Sheila practically floated back into the house. It was amazing how this visit with Natalie, which Sheila had considered a favor to her best friend, had turned into so much more. This town, these people, they brought an energy back into her life that had been missing. All the big houses, fancy cars, and money didn’t hold a candle to the simplicity of the joy she felt right now. Tucker was an unexpected gift. Even if it went no further than friendship, she wouldn’t have missed this for the world.
Sheila walked inside, her stomach still doing elegant ice-skater spins from that kiss. Breathing in the last itsy bit of his aftershave that lingered on her cheek, she stopped feeling as guilty as a teenager sneaking in after curfew when she saw that Orene was sitting on the stairs smiling at her.
“You were eavesdropping.” Sheila pretended to be shocked.
“Flat-out watching through that side glass window. That was one heckuva kiss!” Orene held her hands to her heart. “I love the two of you together. That wasn’t just a mistletoe kiss. You saw fireworks, didn’t you?”
Sheila let out a breath. She was tempted to play it down, but she couldn’t. She raced over to the stairs and plopped down at Orene’s feet. “Saw them and felt them all the way to my toes!” I look forward to doing that again. Soon. She covered her face, giggling and almost embarrassed at how incredibly elated she was. “It was so nice.”
“I could tell from here. Honey, I’m so happy for you. Couldn’t happen to two nicer people. This is turning out to be the most precious Christmas in all my years,” said Orene. “One I won’t forget, the way we’ve all pulled together to help the Jacob family, the best Christmas Tree Stroll in the history of this town, and love. So much love.”
Sheila sat, realizing she’d passed a lot of judgment and jumped to a lot of conclusions over the past few years. She couldn’t blame Dan for all of that. It was her doing. Too much focus on work and material things. Had she been hiding from life?
“You know, Orene, I used to think it was a huge mistake that Natalie was putting roots down here. I judged her and that wasn’t how a good friend should react. I wanted her to come back to Richmond. That was selfish. I missed her, but as her friend, I couldn’t be happier with how things are going with her and Randy, and I do understand why she’s here in Chestnut Ridge now. I never really listened.”
Orene patted her hand. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You’re a wonderful friend. We’re all on our own journey, and they happen at different paces.”
“Randy and Natalie are so perfect for each other, and I honestly can’t see them anywhere but in this wonderful town. With you, and Paul and Nelle and all of these wonderful people.”
“Thank you, and we can see you here in our lives too.”
“There’s something special about Chestnut Ridge.”
“I like to think so,” Orene said. “I mean we have fairy stones, that’s pretty special, and the Blue Ridge Mountains treat us to an ever-changing landscape that is beyond imagination every single day.”
Sheila thought of the night Tucker drove her up to see the lights from the parkway.
Orene said, “Some things you can’t teach or explain. They have to be experienced so that things can work out the way they should.”
“You’re so right.” It was like suddenly the air around her was lighter, things made sense, and it made her heart dance. “It sure does. I’ve got to do something.” She leapt to her feet.
“What? Is something wrong?” Orene’s brows pulled together.
“No,” Sheila said. “Things are very right. I gotta go!”
“Where are you going? It’s Christmas Eve. You can’t leave now.”
She lifted her hand. “Right.” She looked outside, and then back at Orene. “There’s something I have to do. I don’t know how long it’s going to take, but I’ll be back in time for you to open your present. I promise.”
“Where are you going?”
She grabbed her purse. “If Natalie comes over, tell her I had a last-minute Christmas emergency to take care of. Everyone is meeting here in the morning, right?”
“I’ve already got my breakfast casserole made up and in the refrigerator.”
“I’ll be here for that.”
“But it’s Christmas Eve, we’ll be celebrating that too.”
“And that’s what makes this perfect.” Sheila hugged Orene and then ran to her car and sped off.
Sheila made one phone call, and it went exactly as she thought it would. “Yes. I’ll meet you at my office in two hours. Merry Christmas.” She dropped her phone into the passenger seat and settled both hands on the wheel and turned onto the main road. It wasn’t all that far to her office.
“Oh what the heck, drive yourself,” she said to the Tesla as she pulled the cruise stalk toward her twice in quick succession, and let the self-driving mode engage.
The car continued down the road. Sheila kept her hands hovering just above the wheel, unwilling to give up complete control to the car, but it stayed right on course, which was pretty cool. “That’s enough.” She tapped the brake and then pressed the right scroll wheel on the steering wheel. “That was pretty exciting, but I think I like being the one steering my life these days.”
Although her heart was still racing from the little experiment, she was right on schedule when she hit the city limits.
Traffic snarled in front of the mall. Last-minute shoppers were out in full force. Thank goodness what she had to do didn’t involve any shopping.
Richmond history had always fascinated her, but learning the background of Chestnut Ridge had been interesting too. Shopping most certainly was head and shoulders better in Richmond than Chestnut Ridge, but in the age of online shopping, how could that even be an argument? Richmond was a cultural hub in comparison, but there was something enchanting about the rugged range of mountains, craggy peaks, and stunning vistas.
Cassie is right. It’s just geography. It’s not where we live, it’s how we choose to live.
Seeing all this traffic and all these people in a hurry made her think of the view of the mountains and homes nestled among the trees, looking down from the Blue Ridge Parkway overlook for what seemed like miles and miles. It had taken her breath away.
Maybe some of that was because of Tucker too. Yes, Tucker, you lift my spirits like I’ve never felt before.
She recalled Cassie’s comment. “And what’s more important? Population or the perfect relationship?”
“Thanks, Sis. I’m working on it.” Sheila drove across town to her office. Glancing at the clock, she saw that she’d calculated the timing of this exchange nearly to the minute.
An hour later, she walked out of her office with satisfaction flowing through her. She tapped Enter in the app on her phone and stood there waiting.
Something was about to change. Like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly, she felt as if she’d just earned her wings. I’m flying now.
I’ve spent my life chasing career goals. How did I miss that there is so much more to success? Looking back, she saw that her career had cost her a marriage, the chance to have children, and all those vacations she’d always dreamed of but never taken. My priorities are shifting.
Deep down, she yearned for something more, and maybe she’d known it all along. Maybe expanding and bringing on the team was in preparation for this new phase in my life. A chrysalis.
Nothing is tying me to Richmond.
She’d been born into city life, but she had no family still living here.
Since Natalie had moved, she’d felt disconnected. How could she judge Natalie for leaving town, when really she missed her? It wasn’t a bad decision for Natalie. Is this routine I’ve made my life really living?
She’d been on a path to this reckoning ever since getting to know Tucker and seeing how committed he was to his neighbors, how he put his life on the line for the Jacob family and helped them get through the devastation, even helping his team find them safe shelter for their family—all the things he did that were beyond the parameters of his job.
Tucker’s very spirit was built on a foundation of gratitude and giving.
I want that.
She couldn’t ignore the pull she felt toward Tucker, or the satisfaction that came from working as part of a team in a community that operated on a mission to uplift one another.
Could she leave behind her life in Richmond and follow her heart?
She stopped and turned back to look at the office building and the fancy logo on the sign in front of it.
I can try to run things from Chestnut Ridge for a few months. Worst-case scenario, I come back. No harm. No foul. She could see where those words could mean something else now. It meant she could take a chance.
The Uber pulled up to the door. “Sheila?”
“That’s me.” She climbed into the back seat, and the driver pulled off, following the route on his GPS.
It was like looking at her familiar surroundings in a whole new light, and it was exciting. She let out a long breath as she leaned back in the seat. It might just be her best Christmas ever.
A few minutes later the car entered her neighborhood. She couldn’t even name her neighbors. She wouldn’t even have to say goodbye to anyone.
“Here we are,” the Uber driver said.
“Thanks for the ride.” She got out, clicked a five-star rating for the driver, then checked her watch. She went inside and packed a suitcase, and went through her mail, most of which was junk anyway. The Christmas cards she tucked inside the top of her suitcase to take with her. I’ll put them in my room at Orene’s.
She wheeled her bag out to the garage and loaded it into the trunk of her Mercedes. She pushed the garage-door opener and backed out into the driveway. Before backing into the street, she looked at the overstated home. It’s too big for one person anyway.
“Here I go! Goodbye, house. I’ll be back, but maybe not for long, if I’m lucky.”