THE RULES OF MISTLETOE

Chapter 7- Picking up a Tree

Leon Vedder

There is so much hostility! I have heard Eddi say that five years ago, his sister went into a life-altering experience, but I can't imagine what it could have been to have her acting this bitterly. She is twenty-six f*****g years old, she is still young, and she is f*****g pretty. Off limits, but beautiful as f**k.

I tried to make small talk, and kissing someone under the mistletoe seemed crazy. This town is crazy, and I love it. It is my kind of crowd. I wouldn't mind doing lip service to all the bachelorettes under the mistletoe. It was all good fun and holiday cheer.

After twenty minutes confined in a car with 'Lemon Drop,' I was going crazy, so when she parked, I quickly left. She had to order a tree, and the lot was tremendous. She exited the car several minutes later and took a deep breath. She wrapped her arms around her waist and closed her eyes. I could see her beauty, but I could also sense her distress.

"Where should we start?" I asked her, and she opened her eyes and took a deep breath.

"The tall trees are always kept in the back. Why don't we split and search for a nice one? Then we can meet in the middle, let's say in a half hour, and decide..." she said, and I nodded. I could get a hint; she wanted to shake me off, and I was OK. The 'sour lemon' chick was exerting all my cheerful energy.

I turned around and made my way to the back of the lot. She turned, too, but headed to the left while I took the right. I wandered around the lot, and some trees caught my eye. Thirty minutes was too much time wasted staring at trees, so I decided to go and look for 'Lemon Drop.'

I saw several people trailing around the lot. Couples and families walking about and sharing the holiday spirit. Elisa was wearing a bright magenta coat that could be spotted a mile away from the atmosphere, so it would be easy to spot her around the green color of the trees.

Suddenly, I spotted her; she was dunking behind several trees. What the f**k? I sighed. I decided to turn around, circle the lot, and surprise her from behind. This was borderline ridiculous. What was she doing among the foliage of those trees?

While I traveled around the lot, I kept trying to see where her eyes were trailing. I saw a family walking around: four adults, an older couple, and two younger ones.

"Mr. Noel Price, it is an honor to have you here!" the saleswoman approached them. "Sammy, Norah, Noah... welcome..." she said, and I squinted my eyebrows. Why did the name Price ring a bell? I had no idea and no time to worry about it.

"Come to the back, and the big trees are over here..." the saleswoman beamed, and they followed her. Curious, I decided to see where they were going instead of bugging Elisa.

"So, has Erick come to pick his tree yet?" The elderly man asked, and the saleswoman sighed,

"Mr. Muse didn't come personally, but he sent Elisa... She is back in town," she said cautiously, referring to Elisa's name. I lifted my eyebrows. I knew eavesdropping was wrong, but somehow, the stiffened reaction all four had when mentioning her name was evidence enough for me to know that there was some history there.

"Elisa?" the young woman, who was not as beautiful as Elisa, scoffed. "She is going to be all over you... Noah..." she rolled her eyes,

"It's been five years... maybe she is over it." the mother mumbled,

"Whatever," the guy sighed,

"She got cold feet and ran away, so she might not show her face to you," The older man said, and I squinted my eyebrows. Did she get cold feet? From what, marrying the guy?

Oh! A single realization crossed my mind. Five years ago, something happened to Elisa; whatever that was, it involved this guy. He was plain as f**k, and I wondered what she saw in him.

I should have been a gentleman and risen to the occasion, but it was too easy and too sweet to rile her up.... so with a bit of realization and a little more determination than anything... I made my way to the magenta lump behind some trees.

"Thirty minutes were too long to stare at trees..." I said behind her ear, startling her. She jumped out from behind the trees, and I chuckled.

"Can you be more of an asshole?" She barked, and I laughed. This holiday, riling her up will become my new favorite sport.

"Why are you hiding?" I asked her, and she shook her head.

"I was not hiding... I was watching those tree trunks..." she said proudly, and I nodded.

"So, have you picked a tree?" I asked her, and she shook her head.

"I saw a couple of good ones on my side..." I said, and before I could finish, she interrupted me,

"Let's see those..." she said, walking in the opposite direction, where the Price family was staring at a tree.

"Which one?" She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

I pointed at a tree, and she gave me a side glance. "That is not bad..." she sighed, "The foliage is beautiful, it smells divine, and the height goes along with the main house parlor..." She said, and I nodded.

"Do I hear a praise coming?" I asked, and he sighed.

"Good job, Leon..." She sighed, and I chuckled....

"See, that was not that hard, right?" I joked, and she rolled her eyes. I swear my "Lemon Drop' has the charm of a wooden board. Wait, did I call her mine?

No... off-limits, off-limits.

The Price family had shortened the distance, and it was too easy. "Excuse me!" I yelled at the saleswoman. We are ready to take this tree," I said, and suddenly, the tension exploded around the area. The Price family stiffened, and the saleswoman stared between Elisa and the Price family, not knowing what to do.

Elisa sighed, "Betsy, we can wait..." She said, and the saleswoman smiled.

"If you are still undecided, I can care for her." She said to the older couple, and they softly nodded.

With a forced smile, the saleswoman walked towards us, and Elisa asked her to take that tree to her home. She paid the total of cash for the tree and said goodbye to Betsy.

She didn't wait for me; she just turned around and headed back to the car. I rushed behind her, knowing I had messed up, "Hey..." I held her elbow, turning her around to face me.

My stomach churned when I saw the tears welling in her eyes. "Let me go, Leon..." she tried to release my hold on her.

"No, until you tell me what the f**k is going on?" I asked her, my voice firm, not giving her room to escape.

"Please, Leon... Let me go..." She said again, and I shook my head, closing the distance. The raw pain and vulnerability in her eyes told me that the wounds she had been concealing behind that bitter mask were way more profound than expected.

"You need to talk to someone... and maybe your family are not the ones to go to..." I said clearly, but she shook her head.

"It is nothing. I am fine..." she said, frustrated and released from my hold. She took a couple of steps further away from me and wrapped her arms around her waist. Her back was facing me, and I felt sorry for her for a brief moment. She seemed broken, frail, devastated.

I took a deep breath and looked up at the sky, realizing that Elisa was standing under a mistletoe archway... I am a man of opportunities... and when I see one, I grasp it.

I walked towards her and turned her in my arms... she gasped with surprise, and then I pointed up, and the sheer panic that struck her face made me realize that I wanted her to step under every single f*****g mistletoe spread in this town.

"It is tradition..." I said, closing the distance between us. My hand reached her face. She let out a shuddering breath. My lips closed the distance, she closed her eyes, and when I was about to make contact, I aimed for her cheek and tenderly placed my lips there. She let out a deep breath of relief, and when she opened her eyes and locked them with mine, it was as if my entire world had stopped.