“There's nothing for you to be sorry about. It's all my fault for going along with that stupid plan. Maybe if we hadn't tried to trick everyone, none of this would be happening.”
Yeah. If Asher had just gotten his shit together a long time ago, there would be no contract. No forced marriage.
Then again, I'd never have known what a diamond in the rough he was, either.
“Aunt Carol keeps asking what's going on. Everyone wants to know, of course,” she muttered, twirling a candy cane ornament between her hands. “There are family staying in hotels nearby since we found all this out at the last minute. It's a mess.”
I almost felt worse for all them than I did myself. Relatives had spent their hard-earned money to come and see me get hitched, but for nothing. That was my fault too.
I tried to not think about it. Guilt had a way of swallowing me up and drowning me. Couldn't let Lana see me like that.
“Hopefully there's a decent buffet or something still open for dinner they can all go.”
Lana returned to dusting the shelves she'd already dusted an hour ago. I just stared at the Christmas tree in the window, trying very hard not to think of Asher.
Of course we didn't need to get married now that he'd made that arrangement with Heath. But then what was going on with Rosa? Did the time we'd spent together mean nothing to him at all?
Or maybe I was just another one of his flings. He kept me hanging on so long as I was useful. Couldn't tell me he was meant to be with Rosa because then I'd have bolted.
Yes, it all made sense now.
The sound of jingling bells on the door made me jump awake from my stupor. Cold wind rushed into greet us, along with a cloud of snow that quickly soaked the carpet.
Bob, our usual delivery guy from the post office, pushed a rather large box in on a handcart. Lana and I exchanged a look. We weren't expecting any shipments today of all days.
“Hey there, Bob. How's your Christmas Eve going?” Lana asked, trying to sound cheerful.
“It'll be better once I've finished my route and can go sit by the fire with some eggnog.” He handed me his tablet to sign. “This one's for you.”
“Did you order something, Lana?”
“You know I'd have asked you first. Besides, not exactly like we're flush with cash around here.”
I studied the mystery box. My name was on the shipping label, not Hazel's Curiosities, like usual. Even stranger, there were little round holes poked all around it.
Then, from inside, came some kind of shuffling noise. Lana yelped and we both jumped back.
“I think something's moving in there!”
Bob scratched his head. “Huh. Here I thought there was a mouse in my truck or something. Well, you two have a good Christmas.”
With that, he headed back out and sped away. More odd noises came from the box, along with some kind of funny smell.
“You'd better open it,” Lana said.
“Surely you're joking.”
But I couldn't stop being curious, so I fetched scissors and carefully cut the tape. The box fell open to reveal some large object draped with a dark blue sheet.
I lifted the sheet, and beneath that was a birdcage. A beautiful crimson parrot stared back at me, its golden eyes shining when they met mine. The bird clucked its black tongue and sang “Hello.”
“A freaking parrot?” Lana shrieked. “Why is this thing here? Who would have sent us this?”
There was only one person on earth who'd know to do this. Only one I'd ever told.
“Asher must have.”
“But why?”
I didn't answer. The bird ruffled its feathers and began preening as I reached into the cage to pet her.
Asher was going to marry Rosa today. So Lana's question was a good one. What did this mean?
Maybe it was supposed to be an apology gift for being such a jerk. A nice gesture, but not one that mattered much anymore.
The door opened again. Bob? Had he forgotten something?
But it wasn't him. Ellen stampeded inside, took one look at Lana, and began to bawl. Lana stood still, shocked, as her mother squeezed her in a tight hug.
“M-mom, what... What are you doing here?”
“It's really happening,” she said, almost breathless.
“Huh?”
“Elias.” She pulled away and wiped her tears. “Someone made an anonymous donation to the orphanage in our names. They said it was for us to bring Elias home.”
Lana looked at me, both confused and hopeful, as was I.
“But it was going to cost us tens of thousands to finalize that. There's no way.”
Ellen smiled. “Apparently the donor asked how much our bill would be and simply cut them a check. Can you believe it, sweetie? Right before Christmas, just like we'd dreamed. It must be a miracle.”
The two of them chatted excitedly while I wandered off alone, head swimming. The donor may have been a secret to everyone else, but not me.
Asher, again. First the bird, now this.
What was his game? Here I was trying to make myself hate him for what he'd done. How could I, though, if he kept being so nice? So – dare I say it – loving?
At last Ellen left. Lana looked at me, shell-shocked.
“It's got to be some kind of joke.”
“I don't think it is. Hey, I'm really happy for you guys, Lana.”
Suddenly, she became very solemn, more serious than I had ever seen her.
“You can't let Asher marry Rosa.”
“What are you – ”
“He didn't have to do any of this. I think he really cares about you.”
I couldn't stifle a laugh. “If that's true, then what's he doing with her?”
“I don't know,” she
