Pam stood her ground. She’d always considered herself a good judge of character, and she was not about to cast him aside like yesterday’s trash. “Have you finished the verbal assault on your character? It’s too late for me to turn back, John. Don’t you know that?”
“If you mean the near-kiss, forget it. I was out of line.” He pushed his hands into his pocket. “I’ll be leaving town.”
“Not until you tell me your story. We have a date – cocoa and goodies at my place. And we both know you can’t pass up the sweet treats.”
He looked around like a frightened animal caught in a trap. “It’s not a good idea, Pam.”
“It’s the best idea. Surely you don’t plan on embarking on this wild adventure alone? I want to help you discover the missing pieces. Is that so hard to understand?”
“I discovered them.” He looked off into the distance. “Turns out I caused the evil in the play and I need to fix it.”
“Didn’t you hear – the Miracle Maker has already finished the job? The North Pole is safe.” Pam said it in a light, playful tone, hoping to relax his half-crazed intention.
John fanned his fingers through his hair. “You don’t see the big picture.”
“And you do?”
“No, I don’t! Is that what you want to hear? Sin is targeting me and I know I still have a part to play in securing the future. But you’re right. I don’t have a clue how to do it.”
“Cassie says I’m your side-kick and you need me,” Pam said.
“You talked to her?”
“Yes, but I’ll not say another word until we’re seated in my living room holding a hot soothing drink.”
His broad masculine shoulders slumped, and her heart went out to the man. “You win. Let’s go.”
Pam sent him directly to the couch and fussed in the kitchen preparing the drinks and a light snack. She placed it on a Christmas tray and brought it into the other room. He sat staring into the cold hearth.
“You don’t know how to start a fire?” Pam asked as she set the tray on the coffee table.
“It’s July.”
“Electric fireplaces have this wonderful feature. Flames without heat.”
John jumped to his feet. “Of course, they do.” With a flick of a switch, he had the semblance of a blaze roaring in the fireplace. He then came and sat next to her on the couch.
“Thanks,” Pam said as she passed him a hot drink and a napkin. He grabbed half a ham sandwich and bit into it.
“Good,” he mumbled, and Pam let him finish it in peace while she nibbled on one of her own. A cookie followed. They remained silent. One long slurp drained the contents of John’s cup, and he relaxed back into the cushions. “Thanks. Seems I have a bottomless pit.”
“Agreed! Ready to talk?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. I’d surely graduate from a memory loss victim to a crazy man in thirty seconds flat.”
“Try me.”
“You’re the scientific type. Not into the strange workings of my crazy life. I don’t know what mother was thinking?”
“Mother? Now that’s interesting. Tell me about your mother.”
“She is a jolly person. Loves to cook, but mostly bake – thus my inclination to all things food.” John bit into a cookie to emphasize the point. “I am her favorite taste-tester. She’s a hard worker and active year-round with her business – of sorts.”
“A business cannot be of-sorts. That would be a hobby.”
“Right! She has an employee, several in fact. One we both know.”
“Who?” Pam was curious now.
“Cassie, the dedicated meddler.”
“Really?” Pam ignored his negative description of her. “That’s great news. She can help you find your way home, right?”
“I left home and broke my mother’s heart. Cassie says she is not responding to her calls. She’s afraid something horrible has happened.”
“All the more reason for you to go home and make amends. You can’t allow your mother to wallow in depression and withdraw from her activities and friends. You need to go to her, John.”
“John, yeah… I like John-Doe. Let’s keep it that way between you and me.”
“I take it you have another name?”
He stood to his feet. “No. You got it right. But I think you’ve heard enough for one night.” John sniffed in the pine’s aroma and fingered the ornaments, consumed with inner turmoil. Suddenly he stopped. He pulled the ornamental gift key from its branch and turned to face Pam.
“Where did you get this?”
“In my mysterious Christmas package from the North Pole.” Pam laughed. “It is rather large and decorative, isn’t it?”
John began to pace. She allowed him space to simmer and remained quiet. Apparently, he liked her ornament for he held it tightly within his grasp.
“How about we do one more festive event, to free your mind from this terrible mood you’ve sunk into? We’ll go decorate your little tree so you will have sweet dreams tonight. Then we’ll head off and whoop it up at the town celebration. Do you like to dance?”
John nodded, and Pam took that as yes. “I’m going to freshen up, and then we’ll be off. Have another cookie. I won’t be long.”
Pam went into the bathroom and ran a brush through her wind-swept hair. She mounted it on her head, twisting and fluffing until it took on the festive look. She dangled a pair of reindeer from her ears and put on the necklace to match. A festive get-together deserved her best efforts. After touching up her makeup, she completed it with a smear of cherry-colored lipstick then stood back and surveyed the results. Not bad. Should be enough to take John’s mind off his troubles.
Pam clung to her conviction that he’d exaggerated his part in the rebellion,
