A Christmas Miracle Read online

  A Christmas Miracle

  (Bakersville Christmas Book 1)

  By Reese Winters

  Copyright 2019 Reese Winters

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  MORE BY REESE WINTERS

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  Cooling Off: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PZCFQCP

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  Jabari Jones collapsed on his bed after stuffing the last of his winter clothes in a hard-sided suitcase. He wiped his brow and ran his fingers over the top of his head. “Yeah, Mom. I’ll be home super late tonight. Will you have Daddy come pick me up?”

  “Sure, baby. What time is your flight getting in?”

  “Oh. Should be like eleven tonight. It’s getting in pretty late, because that was the best price, you know?”

  “Of course. However, you know if you’re tight with money, we could’ve helped with the ticket for you.”

  “No, no. Mom, I’m fine. I’ve got plenty of students. Things are going great, actually. I mean we canceled all classes until January, so everyone could enjoy their Christmas.”

  “Oh okay.”

  “Yeah,” he adjusted the cell phone in the crook of his shoulder, sitting on the top of his suitcase and tugging his violin close to him. “I mean we have our annual Caroling in the Park, so you know I wouldn’t miss Christmas with you guys for anything in the world. I’ve been talking with the coordinator, and I’m definitely doing the violin this year.”

  “I love it when you play the violin, but the piano is my favorite,” his mother lamented.

  “Noted. Well, I’ll do piano next year, if Mrs. Baker ever gets the one in the concert hall tuned up properly. It’s so off.”

  “Mm. I thought she had it looked at years ago.”

  “She did, Mom, but you have to tune pianos constantly. There are so many people playing it and it so easily gets out of tune.”

  “Ah. I didn’t know.”

  “It’s okay. You’re not the musician. You’re the musician’s awesome mother. I can’t wait to see everyone for Christmas.”

  “We can’t wait to see you either. I know you need clothes, so we’ll get you some of those when you get in. Have you finished all of your Christmas shopping?”

  “No, Mom. It’s too complicated trying to travel with all the presents. It’s easier to get everything in town. And I have some things I ordered online coming in as well.”

  “Sure, sure. Well you know all the really good sales are right after Christmas, anyway.”

  “Yeah, we’ll hit the after Christmas sales, too, so you can get your fruit-flavored candy canes.” Jabari rolled his eyes. “Can’t forget those.”

  “Absolutely not. So, is your boyfriend coming with you to our Christmas dinner?”

  “Who?” His voice lifted at the question and he picked at the threads of his long sleeves, jumping to his feet and roaming around the room.

  “Your boyfriend? Craig, wasn’t it?”

  “Carlisle, Mom,” Jabari muttered.

  “Right, Carlie. Is he coming to Christmas dinner? Do I need to make a space for him?”

  “No, you don’t. We’re-we’re not together, actually.”

  “What?”

  “We’re not together. We, uh, ended it a few weeks ago. I thought I told you?”

  “I thought you guys were taking a break.”

  “Well, sure, we took a break for a minute. Then we decided the break should extend into the whole relationship. So,” Jabari drawled, “we’re over.”

  “Oh,” her voice dropped, “how are you feeling about it?”

  “Eh. I’m fine, really. Our relationship was rocky and, I don’t know, I really need to focus on my music right now, anyway. Right after Christmas, I need to focus on getting work. I’m tired of teaching little sticky children how to learn scales, I want to play music. I want to move people.”

  “Oh, honey, you’ll get there. You’re always working so hard.”

  “Yeah. Thanks. I was thinking about maybe writing some music and turning it into an album, but I don’t know. Who still listens to classical piano, you know?”

  “I’m sure someone will. Good music to listen to on long car trips.”

  Jabari laughed. “No, Mom. Maybe good music to study to. I don’t know. I might do it. I’d listen to it, so I’m sure there are others who will, too.”

  “Exactly. I think you should. It would be lovely.”

  “Thanks.” Jabari tugged his lips into a slight smirk as happiness swelled inside him. He knew so many musicians whose parents didn’t support them. He knew he was lucky to have two supportive parents. He thumbed the cell phone in his hands, squeezing it and sighing. “Anyway, I need to get going. I have to finish packing everything, make sure everything’s squared away with Diana, and then get to the airport.”

  “Oh, Diana! How is she?”

  “Oh, you know. She’s fine. She’s got a new girlfriend, and they’re doing well. She’s been working on a few projects, but they’re much more hip-hop rather than classical, or lyric-less.”

  “Ah. She has an album?”

  “Yeah, Mom, she’s working on an album.” Jabari laughed. “She’s watching my fish for me over Christmas, so I just want to make sure she’s not nervous about everything that needs to get done. Then she’s going to drop me off at the airport, so I don’t have to store my car.”

  “Is she going to pick you up, too?”

  “I think so, but even if she can’t, I can always get a taxicab.”

  “Hopefully she can pick you up. I don’t want you riding in a taxicab.”

  “Uh. Okay. Why not?”

  “They just don’t seem very safe. Who’ll be driving it? Will they have a background check? What if they’re a serial killer?”

  “Mom, you’re getting a little over dramatic. The taxicab drivers are just fine. Plus, this is something you don’t even need to worry about right now. I haven’t even gotten home yet, so focus on that first.”

  “Fine, fine, but I still don’t want you taking a taxicab anywhere. Can’t you get another friend to pick you up?”

  “Sure, Mom. I’ll see what I can do. I’ll get someone to pick me up since taxicabs are oh so dangerous. Really, I need to get going. I love you. I’ll see you soon.”

  “Okay, honey. Be safe. Be careful.”

  “I will.”

  “I love you.”

  “Yeah, I love you, too. Kisses.”

  “Kisses.”

  With a smile Jabari ended the call and slipped his cell phone in his pocket. He prowled thro
ugh his apartment, collecting his toiletries, the small gifts he had already purchased, and one extra outfit just in case. He packed a carry-on bag with his laptop, puffy headphones, and dry snacks.

  As he finished the last of his packing, his friend knocked on his door, and he walked her through his fish care routine before loading her vehicle with his bags. He hoisted one heavy suitcase, one instrument case, and his carry-on bag in the back of her vehicle and climbed into the passenger seat.

  ***

  “Angela, I’m out of baby’s breath and eucalyptus. I won’t have more for at least a few weeks,” Dante Hernandez stepped away from the check-in counter, sliding his ticket in the back pocket of his jeans and shouldering a fat carry-on bag alongside a smaller laptop bag. He adjusted his blazer on his shoulders as he moved through the airport.

  “How can you be out of the most popular wedding florals? It’s not like you work as a floriculturist or anything,” a shrill voice responded to him.

  “It’s extra popular this year, it seems, and you weren’t the only one buying eucalyptus in droves. I will have more, I said, and you will be the first to know when I have them available again.”

  “You promise?” Angela moaned.

  “I promise. Don’t make that sound. It’s uncomfortable.” Dante dropped his bag by a secluded seat close to his flight area. He eased down into a scooped seat and rested his laptop bag beside him. “Did you call for anything else besides to tell me you’re out of two of the most obnoxious wedding flowers known to man?”

  “Hmm. Nope. That’s mostly what I called for. Why?”

  “I am going to have to let you go. I am boarding a flight soon, and I’m navigating the airport.”

  “Ohh. Ew. Where are you going? Are you going to see your family?”

  Dante twitched. His relaxed demeanor evaporated, leaving his shoulders tight and his chest constricted. “No. No, I’m not. I am going to look at some land I may purchase for a southern flower farm.”

  “You’re going to look at land? It’s so close to Christmas. You should be spending it with family, not spending it closing on a new deal and working with numbers.”

  “I see,” Dante murmured. “Thank you for letting me know.” His voice was icy as he replied to Angela’s overly helpful words. He twitched when he thought of his family.

  Yeah. He didn’t have one.

  Dante had added to the harrowing statistics of the amount of homeless youth in the country. His mother had abandoned him at a young age. His father had never been in the picture. His foster mother and father had been nothing short of absolutely terrible, and he shivered as his mind floated there. Old wounds stung as he heard his foster mother’s shrill tone in his ears.

  “No problem. You’ve got to have someone you can spend the holidays with. Promise me you’ll spend Christmas and New Year’s with family. You don’t deserve to spend the time alone.”

  “Of course.”

  “I don’t believe your tone.”

  “Mmhm. I’ll talk to you later, Angela.” Dante ended the call, tucking his cell phone away as he dug into his laptop bag and pulled out a heavy, hard-sided textbook, opening it over his lap. Faded pictures of flowers dotted the pages, and he lost himself in studying the details of various florals until a shrill cry cut through his focus.

  He flicked his eyes up and scanned the area, landing on an exasperated creature in front of the help kiosk. The creature was tall, slender, and full of tight, coily hair.

  “What do you mean all the flights are canceled?” The stranger hissed. His hands abandoned his bags, dropping the handle of one carry-on. He shrugged an instrument case from his shoulders and placed his hands on the counter.

  “All the flights flying from here to Jackson, Mississippi are canceled.” The woman behind the kiosk flicked her eyes up to the stranger. Bored brown eyes stared at the dark-skinned man as he flailed his arms.

  “All of them? Like all of them?” He groaned, raking his fingers through his short hair and placing a hand on his slight hips. “How long are they canceled for, exactly?”

  “I am not sure. There is inclement weather on the way, and the pilots have made their decision.”

  “So the flights are just canceled indefinitely?”

  “Until further notice, yes. They are canceled for the time being.”

  “Fuck.” He paused. “Oh, I’m sorry.” He massaged his temples and looked around the area. His eyes slowly traveled towards Dante, and as they did, Dante straightened up in his seat and stashed his book away.

  When their eyes met, electricity went through Dante, and he temporarily drowned in the stranger’s big, brown eyes, full lips, and deep mahogany skin. The stranger quirked a light smile towards Dante.

  Dante’s heart turned over. It was a new feeling. One he had never experienced before, and he didn’t quite like it.

  “I really need an option here.” The man turned back to the employee, squinting at the woman’s name tag. “Becky. Becky I really need an option here. I need to get on this flight because I have this long layover, and the first rehearsal for my hometown’s annual Christmas concert is tomorrow night. I can’t miss it. I’m hosting it.”

  “Well, Mr. Jones. There’s not much I can do for you. I can’t put the planes in the sky.”

  “I know you can’t do that, but is there a work around? Maybe I can go to a different city and around the problem?”

  “No, sir.”

  “Okay,” he sighed, scratching his head. “I really need something.”

  “I’m really sorry. You’re not the only person who needs to get home to their family.”

  “I mean, yeah. I know that.” The man quirked his smooth eyebrows over his forehead and reeled backwards. “I’m aware. I just need options. This is really important to me, and I really don’t know what to do.”

  Dante wet his lips and stood up, grabbing his carry-on bag and approaching the pair. Closer to the stranger, his heart skipped beats, and the rest of the airport fell away. For a moment, it was just them. Nothing else.

  He wet his lips and ducked his head before looking at the worker. “Is there a problem here?”

  “Who are you?” The stranger quirked his eyebrow. Expressive eyes glared at Dante as he folded his arms across his chest.

  “There seemed to be an issue over here, and I-”

  “There is an issue over here, but like, who are you though?” The man bristled. His full lips tensed at the corners.

  “My name is Dante Hernandez.”

  “Noted.” He looked back at the worker. “So, nothing? You basically can’t help me get home tonight?”

  “Basically, no.” She shrugged her slender shoulders.

  “Where are you going?” Dante asked.

  “Nowhere.”

  “Bakersville, Mississippi,” the attendant handed the man’s tickets back.

  “It’s about thirteen hours from here, isn’t it?” Dante scrunched his eyebrows together.

  The stranger’s shoulders sagged. “Yeah. It’s about thirteen-fourteen hours from here, but Becky says there’s absolutely no way to get there, so don’t bother asking for alternative options, she won’t give you any.”

  “Flying options. I could drive you.”

  “Excuse?” He batted his eyelids, long eyelashes fanning his cheeks.

  “I could drive you there. You must get there by tomorrow, correct? Right now it is still morning. If we leave soon, we can spend one night in a hotel and arrive tomorrow.”

  “You think I’m going to ride in a car with a stranger for two days?”

  “Ah. My name is Dante Hernandez,” he smirked.

  “Yeah you already said that, but you’re still a damn stranger.”

  “Would you like to get there or not?”

  “You know what? Fine, fine, Dante. If you are some serial killer, my family will come after you, and you will be in jail. In fact, I am going to send all your information to my mother, my father, and my best friend. All of which you will have no contac
t with.” He jabbed a finger into Dante’s chest.

  “Do I get your name?”

  “No.”

  “Okay.” Smiling, Dante lifted the instrument case from the ground and turned it over in his hands. “You are a musician?”

  “We’re not making small talk. If we’re doing this, we’re doing it.”

  “Of course,” Dante looked at the employee, “please issue him a refund for his flight tickets, and issue me a refund for mine.” He dug into his pocket and handed the woman his information.

  “Uh, sir, we don’t normally do refunds-” she started.

  “Ah,” Dante cut her off, “my friend here has a flight delayed more than three hours, which entitles him to compensation for the inconvenience. As for me, I will contact your headquarters. If a refund is impossible, I can get the cost of the ticket transferred to another flight.”

  As Dante spoke, another woman breezed behind the counter, adjusting the buttons of her uniform as she glimpsed the two men. “Good morning,” she greeted the trio, eyes lingering on Dante. “Mr. Hernandez,” her eyes softened with recognition. “It’s been awhile since you’ve been around these parts, hasn’t it?”

  “Ah, yes, Ms. Ewing, it has. I spent some time in France discovering new floral combinations and working with a perfume designer.”

  “Are you creating your own fragrance?” She touched her neck and twirled locks of her hair.

  “Perhaps.”

  The man beside Dante sucked his teeth. Unimpressed. “Are we going?”

  “What’s going on here?” Ms. Ewing looked between her coworker and Dante, regarding the musician last.

  “Nothing serious. My friend’s flight has been delayed, so we were requesting a refund.”

  “He was requesting a refund on my behalf,” the man corrected.

  “Yes. I was, indeed.” Dante wet his lips, a little chuckle escaping his form. “We are going to get a rental car and drive instead.”