Dr. Noah and the Sugar Plum Fairy Read Free Page B

ago. His parents’ home, with its pretentious and fake holiday spirit had driven him to dislike the season years ago. There was no warmth, no true meaning of Christmas. Any attempt to fit in there seemed trite and insignificant and, for all involved, it was probably best he just stay busy on Christmas and not go home for the rest of his life.
    It was also best he didn’t see Skye or her father. She’d broken their engagement last Christmas after a car accident that claimed her mother’s life. He’d accepted the blame, and gladly bore the burden of her death in hopes Skye would recover and somehow they would find a new normal. That plan backfired and their relationship disintegrated under the rapid force of an emotional wind storm out of control. Christmas, such as it was, seemed destined never to be a happy time of year.
    The latest assistant in his parade of substitute help stood by the door as he headed back across the path. Bridget darted ahead to collect her head pats and get out of the drizzle.
    “Full house, doc,” she called out to him. “Dr. Salmons is here to help.”
    He picked up the pace. “Be right there. Keep ’em moving.”
    By the time he reached the door, Bridget had already curled up on the leather couch in his office. “Really, girl? You’re gonna try that again?”
    At the sound of his voice, she dutifully jumped down and settled instead for the large pet bed on the floor.
    He stepped into his bathroom to wash his hands amidst a chorus of high-pitched kitten squeals. He glanced back at Bridget whose ears perked at the noise. “Your guess is as good as mine. They either have a belly full of tinsel or they chewed through a string of lights.”
    Un-Plain Jane and Monsieur Snowball crossed his mind again as he donned his lab coat. He’d thought about them a lot since Friday night. Her incessant chatter about weird name things and ballet and that clumsy fall from the stool had been his only reasons for a genuine smile in months. Her quirky personality and girl-next-door honest beauty brought that smile back a time or two.
    It surprised him every time.
     
    ****
     
    ‘Twas the third night of Christmas break
    And Jane’s heart was broken,
    The joy had left Christmas
    And cheerful words were not spoken.
    The family had gathered
    To say their good-byes,
    Jane resolved to move on
    Through sad, puffy eyes.
    So on now with Christmas
    And dancing and fudge,
    Just one man to visit
    To keep Jane from a grudge...
     
    Jane grabbed her pillow at midnight and headed for Melody’s room. Her sister evidently had the same idea and they collided in the dark near the bathroom.
    Melody screamed.
    Jane stumbled backward and landed on her sore hip.
    Their grandpa’s dog heard the commotion and let out a warning bark at the bottom of the stairs.
    “Go back to sleep, Major,” Jane told the slightly overweight mutt. “It’s just us.”
    Melody snickered. “You mean it’s you. I’m not the one who busted my butt and rattled the floor. What are you doing up, anyway?”
    “I was worried about you.”
    “Well, I was worried about you. So who’s bed is it going to be?”
    “Yours,” Jane said and slipped by her. “It’s too sad in my room.”
    Jane snuggled in as Melody turned on the purple bedside lamp and pulled a bag of homemade Christmas cookies from under the bed.
    “Sweeeet,” Jane sang, “but does mom know you took those? I think they were for the neighbors.”
    “Ooops. But wait. There’s more.” Melody went to the other side of the room and came back with two small cartons of ice cold milk. She hopped into the bed and burrowed in next to Jane.
    “I can’t believe Mom and Dad let you have a mini fridge in here. It’s like your own apartment. I barely had a cell phone and working car when I left for college.”
    “Mom says it’s OK because of my crazy hours. I’m up at four for dance team at school, and I don’t get home until late because of ballet. She thinks if it’s full of juice and