She had to come up with a way to stop the sale.
“Okay, so he hates Christmas...”
Molly tapped her fingers on the edge of her kitchen sink, nodding in time with an upbeat rendition of Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.
“Wait. Does he hate Christmas? Or does he just not understand Christmas?” Molly asked herself out loud while she finished drying off her final dish. The idea tickled her brain. “Wait, wait, wait. I’m getting something...”
Molly suddenly dashed back towards her bedroom, scrambling for her phone. She scrolled through its screen until she pulled up an article she’d been reading last night before bed:
How To Make Kids Love Math
She laughed at the headline, imagining Nicholas Kerstman as a grumpy child in one of her classes.
She then took a seat on the edge of her bed as she made her way through the article once more.
“Make it seem fun... make it seem possible... make it seem worthwhile...” Molly read softly. “Fun. Possible. Worthwhile.”
As she thought through the article, her phone began to ring in her hands. She answered it without hesitation once she saw “Mom” pop up on the caller ID. “Mom!”
“Daughter!” Emma Carmichael shouted on the other end of the line. “Sorry. I know we were supposed to call you earlier, but—”
“But you two were so wrapped up in Miami and I bet so wrapped up in each other,” Molly said, rolling her eyes even though her mom couldn’t see it.
Molly had always admired the loving relationship between her mom and dad, envisioning their bond as the Gold Standard when it came to lifelong romance. Emma and Jim Carmichael hadn’t been apart from each other for more than a week since the day they met, their courtship being a whirlwind romance that ended with a potluck wedding attended by close family and friends.
Growing up, Molly had become accustomed to her parents becoming distracted by each other. They never outgrew the initial stage of falling in love and she'd see their small moments of high school level flirtation in grocery store aisles, the passionate way her father kissed her mother in the kitchen, the sparkle in their eyes that neither one of them could hide when they spotted each other across a crowded room.
Molly knew that she wanted something like that for herself.
But that wasn't something she could worry about right now. Not today. Especially not with Nicholas Kerstman around, pulling all her focus onto saving Christmas Wishes.
Maybe after Nicholas. Maybe after Christmas.
Maybe then Molly could find something like that.
“You’ve caught us red-handed,” Molly’s mom’s said, pulling Molly out of her thoughts and back to their conversation. “So, my darling daughter, what’s new with you? How’s the store?”
Molly's eyes narrowed.
“How’s the store?” she asked. “Did Mrs. Kerstman make you ask me that?”
“Oh, Molly. You know she worries and worries and worries...” Emma sighed into the receiver. “But are you at least having fun with Liam? I know it's a lot of extra work without them there.”
“It’s perfect, Mom. I think it’s something I could really see myself doing long-term,” Molly said. She smiled to herself. “I love getting to run the store without the bosses around.”
“And maybe you will do it all the time. Someday soon.” Her mom sounded thoughtful. “The Kerstmans have really taken a liking to Miami. Howard has become a real beach bum. I think I saw him headed towards the water with a surfboard.”
A chill went down Molly’s spine.
“Who’s supposed to run the store when they’re retired and living full-time in Miami?”
Nicholas’ words came back to haunt her as she tried to remain calm on the phone. “Did they mention anything? About anything?” she asked her mom.
“Did they mention anything about anything?” Mrs. Carmichael asked. She laughed at her daughter. “I guess they mentioned that their son, Nicholas, might be dropping by. Have you seen him?”
“Yeah. He came by the store tonight,” Molly admitted.
“Has he already been visited by the first ghost?” Mrs. Carmichael asked.