Christmas Retreat (4 page)

              “The flower lady was convincing,” said Baxter. “She insisted that I should buy some for the cabin.”

              “How did she know about the retreat?”

              “I guess I let it slip out,” said Baxter. “The next thing I knew she was telling me how great they'd look around the Christmas tree in the cabin, and I was paying for a few handfuls at her register.”

              Sidney laughed. “We better get back to the bus before the picture frame guy convinces you to buy a house full of eight-by-tens and eleven-by-seventeen poster frames.”

              The two young women laughed as they exited the store and headed back to the bus where the other women were already boarding.

              When the bus pulled up near the cabin, everyone was bouncing with energy and joy. All the women were eager to wrap their secret Santa gifts. They headed into the lobby where Olivia and Patty took out the scissors, wrapping paper, tape, tags, and bows. Baxter ran upstairs to hide her gift to Sidney while Sidney placed her gift to Baxter underneath the tree.

              As soon as Baxter starting coming back downstairs, Olivia came out from behind the kitchen door. “Okay everyone. Supper's ready! We're having ham, mashed potatoes with gravy, macaroni and cheese, and steamed vegetables. Don't forget to get your fresh buttered rolls and either coffee or iced tea.”

              Baxter ran to the front of the line and Sidney ran up to join her. “I had to run up before the tray of rolls disappeared into someone's purse,” whispered Baxter.

              “Sh! She'll hear you,” said Sidney. They both looked around to look for Elaine but she was sitting by the fireplace still trying to wrap an oddly shaped gift. She appeared frustrated and the wrapping paper was crinkled.

              Baxter fixed an extra plate of food and walked on over to Elaine and sat beside her. “I can wrap that for you if you want. I brought you a plate of food.”

              “Aw, that was so nice of you. I just couldn't get it right and I didn't want to eat until I could put it under the tree.”

              “I'm sure no one would mind if you placed it under the tree just the way it is,” said Sidney as she sat down next to Baxter. She placed her plate of food on her lap and set her iced tea down on the floor.

              “I'm just going to place it under the tree like this. It's the thought that counts anyway,” said Elaine. “Thanks again for the food. That was so thoughtful of you.” She began to eat with Sidney and Baxter and they were glad they had made a new friend in Elaine.

              After supper, Olivia and Patty served hot cocoa and egg nog and Nora, Cherry, Millicent, and Angel began singing Christmas Carols. The temperature began to drop as the sun set and Lara was nice enough to come down to light the fireplace. She had some coffee and began talking about her new lesbian romance book.

              “It's a story about two women that fall in love over the Christmas holiday. This seemed like a cozy setting so a cabin in the hill country is where they were both headed. One of the cars breaks down and the other woman stops to help and gives her a lift, the next thing they know, they're spending all their time together.”

              “It sounds lovely,” said Dorothy as she sipped on her egg nog.

              “Yes, two beautiful women in a cabin for the Christmas holiday. It sounds magical,” said Baxter as she looked over at Sidney. Sidney wondered if Baxter was being sarcastic. She really had a hard time trying to figure it out because the look in her eyes said she was serious. 

              “Has anyone seen Karen?” asked Patty, suddenly breaking into everyone's conversations and activities.

              “I saw her outside collecting kindle,” said Felicia quietly. Her soft voice barely carrying in the room.

              Just as she said it, a fire illuminated from the outside fire pit. Everyone turned to look outside. “She's making a bonfire!” shouted Justine. It was the first time anyone had seen a smile on that woman's face. She ran into the kitchen and came back out with a giant bag of marshmallows. Olivia followed her out seconds later with several more bags.

              “Who wants to roast marshmallows?” asked Olivia, holding up several bags.

              “Oh, I want to!” shouted Sidney. She grabbed a bag of pink, white, and blue marshmallows and pulled Baxter out. They grabbed their coats, hats, and mittens from the coat tree and rushed outside.

              “Well, it's good to see you came back,” said Olivia to Karen. “You must be starving. There is plenty of ham inside of you want to eat now. I'm glad we didn't have to come out and find you in the dark.”

              “I love the outdoors. I really came out here to find some alone time. It was great. I hiked the trail and went for a walk in the woods. It was nice to have time to think. I'll fix myself a plate in a minute.” She sat by the fire and tossed more kindling in it. Sidney wondered what she was thinking about. She seemed to be in another world.

              “Are you okay?” asked Baxter as she found a stick and placed her white marshmallow on the end. The other women followed her example and did the same.

              “Sure. I'm okay. This is turning out to be the best Christmas ever,” said Sidney as she wrapped her arm in Baxter's.

              “Even though you didn't get to see your family?” asked Baxter curiously.

              Sidney placed her head on Baxter's shoulder and stared into the fire. “Yep, even though.”

              Patty came around with a black fedora full of folded up papers with names on them. “Okay, ladies. It's time for the Secret Santa drawing. We might as well do it out here. We'll choose names now and exchange gifts at midnight. Pass the hat around and please only choose one name.”

              When the hat came around to Sidney and Baxter they each chose a paper and put it in their pocket. They didn't want to lose the special moment of the night, sitting closely in the cold night air, roasting marshmallows in a flickering and crackling romantic fire. Sidney looked up at the stars and watched a flying star soar overhead. “Look! How beautiful!”

              Baxter looked up to catch the star flying right above them. “It must be a good omen.”

              “I think so, too,” said Sidney.

****

              At midnight, Olivia and Patty helped Karen put out the fire and everyone returned inside to have more cocoa and egg nog and pass out gifts. Sidney opened her piece of paper to reveal whom she had to give her gift to and to her surprise her paper said Baxter. Sidney showed her paper to Baxter and Baxter laughed. She in turn, took her paper out of her jean jacket and opened it.

              “You're not going to believe this,” said Baxter.

              “What? Did you get Cherry?” asked Sidney trying to see the paper that Baxter was holding between her thumb and forefinger.

              “Nope. I got you,” said Baxter laughing.

              “Seriously? What are the odds of that?” laughed Sidney.

              Baxter laughed once again. “I guess pretty good since we each got each other. Let me run upstairs to get your gift.” She bolted up the carpeted wooden stairs and came back down with the gift bag she had purchased at the hobby store.

              Sidney had pulled her gift bag from underneath the Christmas tree and was holding it for Baxter when she ran up to her. They both found a place on the sofa together. Everyone else began exchanging gifts. Laughter could be heard followed by clapping and cheering as everyone enjoyed the gift exchange.

              “Let's do it on three, okay?” suggested Baxter. They each held their gift bags in their hands.

              “Okay, deal.”

              “One...two...three...” said Baxter, pulling out the tissue paper. Sidney also dove into her gift bag and pulled out her gift.

              Each young girl sat staring at the gift they held in their hands. It was the wooden plaque that read, 'Sometimes what you are seeking is right in front of you.'

              Baxter looked over at Sidney with tears in her eyes. “I got this for you because I wanted so much to tell you this Christmas that I've fallen in love with you. I've watched you go out with countless other women all year and all the while I wondered, 'Why not me?'”

              The tears streamed down Sidney's face. “I always thought the same thing about you. I thought maybe I just wasn't your type.”

              Baxter hugged Sidney tightly. “Not my type? I don't know how you can say that, when you're all I've ever wanted. You're all I ever think about. I love you.”

              “I love you, too,” said Sidney through her tears. “Merry Christmas.”

              “Merry Christmas to you, too,” said Baxter. “Having your love is by far the best Christmas present that I could have ever asked for.”

              Both women embraced for a long time and amid the noisy banter of the other women and the country and Christmas decorations, they shared their first passionate kiss.

              Every year the young couple returned to the cabin to remember how they came to be. They wanted to relive the moment they walked by the lake, went shopping in Utopia, roasted marshmallows by the fire, saw a shooting star, but most importantly, they wanted to relive the moment that their hearts, their souls, became one.

              It was their tradition to return. They returned, however, every February for the Valentine's Day Couples Retreat and always shared the story of how they met and fell in love, and how they both revealed their heart's desire, at the Christmas Retreat.

                                                                                    The End