Tonight the Shedders were caroling Oscar. “Not tonight, Andy. I’ve got plans.” She smiled, thinking of her secret. “Although, it’s just possible that you will see me tonight.”

“I’m confused,” Andy said.

“That makes two of us,” Christina told him. She stepped back. “I’m sorry, but I see customers headed this way.”

“Will you call me?” Andy asked.

“You’ll definitely hear from me tonight,” Christina promised.

She changed the sign again and opened the door. Two women, chatting excitedly about Christmas Eve, swept in. Andy squeezed Christina’s hand tight, kissed her gently on her cheek, and left.

—

The store was stuffed with shoppers. Christina rang up sales and handed out credit card receipts as fast as she could. She felt like a racehorse on the last length of the track. Outside, the sun was sinking and the sky was dimming to gray.

“Christina!”

Christina looked down and saw Wink standing in front of the counter.

“Hi, sweetie!” Christina wanted to rush around the counter and seize the little girl and hug her long and hard. “Do you want to buy something?”

“Uncle Andy says you’re mad at us. I don’t want you to be mad at us, Christina.”

All at once, every eye in the shop was on Christina. Christina knew she couldn’t get around the counter to Wink without squeezing herself past people bulging in quilted parkas. She leaned over the counter and said, as quietly as she could, “Oh, dear, Wink, of course I’m not mad at you. I love you, sweetheart. Listen, I’ll call you, tonight or tomorrow, and maybe after Christmas we can do something together in town, go to the library, maybe the ice skating rink…”

“But what about Christmas?” Wink asked. Tears were gleaming in her eyes. “I have to see you on Christmas! I have a gift for you.”

Now half her customers were watching this little drama with fascination and the other half were loudly clearing their throats and coughing, making it known they wanted to buy their presents and leave.

“I’ll call you, Wink. We’ll work something out. I promise.” She almost said: We have a surprise for you and your family. I’ll see you tonight. But she knew the importance of secrets, so she kept quiet.

Wink nodded. “And you’re not mad at us.”

“I’m not mad at you,” Christina told the little girl, and it was true, she wasn’t mad at Wink.

“Okay!” Wink threaded herself between the shoppers and left the shop. Christina could see the child skipping along the snowy path. Her heart was lighter.

“Who’s next?” she asked, ready to ring up the next sale.

Chapter 19

Christina stood in front of the full-length mirror in Elsa Fartherwaite’s guest bedroom and curtseyed.

“No, no, you can’t do that,” Mimi said. “You’ve got a green velvet cape with a white fur hood. People curtsey to you.”