At six, the melodic ringing of the bells signaling the end of the day—and the end of the Christmas Market—brought tears to Noelle’s eyes. She’d miss Holly most of all, but also the vibrancy of the market, including the customers. Jah, something had definitely changed inside of her. She enjoyed the chaos, the masses of different people, and the unique creativity that each vendor brought.
It took another half hour before all of the customers finally made their way out. Noelle didn’t have much product left, so she decided she’d give the rest to Holly as a happy birthday gift. Although she’d save one pie for Jesse as a goodwill gesture before she talked with him. If she actually could. Perhaps she’d waited too long.
He passed her, pushing two large rocking chairs, a hope chest, and a bookcase on a cart to load in his wagon. She held up the pie, trying to get his attention, and then waved with her free hand. But he didn’t see her.
She set them down and crossed the aisle with two other pies and a box of creamsticks for Holly. “Happy birthday, Twin.”
Holly’s hand went to her chest. “Denki.” She took the baked goods and placed them in one of her crates. “I have something for you too.”
She handed Noelle a box marked Advent wreath.
Confused, Noelle shook her head. “I can’t take this.”
Holly bit her lip. “Do you mean you can’t have it in your house? That it’s too Englisch?”
Noelle shook her head. “No. It’s yours. It means so much to you.”
“That’s why I’m giving it to you. Because I want you to have it.” The girl licked her lips and then said, “Now is when I need to tell you our news.”
Noelle clutched the box of candles, dreading what Holly might have to say.
“We’re leaving tonight for Mexico.”
Noelle gasped.
“Our grandmother isn’t doing well. We’ve tried to get her a visa to come here, but we haven’t been able to. That’s why my mother went down there. But now we need to go also.”
How had Noelle missed that her mother had gone to Mexico? She lowered her voice. “Can you come back?”
“Of course. We’re US citizens. So is our mother. Mama got her green card through our dad, and then became a citizen.”
Noelle finally felt bold enough to ask more. “Where’s your father now?”
“He passed away a few years ago. He worked construction and was suffocated when a ditch collapsed.”
Noelle gasped again. “How horrible.” She realized that was most likely why Carlos and Holly had come up to the hospital to be with her when Dat was in the ER. They knew her fear. Again, she felt remiss that she didn’t previously have that important piece of information about Holly’s life.
A sad expression fell over Holly’s face as she continued speaking. “Our Mennonite church sponsored us after he died so Carlos and I could take classes and Mama could build up her business.” She tried to smile. “But now we need to go be with our family.”
Noelle agreed. “Will you come back?”
“Of course.” Holly sighed. “Maybe not here though. I’ll let you know.” She handed Noelle a piece of paper. “This is my grandmother’s address and my cell phone number. I’d love to stay in touch.”
Noelle took the paper, put the box of candles in one of her empty crates, and pulled a scrap of paper and a pen from her purse. She quickly wrote down the phone shed number and her address too.
As Holly took it, she said, “There’s one more thing. Our truck is stuffed and ready to go, which means we can’t give you a ride.”
“Oh.” Noelle wasn’t sure how she’d get home then, but she figured she’d start by calling Pamela. “May I borrow your phone?”
“No,” Holly said. “I already arranged a ride for you.”
“What?”
Holly grinned. “Jesse said he’d take you home.”
Noelle walked out of the market with Holly, bundled up in her coat, bonnet, scarf, and gloves. The two hugged good-bye and promised to keep in touch as Noelle held Jesse’s pie in one hand and Jesse and Carlos loaded Noelle’s empty crates into the back of the wagon and then covered them with a tarp. The two draft horses that would pull the wagon snorted in the cold.
Noelle reached up and put the boxed pie on the wagon bench and then Jesse helped her up. There was a wool blanket waiting for her to spread over her legs. Three years ago, she would have sat close to him to keep warm. Instead, she spread the blanket over her lap and then pulled it up to her chin, holding it with her hands.
Once Jesse was on his side of the wagon, he turned on his battery-operated lantern and hung it from the hook. The wagon also had the required orange triangle on the back and a string of LED lights too.
“I thought I’d take the back roads,” Jesse said. “To avoid traffic.” He glanced over at her. “I just wanted to let you know.”
She nodded. Jesse might have broken her heart—for a reason she now understood—but she wasn’t afraid of him.
“Denki for giving me a ride.” She nudged the pie closer to him. “This is for you to take home.”
“I appreciate it,” he said. “I’ve never had a pie better than yours. . . .” His voice trailed off and they rode in silence.
The wagon bounced along, slower and rougher than a buggy. The light from the lantern bounced along the ribbon of a shoulder and off the snow. A cradle moon rose over the trees at the edge of the field. Noelle couldn’t help but smile at the beauty of the landscape.
Finally Jesse spoke. “Holly said you had something you needed to speak with me about.”
Noelle cleared her throat as the wagon bumped along and managed to croak, “She did?”
He nodded.
There was a reason Noelle needed a friend like Holly. God had brought the girl into her life
