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1
Winter
Wisps of snow drift toward me as the wind picks up. My breath turns into a mist before quickly dissipating into the frigid atmosphere. Digging my gloved hands into my pocket, I stride down the street with a grin on my face.
Christmas is only a couple of weeks away!
The houses lining both sides of the suburban street are decked in bright gold, red, and green lights. They’re all competing with one another, trying to outshine the others with their festive decorations.
The chilly air makes my eyes water but the sight of beautifully lit Christmas trees peeking through the windows makes me smile.Christmas is almost here, I think excitedly as the fragrance of wood smoke wafts into my nostrils.
This has always been my favorite time of the year.
Ever since I can remember, my Christmases were spent in the kitchen of the small bakery that my parents ran. I learned to sing carols while watching my parents mix, knead, and ice gingerbread houses and sugar cookies.
An ache goes through my chest as I catch glimpses of families gathering by the fireplace in their living room. Christmas is almost here but my parents are forever gone.
“Winter! Hello?! Winter!” A loud voice chanting my name breaks me out of my thoughts.
Turning around, I catch sight of a familiar figure in the distance.
“Carol, hey!” I call out, waving at my friend.
Reaching her doorstep, I take a closer look at her disheveled hair and worn-out makeup. She’s dressed in a crumpled dark suit but her feet are encased in thick, fuzzy boots.
“Did you just get home from work?” I ask.
“Yeah,” she replies with a sigh. “What about you, though? Why were you so spaced out?” Her gaze narrows. “Is something bothering you?”
I shake my head and smile. “That giant Santa and his reindeer distracted me,” I lie easily.
Carol stares at the house which has a huge plastic blown-up Santa perched over the top of the chimney. An amused chuckle escapes her as she shakes her head.
“Mom, is that Winter?” A small voice sounds from the inner halls of the house.
“Yep, it’s her!” Carol shouts. “Come over here and say hello to her.”
Next moment, a girl of seven comes pattering toward me. Dressed in a red woolen dress and matching shoes, she looks heart-wrenchingly cute.
“Hi, Winter!” she says with an excited grin. Hugging me around the waist, she takes a deep whiff. “Mmm...you smell like cookies. Are you coming back from the bakery?”
“Yep. And, guess what? I’ve got some treats for you.”
The child’s eyes light up at once. She eagerly reaches for the big red bag in my hand as I hold it out to her.
Carol snorts. “Did you seriously bring that for Aggie?”
I shrug. “She’ll appreciate it more, so I’m letting her have them.” Turning toward Aggie, I gently caress the top of her head. “Make sure you share them with Owen.”
“Thank you!” Aggie gushes, hugging me around the waist once more. With that, she turns away and runs back inside the house.
Carol’s face turns somber. “So, how are things at the bakery?”
“To be honest, it’s hard with just me and Johnson managing everything,” I say with a sigh. “The good news, though, is that our old patrons are coming back. They’re saying our cakes still taste the same. We’re hoping that word will spread and bring in more customers. If we can make a good profit over Christmas, we’ll be able to hire more people to work for us. Until then, we keep up the grind.”
“Does Laura still refuse to help?” Carol asks in a grim tone.
“Yeah,” I say as sadness pinches my heart. “She wants me to sell the bakery and use the money to pay for Ashley’s college tuition.”
