3 Christmas Crazy (2 page)

“Okay
, then, let’s get started,” Willa announced. “Has everyone had a chance to read the minutes of the last meeting?”

The group as a whole nodded their assent as Willa called for a motion to approve.

“As you all know,” Willa continued, “the next few weeks are going to be very busy. It’s important that we all attend these meetings and stay on top of our assignments. Zoe, are you ready to give your report?”

I quickly gathered my notes. This year I was elected chairperson—against my will, I might add—of the Hometown Christmas
celebration, a four-day event that’s held every year the weekend before Christmas. Hometown Christmas began as a fund-raising endeavor, but it has grown into a well-loved event. The shopkeepers along Main Street, as well as many other local citizens, dress up in old-fashioned attire and food and craft vendors, also in costume, are located at various venues around town. Transportation between events is provided by horse-drawn carriages because Main Street is closed to all vehicular traffic.

“Things are going well,” I began. “I plan to use the community center as the cornerstone of the event. We’ll set up many of the out-of-town vendors as well as the kiddie carnival inside. Not only is the venue located conveniently at the edge of town, but I found out that it will already be decorated; Santa’s Village opens the week prior to Hometown Christmas, which will save me hours of garlanding angst.”

“Will the food vendors be located in the center as well?” Hazel asked.

“Many of them,” I confirmed. “I plan to set up tables near the stage. We have several groups coming in to provide carols to entertain the diners. There will also be music and food vendors set up in a tent in the park.”

“What about the strolling carolers?” Willa asked. “They’re my favorite part of the event.”

“Weather permitting,” I confirmed. “We also plan to have a few street vendors selling hot drinks and snacks along the beach walk, as well as sleigh rides through town, a sledding hill behind the high school, and ice skating at Beaver Cove.”

“Do you think we should put so many of the vendors indoors?” Hazel asked. “It might take away from the festive feel along Main Street.”

“The main reason I decided to move the majority of the vendors inside this year is because of the iffy weather we’ve had in the past,” I explained. “That blizzard we had three years ago almost caused the whole event to be canceled.”

“It sounds like you have everything under control,” Willa complimented me.

“I do have one request,” I said nervously. “And it’s kind of a big one, so I really need all of you to consider my proposal before commenting.”

“What is it?” Willa asked.

Pretty much everyone at the table was looking at me in both fascination and confusion. I’d thought about pulling Levi, Ellie, and my dad aside and filling them in before the meeting, but the opportunity hadn’t presented itself.

“I spoke to Erica Connors from the animal shelter in Bryton Lake this morning,” I began. “It seems that in the weeks since our local shelter was closed, the number of animals scheduled for termination at the main shelter has increased dramatically. Erica has at least twenty dogs and cats slated for
processing
if they aren’t adopted before Christmas.”

“What happened?” Hazel asked. “Why the huge increase?”

“Jeremy and I were extremely successful in finding placements for our animals,” I said, referring to my former assistant, Jeremy Fisher. “We assisted the other shelters in the county in finding homes for their short-timers as well. I guess the number of adoptions in the county has decreased dramatically since we’ve been closed, and the number of animals placed in the shelter in Bryton Lake has tripled.”

“That’s because the animal-patrol guys from the valley are picking up dogs from the lake that never would have been picked up before,” Hazel said.

“I’ve heard that,” I agreed.

“So what can we do to help?” Willa asked.

“I’d like to use the high-school gym to hold a pet adoption during Hometown Christmas.”

“Won’t we need the gym for the Hometown Christmas events?”

“No. I’ve arranged it so that the gym is totally free.”

“Why don’t you just have the adoption at the Zoo?” Levi asked.

After the county closed the local animal shelter, Zak had bought the building and renamed it Zoe’s Zoo.

“The county won’t let us use the building to house animals for even a day until we’re fully permitted. I was hoping we’d be up and running in time for the adoption, but it isn’t looking good.”

“Wouldn’t use of the gym be up to the high school?” Hazel asked.

“I checked with them. The gym is reserved for use by the committee for the Christmas event. Initially, I thought about having the food court there, so I applied for the permit on behalf of the committee.” I took a deep breath. “I know this is a little out of the box. Not only will I need everyone’s support, but I’ll need everyone’s help as well. Hometown Christmas begins on the nineteenth. I plan to make the trip to Bryton Lake to pick up whatever animals remain on death row that morning. Assuming we don’t get all the animals adopted that first day, I’ll need community members willing to house unadopted animals until the next day.”

“I’ll help,” Levi assured me.

“Yeah, me
, too,” Ellie joined in. “In fact, I can borrow a truck and come with you to pick up the animals, if you need help.”

“I have two dogs already, but I can take two more,” my dad added. “On a temporary basis,” he emphasized.

“I can take a few also.” Hazel jumped on the bandwagon.

“I admire what you’re trying to do,” Willa commented, “but it seems like you’ll already have your hands full with Hometown Christmas. I realize that saving these animals is important to you, but the money we earn during our fund-raisers pays for our volunteer fire department and free public library, among other things. Hometown Christmas is the biggest event of the year.”

“I can do both,” I promised.

“What does everyone think?” Willa asked.

“I’m for the idea as long as we don’t need the gym,” Hazel said. “I’d just like to emphasize that if a conflict arises, the needs of Hometown Christmas should come first.”

“Anyone disagree?” Willa asked.

No one spoke up.

“It looks like you have the committee’s support,” Willa decided. “As long as the gym isn’t needed for Hometown Christmas, you’re free to use it.”

“Thank you.”

“Okay, now let’s go over the master calendar and then move on to new business.”

I listened as Willa outlined plans for the community tree lighting on the sixth, the cookie exchange on the tenth, the opening of Santa’s Village on the twelfth, the local theater company’s performance of
White Christmas
on the thirteenth though the fifteenth, the last day of school before winter break and the opening of the kiddie carnival on the eighteenth, Hometown Christmas Spectacular on the nineteenth through twenty-second, the Holly Ball on the twenty-third, and the annual moonlight caroling and candlelight vigil on the twenty-fourth. Like I mentioned before, our little town tends to go just a little bit Christmas crazy.

After the meeting, Charlie and I headed over to Zoe’s Zoo. We
entered the lobby, located at the front of the large log structure, which is shaped like a T. Beyond the lobby is a long hallway with offices, exam rooms, and housing for cats and small animals both wild and domestic. When you get to the end of the hall, you’ll find facilities for dogs to the right, including kennels with individual indoor/outdoor runs and a large common area, and wild animals to the left. The wild animal facility is divided into both large and small enclosures. At the far end is the roomiest structure, which will be used to house larger wildlife. We are currently enlarging and updating this area in order to accommodate a greater number of our forest friends.

“Zak called,” Jeremy informed me the minute I walked through the front door. “He wants you to call him back.”

“Why didn’t he just call my cell?” I asked the twenty-year-old expectant father as I picked up one of the cookies someone had left on the counter.

“He said he tried, but the call went right through to voice mail.”

I looked at my phone, which I’d turned off the previous evening in order to conserve the rapidly dwindling battery and forgotten to turn back on. I don’t know why this simple task is such a challenge for me. It’s really pretty bad when you become known for something as ridiculous as your inability to keep your phone charged and activated.

“Okay, I’ll call him. Anything else?”

“Elsa Black called. Her raccoons are back. She hoped you could stop by this afternoon and relocate them. She seemed distressed about the situation and mentioned that she needed it taken care of right away.”

“Yeah, okay. I’ll head over after I call Zak. These cookies are really good,” I commented as I took a bite.

“Verna Green dropped them by as a thank you for helping her with the squirrels in her attic.”

“They have a really unique flavor. What is that? Brandy?”

“Amaretto, actually.”

“They’re delicious. Remind me to get the recipe.”

“Did you talk to the community group?” Jeremy asked.

I picked up a second cookie before answering. “I did, and we’re good to go. As long as nothing goes wrong, we’re free to use the gym, and most of the people on the committee agreed to temporarily house the dogs until we get them adopted.”

“That’s a relief. I checked with the county, and even though Zak paid to have our permits expedited, there’s little hope we’ll be able to open before the holiday. Still, it looks like things are on track. Sometimes I can’t believe how well everything is working out. A few weeks ago things seemed pretty hopeless.”

I knew what Jeremy meant. After losing my job, I’d settled into a deep depression that hadn’t lifted until I’d been encouraged to take a temporary job at a turkey farm in the valley. I’d not only managed to save several hundred birds from holiday tables but solved a murder as well, my second in as many months. Perhaps if the Zoo didn’t work out, I’d change careers and become a private investigator. Or not, I amended, as I looked around the building I loved and thought about all the animals whose lives I’d saved. Jeremy and I had a unique approach to animal rescue and adoption. We considered ourselves to be animal matchmakers who had a knack for placing those in our charge with just the right humans. Unlike many shelter adoptions, our success at maintaining long-term placements was nothing short of phenomenal.

“By the way,” Jeremy added, “Pastor Dan asked me to help monitor and care for the animals they’re borrowing for the live nativity. He somehow managed to secure a camel in addition to the donkey and sheep they always have.”

“A camel? Wow. I hadn’t heard.”

“Gabe Turner is keeping it in his barn except for the hours the nativity is available for viewing. Ellie is in charge of lining up the town folk who have agreed to play the human roles, and she recommended they have someone on-site to keep an eye on the animals.”

“Speaking of Ellie, she gave me this phone number to give to you.” I handed Jeremy the number of Ellie’s ex-boyfriend Rick’s brother Rob, who was a single father and the founder of a single parent support group. Jeremy wasn’t a father quite yet, but it wouldn’t be long until he was going to need the support and services the group provided. I was still having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea that the dark-haired heavy metal drummer with a neck tattoo and nose ring was going to be a daddy, but in spite of Jeremy’s rough exterior, I knew he was a good man with a kind heart who was going to make some little boy or girl a fantastic father.

“Thanks. Ellie said I was welcome to start attending support meetings right away. The gang invited me to join them for their weekly Sunday afternoon football gathering. I think I might go and get a start on meeting everyone. I have to admit that the closer the baby’s birth gets, the more nervous I become.”

“It’s a big responsibility,” I agreed. Jeremy’s ex-girlfriend, Gina, wasn’t ready to be a mother but had agreed to go through with the pregnancy if Jeremy raised the child and covered all her pre- and post-pregnancy expenses.

“Sometimes, when I’m home alone, I get this perfect clarity that lets me believe I’ve made the right choice and everything will be okay. But other times I wake up in a cold sweat, wondering how I’m going to take care of a baby on my own.”

“You aren’t alone,” I pointed out. “You have friends who love you and will help and support you.”

“I know.” Jeremy smiled. “Ellie even volunteered to come and stay with us for the first few days after the baby comes home, while I figure out the whole feeding/changing schedule.”

“Ellie’s the best. And she knows what she’s doing. She babysat all through high school, while I was messing around skiing on the mountain and boarding on the lake.”

“That’s one of the things Gina was upset about.” Jeremy chuckled. “The doctor told her no skiing this winter.”

“I have to admit I share her pain. It’d be a drag to miss a whole season. How’s she feeling otherwise?”

“Pretty good, considering. She complains of being tired, but so far she’s managed to avoid morning sickness.”

“Is she still working?” Gina was a model.

“Actually, she is. She’s so careful with her figure, she’s barely gained any weight even though she’s into her second trimester. Luckily, she’s doing a catalogue for mountain wear and not bikinis.”

“Is she showing at all?”

“A bit. It’s really not noticeable unless you’re really looking. I suppose it won’t be long before she won’t be able to work, though. I’m working on a budget so I can send her money during her time off, as well as pay the expenses. It’s going to be tough.”

“It’ll be worth it,” I encouraged.

“I know it will. I’m starting to get excited to be a dad. We’re going to find out the baby’s sex in a couple of weeks.”

“Any preference?” I wondered.

“Not really. I think a boy might be easier, since I’m familiar with little boys and little boy needs, but a girl . . . a girl would be awesome. My own little princess.”

“I’m sure that either way you’ll be a great dad.”

“I don’t need to be a great dad. I just need to be a better dad than mine was to me.”

I knew Jeremy’s father had left him and his mom when he was young, and in many ways becoming a dad was bringing up issues he’d chosen not to deal with. His mom had died when he was a teenager and he had moved in with an elderly aunt who’d died two summers ago. I had to give Jeremy credit for his willingness to go the distance with his child. A lot of just-turned-twenty-year-old males would have taken the easy way out and let their girlfriends end their pregnancies, as Gina originally had intended to do.

When I had hired Jeremy two years ago, I’d thought of him as a nice kid with a lot of energy and a way with animals. Now I could see he’d matured into a man with a deep love for and commitment to his unborn child and a determination to leave his youth behind and become the father he’d always wished he’d had.