Wrapped Up In Christmas

Sarah sighed with happiness. “That, Bodie Lewis, is what Christmas is all about.”

“Buying presents?”

“No,” she corrected with a scolding look that prompted a laugh from him. “The excitement Chevell felt at getting her mom a special gift. The joy she experienced at the thought of giving her mom those snowflakes is what Christmas is about, what it should be about.”

He didn’t comment, just grinned, then turned to wait on another customer.

They were still working the booth when Sarah heard the whine of the fire truck sirens, signaling the start of the parade.

The parade would make its way down Main Street, turn onto the square, go around the courthouse, then head toward the church. Once past the church, the participants would park their floats in the church parking lot and disband to walk back to the square to enjoy the festivities.

Sarah wanted to shoo Bodie out of the booth so he could watch the parade. But the booth was busy, and, surprisingly, he seemed to be enjoying himself while talking to their customers, especially the ones who spotted Harry and made a fuss over the dog.

“Not sold out yet?”

Sarah grinned at the balding, uniformed man in his early sixties strolling up to their booth. “Not unless you’re here to buy us out, Sheriff Roscoe.”

He gave a hearty laugh. “Now, Sarah, you know I’d be in all kinds of trouble if I bought out one booth and didn’t buy out the others. Showing such favoritism would be the end of my career.”

The sheriff and his department had made several hefty donations to support Sarah’s projects and his deputies had been known to

volunteer on several occasions to lend a helping hand. She adored them all. Except for perhaps that ticket-writing Donnie.

“There is that,” she agreed with the sheriff.

He gestured to Bodie. “Who’s this?”

As if the Butterfly-aiding-and-abetting law enforcer didn’t know. But fine, she’d play along.

“Bodie Lewis. He’s helping at Hamilton House.” She glanced at Bodie, who had finished waiting on his customer and was now watching them.

“Heard about you,” the sheriff acknowledged Bodie, sticking his hand out to shake. “Hear you’ve got an impressive military background. Appreciate your service, young man.”

His face looking a little taut, Bodie shook the sheriff’s hand. “As I appreciate yours.”

Although Bodie had likely meant his law enforcement career, the sheriff puffed his chest out with pride. “I served in the Army myself, back in the good ol’ days when…”

He continued talking military with Bodie, but Sarah lost track of the conversation as she waited on a repeat customer who wanted two dozen snowflakes.

“I use them to decorate Christmas packages, rather than hanging them on my tree,” the woman enthused. “I got so many compliments on the ones I bought last year that I’m doubling my order this year.”

Although she really wanted to listen to the sheriff and Bodie’s conversation, Sarah beamed at the woman and set about helping her pick snowflakes.

Bodie had no idea how good Sheriff Roscoe was at police work, but he liked the blustery, talkative lawman who’d done two tours of duty in the army.

What he didn’t like was the man’s questions about why Bodie had chosen not to re-enlist. There were some things Bodie didn’t want to talk about—especially the demise of his career.

“Probably same reason as you.” Probably not. “Was the right time for me to get out.”

There wouldn’t have been a right time for him to get out had he not gotten hurt. He’d planned to be a lifelong military man.

“You looking to stay around here?”

Bodie shook his head. “I’ll be moving on as soon as I finish at Hamilton House.”

“Too bad. I’m looking for someone to replace one of my officers.” Sheriff Roscoe shook his head in disappointment. “Donnie took a desk job with the state. He’s better suited for that, anyway.”

“Donnie left the sheriff’s department?” Sarah exclaimed, pausing in her snowflake wrapping to gawk at the sheriff.