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“This was a great event,” the woman said. “Frankie, you are so clever at coming up with fun ideas. And we all benefit.”
If she couldn’t be Mrs. Claus, getting thanked for coming up with fun ideas was a nice consolation prize. It was good to be appreciated. It would have been even better to be appreciated by Mitch, who was now off with the new Mrs. Claus.
“Thanks,” Frankie said. “I’m glad everyone enjoyed it.”
“And Elinor is going to be a darling Mrs. Claus. That girl has certainly blossomed over the last few weeks.”
“Yes, she has,” Frankie agreed, inwardly taking credit for Elinor’s transformation.
“She’s such a sweet young woman.”
“Yes, she is,” Frankie agreed again, and knew she couldn’t take credit for that. Elinor was indeed a sweet woman. Hopefully, Santa and Cupid would get together and bring her a lifetime supply of love this year. One of them needed to give William a textbook on winning over a woman.
Adele stopped, said hi to Mrs. White and then informed her daughter that she and Natalie were headed home. “I’ll see you bright and early at the store tomorrow to get the hot cider going.”
“Thanks, Mom,” Frankie said, and kissed her mother’s cheek.
Natalie kissed Frankie goodbye. Warner gave her an enthusiastic hug and asked when he was going to get his dinosaur back.
Oh yes, the dinosaur. “He might have run away, but don’t worry, he has cousins coming to stay with you soon.” As soon as Frankie could find a replacement.
Stef was next to leave, about to go out for drinks with a couple of friends from the paper.
Frankie was ready to leave, also. Most of the cleanup was done. Anyway, Barbara was the committee chair. Let her stay for the final sweep-up.
“How about you?” Frankie said to Viola. “Feel like going out for a hot buttered rum?”
“I need to get home and finish the cookies I started baking. I promised I’d have some for Terrill when he gets done with his shift.”
“Can’t ignore your man,” Frankie said like the understanding friend and good sport that she was.
“I’ll catch up with you tomorrow,” Viola promised, and gave her a hug, then hurried off.
There went the team, scattered to the winter wind. Even though she was pooped from her busy day, Frankie felt too keyed up to go straight home. She wanted to go over the event with someone, maybe enjoy some hot chocolate or a drink at Heat or Carol’s Place.
Mitch probably had Elinor safely delivered home. He’d be free. She texted him.Up for a drink?
Sorry. Can’t. Going over stuff for tomorrow with Elinor.
Frankie frowned. What was there to go over? Elinor would put on the Mrs. Claus costume and join Mitch outside of town at the wooden sleigh made especially for Santa by Mitch’s crew from the hardware store back when Frankie had first conceived of the idea. The sleigh would be pulled by horses on loan from a nearby farmer. Two committee members had already decked it out in greenery and red plastic ribbons. All Elinor had to do was climb aboard, put a blanket over her lap and sit and wave. Once Santa was set up in the town square on his Santa throne, she’d welcome the children, give them each a candy cane and escort them up to see him. This was not rocket science.
Where are you guys?
Her place.
How long are you going to be?She looked at what she’d typed and then wiped it out. What was she, a stalker?OK, she texted instead.
It looked like she was going to be alone. She said good-night to the few remaining committee members, giving Barbara a wave from a distance. Barbara probably didn’t want any holiday hugs from Frankie anyway. Then off she went to her car.
No gingerbread house to haul, no nothing but her purse and a slightly dampened spirit. Going home alone felt so anticlimactic.
She was almost to her car when her fellow committee member Autumn came running after her, calling her name. She was holding out a cell phone in a pink sparkly case. Frankie recognized that case.
“I think your mom left this behind when she was helping us with our booth cleanup. It had fallen on the floor, and I picked it up. I almost forgot I had it.”
“I’m surprised she hasn’t noticed it’s missing,” said Frankie as she took it. “Thanks.”
Now she had something to do. Her mother was probably in her jammies and getting ready to relax. They could sit on the couch and talk about the evening’s adventure.
