CHAPTER ONE
(JPOV)
The snow fell in a heavy blanket of white, coating the tallest and sturdiest trees in the lot with an ample amount of the fresh white stuff that brought with it more plowing for me to do later.
"Perfect...-" I mumbled in complaint, taking a final sip from the coffee I'd stopped for along the way this evening. It was already dark, but that didn't stop the many families from piling into 'Uley's Christmas Tree Lot', all of them now eagerly searching for the perfect tree to decorate later.
Sam's ingenious idea of starting this little tree lot project of his in Forks three years ago as a way to earn some extra cash, had quickly turned into something much larger with every passing season. It was good for him I suppose, but a lot of work on the rest of us too.
The pack had all taken turns with trading the evening shifts for helping him run the lot in the weeks leading up to Christmas, and now that he'd added a delivery option for those who couldn't make their way in town to get a tree, we were busier than ever before. I volunteered my recently restored truck for the services, and Sam tacked on a little extra pay to make it worth the trouble for me. Truth be told, it wasn't like I had anything better to do on Christmas Eve anyway. No big family dinner to attend, or gifts to wrap and hide under a tree like most everyone else I knew. I sighed heavily at the sobering thought of going home to my empty cabin on the reservation later, and decided that the idea of working with Sam for Christmas Eve didn't sound so bad after all.
Sure beat the lonely alternative by a mile.
My eyes scanned the large lot before I climbed out of my truck and headed for Sam. There was lots of laughter and the voices of eager and excited children carried out to me, while I trudged toward the small family who was already paying for their tree.
The gentlemen handed Sam a crisp one-hundred dollar bill and told him to keep the change. Sam smiled widely at this overly generous tip and told them I could help with delivery if needed.
"This here is Jacob, he can help you and your family load up that tree or even drop it off at your residence if you'd like?"
"No, that's alright, really. I think we can manage, but I do appreciate the offer." The gentlemen replied, turning his attention to his wife and kids then. "We should be okay on our own, right dear?"
"Yes, I believe so. Afraid I won't be much help to you though in my state." She chuckled, opening her thick coat and gesturing to her round middle.
"That's alright, the boys and I will get the job done. Don't want you overdoing it." The gentlemen smiled, kissing his wife on the cheek, before bidding us farewell with his tree in tow behind him. "Thanks again and have a very Merry Christmas."
Sam nodded with a parting wave, as the familiar knife twisted itself uncomfortably in my gut the same as it always did whenever I'd notice one of the many happy families that crowded this lot, and let my mind go to that dangerous place once again. The place I loathed with a passion more and more with every passing year.
"I wasn't sure if you were coming in tonight?" Sam hedged, with a nudge into my side. "Being Christmas Eve and all."
"Got nothing better to do. Besides, I told you last week I'd be here, remember?"
"Vaguely."
"Well, here I am. So, put me to work."
Sam threw me the side eye and I glared back at him with a dismissive wave of my hand, already knowing the question he was going to ask.
"Isn't there somewhere else you'd rather be tonight, Jake? Say with Billy- or what about that nice woman you were seeing last month there for a bit- Cheryl, Christy-..."
"Catherine." I irritably corrected. "...-and it was three months ago. It's been over for weeks now. I think it was over before it really started."
"Oh yes. It was Catherine. She was pretty! What ever happened there?"
"Nothing worth sharing. We just weren't a good fit."
Sam huffed at this and stomped over toward the gift shop with a shake of his head.
"That's the fourth woman this year that 'hasn't been the right fit for you,'...- are you really being that particular now?"
"Lay off, Sam. You know I hate talking about this stuff. You've got Emily. Your happily ever after is waiting for you right at home. Probably with a roast in the oven and pie for dessert. That's your fairy tale life, not mine." I pointedly reminded him.
"It could be. If you allowed it or gave a nice woman a fair chance every now and again. You know, not all of them are so bad. I really liked Catherine. From the brief time I got to meet her."
"We weren't compatible."
"In what way?" Sam questioned, pulling out the cash drawer and counting the nights wages with an exasperated sigh.
"In all ways." I ground out. "Would you drop it? I didn't come in for this. I came in to work."
"Oh, there's plenty of that to do." He admitted.
"Are you closing things down early tonight?"
"Yes, I plan to close up shop at seven. That will give us enough time to straighten the inventory up a bit before heading on home. You know, you're more than welcome to come back to my place for dinner once we're done here. You know Emily does have a roast in the oven with all the fixings, and I'm sure there's something for dessert. Come on over and spend Christmas Eve with us this year."
I swallowed hard while pondering his invite.
"You'll have a houseful already. Paul and Rachel are going over. She told me this morning when I dropped in to check on dad. Thanks, but I'll pass."
"Are you sure?"
"I am. Thanks for extending the invite my way though. Emily makes the best roast in town."
"You don't know what you're missing!" Sam hedged. "Think about it? Come on?"
"Alright. We'll see. Maybe. No Promises." I begrudgingly told him.
"Good enough, bro." Sam agreed, gesturing to the many customers filling his lot, and handing me a pair of gloves before heading out to assist them all.
When closing time came, I helped shut things down and watched as the final family drove away with their tree into the cold Winter night.
Sam was finishing the final cash count for the evening when I heard him call for me.
"Jake! Come here!"
"What's up? Don't tell me we're staying open an extra hour like last year for more business!" I griped.
"No, but I screwed up! I forgot one last delivery!" He hedged.
"What? Not possible. I checked the list."
Sam met my perplexed gaze with a half smirk in place then.
"Yeah, but did you check it twice?"
"Really? We're referencing songs now?" I huffed, taking the long list of delivery names from him and pausing when my eyes fell on the last circled one at the very bottom of the page. The same one I'd seemingly missed before.
"Charlie Swan needs his tree. After the year he's had-..." Sam noted. "This might be one of the things he's come to look forward to. He's ordered one from me every year since I opened this lot."
I felt my chest tighten as I thought of Charlie.
This last year had been anything but good to him. Due to a sudden stroke in the late Spring, he'd been forced into an early retirement from the police station and was stuck home most days. Despite a lot of physical therapy, he was still struggling to get around the way he used to. His legs gave him a lot of problems and he tired out easily. No one had seen it coming and I was heartbroken for him when Billy had called me with the news.
Sue Clearwater and my father had been there for him as much as possible in the months following his stroke, but Charlie still had a long ways to go on the road to recovery. His life and routine looked nothing like it used to and I knew how hard that was for him.
"I'll do it." I hoarsely stated, trying to remember the last time I'd even seen him. It'd been months now. My last visit to check in was just days after he'd left the hospital. I hadn't worked up the courage to step foot back in the Swan house again since. It proved to be harder than I ever thought it could be and I avoided it now the best I could, but this was different. Charlie was a good man. He'd been a saving grace to me and my whole family when my mom died years ago, and I owed him so much more than just this.
"You will? Really? I thought I'd have to call Paul or Embry to make the delivery, given the destination. You always avoid that house like the plague. Can't say that I blame you."
"I can do this. For Charlie. I'll load up and head on over. I should've paid him a visit long before now. It's the least I can do." I managed, ignoring the growing lump in my throat as I thought of all the memories that waited for me there. Like a ghosts of Christmas past. Maybe I really was turning into old Ebenezer Scrooge from the classic Charles Dickens' Novel. These days, cold-hearted was an accurate way of describing me. The only difference in these two tales, was Ebenezer was offered redemption, and I feared that would never come for me.
"Thanks, bro. I owe you for doing this. I know it's not easy for you."
"Nothing usually is." I truthfully countered, venturing out into the snow again to load up the large seven foot tree that had Charlie's ticket order on it.
Within a few minutes, I had it strapped securely in the bed of my truck and was on my way. The trip across town dragged on, and the closer I got to that familiar street, the more my heart pounded out of my chest.
I soon turned the corner and coasted down the small hill that gave way to Charlie's drive, my mind filling with the dozens of memories of the girl who would forever be tied to this location for me.
The name tore through the walls I'd carefully built around my heart since she'd left, and it sent a jolt of pain through me as my truck came to a stop just outside the Swan residence.
Bella.
I unloaded the tree with little effort, noting that Charlie's lights were still on and hoping he was still awake.
I paused at the bottom of the steps and sucked in a deep breath before knocking on his front door.
It took him a while to answer, but eventually Charlie propped the door open and peered outside with a tired gaze my way.
"Jacob?" He groggily asked.
"Yeah, Charlie. It's me. I have your tree. Sorry it's late."
"That's okay." He yawned, trying to wipe the sleep from his face as he swung the house door open wider for me. "Come on in, son. Sure is good to see you around here. Been a long time."
I could only nod as I hauled the large tree inside the house and closed the door for him behind me.
Charlie had aged in the months since I'd seen him last. He looked thoroughly exhausted as he struggled to make his way back to the recliner.
"These legs of mine don't work like they used to. Seems your dad and I got that in common now." He sighed, plopping down with another huff, before reaching to get his beer. "You look like you've grown since I saw you last Spring. Jeez, is that possible?"
"Oh, well, I have put on a few pounds. You know, 'Tis the season,' and all so-"
"...-maybe that's it. I don't know. Seems like you don't ever change much. Got good genes like that from your mama I suppose. Don't tell your old man I said that. He'll kill me." Charlie joked.
"Not a word." I swore. "Where do you want me to set this up?"
"Oh, well...- probably over there in that corner is as good of a place as any. What do you think?"
"I'm sure it will fit." I agreed, lugging the large tree over and noticing the bag of ornaments and tree stand laying on the floor there. "Looks like you've already started getting the decorations out, huh?"
Charlie sat up straighter at this and I noticed the confused look he wore as he tried to reply.
"Oh-oh, well- uh- I uh- m-must have taken that stuff out of the hall closet last week sometime. I probably forgot. My memory isn't good like it was before."
I nodded and lifted the tree into the metal stand, being sure to tightly secure it before moving it into place for Charlie.
"That's a nice big tree. I'd offer to help you but-"
"No worries, Charlie. I got it." I assured him, adding half a smile his way in the hopes it would ease some of his guilt.
"So, tell me son, what have you been up to lately? Your dad tells me your still working down at the auto body shop in town?"
"Yes, that's true. Forty hours or more a week."
"That's good honest work. How's everything else? Done anymore upgrades to the cabin since you moved in or?"
"No, not really. Still have a lot more to do, but you know how that goes. Can't do much of anything without the funds for it." I replied.
"Oh I know all about that. Got a lot around here that needs fixing, but I'm broke as a joke."
"I get it, I do." I countered.
"How is Sam's tree lot making out this year?"
"Real good, Charlie. Another busy year."
"Sam has a great thing going there."
"He does."
Charlie went mute then, his watchful gaze still observant as I finished settling the tree in the corner for him and stepped back to give it a final look over.
"That looks great right there. Thanks, Jacob. I really appreciate you delivering this out here to me on Christmas Eve and all."
"It's no trouble, Charlie. It was one of the nicest ones left on the lot. I'm sure it will be a real beauty once it's all decorated."
Charlie nodded and I caught the sadness that filled his face at this, the look he wore making me want to back pedal my thoughtless statement.
"Have you had dinner, son?" He hesitantly asked.
"No, not yet. Been a busy day." I admitted.
"Well, I have enough money on me for a pizza if you're interested? It's nothing fancy but I sure wouldn't mind the company tonight."
The hope in his voice was enough to make me turn around and meet his earnest gaze. The look on his face told me all I needed to know. I knew all too well what that kind of lonely felt like on most nights. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
No one deserved to be alone on Christmas Eve.
"Pizza sounds pretty good right about now." I replied.
"Bacon and extra sausage? Maybe even pepperoni? Still got your big appetite I hope?"
"Oh yeah, you bet."
Charlie cracked a smile at this and ordered the pizza while I got busy trying to untangle the many strings of lights heaped up in another corner of the living room.
After another hour went by, I had managed to get them somewhat organized into three piles on the floor and Charlie expressed his gratitude.
"I could never get those things straightened out. What a hastle. Thank you for trying!" He complained.
"They can be." I agreed.
A set of bright headlights shined in through the bay windows then and Charlie rose from his chair with his wallet in hand.
"Hey- let me get it, Charlie. Dinner can be on me tonight." I offered, before heading for the door.
Charlies reply was sincere and full of emotion when he spoke.
"Thanks, Jacob. I mean that."
I reached in my back pocket and pulled out a twenty for the delivery guy. He handed me the pizza and was onto his next house in a hurry.
We enjoyed our meal at Charlie's small kitchen table, keeping the conversation going and recalling old memories as the night wore on. Before I knew it, the midnight hour was approaching.
"Where did the time go?" Charlie disbelievingly asked. "Can't believe we've been catching up like this for almost four hours. Been way too long, son. Way too long."
"It's been good to see you again, Charlie." I told him with a slight glance toward the tree. " It's nearly Christmas."
"Looks that way."
"Any special wishes this year?"
"Too many to name." He admitted.
"If you had to pick just one?" I hedged.
There was a far off look in Charlie's gaze then as a soft knock came to the door.
"Maybe that's one of my wishes now."
A/N: This will be a short holiday story. Please review and thanks for reading! :)