Lost and Found Pieces 2

for many years. “He knows when somebody is hurting,” Mac said.
Roz look looked at the cat out of the corner of her eyes. "Is that why he jumps on me all the time?"
"I'm sure," Mac said. "He's gotten me through a lot of long nights."
Roz gave him a deliberate look. She knew he had bad nights as well and he was okay with that. If it brought her focus away from her own hurt, he would expose anything he needed to.
“He’s okay, I suppose.”
Mac grinned and reached for his tea. “He likes it up here. And I’m not sure if you noticed but he’s caught several moles and mice around the cabin.”
Roz made a face. “Yes, I know," she said, “he keeps leaving the bodies on the front porch."
Mac grinned again. “Hey, at least he's getting them."
Roz looked at the cat contort into a position to lick his private parts, and she snorted. "I suppose."
Max decided it was time to change the subject. "Did you talk to your son tonight?"
Frowning, she sighed. “Yes, but he didn't have a lot of time to talk. He was on his way to the airport."
Mac tried not to scowl. “Where the heck is he going now?"
“The Dominican Republic. He's with some group going down to do volunteer work. I guess it's worth half his grade."
“But did it have to be planned over Christmas?" Mac asked.
Roz shrugged. “Supposedly that's when they need the most support."
Mac used the finger to mark a space in the book and prop it on his lap. "That just doesn't seem right."
"There's no way I'm going interfere with his curriculum.”
Mac tried to read the expression on her face, but she was being very careful. That told him that her son’s decision to be gone over Christmas had hurt her feelings. “When does he come back?”
“Not until the third week of January. Probably gone for a month total."
Damn. Mac knew that Trevor had been trying to become an individual, but he didn't expect the boy to completely abandon his mother over the holidays.
“Well,” he said, voice brisk. “This gives us an unexpected opportunity."
Roz look at him, her brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
“No obligations for Christmas,” he grinned. “Done. You don't have to go down to Atlanta, and deal with all the Christmas rush."
Roz had the pensive look on her face. “Yes, you’re probably right.”
“In fact," Mac said, "that frees you up to do absolutely anything you want to do this year."
Blinking in puzzlement she cocked her head at him. "What do you mean?"
"I mean," Mac said, dropping the book to the coffee table, "we've been in this cabin for a long time. I can count on two hands how many times you've been down the mountain."
“You know why," she said defensively.
Mac held up the big hand. "Don't get defensive, I'm just saying if you wanted to do something this year you can.”
When she still looked at him quizzically, he leaned forward in his chair. "If you wanted to go see Andromeda you could. If you wanted to fly to Tahiti for a couple of weeks you could. It's Christmas. All dreams come true on Christmas."
* * *
Roz thought about Mac’s words the next day. As she left the clinic and walked to her car, she paused and looked down Main Street. Christmas had attacked. Strings of white lights decorated every tree and light pole along the main sidewalk, giving the scene an ethereal look. They had changed to daylight savings time and at 5:30 the sun had already set behind the mountains. Snow dusted the cars, but it wasn't enough to stick to the ground. She knew it was only a matter of time before winter moved into West Virginia.
The shops along Main Street had all decorated their picture windows, and she looked around. Normally at this time she hopped into her SUV, locked the doors and headed up the mountain, but tonight she let the wonder of the moment take her. Slinging the strap of her purse across her body she began to walk. One hand rested inside her purse on her can of mace, but there were very few people on the street, and the ones that were on the street were laughing and appeared happy. For some reason tonight, she didn't feel the same anxiety she normally did. Was it the Christmas spirit sifting into her soul?
She stopped in front of a gayly decorated glass pane door and looked inside. It appeared to be a coffee shop full of people on dates or who had paused while shopping. There was a man with a computer at one table, but he was immersed in his work. Feeling rebellious, she stepped toward the door. Before she could reach for it, an arm appeared from around her and pulled it open for her.
Roz gasped and jerked back, but the man at the door only smiled at her wider. "Sorry if I startled you. Merry Christmas."
Roz tamped down her reaction. The man looked totally harmless, and there was a little girl with him. She knew within a split second that this man would not hurt her. Taking her courage and hand, she forced to smile, turned and went into the shop. Once inside, the rich scents of coffee beans and sugar hit her. It was a homey smell and her stomach reacted. She glanced around but the man with the little girl that let her in had crossed to the table with the waiting woman.
“Can I help you, ma’am?” a bright voice asked, obscured behind the coffee machine.
“Yes, um,” she glanced across the menu on the back wall, "can I get a vanilla cold brew, please?” She glanced down into the bakery case. "And I'll take two of those sugar cookies, and two of the chocolate chip walnut."
The young woman moved to create her coffee and pack her cookies. After paying the girl cash and dropping a tip and the jar Roz turned and exited the coffee shop,