Make It Home For Christmas [COMPLETE]

Chapter Thirteen

Friday rolled around and dragged Christmas Eve along with it. Frankie drove into town, feeling the weight of every single long day, deciding that this was officially the longest week of her life.

She got to town a few minutes early before the Christmas Eve service at church started and parked a few blocks away so she could walk, her first stop being along the way.

The sign on the door read closed but Frankie opened the door to the antique store anyway. She had permission from Gary himself as he had called her to stop by after he closed up shop.

"What do you have for me, Gary?" Frankie asked, approaching the desk.

The older man smiled, the twinkle in his eye the result of Christmas lights decorating his front windows. He ducked behind the counter and pulled out an antique book that he held gently in his hands.

"I thought you might want another copy."

Gary passed the book to her as if it were made of glass. The leather was soft from use, the gold inlay still visible when exposed to the light. The name on the spine glowed in the soft Christmas lights.

'A Christmas Carol', it read.

"It's beautiful," Frankie said, once she found her breath again.

And with the purchase of the antique copy of her only surviving family tradition, the last item on Frankie's to-do list for the week, and the last name on her gifts list, was checked off. Frankie felt she could finally relax. At least a little bit.

She remembered, just as she was about to leave and saw she still had a minute to spare before service started, to ask after the guitar. Her guitar, she unconsciously called it.

"I sold it, unfortunately," Gary said.

What small amount of peace Frankie had found with the end of the week disappeared. Her shoulders sank under the sad news.

"Oh," was all she could get out.

"Last Saturday. I wish I could've held it for you longer."

Frankie could read genuine remorse on his face and so tried to force a smile onto hers to ease Gary's guilt.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it. Merry Christmas."

And with Gary's reply of "Merry Christmas," following her, Frankie left the store and headed for church.

She was grateful for the few blocks she had to walk. Hummel was decked out in all its finest holiday glory, garlands and white lights wrapping every street lamp, wreaths suspended over the streets, the bare trees wrapped in lights.

As she walked, she noticed the hush that had fallen over town. Those who were going to the Christmas Eve service were surely already there. Everyone else had family to attend to, parties to join, places to be. But the lack of people wasn't the cause for the stillness.

Frankie could feel it in the air. Almost smell it, taste it on the tip of her tongue. Snow. The snow everyone had been waiting for since Thanksgiving was finally on its way and it was setting its usual stillness over Hummel as the clouds rolled in overhead.

The warmth of the sanctuary wrapped Frankie up in a big hug as she slipped out of her jacket. The pews were only half full and Frankie was the only person sitting in the Stephens's usual aisle. Carols began just as Frankie found her seat and she joined in with the choral of voices, praising God.

She could feel the stress from the week melt off of her as she sat in the warm low lighting, listening to the message. It was a message she had heard countless times before, one that always brought her peace, perspective, and a wealth of gratitude.