, holding her in his gaze a few seconds longer beyond mere politeness. Holly drew a deep breath. She’d say it quickly, like ripping off a Band Aid. “I don't speak to anyone about it. I know they gossip about my avoiding the hospital Christmas party every year, but I doubt they know the truth. I guess they think I'm sort of a Scrooge. I prefer it that way. Please don't mention this to anyone else. I don't want their pity."

Noel gently squeezed her hand and scooted closer to Holly. "Your secret is safe with me. What happened, Holly?”

Her stomach knotted but Holly told Noel everything about the night a drunk driver crashed into her parent's car, fatally wounding them on Christmas Eve. He didn't interrupt her once, nodding at her words. They flowed from her lips until she shared her secret life hidden from hospital view.

She swallowed hard. “I stood there frozen, in the emergency room, unable to move. I didn’t understand what was going on. In between the backs of nurses I caught a glimpse of them, lying separated on blood soaked gurneys. Dr. Thornton yelled, “Get her out of here.” Next thing I remember was my Aunt Mae hugging me to her chest. Some other people took to me to her home. She whispered in my ear it was okay to go with them. I can’t recall how much time had past, but when my aunt came home, I looked into her eyes. I knew then my parents were dead.”

Noel shook his head. “I’m sorry I prodded you to that party. You left after seeing Dr. Thornton, didn’t you?”

“Yes. But I don’t blame him. I hadn’t seen him in years, and I didn’t want to relive that night. Ironically, I became a surgeon to heal others when I couldn’t heal myself.”

He touched her cheek. “You do help others, every day. I’m sure your parents are proud of you.”

Her heart hammering in her ears, she feared he’d feel the beat echoing across her cheek. She guided his hand from her face, his fingertips the last to leave her hot skin, and squeezed it, giving her hand an intentional chore to distract it from trembling. It worked. Now if she could only stem the moisture from her eyes. The wetness intensified. Noel’s face blurred before her eyes, the edges of his hair fuzzy. Why did he have to say they’d be proud of her? It smacked her unexpectedly hard, right through her chest, the arrow of his well-meaning comfort. She had to think quickly. She had to get out off that couch and out of that room before she’d embarrass herself. Holly Green, M.D. never cried. And she wasn’t going to start today.

She turned her head away from him and pushed off the sofa. “I’ll make us coffee,” she said. It was the best excuse that came to her. Holly fought not to bolt to the kitchen. That would be too obvious.

She could hear herself breath as she scooped the grains into the filter. Holly held her breath. Silence. Relieved Noel hadn’t followed her, she spread her hands across the counter and leaned forward. Her pulse slowed in tandem with the pop -pop of the percolator.

“Sugar or cream?” Holly called from the kitchen.

“Both, please,” he replied.

She poured two cups and grabbed two saucers. Blinking the moisture from her lower lids, she returned to the living room with the steaming java and set them onto the coffee table.

“Thanks,” he said. “That smells great.”

She nodded. “Special blend.”

They stirred their coffee. The tinkling sound of silver spoons against porcelain filled the air. And then it happened. Noel had let her off her cathartic hook. He had changed the subject.

Between sips, they shared anecdotes from their medical school and surgical training years. They too were once just like Clifford and Candice. Holly laughed retelling her misadventures and amusing patient antics. What she didn’t mention was Mrs. Shale’s Christmas ornament. She’d let Noel believe it was a family heirloom, keeping secret about her patient’s gift. She didn’t want anyone see her as growing soft, except maybe Noel. And that was a “big maybe”.

They set down their empty cups, their tales exhausted, their guffaws waning. The tapping of snow shovels against asphalt echoed through the living room window. They stood at the same.

“The boys must be finished clearing the drive.”

Noel winked. “Let’s go see if they’ve done a decent job.”

They walked to the window. Holly pulled back the curtains. Noel leaned in behind her, resting his hand on her back. She peeked through the frosty glass. He moved closer to her, grazing her cheek with his. Holly’s shoulders melted the second Noel touched her. She leaned back into his chest, so solid, so secure. Noel wrapped his arms around her. Letting Noel Shepherd into her house was the best decision she’d made all day.

“Hey. Those boys have certainly earned their pay.” He eased in closer and said softly in her ear, “I would have done it for free, you know.”

Holly twisted around in his arms and faced Noel. She grinned. “Not in those shoes.”

He tapped her on her nose. “Apparently you and I listened to the same weather report.”

“If you don’t like the weather in New Hampshire, then wait five minutes,” they said in unison, laughing at their coincidental timing.

“Now that the drive is clear and I can find my car, I’m heading out.”

Her heart sank. First she didn’t want him to stay, now she didn’t want him to leave.

Holly reached her hand up and patted his shoulder. “Thank you for coming by with the cookies.”

They lightly bumped their heads together.

“You’re welcome. I’ll bring more next time.”

Holly circled past him. “Let me get your jacket.”

She plucked Noel’s jacket from the coat stand and handed it to him.

He slid it on, zipped it, leaned over, and kissed her on the cheek.

Holly blinked. Warmth spread from her stomach to her chest. And when he opened the door, she didn’t flinch despite the winter wind daring her to shiver. She waved to him as he ran to his car. “See you, tomorrow.”

Noel waved back as he ducked into the driver’s seat. “Bright and early!”

She slowly eased the door closed, watching him back out into the street. Then she saw it. Noel’s scarf draped over the coat rack. She flung open the door.

“Hey, Noel,” she called. “You forgot your scarf.”

But he was gone. She shut the door and leaned her back against it, holding Noel’s scarf. Holly ran her fingers across the smooth, soft wool. She shook her head and smiled.
He left that on purpose!

Holly held his scarf up to her nose and sniffed. It was warm as if he had just worn it. Hugging it, she retreated to her bedroom. Folding it into neat quarters, she laid Noel’s scarf on the dresser next to the framed photo with the ornaments. She’d return it to him tomorrow.

Holly prepared for bed and slipped beneath the covers. She reached for the lamp on her nightstand when her cell phone buzzed. Her heartbeat jolted. She sprang upright.
It’s him! Did he remember he forgot his scarf? Does he want to talk?
She licked her lips and grabbed the phone, yanking it to her eyes. Holly sighed as she watched Aunt Mae’s phone number scroll across the screen.
Oh shoot! I forgot to call her.