Bah! Humbug!

 

Simon was on a roll. In the process, he quit the radio station.

"I can't believe you'd do this," Declan felt uneasy about Simon's newfound ambition. What had gotten into him?

"I've always had the money?' He'd shrugged back that he wasn't the pauper Declan thought he was. They'd met up for coffee at the downtown coffee shop where they'd first met months ago. "I just never found my cause, until now." Yes, he was helping Chevy get his life back together with the old house. 

"What, you're going to flip houses for a living now?" Declan grumbled. This was not the way he wanted his Christmas to be. He didn't want to be on the outs with Simon. It felt like an ending of some kind.

"I wouldn't go that far," Simon only smiled. They were after all still working on Chevy's place. True, things were expensive and it was hard to find help, but Simon said it all made him want to work harder. He said it reminded him a lot of building sets while he was back in high school for theater.

It was as if Declan didn't know this Simon and it was truly a vast ocean between them and his name was Chevy. Yes, it was the worst Christmas ever.

Jory didn't know what to say to Lynsey when he showed up at the library. It wasn't quite Christmas but it seemed the staff was celebrating something. Was it his sister's birthday? Had he forgotten?

"Oh, I'm the new secretary," she told him, asking how he'd been. She smiled as if she'd done this all on her own, somehow. "I just won't start until the new year."

"Aw, the new year," Jory sighed thinking how worse could it get? He was doing his best to make Rachel happy these days. He'd even gone in to find out what might be wrong with him. Sure, he got to talk about his past. He was even on antidepressants now. Although, he was reluctant to take them. After all, why did he have to change?

But she didn't mention Casey. Jory wasn't sure he could even ask her what was really going on. Instead, he brought her a goodie bag of Rachel's homemade treats.

"Oh, you don't need to spoil me," she smiled back as if they really didn't need anything from each other.

"Was I too harsh with Jory?" Lynsey wanted to know later when she came home, wondering when she needed to move out on her own. She knew she would have to. It was the right thing to do. She couldn't rely on Charles for everything. After all, he was getting ready for Christmas with his daughter." It's Christmas, it's better to stay cheerful," Charles told her. He said it was nice of him that Jory was trying to be the brother she needed. She guessed he was right, but he'd always been the quiet type. Even when they were little, he never said much. 

"It's hard being a grownup," she told him. But she felt as if she was up for it. She was a mom now and she was going to do her best for Erro. She was grateful that she'd been given this small chance at the library. She never imagined she'd be the secretary there, but when the opportunity came she took it. And her library family was happy for her. Somehow she'd get through this. Yet, she was glad to be here. It did feel like Christmas even if it were without Casey.

Honestly, she didn't ever want to see him again. It felt as if the wall between them was set in stone. No. She hadn't had time to think how he might be doing these days. Oh, these were times she had to be strong for the baby, but who would show up... Casey.