Free Merry's Christmas: A Love Story by Susan Rohrer

what
she usually did when at a loss for words. She looked for a way to busy herself.
Loose holly clippings were scattered about, so she squatted to gather them.
Daniel leaned down to help.
    “Go all right, today?” he asked.
    “Mostly. I haven’t quite cracked Hayden’s
safe.”
    Daniel looked surprised. “Hayden has a
safe?”
    Merry smiled. “No, I’m just trying to
find a way in with her.”
    Daniel nodded, getting it. “Well, of all
of us, she’s taken it the hardest. Or at least the longest.” Straightening up,
Daniel gestured to the holly bush nostalgically. “Amanda planted this bush, you
know. She nurtured it from a seedling.”
    “Did she?” Merry asked, suddenly a little
concerned at having taken the cuttings from it.
    “She did, and just for this purpose.”
    Merry breathed a sigh of relief. “Good,
then. That gives her a special part in this Christmas. We’ll hang out the holly
for her.”
    Daniel studied Merry intently. “How is it
that you seem to know these things?”
    Merry pondered it. “I don’t know. Just
comes to me, like it can come to anybody, I guess. Okay, put that in here.”
Merry extended a paper bag and Daniel deposited his clippings.   “All right, you try.”
    “Try what?”
    “Try letting a thought come to you. Not
something you’ve thought about before. Something new. An idea.”
    Daniel balked a little. “I’m not so good
at this. Maybe I’m too Type A, but...okay.” He waited an uncomfortable moment
or two. “Now, what am I supposed to do?”
    “Look around for a minute. Don’t stress
about work or dinner or whatever. Just let something float into your head.”
    Clearly outside his comfort zone, Daniel
still gave the notion a chance. He surveyed the yard thoughtfully, finally
settling back on Merry’s face.
    “What do you see?” Merry asked.
“Anything?”
    Daniel’s voice took on a softer,
contemplative tone. “Light. I see light...all around you.”
    Merry took what he said to heart. From
the way he was looking at her, she wasn’t sure if his words were meant to be
taken literally, but she swiveled around to refer back to the yard just in
case. “I always liked the little white twinkle lights. Like stars, you know?”
    Daniel nodded, turning his gaze to the
yard. “Yeah. Lights would be good.”
    Over Daniel’s shoulder, Merry saw Tara
peer out at them through the blinds at the study window. Ollie appeared at her
side. Suddenly, the slats were shut tight.
    Stifling amusement, Merry mustered her
courage. “Oh, I meant to tell you. I thought of a gift idea for Catherine.
Depending on how it works with whatever your...relationship is.”
    Daniel mulled it over. “Yes, it’s... The
woman has virtually everything, so... What were you thinking?”
    It was a fearsome plunge, but Merry took
it, her desire to know overtaking the fright over what his answer would be.
“There’s this formal Ball New Year’s Eve. It’s a big Children’s Hospital
benefit.”
    Daniel shifted his weight and rubbed at
his jaw.   His expression was impossible
to read. “Good thought, and I could make a donation in her name, she’d like
that. But I don’t actually dance.”
    “You didn’t even dance at your wedding?”
Merry probed.  
    Daniel smiled faintly. “That was the
first and last time. Amanda coaxed me into it and believe me, it wasn’t pretty.”
    “Dancing’s not so hard. I taught myself,”
Merry said. “You’re good with numbers. You just count to three, that’s all.”
    Daniel quickly waved the idea off. “No,
I—”
    “Really. If that’s all that’s standing in
the way of you taking Catherine to that Ball, don’t worry, I’ll show you,”
Merry encouraged. “You can practice on your own, then try it out with me later
if you want.”
    “I really don’t think—”
    “Don’t think,” Merry said. “Just watch.
And listen to the music in your head. One hand on your partner’s waist, the
other takes her hand, just lightly. Then,