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“Bad enough that I got a late start,” Kenna Allender said into her phone that she’d tucked between her shoulder and ear. “I need that shipment of trees. When will they get here? You promised I’d have them this morning.”
“Roy had a flat tire, Sweetheart,” answered her Dad. “He’s getting it fixed. There was something about bending the rim and he needed to replace it. But he promises to be there first thing in the morning. Have you really sold out?”
Kenna glanced over her shoulder at the tiny tree lot she’d set up at the edge of the tourist park. She would have liked to have secured the grocery store spot lot but had arrived in Madison Creek too late. Well, next year....
“I still have some.” She’d not tell Daddy that there were at least twenty trees left. It was early yet. Most had sold the day after Thanksgiving while she was setting up. She’d barely had a chance to get them off the delivery truck before families were taking them away.
“But Murry said he’s already sold fifty trees and you didn’t even send me that many. Why did he get such a large order?” Her oldest brother always got the top pick of trees from her family’s tree farm and the first pick of towns where he’d do his selling. Madison Creek had been on the bottom of the list and the first time Mom and Dad had decided to try selling in the small lakeside town. They’d heard business was booming as it was becoming a hot spot for holiday festivals and events over the past few years.
“Calm down. We were worried about overloading you, honey. He was the first one to get out there and get set up. Of course, he took the largest load. You...”
“I got held up at school. I know, I know. But listen, you’re the one who upped the bonus deal this year. You have to give me an equal chance to beat him.”
Daddy chuckled. “Ah, sibling rivalries. When will you all grow out of that nonsense?”
Kenna wanted to say, “Probably never.” But refrained from smarting off. She wanted that bonus this year. The two thousand dollars would be a nice down payment on a new car for herself. Old George, her lime green VW Bug was on its last miles.
She blew out a short breath, sending a cloud of fog up around her head. “Promise the truck will be here tomorrow? I have some big ideas I want to try out. Things to draw people over to my lot. I’m actually kind of excited. Madison Creek holds an annual festival celebration. Something called a Holiday Hoopalooza. There will be games and carriage rides. I thought about having a wreath building stand, and maybe offer a couple of games for the kiddos. You know, something to draw people in while they’re out anyway?”
“That’s my smart girl. You’ll do good, I’m sure. Have you found a safe place to park the camper? You’re being sure to keep everything locked up, right?”
“Yes,” she drew the word out in exasperation. “I’m always careful, and I’m right here at the tree lot, as usual. I was actually able to use the tourist park so I have hook-ups and everything. I gave the owner his choice of trees for a big discount, so I’m good to go. I was just thinking about driving down to the store and picking up some food for the week. But I didn’t want to miss Roy.”
“You won’t. He’ll be there in the morning. Promise.”
“Okay, Daddy. I better get going before the store closes. I love you like pumpkin pie,” she said with a smile. “Give Mama a kiss for me.”
“Sure thing, baby. Love you like chocolate pudding,” he teased back before warning, “Stay safe.” They’d been making the same joke since she was in grade school. I love you like fried chicken. I love you like mint chocolate chip ice cream. Corny, she knew, but it was their fun little thing.
Kenna hit the end call button with a smile. Her daddy was such a worry-wort. It had taken some convincing to get him to agree to send her out to sell trees like her other four out of ten siblings did every year. She’d had to throw in her discrimination card after her younger brother, Greg, was given his own lot this year. Mom had talked Daddy into giving Kenna a lot just to shut her up.
Three years ago, Kenna had been sent out with Murry, which had been a nightmare. He liked to party too much and had nearly ended up in jail for disorderly conduct. But jail would have been preferable to the fury of facing their father when he found out what happened and had to drive down to take over the tree lot.
Still, at least Kenna had been able to prove she was the more responsible one. After a year of missing out, Murry wised up and took his job, and his life, more seriously. Daddy liked to make things interesting by offering a bonus to the one who sold the most trees. So far, Murry and Donald, the second oldest Allender, had won the cash prize. This year, Kenna, who was third in line, was determined that bonus would be hers. She had a plan. She could do this.
After securing a rope around her spot, she sent a text to the park manager, letting him know she was going to make a quick trip to the store. Mr. McCarty would keep an eye on things, so long as she didn’t leave for too long. That was the only downfall about handling the tree lot alone. With no back-up, she rarely left her little spot unattended.
Most of the trees were tucked inside the large white tent. She’d planned to hang some signs announcing her wreath building classes and natural decor tips. People liked to spend a lot of money on ornaments, but it wasn’t necessary. With the right frame of mind, one had a bounty of decor waiting right in their own yards, provided by God Himself.
She sent another text asking Mr. McCarty if he needed anything while she was at the store. After a few turns of the key, she finally got Old George to wake up and rumble to life. The manager responded that he was good and thanked her for asking.
As Kenna drove down Main Street, her eyes widened at the sight. Oh, but she loved small quaint towns like this. Each shop was decorated. Some with flashy, glittering tinsel and metallic looking boughs of silvery foliage hanging over the doorways. Other’s decked with pine and twinkling lights. A corner diner had painted a snowy scene with happy snowmen and goofy reindeer on the large windows. How fun. She couldn’t help but think the sight along Main Street was right out of one of those beautiful paintings of homey towns that she loved so much.
Once she reached the grocery store, Kenna lucked out with a front-row parking spot. It was probably because they closed in fifteen minutes. Well, she’d make quick work in getting what she needed for the next few days. They were all given a living expense account, but Daddy only gave them enough to make sure they’d last the whole season if they spent it wisely. One thing he instilled in all of them was making do with what you had on hand and not being wasteful.
She didn’t mind. The Allenders’ spendthrift ways enabled all of them a chance to go to college if they wished.
When she entered the store, Kenna yanked off her knit cap and gloves before grabbing one of the smaller baskets. Milk, bread... some lunch meat for sandwiches. She tried to walk fast through the bakery section, her weakness, but then saw a sign for half-off the cookies. Ugh!
Twenty minutes later, Kenna headed back to the car, a chocolate chip cookie stuck in her mouth while she tried to fish the keys from her pocket. Several bags hung from her arms. She’d not wanted to bring the basket outside, not when they were trying to close up. Putting the bags in the back seat, except the cookies, Kenna had to coax George to turn over again. It seemed the starter was slipping. More incentive to win that prize money.
“I love you George, but it’s time for you to be...” she patted the dashboard with her mitten. “Well, I’ll make sure to find you a nice new home. Promise.” He was a classic, surely some collector would be interested in making her a deal?
The temperatures had started to drop, causing the wet roads to freeze. She should have done her shopping while the sun was still up, but there’d been so many people stopping by to check out the trees.
The bug shimmied and skidded along Main Street like a dizzy beetle. Old George needed a new set of tires. She was grateful that the street was clear this time of night. “I just need to get back to my little camper and I’ll be good for the rest of the week.”
As she neared Lakeshore road, the town lights were fewer and farther apart. Kenna wiped at her glove over the fogging window. “Listen up, George. You better not lose your heater, too. I can live without an air conditioner, but not a heater. Got it, Mister?”
The engine sputtered, then backfired. The sound so startled Kenna that she accidentally jumped and jerked at the steering wheel. The little car fishtailed for a second before she was able to get it back under control. Kenna blew out a long breath of relief, fogging the window again.
“Great!”
She wiped it clear to find something...or someone, stepping off the curb, only a few feet in front of her. Jabbing the horn, Kenna hit the breaks and tried to swerve to avoid hitting the pedestrian. “Oh no, no, please, please...don’t hit...” the car lurched to the side, and the tires slid over the frozen road, sending her straight into a row of mailboxes. Kenna turned the wheel again, trying to avoid them, but momentum shot her straight into the last box, wedging her against a light pole.
She slammed forward into the dashboard. Pain shot up her leg and through her head before everything went dark.