The Winter of Candy Canes (A Sweet Seasons Novel) (7 page)

It didn't work. He just frowned more deeply. “If it was my job, I'd have been fired by now.”

“Hey, who's cheering who up?” she asked. Her shoulder was throbbing, and she wasn't in the mood to make him feel better.

“Sorry. Guess I'm pretty much a loser all the way around.”

Candace closed her eyes and tried to quash the irritation that was rising within her. This was so not about him. She couldn't think of any way she could salvage the situation, and she was really too tired to try. Fortunately, her mom saved the day.

“Candace, honey, it's been a big day, and you're looking pretty pale. I think maybe you should try to get some sleep.”

“Yeah. I'll go so you can do that,” Kurt said, jumping quickly to his feet.

“Thanks for coming,” Candace said.

“No problem.”

Seconds later he was gone.

“You scared him off,” Candace tried to joke.

Her mom shook her head. “That one scares himself. Now let's get you to bed.”

Candace couldn't agree more.

On Sunday morning, the first visitors arrived at ten in the morning. Roger and Martha were both smiling as they walked into the living room. Roger handed Candace her hair wreath, which she had lost the day before.

“They found it buried in the present pile,” he said.

“Thanks,” she said with a smile. “Now, I just need to get new red tights and have my costume cleaned.”

“I wouldn't worry too much about that,” Martha said with a smile. “We'll be moving you off elf duty.”

“What? Why?”

“Well, you remember, it's company policy that referees get moved to other duties while accidents are investigated.”

Candace sat up straighter. “That made sense at Halloween when that board was loose, but this is totally different. This wasn't an accident. There's nothing to investigate. I want to go back on elf duty as soon as my doctor says it's okay.”

“Why on earth would you want to do that?” Martha asked.

“I think I know,” Roger said, smiling at Candace. “If you don't get right back on the horse, you never will.”

“That's right. This isn't the first time I've gotten hurt, but it's the first time I was attacked by a bunch of kids. I don't want to live in fear of children for the rest of my life.”

“Yeah,” Roger added, “you don't want her to have such issues with kids that she never has children because of it.”

Candace looked at Roger, checking to see if he had lost his mind. His argument, though, seemed to be persuasive to Martha.

“I can see your point. Let me see what I can do about this.”

“Thank you,” Candace said.

“Now, let's talk about something else. Roger, have you finally asked out Becca?” Martha asked.

“You know that I like her?”

“Everyone knows, dear.”

“No,” Roger said. “Worse, someone's asked her out to a dance at Candace's school.”

“Then I suggest you find a way to go to that dance and sweep her off her feet,” Martha said.

Roger turned and stared at Candace.

“Don't look at me. I'm taking Kurt.”

Roger sighed in misery, and Candace couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

When Roger and Martha finally left, Pete and Gib arrived to take their place. Neither was as talkative as Roger or Martha, but they both played a mean game of Trivial Pursuit, and Candace found herself enjoying their company.

After they finally left, she had an hour to herself before Josh and Tamara arrived. She must have been dozing, because she suddenly heard Tamara say, “Enough with the cheermeister!”

“You can never have enough cheermeister,” Josh said, as the two of them walked into the living room.

Tamara rushed over, and when she realized that hugging Candace could be painful, she awkwardly patted her head instead.

“Hey, Candace, looking better than yesterday,” Josh said with a grin.

“You two didn't drive over together, did you?” Candace asked.

“And I'll be regretting it for years,” Tamara said with a snort of disgust.

Candace smiled. “So did the cheermeister bring me something?”

“I did,” Josh said brightly, handing her a pillow shaped like a candy cane that he'd been hiding behind his back.

“I told him you'd beat him with that thing when you're feeling better,” Tamara said. “I brought you something practical.”

“Ice cream?” Candace guessed.

“Natch.”

Tamara produced two pints of Ben and Jerry's ice cream. One was fudge brownie and the other was cookie dough. The banter went on, and Candace tried not to laugh too hard — she didn't want to hurt herself. They both stayed for dinner and finally left when Candace was ready for sleep again.

On Monday, Candace and her mom went to the doctor to have her leg checked out. It was Candace's first real opportunity to use the crutches as she hobbled into his office, panting from the effort. After taking an X-ray, he reiterated what The Zone nurse had already told her and set another appointment in two weeks. He also said that as long as she stayed on the crutches, she could go back to school and work as soon as she was ready.

Once they made it back home, Candace called Martha to update her. Martha said that she had discussed it with her bosses, and they were willing to let Candace return to work the following Monday.

As soon as school was out, Tamara came over and brought Candace her books and a get-well card created by the drama class.

“Your legend grows at school,” Tamara said humorously as she sat down in one of the chairs.

“How so?” Candace asked with a groan.

“Apparently, you're a hero. You were run over by an out-of-control mob, and you rescued some little girl, and gave toys to dozens of needy kids.”

“What little girl?” Candace asked, bewildered.

Tamara shrugged. “I did manage to track the stories down to a guy named Brad. You know him?”

“No, but apparently he worked at The Zone over the summer, and he's taking Becca to Winter Formal.”

“Roger must be heartsick,” Tamara said.

“Speaking of heartsick. How's Mark?” Candace asked.

Tamara rolled her eyes. “I had to tell him to back off, that I was definitely not going to go out with him again.”

“I'm sure that did loads of good for his ego,” Candace said.

“There's only so much I'm willing to do for my cousin. I think he'll be okay, though. I was a lot nicer to him than that just sounded.”

“Glad to hear it.”

“So, do you need help prepping for Wednesday night, or are you even going?”

“Wednesday night?” Candace asked, at a momentary loss.

“Hellooo, Bible study. Remember?”

“I totally forgot.”

“No, really? I mean, I guess considering the circumstances no one would blame you if you stepped down. Joy would probably love to take your place,” Tamara said with a smirk.

“That's not going to happen,” Candace said.

“A little territorial?”

“Are you antagonizing me on purpose?” Candace asked in disbelief.

“Of course. I really don't want Joy leading the study. I figure if I push your buttons you'll step up.”

“Since when does that work?”

“Oh, I don't know. Are you going back to being an elf?”

“On Monday.”

“Then it's worked since you started working at The Zone.”

Candace stared at her for a minute. “Seriously?”

“Seriously. Don't get me wrong, I think it's a good thing. You're much more likely to stand up for yourself and fight for what you want now. I respect that.”

“Yeah, but that implies that I want to lead this Bible study.”

“Don't you?”

Candace hesitated. A week before, she would have said no, absolutely not. Now, if she was being honest with herself, she realized she did want to lead it. The first week hadn't been all that bad, but she also knew she could make it better. She laid her head back against a pillow and groaned.

“Knew it,” Tamara said, and Candace could hear the smugness in her voice.

“Can you get me the study book and my Bible from upstairs?” Candace asked.

On Wednesday night, Tamara pushed the passenger seat in her car as far back as it could go so that Candace could ride in the front. It was a tight fit, but she made it and felt triumph in the victory. Unlike the week before, she actually felt prepared, and she had found herself looking forward to the Bible study all day. She was also using it as a bit of a test run. Her parents had told her that they would leave the decision of when to go back to school up to her as long as she went back there before going to work. She figured if she could make it through the study, she would try school in the morning.

When they arrived at the youth building, Tamara carried her stuff while Candace hobbled in on her crutches. She knew she looked pathetic. The bruise on her cheek was deep purple. There were bruises and scratches on her good leg and on both arms, but the majority of her pain radiated from her injured shoulder. It made walking with the crutches that much more difficult.

She sat down on the couch and, at Tamara's insistence, put her leg up. Tamara dragged a chair over so she could sit next to her. Everyone else was already there and quickly formed a circle, staring openly at the brace on her leg.

“I got hurt at work,” Candace started.

“We know,” Jen spoke up.

“Oh, okay. Well, then let's start.”

The focus of the Bible study was on spiritual journeys. They compared themselves to the wise men and shared how their “walk with God” was going. She asked the group members to pinpoint an area of their lives where they knew they had grown over the previous year.

“I used to smoke and I've quit, mostly. I still backslide some, though,” one of the girls admitted.

Candace couldn't relate, but she nodded encouragingly.

“Every time I try to pray I fall asleep,” Jen said with a heartfelt sigh.

“That happens to me too,” said Tamara.

“Really?” said Jen.

“I think most of us have been there,” Candace said. “It's one of the hazards of praying at night in bed.”

Candace scanned her notes briefly. “So, I have a question. Is everyone happy with where they are on their spiritual journey?”

Each one of them shook their head no.

“Well, then I was thinking we should try this week to find one thing we can do to further our growth.”

There was silence for a minute, and Candace held her breath, not sure if everyone was going to get on board with the idea.

“Like how can I not fall asleep when praying?” Jen asked.

“Exactly,” Candace said, relieved at the example.

All around the circle heads began to nod.

When the study was done, Candace struggled back to Tamara's car and settled in, happy with how things had gone. Even Joy had seemed to be on the same page.

“You realize what you've done?” Tamara asked as she started the car.

“What?”

“You and I also have to find a way to grow this week.”

“You've discovered the fatal flaw in my otherwise brilliant plan.”

“I don't mind you being tough on yourself, but next time can you leave me out of it?” Tamara complained, but her tone was lighthearted.

“Next time, no growth for you.”

“That's the spirit. So, you going to school tomorrow?”

“I guess. Can I count that as my growth moment?”

“Not even.”

School the next day took so much out of Candace that her parents urged her to stay home Friday. She went anyway, and it went better than the day before. All weekend she alternated between resting on the couch and practicing on the crutches until she had more confidence. On Sunday after church, Josh brought her a pair of new tights from the costume department, and her mom made sure her costume was in good shape. Monday at school went a lot better, and she headed over to The Zone in the afternoon, tired but ready to get back to work.

She gave herself plenty of time to get there. Her muscles were so tense they vibrated, but she refused to let it get to her. The attack had been a fluke. She was going to be fine.

Once in the Holiday Zone, she had some time to kill before her shift started. She hadn't checked out the various vendor booths yet, so she took the opportunity. After inspecting a cart next to the entrance to the maze, she turned around and saw Becca.

Becca had her head down and was flipping through a huge stack of pages on an oversized clipboard. By the looks of it,
there had to be at least a hundred pieces of paper. She finally looked up, saw Candace, waved, and came over.

“Glad to see you're doing better,” Becca said.

“Thanks. What is that?” Candace asked, pointing with a crutch toward the clipboard.

Becca's eyes widened. “Charts, grids, maps, searching zones, employee schedules, statistical models, you know, that kind of thing.”

“What on earth for?”

“The golden candy cane. I'm going to find it. Then that gingerbread house will be mine.”

She drifted toward the gingerbread house as she spoke. Her hand descended on the post that marked the beginning of the hedge maze and one of the two security guards stationed next to the gingerbread house stepped forward and called out. “That's close enough, Becca. You know the rules.”

Becca stuck her tongue out at him before removing her hand and backing ten steps away. Then she raised her fist and shook it. “That gingerbread house will be mine!”

“They won't even let you in the maze?” Candace asked.

Becca shook her head. “That's okay. I searched the entire maze before they caught me with this,” Becca said, pulling a little baggie out of her pocket. Inside it was a massive purple gumdrop.

“That's not from the house!”

“Yes, it is.”

“Why haven't you eaten it yet?” Candace asked, briefly considering calling one of the security guards over to take it from her.

“I'm saving it for something … special,” Becca said, gazing lovingly at the gumdrop.

Candace shivered. She could only imagine what that would be.

“Give me fair warning before, okay?”

Becca nodded. “See ya later. I've got more places to search.”

Candace watched her go. Part of her hoped Becca found the golden candy cane. Another part of her, though, was rising
to the challenge. Maybe she could find the candy cane. After all, she had as good a chance as anyone, even if she was on crutches.

She glanced at her watch and realized she was out of time. She walked over and saw that she would be replacing Lisa. She tensed, really not in the mood to be sniped at.

“You can go,” Candace said as she walked up.

“Thank you,” Lisa said, face pale and hair unnaturally stiff in weird places and completely limp in others.

Candace blinked in surprise. “Are you okay?” she asked.

Lisa shook her head. “A kid threw up on me today. Twice.”

“Gross!”

“I need to go shower.”

“I think there might be something wrong with your hair spray,” Candace said, staring at the mess on Lisa's head.

“That's not hair spray. It's Lysol,” Lisa said before shoving the candy cane basket at her and staggering off.

Candace actually felt sorry for her. As much as she didn't like Lisa, she wouldn't wish that on anyone.

Candace turned her attention to the candy cane basket in her hands. Suddenly, she was aware of the folly of what she was about to do. How was she going to manage the crutches, the candy canes, and the presents? What had she been thinking? What if a little kid accidentally ran into her or kicked her? Worse, what if there was another brat who attacked her?