CHAPTER 4: SAVING CHRISTMAS MANOR

Mix-ups, cookies, and no room at the inn

Livy awoke with a jolt. Today was Friday, and Mr. Spencer, from Frost Marley Construction was arriving today to talk to Nan about selling the manor. He was arriving late this afternoon to have an early dinner, at Noel Manor at the invitation of her boss.

Livy thought it was ridiculous to sit down and have a friendly meal with the man who represented the end of so much happiness. But, Nan was set on breaking bread, and getting to know him while Livy was more inclined to break the bread over his head. Nan wasn’t willing to sell, but she wanted to at least better understand Mr. Frosts perspective. Nan was always willing to listen, and it was a quality that Livy greatly admired. Livy never had the patience to sit back and listen. She had a bad habit of interrupting people, especially when she was upset. This whole situation made her so angry, she was convinced she wouldn’t be able to say a word to Mr. Spencer’s without yelling at him.

She had barely been able to get through the email she was forced to write to him without lecturing him about how a terrible, unfeeling person he was, and how he would be responsible for ruining so many people’s lives.

All Livy wanted to do was go back to sleep. It was going to be a bad day. But, she needed to be there for Nan, since Nan was like a grandmother to her. She was the town’s grandmother really, and had always been there to listen and offer advice. She was the kindest and most generous person Livy had ever known, plus her chocolate chip cinnamon cookies were famous county wide. Every time Livy came to Nan upset, the next day those cookies seemed to have appeared “out of thin air” on her doorstep.

When Livy moved home, she felt really lost, like she had failed, especially with the break up. Livy had never said it out loud, but she was still pretty devastated by Tom’s betrayal. She had expected an engagement when they had gone to dinner that night, not breaking up, so he could stay in Boston to be with his mistress. She was feeling particularly down, and had kept it quiet when she had moved home.

But, word travels fast in Hopestown, and she wasn’t able to keep it a secret for long. Nan was one of the first people she saw when she returned, and Nan welcomed her back with open arms. They had spent afternoon tea catching up on what had happened with Tom and how Livy was let go from her job due to budget cuts. She felt like she was missing an important piece of her life: her friends, and family. Nan had been very supportive that afternoon reminding Livy that moving home was a new chapter in her life, not a failure. After all, she could have stayed in Boston and found another job.

She was incredibly talented, and would have found something else. The historical society loved her, and if they could have kept her on, they would have. But the breakup was more of a nexus to leave Boston. Livy could barely fathom running into Tom and his side piece without having the intense urge to vomit.

Nan offered that Tom and her were just not right for one another. They were never going to be on the same life path so better to find out now than later. The reality was, unless there was an unwanted pregnancy, Tom was never going to commit to anyone, not even his mistress. It was pretty apparent. Nan hoped Livy would one day chalk Tom up to a difficult and painful learning experience where the pain would eventually fade. People change, and the truth was they had been growing apart for years.

Livy had started going home more often after Maddie went away to college to help her parents with the business. It started off as one weekend, a month but it soon morphed into two or three a month. She started spending less and less time with Tom, as he became busier and busier at “work”. His career started taking off, and he seemed to be more up for going out and meeting new people than being with her. Livy hoped he would have said yes to Hopestown. While she was saddened he wasn’t moving with her, she was blindsided by the cheating. When she found out, she felt like a thousand knives had stabbed her in the chest at the same time. She felt this blinding pain while the wind was knocked out of her. Over the last six months, Noel Manor had kept her too busy to think about the pain of Tom, the break up and everything.

Closing her heart was the easiest thing she could do, and throwing herself into work had proven to be a fantastic distraction. She channeled her time, and energy into helping restore Noel Manor to get away from her thoughts, and couldn’t think of anything she would rather do less of right now than date. She was perfectly happy helping Nan, and spending time with her family. She didn’t need a man in her life that would just mess up what she had fought so hard to rebuild.

Nan had been up since dawn, nervous in anticipation of the day. She had already cleaned the kitchen, put a kettle of tea on the stove, made her famous cinnamon chocolate chip cookies, and was working on this evening’s dinner by the time Livy walked in the door. Nan always had a trick or two up her sleeve. She was, of course, an amazing hostess, and always had homemade baked goods and tea ready for anyone who walked into the door. She was so warm to everyone she met, even people who didn’t have her best interest at heart. Livy was in awe of Nan’s attitude on life, and on people. She saw the good in everyone, which Livy found difficult to do.

“Good Morning Livy. How are you doing this morning, dear? I’ve put some hot water on the stove, and I have some nice warm cookies for you. I made them for good luck for today. Plus, I know they are your favorite, and they make any situation better no matter how bad.” Nan said optimistically.

“Thanks Nan. I’ll take some tea and luck now, and a cookie later. It’s only nine in the morning.” Livy said teasingly.

Nan must be very worried to have made her famous cookies this early, Livy thought. Livy looked down at the cookies drying on the cookie racks. They were the same wonderful, chewy, chocolaty and cinnamon-y goodness as always, except this time they were shaped like a Christmas tree, Christmas star, and Christmas angel.

“I’m planning to frost them later. I have gingerbread cookie dough ready to go in the fridge to bake for later. Last night, I went to the store and bought some cute decorations we could use to decorate the little men. The more Christmas this place is tonight, the better off we will be. I can feel it.” Nan said this as she walked into the breakfast room with her tea and a cookie.

Livy sighed. Nan thought every problem could be solved with a cookie and a glass of Christmas tea. If only life were that simple. Well, might as well sample the goods. Time to get to work.

Happy Reading! Until next time...All my healing love,

K.