Aimee Thurlo - Homespun Christmas

He couldn’t remember a time he hadn’t been drawn to Myka, the good girl who always had something nice to say, and who’d stuck up for him when others tried to put him down. She was a natural leader, never quite falling in step with the rest of the girls, yet seemingly unaware of her own influence.

The fact that she’d eventually married Tanner was no surprise—they’d been a couple most of the way through high school. What did surprise him was Myka’s loyalty to this dying town. Why was she still here? What was she waiting for?

He wasn’t a betting man, but from the looks of it, he’d say that the odds were definitely against the place.

“You gonna stand out here all day?” Daniel asked, coming out of the house.

“Nah. Just needed some air.”

“And clouds of blowing dust from this unswept porch? City boy, all that carbon monoxide must have jellied your brains.”

He laughed, and they went back inside together. Daniel Medeiros, his best friend from high school and the town’s remaining grocer, had volunteered to help him clear out his father’s house. It was a good thing, too. The task was harder than he’d thought. Everything here was a memory wrapped in wishes, most of them never fulfilled.

His father had always dreamed of better things, making detailed sketches of the barn they’d someday build, and the workshop inside, with the benches and storeroom. Yet the money and time for his dad’s projects had never materialized as he spent his life laboring at his backbreaking job as IVA’s head custodian.

Joshua hadn’t made it any easier on the man. He’d constantly gotten into fights after school and around town. A group of guys, knowing his dad was a janitor—and a Navajo to boot—had hounded him since elementary school.

Knowing which buttons to push, they’d counted on getting a reaction from Joshua and had rarely been disappointed. Eventually, he won enough fights to earn respect, and that had somewhat toned down his defensiveness.

After high school he’d left to pursue his own goals, and somewhere along the way his dad’s time on earth had run out. Adam Nez’s dreams were just another footnote in the history of a man who’d done his best with what he had.

“We should donate most of your dad’s clothing and furnishings to Reverend Anders,” Daniel said, jarring him back to reality. “These days, he’s got a long list of people who need a hand.”

“Sure. That’s fine.”

“Help me load the boxes into my truck and I’ll take the stuff over there now.”

“After that, let me buy you dinner,” Joshua suggested.

Daniel laughed. “Hey, if you don’t mind, I’d rather buy the groceries at my store, then cook something on your dad’s old grill after the wind dies down—like the good ole days.”

“No problem,” Josh said, then thought about it a moment. “Business is okay for you, right? I mean, everyone needs to eat, and you’re the only full service grocer left.”

His friend shrugged. “I’m selling a lot more chicken and hamburger than steaks these days, and too many people are asking for credit. I’d give it to them if I could, but I’ve got to pay my suppliers, too.”

“You thinking of leaving?”

“I’d need to sell the business first, and that’s not going to happen. Not only are there no buyers, but the place has been in my family for generations.” He jammed his hands into the pockets of his windbreaker.

“It’s hard to walk away from things that matter,” Joshua said quietly. “When I look around here...” He shook his head.

“What might have been, huh?” Daniel asked, following Joshua’s line of sight as he gazed through the window at Myka’s place. “You always had a thing for her, didn’t you? But she was Tanner’s girl.”

“She and I have both gone through some tough times these past few years.”

“Which is why maybe you should back off. She’s a widow just trying to survive. Don’t complicate her life.”

“I don’t have any designs on Myka, Dan. I’m here to wrap up this part of my life then go on to whatever’s next.”

“So how long, exactly, are you planning to stick around?”

“No idea.” His pride wouldn’t let him admit it, but until he found a job, he couldn’t even afford cheap rent. He’d sunk every dime he’d had into trying to save the firm. When that had run out, he’d used his personal credit, just as his partners had, trying to stem the tide.

“So, dinner?” Daniel repeated. “After I drop this off at the church, I’ll stop at the store and pick up the food. You can grill us a couple of steaks and microwave some potatoes.”

Joshua pulled out his credit card and handed it to Daniel. “Just put whatever you bring on this.”

“There was a time when I would have argued with you....”

“No, this is on my tab. It’s a thank-you Wish I could do more.”

“No need, buddy.” Daniel headed out to his truck. “Give me about an hour.”

Joshua watched him leave. That card was his only credit these days. It had to last until he was back on his feet again, and he had no idea how long that would take.

He’d sent out a lot of résumés and his application for a license in New Mexico, but he’d yet to get an interview in or out of state. He guessed that some employers didn’t want to hire a guy who’d failed to hang on to his own company. No matter, he’d figure something out. Joshua knew he was a good architect. All he needed was the chance to prove himself.

He walked around the house for a while, remembering old times, like reading on the sofa while his father snoozed in his recliner, supposedly watching the baseball game. But memories belonged in the past.

This place had been fine for his dad, but it would never be enough for him. He still wanted it all—success, and more importantly, the kind of respect it commanded. For him, it wasn’t about money, it was about recognition for his work and achieving the American Dream.

No one in his family had even come close to that elusive brass ring, but someday he’d claim it. As far as he was concerned, it was meant to be.

* * *

JOSHUA EASED HIMSELF onto the back porch bench beside Daniel and took a long pull of a cold one.

“I know you’re planning to fix up the house, but be careful not to waste your money,” Daniel said, chewing on his after-dinner toothpick, staring at the grazing sheep across the way. “Houses are on sale around here for practically nothing and still no one’s buying. We may go down the same road as Soledad.”

“The base shut down there, right?” Joshua asked, wondering what he’d do if he couldn’t sell the house. This was going to be seed money to start up a new business. Finances could get tough in a hurry and he was living on a shoestring as it was. A businessman with lousy credit didn’t have much of a future. Even potential employers might shy away.

“Yeah. It’s all gone. Used to be a nice little town, too. Now, without the Air Force test facilities, it’s nothing more than empty homes, a natural gas field and a pumping station. Not more than fifty people left. That could happen here, too.”

“Well, I need to keep busy,” Joshua said, knowing that he couldn’t afford to sit around and wait for things to happen. “I figure I’ll start by cleaning the place from the ground up and giving it a fresh coat of paint. Like you suggested—sweat equity.”

“Is it tough for you? I mean, being here at the house without your dad around?”

Joshua shrugged. “It’s not the memories that bother me most. It’s the feeling that I’m back to square one. I never thought I’d return empty-handed.”

“Maybe you took a wrong turn somewhere and destiny wants you to start over—here. Ever consider that?”