Homespun Christmas

The fact that she’d eventually married Tanner was no surprise—they’d been a couple most of the way through high school. What did surprise him was Myka’s loyalty to this dying town. Why was she still here? What was she waiting for?

He wasn’t a betting man, but from the looks of it, he’d say that the odds were definitely against the place.

“You gonna stand out here all day?” Daniel asked, coming out of the house.

“Nah. Just needed some air.”

“And clouds of blowing dust from this unswept porch? City boy, all that carbon monoxide must have jellied your brains.”

He laughed, and they went back inside together. Daniel Medeiros, his best friend from high school and the town’s remaining grocer, had volunteered to help him clear out his father’s house. It was a good thing, too. The task was harder than he’d thought. Everything here was a memory wrapped in wishes, most of them never fulfilled.

His father had always dreamed of better things, making detailed sketches of the barn they’d someday build, and the workshop inside, with the benches and storeroom. Yet the money and time for his dad’s projects had never materialized as he spent his life laboring at his backbreaking job as IVA’s head custodian.

Joshua hadn’t made it any easier on the man. He’d constantly gotten into fights after school and around town. A group of guys, knowing his dad was a janitor—and a Navajo to boot—had hounded him since elementary school.

Knowing which buttons to push, they’d counted on getting a reaction from Joshua and had rarely been disappointed. Eventually, he won enough fights to earn respect, and that had somewhat toned down his defensiveness.

After high school he’d left to pursue his own goals, and somewhere along the way his dad’s time on earth had run out. Adam Nez’s dreams were just another footnote in the history of a man who’d done his best with what he had.

“We should donate most of your dad’s clothing and furnishings to Reverend Anders,” Daniel said, jarring him back to reality. “These days, he’s got a long list of people who need a hand.”

“Sure. That’s fine.”

“Help me load the boxes into my truck and I’ll take the stuff over there now.”

“After that, let me buy you dinner,” Joshua suggested.

Daniel laughed. “Hey, if you don’t mind, I’d rather buy the groceries at my store, then cook something on your dad’s old grill after the wind dies down—like the good ole days.”

“No problem,” Josh said, then thought about it a moment. “Business is okay for you, right? I mean, everyone needs to eat, and you’re the only full service grocer left.”

His friend shrugged. “I’m selling a lot more chicken and hamburger than steaks these days, and too many people are asking for credit. I’d give it to them if I could, but I’ve got to pay my suppliers, too.”

“You thinking of leaving?”

“I’d need to sell the business first, and that’s not going to happen. Not only are there no buyers, but the place has been in my family for generations.” He jammed his hands into the pockets of his windbreaker.

“It’s hard to walk away from things that matter,” Joshua said quietly. “When I look around here...” He shook his head.

“What might have been, huh?” Daniel asked, following Joshua’s line of sight as he gazed through the window at Myka’s place. “You always had a thing for her, didn’t you? But she was Tanner’s girl.”

“She and I have both gone through some tough times these past few years.”

“Which is why maybe you should back off. She’s a widow just trying to survive. Don’t complicate her life.”

“I don’t have any designs on Myka, Dan. I’m here to wrap up this part of my life then go on to whatever’s next.”

“So how long, exactly, are you planning to stick around?”

“No idea.” His pride wouldn’t let him admit it, but until he found a job, he couldn’t even afford cheap rent. He’d sunk every dime he’d had into trying to save the firm. When that had run out, he’d used his personal credit, just as his partners had, trying to stem the tide.

“So, dinner?” Daniel repeated. “After I drop this off at the church, I’ll stop at the store and pick up the food. You can grill us a couple of steaks and microwave some potatoes.”

Joshua pulled out his credit card and handed it to Daniel. “Just put whatever you bring on this.”

“There was a time when I would have argued with you....”

“No, this is on my tab. It’s a thank-you Wish I could do more.”

“No need, buddy.” Daniel headed out to his truck. “Give me about an hour.”

Joshua watched him leave. That card was his only credit these days. It had to last until he was back on his feet again, and he had no idea how long that would take.

He’d sent out a lot of résumés and his application for a license in New Mexico, but he’d yet to get an interview in or out of state. He guessed that some employers didn’t want to hire a guy who’d failed to hang on to his own company. No matter, he’d figure something out. Joshua knew he was a good architect. All he needed was the chance to prove himself.

He walked around the house for a while, remembering old times, like reading on the sofa while his father snoozed in his recliner, supposedly watching the baseball game. But memories belonged in the past.

This place had been fine for his dad, but it would never be enough for him. He still wanted it all—success, and more importantly, the kind of respect it commanded. For him, it wasn’t about money, it was about recognition for his work and achieving the American Dream.

No one in his family had even come close to that elusive brass ring, but someday he’d claim it. As far as he was concerned, it was meant to be.

* * *

JOSHUA EASED HIMSELF onto the back porch bench beside Daniel and took a long pull of a cold one.

“I know you’re planning to fix up the house, but be careful not to waste your money,” Daniel said, chewing on his after-dinner toothpick, staring at the grazing sheep across the way. “Houses are on sale around here for practically nothing and still no one’s buying. We may go down the same road as Soledad.”

“The base shut down there, right?” Joshua asked, wondering what he’d do if he couldn’t sell the house. This was going to be seed money to start up a new business. Finances could get tough in a hurry and he was living on a shoestring as it was. A businessman with lousy credit didn’t have much of a future. Even potential employers might shy away.

“Yeah. It’s all gone. Used to be a nice little town, too. Now, without the Air Force test facilities, it’s nothing more than empty homes, a natural gas field and a pumping station. Not more than fifty people left. That could happen here, too.”

“Well, I need to keep busy,” Joshua said, knowing that he couldn’t afford to sit around and wait for things to happen. “I figure I’ll start by cleaning the place from the ground up and giving it a fresh coat of paint. Like you suggested—sweat equity.”

“Is it tough for you? I mean, being here at the house without your dad around?”

Joshua shrugged. “It’s not the memories that bother me most. It’s the feeling that I’m back to square one. I never thought I’d return empty-handed.”

“Maybe you took a wrong turn somewhere and destiny wants you to start over—here. Ever consider that?”

“You sound like Grandma Medeiros,” Joshua said. Daniel’s grandmother.

“Her words exactly.” He reached for his jacket and fished out the keys to his truck. “I’d better get going. I’ve got to help her close up the store.”

Joshua set his beer on the side table. “Your grandma’s still working? She’s got to be...what? Close to eighty, if I figure it right.”

“Seventy-seven, and she still works a forty-hour week to supplement her social security. I can’t get her to slow down. I swear she’s got more energy than I do.”

Joshua walked Daniel to his truck, which was parked behind the rental in the driveway. “Feel free to come by anytime, Dan. It was good to shoot the bull with you again.”

After his old friend drove off, Joshua wandered to the woodworking shed he and his dad had built—a concession to the workshop/garage that remained a faded drawing in his dad’s file cabinet.

Memories crowded in around him as he looked up at his own first project, a small sign that hung over the doorway. He’d used a woodburning set to carve out the words Adam and Joshua Nez in a piece of scrap pine.

He stepped inside and turned on the shop light. As a cloud of dust settled, his gaze fell on the yellowed designs tacked to the wall. The one in the corner was his own scale drawing for a treadle spinning wheel he’d worked at in secret for nearly six months. He’d wanted to give it to Myka for graduation, but he’d run out of materials and it had remained unfinished by the time he’d left for college.

He glanced around for the wheel, wondering if his dad had kept it. Adam almost never threw things like that out, so chances were it was still here someplace, maybe taken apart and stored in a box. Perhaps now, with everything in the world just a mouse click away, he could get the flyer assembly and bearings he needed on the internet.

Out of curiosity, he decided to look inside the big storage cabinets first, but to open them, he’d need to find the keys to the padlocks. All he’d found so far was the key to the shed itself.

He was rummaging through the workbench drawers when he heard a soft knock behind him.

Myka stood there, holding something. “I don’t mean to intrude, Josh. I know you’re busy.”

“Come in. It’s been a long time since I’ve set foot inside this workshop, and I’m trying to remember where everything is.”

“Your dad said you spent the night here once.”

“Yeah, I fell asleep waiting for some varnish to dry,” he said, chuckling. He’d been working on her spinning wheel.

She looked up at the spinning wheel design tacked to the wall. “Cool. Was that one of your dad’s projects?”

“Something like that,” he said but didn’t elaborate. She was standing in the place where he’d first fantasized about kissing her.

“Life was so much simpler when we were kids, wasn’t it?” she mused. “I sometimes wish we could turn back time.”

“I can’t say I do. I don’t care much for the kid I used to be,” he said, admiring the way she looked in the glow of the overhead light.

“Any sign of Bear yet?” she asked.

“The only animals I’ve spotted are lizards and a bunch of daddy longlegs spiders on Dad’s shelves,” he said. “I kept Bear’s dog bed and dishes, though. You’ll need those if he shows up again.”

“Thanks. I just wish he’d come back.”

“He found his way here once before,” he said.

“That sounds like something your dad would say.”

He nodded. “Navajo teach that everything is connected and forms a pattern. We all have a place within that, the dog included.”

She avoided his gaze, stepping outside. “He can jump the fence or dig under, so if it’s okay, I’ll be walking around the back of your property from time to time looking for Bear.”

“You don’t need permission, Myka. You’re always welcome.”

“Thanks.” She reached into her pocket. “There’s something I should return to you. Your dad gave me his extra set of house and truck keys when you went off to college.” She tossed them to him through the open door.

He caught them with one hand. As he did, he saw the inscribed cedar stick attached to the key ring. “I made this for Dad in eighth grade shop. I didn’t realize he still had it.”

“You were his son. He was proud of you. You could have chosen a career as a sheepherder and he would have bragged about you to his friends.”

“I just wish—” He stopped and turned away, staring at the drawings on the wall. She was too easy to talk to.

“I know it’s hard for you to be here, Joshua. I think what you really need is a distraction. I’ve got the perfect idea.”

CHAPTER THREE

MYKA HAD JUST finished getting dressed for the meeting when she heard a knock on the door. Thinking it would be Joshua, she finished dabbing on some lipstick and answered it.

Tanner’s sister, Betty, stood at the threshold with her daughter, six-year-old Evelyn, beside her.

“Aunt Myka! You look so pretty,” Evie said, reaching up to give her a hug.

Myka bent down to hold her close. “Thanks, sweetie.” Evie was such a terrific kid. With golden locks and the face of an angel, she could charm her way into anyone’s heart.

“I hope you don’t mind my dropping by unannounced, Myka. I know about the meeting tonight, but I was out running errands and I needed to ask you a favor.”

Betty, her sister-in-law, was a stunning blonde with vibrant blue eyes. “Need me to babysit this week?” Myka asked, guessing at the request.

“No, but I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your help. You’ve been a real lifesaver. Shameless that I am, I need to ask you a different favor.”

“Come in and have a seat.”

“Aunt Myka, do you have any cookies?”

“Evie!” Betty said.

Myka laughed. “They’re in the cookie jar in the kitchen. Take as many as you like.”

“No, just two, do you hear me Evelyn?” Betty said.

“Three! Mom, please?”

“They’re small,” Myka said softly. “And I bake a supply of chocolate chip cookies mostly for her. Come on, let me spoil her.”

Betty smiled. “Okay, three,” she told Evie.

As Evie hurried off, Betty focused on Myka once again. “I have a question for you about the inn.”

“You don’t have to clear anything with me, Betty. I may own a third of it, but it’s your baby.”

“I know that restoring the place sounds nuts, Myka, but all the inn needs is some TLC to start attracting paying guests again. Come hunting season, we’ll have lots of people looking for lodging or a base camp. I want to be ready, but I’ve run into a snag.” She lowered her voice and in a barely audible whisper, added, “Tony’s out of prison.”

Betty’s husband had almost destroyed her, physically and mentally. He’d been convicted of assault and battery against a former employer. “Is he still refusing to give you a divorce?”

“Yeah, and I don’t want him to find out about the inn.”

Myka’s face hardened. “You inherited a stake in the inn, not him. He has no legal claim whatsoever.”

“Legalities won’t matter to him, and the fear of prison obviously hasn’t stopped him in the past. If he decides I’m trying to cheat him, he’ll make trouble, and he can do a lot of damage when he’s angry.”

“Did you know he was trouble back in high school?”

“I guess, but whenever I was with Tony, I felt...invincible. Being Tony’s girl meant no one ever gave me a hard time.”

“It’s hard to believe how wrong things went,” Myka said.

“After Evie was born everything fell apart. He lost his job and started drinking when he couldn’t find another. His rages...” She shuddered.

“Will’s still staying with you, right?” Myka asked. Tanner and Betty’s older brother was also the town’s police chief.

She nodded. “I’ve filed a restraining order against Tony, so he’ll go back to prison if he comes within three hundred feet of me. But he still scares me.”

“Will’s a trained officer and almost Tony’s size. You shouldn’t worry.”

Evie ran back into the room and offered Betty a cookie. “These are great, Mommy. Myka makes the best chocolate chip cookies ever.”

Betty smiled as she took the cookie.

“Can I watch TV?”

Betty looked at Myka, who nodded. “Go ahead, it won’t bother us,” Myka said.

Betty waited until Evie’s favorite cartoons popped on screen, then she changed the subject.

“How’s Josh doing? I heard he’s back in town.”

“He’s fine, I guess,” Myka said. “He wants to sell his dad’s house, but I warned him about the real estate market these days.”

“I’m going to ask him to look at my renovation plans for the inn. I’d like to knock out some walls, and since he’s an architect, I thought he might tell me where it’s safe to do that,” Betty said. “I don’t think we should mention that Will’s part owner, though.”

“You think Josh still carries a grudge? He and Will had fought over Sophie back in high school. That was a lifetime ago.”

Betty laughed. “No, not at all, but Josh and Will have always been like oil and water. They’ve already had a run-in.”

“What happened?”

“Josh missed a stop sign as he was coming into town.”

“Let me guess. The one on Orchard Lane that’s buried by the house-high tumbleweeds?”

Betty nodded. “The town doesn’t have a weed and litter crew anymore. Heck, if the rest of us didn’t know the stop sign was there, we’d miss it, too.”

“Did Will give him a ticket?”

“Yeah. All he said was that Josh was pushing his buttons.” Betty rolled her eyes, then glanced over at her daughter. Seeing Evie engrossed in the show, she continued in a low voice. “I think the real problem is that he doesn’t want Josh back in town.”

“That’s none of his business. Why does he care?”

“Will may not actually say it, but he thinks it’s his duty to look out for you, his little brother’s widow. He’s convinced Josh has always had a thing for you.”

“No, that’s not true. Besides, I choose my own friends. Your brother needs to butt out.”

“I agree. Getting back to Joshua, I haven’t seen him in ages. Can we go over there and say hi?” Betty asked.

“No need. He’s coming over in a few minutes.”

“Ah. You two going on a date?”

Myka shook her head, but before she could elaborate, Betty added, “Too bad.”

“Joshua Nez isn’t right for me, Betty. The most we’ll ever be is friends.” Hearing a knock on the door, Myka stood. “That must be him now. Come on in, Josh.”

Joshua came in a moment later, wearing a lightweight sports jacket, dress slacks and an open-necked shirt. Myka bit back a sigh. No matter what he wore, he was always eye candy. Although he looked professional, there was an unmistakable ruggedness about him. Untamed—that word fit him the best.

Seeing Betty, Josh smiled. “It’s been a long time,” he said, and shook her hand. Looking down at her daughter, who’d come over, he smiled. “And who’s this?”

“I’m Evie,” the girl said.

“Pleasure, Evie.” Joshua shook hands with her, too, and she beamed.

Evie looked back at Betty. “Is it okay if I go outside to play with Teddy Bear?”

Myka looked at Joshua. “She means Bear.”

Joshua raised his eyebrows. “From what you’ve told me, that dog is way too big to play with a kid Evie’s size.”

“He’s like a big teddy bear,” Evie said. “And he’s my friend. Can I go get him, please?”

Myka crouched in front of Evie. “Bear’s not around right now, sweetie,” she said gently. “When Mr. Nez went to heaven, Bear wanted to be by himself for a while.”

“Oh, okay,” she said. Then, after a heartbeat, “Can I have another cookie?”

“One more and that’s it,” Betty said.

Myka smiled. “I love the way kids do that. No disappointment lingers for long. They can switch gears in an instant.”

“I envy her that, too,” Betty said softly, then focused on Josh. “I’m glad you’re here, Josh. I wanted to ask you a favor. Would you drop by the Blue Spruce Inn on Main Street tomorrow morning? I’ll trade you breakfast—all homemade—for your opinion on my renovating ideas. We have a tight budget, so I have to make sure I don’t make any costly mistakes.”

“Who’s we?” he said, picking up on that immediately.

Betty winced. “Myka, Will and I are partners.”

“It’s mostly Betty’s thing,” Myka said quickly. “Will and I chip in with the property taxes and help out with other expenses when we can.”

“Wait a sec. I’m missing something. You’re spending money to fix up an inn here in Independence?” he asked.

Betty nodded. “It’ll be more of a B and B. A lot of people come into this part of the state during hunting and skiing season, and on summer vacation. It’ll be a seasonal business, but I think we’ll be able to make it work.”

“I’ll be glad to stop by tomorrow and take a look,” Joshua said, “but I should warn you. One of your partners may not appreciate my input.”

“That’ll be Will’s problem, then. Myka and I would really appreciate your expertise,” Betty said.

Hearing the grandfather clock chime, Myka gasped. “Oh, no! We have to go right now, Josh. The meeting is at Liza’s house and we’ll be late.”

“Wait—you’re going to a crafter’s meeting?” Betty asked, looking at Josh. “There aren’t any woodworkers there, I don’t think. It’s mostly the knitting, crocheting and weaving crowd.”

“Tonight will be different,” Myka said. “We’re going to do some serious brainstorming and try to come up with ideas on how to help Independence. The more input, the better. Why don’t you come, Betty?”

“I wish I could, but I have to get Evie home, then it’s dinner, bath and bed. Let me know what happens.”

Myka saw Betty and Evie to the door, then came back for her purse.

“What’s Betty’s story?” Joshua asked, after she’d left. “That was Tony’s kid, right?”

Myka nodded. “Betty’s had some rough times, thanks to Tony, but she and her daughter will be okay now that they’re back home,” she said, unwilling to add any more details. “Ready to go?”

* * *

WHEN THEY ARRIVED, people were in the den hovering around a table covered with inexpensive snacks—everything from pretzels to chips, salsa and iced tea.

The gathering, normally consisting of ten or twelve, was nearly double that size. Many familiar faces were present, mostly the husbands and adult children of the regulars. Liza’s sofa and two easy chairs had been supplemented by several dining room chairs and a dozen metal folding chairs borrowed from the Independence Methodist Church.

As Myka stepped into the room, Liza caught her eye then went around to the TV, the focal point of the family room.

“Time to get started, everyone,” she announced.

As a hush descended, Myka moved to stand beside Liza. “I’m glad to see you all here. Most of you know Joshua Nez,” she said and motioned to where he stood. “I’ve asked him to join us because he’s an architect and he comes up with new ideas all the time. Joshua’s also a native of Independence and knows our community.”

Several shout-out welcomes to Joshua went around the room, then Myka continued. “We’re all having a tough time getting by these days. Individually, none of us are in the position to help the community. What we need to do is pull together. A lot of you already know that I’ve got my own small internet business,” she said, and saw people nod. “Business is good, so I’ve been thinking of expanding my inventory to include a variety of crafts. I don’t have the cash to buy your pieces, but I could take them on consignment. Almost everything I’ve listed over the past months has sold within a week or less. Something like this could help everyone’s bottom line and, ultimately, the town’s economy.”

Robyn, Liza’s daughter, stood up next. She had a stately five-foot-eight frame that always commanded attention, as did her beautiful black hair and blue eyes. “Myka, what you’re proposing wouldn’t even make a dent in the town’s economy,” she said in a quiet, nonjudgmental voice.

“I’m not saying it’s a cure-all, or that we’d be rich, but we need to start somewhere. Extra money in our pockets could mean all the difference in the world to Mabel’s Coffee Shop, for example, or Shorty’s Burgers,” Myka said.

“I think it’s a good idea,” Daniel’s grandmother, Elise Medeiros, added.

“Thank you, Grandma,” Myka replied, then glanced around the room. “We have something to offer the world. Our crafts are based on Rio Grande traditions, and there’s always a market for beautiful, handcrafted things.”

“The consignment store idea is good, but we’d each have to work pretty quickly to keep things rolling,” Bertie said. “We have to think this through. Once we start making stuff to sell, it’ll no longer be just our hobby—what we do to relax or take our mind off our troubles.”

“Which means we’d be sucking all the fun out of it,” said Fran Brown, a town councillor. “Then, if we start depending on it, and it dries up...”