Huit

 

That night Leona relived the day with an entry in her journal. After she'd captured all she wanted onto the pages, she made a cup of chamomile tea, wrapped up in the down quilt, and stepped out onto the balcony.

The moon directly overhead lit up the night like a giant spotlight while the thin layer of snow on the decking crunched under her slippers. The stillness enveloped and gratitude filled her heart. Thank You for all You are giving me.

She brushed away the snow from the handrail and leaned forward. The snow-covered mountains in the distance towered over the valley as majestic warriors on watch. A bunny rabbit hopped in the snow near the base of a large pine leaving his distinct trail. The branches of the pine sagged from the weight of the accumulated snow.

As Leona took in the picturesque scene, the sound of muffled sobs drifted in the thin night air. She shared the balcony with the room next door—Marissa's. Dare she investigate?

Be My voice.

She couldn't ignore the prompt. With measured steps, she made her way to the French doors of Marissa's room. One door stood ajar with only the light of the moon filtering into the bedroom through the glass panes. She knocked on the doorframe. "Marissa?"

Silence replaced the crying. Should she try again? Her pulse raced. She didn't want to impose, but something moved her forward. "Marissa?" she whispered.

A figure moved in the bed and before long Marissa sat on the edge. She turned toward the door. "It's you. What are you doing here?"

Leona stepped forward into the doorway. "Is everything all right?"

The moonlight illuminated Marissa's puffy face. She stared at Leona and remained silent.

Uncertain of what to do, Leona remained at the doorway. "If you want to be alone, I understand, but I can be a good listener."

Marissa patted the bed next to where she sat. Leona hobbled forward, tea cup in hand. "Want some tea? I'll make you a cup."

"Would you really do that for me?"

"Sure." Leona ditched the quilt and then worked the portable coffeepot to make the hot water for tea. She chose chamomile.

She handed Marissa the tea. "C'mon. Let’s sit on the balcony. It's a beautiful night. God has outdone himself tonight."

She wrapped up again in the quilt. Marissa did the same with her quilt. They walked in Geisha-girl fashion to the Adirondack chairs on the balcony and then dusted the snow off the chairs before sitting in them. "Thanks for the tea." Marissa held up her cup.

"You're welcome. It really hits the spot." Although the temperatures dipped in the low twenties, being out on the balcony was not as miserable as Leona had expected. The brusque air helped clear her head. She sipped from her cup and waited.

"Guess you're wondering why I was crying," Marissa said after a moment.

Lord, please give me Your words.

"Only if you want to talk about it. You don't have to tell me anything. We can just sit out here and enjoy this amazing night."

Every feature of Marissa's face was visible in the stark moonlight. She wiped tears away from her cheeks and turned to Leona. "Thank you for today. I thought making cookies was a dumb thing. You know, domestic and too much like a housewife. Certainly not anything the great Marissa Madison would be caught dead doing. But I realized the only reason I thought that was because I didn't have the warm Christmas memories you, Cameron, and even, Bryan have." She lowered her head. "My mother was a drunk, Leona. We didn't do Christmas."

"Ever?"

"Never."

Compassion flooded Leona's heart and a rush of emotion threatened to choke her. She swallowed the rising lump and tried not to let Marissa see her struggle. She didn't want the actress to think she felt sorry for her. She understood Marissa's battle more now than ever. Hurting people hurt. Plain and simple.

This woman was here at Christmas with people who adored their Christmas memories. When she should have memories to look back on with fondness, all she had was pain and neglect. She felt certain Marissa had no idea who Jesus was and why Christmas was so important.

She gave Marissa's hand a gentle squeeze. "You're doing Christmas now, and that's important. We'll make this Christmas the best you've ever had. A true celebration of Jesus's birthday."

Marissa smiled and cast her gaze toward the mountains. After a while she said, "They certainly are beautiful."

"They are. God's creation in all its glory."

Marissa paused and whispered, "God…" She closed her eyes and seemed to drift far away. Had she returned to the non-Christmases with her mother?

Leona started to say more, but something stopped her. Sensing that the timing was wrong, she shared the remaining moment in silence with Marissa. A prayer for Marissa filled her heart.

After a while Marissa stirred in her chair and turned to Leona. "I hope you weren't upset with me for talking to Bryan this afternoon."

Leona didn't understand. "Why would I be upset?"

"Aren't you interested in him?" Marissa sipped the last of her tea and then pulled the blanket further around her shoulders.

"In Bryan Golby? No. No way. I wanted to ride a snowmobile, and he offered. That's it. Right now my primary interest is in learning how to manage a restaurant and in making enough money to open my own."

Marissa smiled. "Really? Your own restaurant?"

"Yes. It's been my dream since I was a little girl." Leona told her about Leo's and the legacy her grandmother had begun. "What about you? Has acting always been your dream?"

Marissa creased her brows. "Nah, can't say that is was. It's a means to an end for me. I love the attention and the money. I swore I would never be poor, and acting makes that a reality."

Leona examined Marissa for a moment and began to comprehend the life the actress had led to bring her where she sat today. She wanted to ask about Cameron but didn't know how.

Marissa continued, "Even being here was a business decision."

"Really? I thought you came here with Cameron." Leona tucked her feet under her and made sure the quilt covered her shoulders. As the night progressed, the temperatures dropped and the deck became colder.

"I did come here with Cameron. His dad is thinking of having me in his next movie project. Cameron would be a good catch, don't you think? With all his connections, he'd be perfect for my career and not too bad to look at. I may have to make many trips down to New Oryleens." She smiled a sly grin. "Who knows? I might be interested in investing in that restaurant of yours."

Leona's heart dropped. The Marissa she'd gotten a glimpse of earlier this evening had disappeared. She'd started to like that Marissa. She didn't want to partner with this Marissa—one who would use someone like Cameron to advance her career.

 

****

 

Cameron awoke early, dressed quickly, and headed down the stairs.

Julian was already in the kitchen making coffee. "You up early." Julian turned to him.

"Couldn't sleep anymore. I'm gonna take a snowmobile out. Want to come with me?"

"Who me? On dat thing. No way. You mus be off your rocker."

Cameron put his arm around his shoulder. "C'mon, Julian. It'll be fun. Maybe you could take Miss Coco out." He jabbed Julian's belly.

"Whoa, don't go gettin' fancy ideas, boy."

"C'mon. Leona did it. You should have seen her. She's a natural."

"Yeah, that girl is special." He turned to Cameron and met his gaze head on. "It's time some nice fella realized what a gem she is."

Cameron raised his brows. "Me?"

"Someone who deserves to have her in his life. If dat's you, then yes. If not, then no. Simple as dat." Julian poured hot coffee into Cameron's mug and then filled his.

Cameron slid onto the closest stool while Julian gathered items for breakfast. "Julian, how do you know her?"

"Her papa was a good friend. We hunted together when we were young. Grew up on the bayou. We reconnected when the family moved closer to N'awlins. He and his wife were good to me when my wife and daughter disappeared. Leona is the same age as my daughter. She has a special place in my heart. I would hate to see anybody do her wrong." He lifted his right brow and gave Cameron the Julian death stare.

"I hear you, Julian." Cameron raised both hands. "Don't worry. I would love to get to know her better, but I don't think she wants the same."

"Why you say dat?" Julian placed bulk sausage in a stainless steel pot.

"I've tried to talk to her, but she brushes me off." He fiddled with the handle on his coffee mug. "Does she have a boyfriend back home?"

Julian snickered. "No, she don't. She's too busy for a boyfriend. But, my boy, it's like dis. She's not gonna pay attention to another woman's man."

"What?"

"You heard me. You and Marissa." He crossed his index finger and middle finger together. "Like this."

Cameron grabbed his head. "Ah, man. The kiss. She thinks Marissa and I are together?"

Julian nodded. "I think Marissa thinks dat, too."

"You've got to tell her that I'm not dating Marissa."

Julian shook his head and began chopping an onion. "No way. I'm not gettin' in the middle of dis. You have to tell her."

"Are you kidding? She won't believe me after what she saw." Cameron hung his head.

"Seems to me you better get creative and in a hurry. You got less than a week before we leave." Julian finished the onion and added it to the pot of cooking pork sausage. He rolled out pie dough for two quiches.

Leona entered the kitchen tying her apron around her waist. "Chef, you started without me. I thought you said we'd start at six thirty."

"Uh—huh, I did. But I couldn't sleep. Neither could my boy, Cameron, here. So we been drinking coffee together. And you know me. I can't be in a kitchen without cooking somethin'."

"What can I do?" she asked.

He pointed to the coffee brewer on the counter. "You can go over to that coffeepot and pour yourself a big mug of coffee and sit right there and drink it." He pointed to the stool with his wooden spoon.

She narrowed her eyes toward him and then did as he asked. Or rather commanded. As Julian had always done. She slid into the stool on the far end of the counter.

When Cameron had lived in Louisiana during his fifth and sixth grade years, he'd been so intimidated by Julian. His dad and Julian had become good friends when his dad had invested in his restaurant. He and his dad had helped paint the place and get it ready for the grand opening. That summer is when Julian had taken Cameron under his wing to teach him to cook after Cameron had confided in Julian that he dreamed of doing just what he was doing—become a chef and open his own restaurant.

Julian and Leona were doing what they loved. Not pretending to be something they weren't. Cameron hated his job. It was the pretending that had gotten him into the situation with Marissa. It was time he started living his own life and not his father's. After all, he turned thirty next month. It was past time.