Welcome To Noel
Noelle
Life can change in a blink of an eye. I know because that’s what happened to me. One day, I’m living in a large metropolitan area, helping my single mom run her struggling bakery. The next day, I’m on a plane to a small town in Anchorage, Alaska, which happens to be named after me.
Imagine my shock when the bell rang at my Mama’s bakery, and a balding man in a suit walked in to deliver my fate.
“Miss Ellis, you’re a difficult woman to track down,” the older gentleman said. At first, I thought he was speaking to my mother, as we share the same last name. But he stepped forward in my direction, and I stood behind the counter. My Mama was to the side, wiping down the display case with a damp cloth.
Living near the Appalachian Trail, we get a lot of tourists. Mama’s been working at her bakery since she was pregnant with me. She was close friends with the owner, Dolly. When Dolly retired, she handed over the reins to my mother. Being a single mom, Annabeth, my mother, didn’t have much money. So she took out a loan, and the bakery has been hers for nearly a decade.
I’ve worked here since I was ten. Don’t tell anyone. It’s hard to find someone to watch over your child when you have no family to lean on for support. I don’t know much about my mom’s side of the family as I have never met them before. It’s always been my mom and I growing up. Dolly is also a big part of my life. She’s like the mother my mom never had and like the grandmother I was never blessed with but always prayed I would have one day.
“Can I help you, sir,” My Mama asks, approaching the gentleman.
He lowers his black hat to introduce himself, “I’m LeRoy Hudson.” The older man narrows his eyes at me, causing his glasses to slip to the tip of his nose. “I came from Anchorage, Alaska, to track you down, Mam.”
“What do you want with my daughter,” my Mama sneers. She protectively shields me from his view by standing in his line of sight.
“I have come all this way to deliver a letter.”
A letter?
Why would a stranger travel to a town in Virginia to deliver a measly letter?
I step out from behind the counter and slowly approach Mr. LeRoy. Despite this strange encounter, I won’t dismiss the old man. He’s here for a reason. I can’t help but think my life will change forever once I learn what that reason is.
My life changed overnight. Once I was finished reading the letter from my estranged Grandmother, Mabel, I booked a flight to Anchorage, Alaska, where I’m now the new owner of a Christmas Tree Shop in the heart of the village of Noel.
Mama tried everything she could to talk me out of coming here. I couldn’t understand why. I still can’t. Why doesn’t she want me to know my father’s side of the family? Even though his last living relative recently passed. My Grandmother, Mabel Constantine.
Sitting on my eight-hour flight to my father’s hometown, I read the letter that forever changed my life for the tenth umpteenth time.
My darling Grandaughter Noelle,
Suppose you are reading this letter, then I have died without ever getting the chance to know you. By the time I discovered you existed, It was too late. My cancer was terminal.
After your father’s untimely death, I discovered a picture of you and your mother while going through his belongings. Along with your picture was a letter. It’s stored in a particular place at his childhood home. You will find it if you abide by my will.
It saddens me that you never got to know your father. Once Andrew discovered your existence, he made it his life’s mission to find you. Unfortunately, he never got the chance.
The day your father was supposed to leave for his flight, he hit a patch of ice, causing the wheels of his Ford truck to spin out. He hit a tree head-on and was killed instantly.
Tears stream down my cheeks just like they did the first time I read this letter, but I continue reading. I’m sorry you never got to know such a wonderful man. He would have been a fantastic father. You shall receive my inheritance because you are my last living relative. You will find my testament attached to this letter. All I ask of you is that you honor my wishes and continue our family’s legacy.
The town of Noel is filled with love, laughter, and residents who will welcome you with open arms. Suppose you don’t do this for me. Do this for the father you were robbed of getting a chance to know.
God Bless.
With love, your Grandmother, Mabel.
My Grandmother wasn’t kidding about leaving everything to me. I inherited her car and home; at the bottom of the will, it said I was the proud owner of a Christmas Tree Shop. I helped my mom with her bakery over the years but don’t know anything about running a business.
My nerves take over when the plane descends on the airstrip. Once we safely land, I reach for the overhead bin where my average suitcase is stored. Luckily, I don’t have many belongings, so I do not have to deal with claims and baggage.
I don’t plan on staying in Alaska long, only to tie up loose ends. I have dreams, and they don’t include owning a Christmas Tree shop. It’s not that I hate Christmas, but it’s not a big deal where I come from.
I don’t think I can say the same thing here.
Mr. LeRoy had said that someone would be waiting for me at the end of the terminal. As I make my way there, finding my chauffeur is not hard. Only a few people are waiting for their loved ones to appear. Only one holds a large poster board sign that reads, “Welcome, Noelle,” in big, black, bold, glittery letters.
I walk toward the woman who is jumping up and down on the balls of her feet. She seems to have a little bit more pep than me. But at least I feel welcomed.
As I approach the young woman who looks around my age, I examine her appearance. It’s May here in Alaska, and the temperature is warm and mild. I made sure to plan accordingly—that’s what the weather app is for.
The young woman dresses like me in her cami and ripped jean shorts, but our footwear differs. Where she’s in flip-flops, I’m wearing brown suede sandals. “Hi, you must be Noelle,” the young woman greets me. I’m caught off guard when she pulls me into her awaiting arms. I’m not accustomed to affection. I don’t hate it.
A strand of her strawberry blonde hair gets caught in my mouth. “Gak,” I gag, pulling away from the woman. “Um, it’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry I didn’t get your name.” Mr. LeRoy told me nothing about who picked me up from the airport. So I know nothing about this peppy person standing before me.
“Whoops, my bad,” she laughs, holding her hand out to greet me. We’re past the pleasantries, given I just had your hair in my mouth. “I’m Eliana, a long-standing Christmas Tree Shop employee.”
“Employee?” I give the young woman a slow but steady handshake. “That means you must know my.”
“Grandmother,” Eliana finishes for me. “Yes, I knew Miss Mabel very well. I’ve been working for her since I was fourteen years old. Back when she was paying me under the table.” She cups her hand with her mouth like she just said something foul. “I probably shouldn’t have told you that. I tend to speak before thinking.”
Shocker.
“That’s okay. I won’t tell a soul.” I hold my palm up, “Scout’s honor.”
“So where shall we go first, your new home or the store?” Eliana asks as we walk toward her bright pink Volkswagen beetle.
“I didn’t think they made these types of cars anymore,” I say, ignoring her question.
A smile brightens her already cheerful face. “Anthony salvaged it from a junkyard for me and did the repairs at no charge.”
My brows smush together. “Anthony?” Eliana said his name like I’m supposed to know who that is. “Is he a boyfriend of yours?”
She tilts her head back in laughter as she grabs the handle to the driver’s side. “Oh god no, he’s Miss Mabel’s son. Your,” her laughter quickly dies.
“My father?” How sad is that I didn’t even know his name? Then I suddenly recall a name mentioned in the letter from my Grandmother.
Andrew.
I remain quiet throughout the drive to town. Surprisingly, Eliana does, too. She could sense my uneasiness. The only sound is “Jingle Bells,” playing through the car stereo. It’s surreal sitting in a car my father restored. I didn’t even know Andrew fixed cars for a living.
I know nothing about the man who gave me life. Is it wrong to feel envious of the stranger sitting beside me because she got to know my father, and I didn’t?
Fifteen minutes into the drive, we pass a large sign that reads, “Welcome to the town of Noelle. Where all your Christmas wishes come true.”
Eliana stops her buggy at the side of a curb in front of a small store in the center of the village. “Come on, let me give you the grand tour. Then I’ll take you to your Grandmother’s log cabin.”
I nod and step out of the buggy. With spring, the air is warm but not muggy like it is in Virginia around this time. There’s a slight chill from the wind blowing throughout the streets. I grab the cardigan wrapped around my waist and slip it on to cover my arms, which are riddled with goosebumps.
Multicolored Christmas lights brighten the store's display window. In the center of the glass, in big, bold red letters, are the words “Welcome to Noel’s Christmas Tree Shop” next to a Christmas tree logo.
Eliana must follow my line of vision because while she fingers with a key on her chain, she informs me, “The shop you inherited is named after you.” She adds with a grin, “What a coincidence.”
“Yeah, a coincidence,” I mutter under my breath.
Sticking the giant skeleton key into the metal hole of the warded door, Eliana has to twist it a few times to get it open. “I must warn you, this place needs a little TLC. With Mabel being on hospice, I was left to run the store myself.”
The thought that my Grandmother died without any family around brings a heaviness to my chest. Sensing where my thoughts are, Eliana places a comforting arm around my shoulders. The touch from this stranger should have me breaking away from her. Instead, I break down in her arms.
“Shhh, it’s okay. Miss Mabel wasn’t alone on her final days.”
I lift my head, drying my tears with the sleeve of my cardigan. “She wasn’t?” That notion floods me with relief.
“No. Miss Mabel was a huge part of Noel. She kept the Christmas spirit up in this town.” I narrow my eyes at Eliana. Is it too early to call her my friend? “Trust me, Noelle, you haven’t seen anything yet. We have six months until Christmas to break a world record for how much cheeriness we can bring. And you are just the person to bring it.”
“I don’t know about all that. Where I come from, Christmas time isn’t joyous.”
Eliana's shoulder bumps me playfully. “That’s why you got me here. To show you the ropes.”
Can’t wait. I silently roll my eyes.
Finally, Eliana manages to open the wooden door. We step into a pitch-black space. That’s until she flicks a switch to our right, and the place lights up. It comes alive to my very eyes.
Yellow fairy lights brighten up the ample space. I see a sizeable antique chandelier hanging from the center of the ceiling above the wooden staircase. “This place has two floors?”
Eliana nods. “You wait until Christmas when the tree is lit up in the center. Every year, the town comes to help decorate. They each bring a homemade or boughten ornament to hang up on the tree. It’s a Noel town tradition.”
“Who started this tradition?”
“Oh, Miss Mabel’s Grandmother’s mother started it years ago. We also do a gift exchange for families in need. The townspeople donate fully wrapped gifts under the tree for those who are less fortunate.”
“Any other traditions I should know about?” I ask as I swipe my hand across a dusty shelf. A cloud of dust hits me in the face, causing me to choke out a cough.
“Yeah, the place needs a good cleaning.”
“Ha,” I choke out a laugh. “This place needs a lot of things. Do you honestly think it will be ready in time for Christmas?”
“Well, if we work together, anything is possible.”
Is this girl nuts?
The panic starts to set in, and my breathing grows heavier. “I can’t do this,” I begin to pace the wooden floor. “ I know nothing about running a business.”
“Hey,” Eliana approaches me, loosely gripping my forearms in seconds. “That’s why you got me and my family. We will help you, Noelle. You are not alone in this.”
Then why do I feel so alone?
My palms go sweaty. “I didn’t sign up for this. I’m sorry, Eliana, but I will sell the shop and return to Virginia.” I stalk toward the way I came in, eager to get out of here, when Eliana blocks my exit.
“No,” Eliana scowls with crossed arms. “I won’t let you give up on your Grandmother’s legacy. It is now your legacy, Noelle. If you don’t do it for yourself, do it for the family you never had a chance to know.”
I can’t think anymore tonight. “Can you take me to my Grandmother’s cabin? I could use a good night’s rest to think things over.”
“Of course.” Eliana locked up the shop, and we got back into her buggy. I’m curious about where my grandmother's home is located.
“Is this place far from town?”
“Not really. Maybe fifteen minutes. It’s about five minutes from my family’s home. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to ring me.” She mutters out her number, and I program it in my contacts. After all, she is my only friend in town.
As Eliana said, we’re approaching a long gravel road fifteen minutes later. Fear hits me the further we ride up the long gravel road. “Relax, it’s not as scary as it looks. Usually, it’s all lit up, but since no one has lived here in a while, it needs some upkeep, just like the shop.” How long ago did my Grandmother pass? I don’t have the energy to ask. I want to curl up in a bed and sleep for ages.
We pull up to a small wooden cabin. It’s adorable and wholesome. Is this the place where my father grew up?
“Yes, your father was raised here.”
“Can you read my mind?”
Eliana smiles. “I’ve been told I’m quite good at reading minds.” She steps out of the car. “Now, let me show you your new home.”
Much like the shop’s warden door, this one, too, is difficult to open. It takes Eliana three tries. “I’ll have Buddy come by in the morning. He will gladly help you with any repairs you may have.”
The corner of my tweezed eyebrow lifts,” Buddy?”
“Buddy Collins. He’s my brother’s best friend.” She has a brother. “Well, he was my brother’s best friend,” she adds. “Since he left home and became Mr. Big Shot, he’s forgotten about us all.” I sense some hostility in her town as she speaks of her brother. I’m too tired to press her for more information.
It’s none of my business.
“Oh darn,” Eliana pouts while trying to flick the light switch on and off to find out what is available. “The electricity hasn’t been paid in months. You must use a lantern to get around at night until you turn it back on.”
Great, no electricity.
“No biggie,” I lie. I may not have had everything I wanted to be raised by a single mom, but I never went without electricity. “I’ll make do with what I have.”
Eliana briefly showed me around the home with a lantern she grabbed from the wrapped-around porch. It’s smaller on the inside than it looks on the outside. The cabin is equipped with one bath and two bedrooms. From the looks of it, my Daddy was living here at the time of his death. I quickly shut the door of his room. When I’m not so drained, I will do some digging.
Not today.
“Well, I’ll let you get settled. Tomorrow, I’ll take you to town for a real tour and introduce you to some townspeople.”
Great, I drawl sarcastically in my head.
When I can no longer hear Eliana’s buggy, I fall to the brown suede sofa and crash.
Bang Bang Bang
A loud thudding noise wakes me up from a deep sleep. I wake up to the smell of musk. If possible, I can’t wait to make the place feel like home.
Rubbing my tired eyes, I slowly stand and stumble to the front door. Twisting the gold metal knob, I’m met with quite a dreamy sight.
Standing in the doorway is a man wearing a black cowboy hat, checkered red sleeve button-down shirt, wranglers, and a pair of steel-toe timberlands. Despite being in a tiny Christmas town, this boy has cowboy written all over him.
My eyes roam down his muscular frame. He’s chiseled in all the right places. I spot a bull’s head in intricate black ink on his forearm. Who is this cowboy at my door?
He’s got SEX written all over him. That’s a funny thought coming from me. A virgin. Yes. I’m a twenty-four-year-old virgin. I’m proud to be. Growing up, I wasn’t the girl in high school that the boys fawned all over. I don’t lack confidence. I know I’m pretty in retrospect. But I’m not the girl guys typically fall for. Back in Virginia, I had very few friends.
My high school friend Becky stopped hanging out with me because she said, “I was too boring.” So what if I would rather stay at Mom’s bakery on a Saturday night and help her bake birthday cakes than go to a party to impress a boy?
As I stand here and stare this find specimen down, I regret being inexperienced. “Darling, you may want to put your tongue back in your mouth. I’m spoken for.” That’s when I spot Eliana sauntering our way.
My cheeks feel red hot. I was drooling over my new friend’s boyfriend. “Buddy, let the girl breathe.” Eliana gives him a hard shove back, causing him to stumble slightly.
“It’s okay. Your boyfriend just woke me from a deep sleep.”
Eliana spins around. “Boyfriend,” Her head tilts back and cackles. “He wishes,” She stalks off to the kitchen with a cardboard box.
I narrow my eyes on Buddy, the sexy cowboy. “You are spoken for huh?”
“I am. Eliana doesn’t know it yet,” he winks and slips past me. I shake my head, closing the door behind him.
It seems Buddy is obsessed with his best friend’s little sister.
“What’s all this?” I gesture to the cardboard box Eliana placed on my oakwood counter. The kitchen looks newly renovated despite being dusty. It just needs a good cleaning.
“Just a box of food my mom wanted me to deliver.” It’s like a light bulb goes off in her head. She snatches a white flyer from her back pocket. “Before I forget to tell you, my mom told me about a business expo this weekend.” She hands me the flyer. “I know it’s short notice, but it may help you network with others who are newcomer business owners like yourself.
I scan the flyer, and my eyes lock on one word. “Chicago?” Yeah, like, I have the money to go there. “Yeah, I don’t think so. I’ll have to go another time.”
“It’s the biggest business expo of the year. You will learn a lot.”
“Where did you hear about this?”
“My brother. He called the house last night to tell us about a business expo he will attend this weekend. My mom told him about your predicament without giving away personal information. He suggested you attend. He emailed my mom a QR code you can use for free entry. You should consider it, Noelle.”
Maybe I should go.
What’s the worst that can happen?
