JAMES THE CHRISTMAS GROUCH

7

"I would love a cup of tea." I pulled off my hat. The little store's heat was blasting.

Her eyes grew big for a moment, but the look of surprise quickly vanished. "Very well. I'll be right back." She hurried off in the direction she had come.

I smiled. She had clearly recognized me. But she didn't ask me questions. Or make me feel belittled. I was pretty sure this was my new favorite store. I looked at the shelves covered with books along the wall first. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to the way they were organized. It looked like they were alphabetical by author's last name but then it would switch to being alphabetical by book title.

"Here you are," the woman said and handed me a mug.

"Thank you so much."

"Is there anything I can help you find?" she asked.

"Yes, actually. I'm looking for an edition of The Night Before Christmas from the late 80's. Well, I think it's probably from the late 80's. I'm not really sure. It's a blue pop-up book, but I can't remember the illustrator."

She snapped her fingers. "I think you're in luck."

I followed her through one of the aisles to a cart in the back of the store.

"This just came in today," she said and lifted a large hardback book off the cart.

There was a ribbon in the center of it, tying the two sides together. It was blue. I set my tea down and lifted the book out of her hands.

"It's illustrated by Tom Patrick. It was a Hallmark edition that came out in 1988."

I untied the ribbon and opened up the book. The first page had a bed pop-up with children sleeping. You could even turn the sugarplum pictures above their head. It was the most adorable interactive pop-up book I had ever seen. Really, it put every other children's book to shame. It was so intricate.

"Do you think that's the one?" the woman asked.

"I think it must be." A few pages looked worn, like it had been loved before. But it was still in great condition. James was going to love it. "I'll take it," I said.

The woman smiled. "Anything else I can help you find?"

"No, this was exactly what I needed. I can't believe this just came in today."

"The magic of Christmas," she said with a smile. "Do you want it gift wrapped?"

"That would be fantastic." I handed her the book and followed her to the front of the store as I sipped my tea. Even the tea was amazing. It was probably where the smell of cinnamon swirling around the shop was coming from.

"I'm pretty sure this is my new favorite store," I said as I watched her elegantly wrap the book with a bow and everything.

"I'm glad to hear it." She cut the ends of the bow and got change for the cash I handed her. She gave me the bag and then my change. "Merry Christmas, dear."

I smiled. "Merry Christmas. And thank you for this. I was searching everywhere for it. This is going to mean the world to my fiancé."

"I think your story is beautiful," the woman said right before I pushed through the exit. I stopped and turned back toward her.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to speak out of place. I just...I see the tabloids. And I know it's probably hard. But don't let the people who don't understand the first thing about love get you down." She gave me a kind smile. "Be grateful every day that God pushed you two together. Especially during the holidays. What a joyous time to be thankful."

"Thank you," I said. She had made my eyes tear up. How did she know I was struggling? How did she know how badly I needed to hear that? I had the eeriest feeling that if I came back in a week the store would be gone. That I had just imagined it into existence. The most perfect little store. With the kindest old woman. It almost felt like she was me from the future. Giving myself advice.

"Merry Christmas, dear."

"Merry Christmas." I gave her one last smile and the bell jingled above my head as I walked back outside. Not everyone in New York was so bad. Maybe I was the Grinch. And maybe my heart had just grown two sizes today.

***

I pulled the change the bookstore owner had given me out of my purse when I saw a Salvation Army Santa set up on the sidewalk outside the store. He hadn't been there when I walked in. He was ringing his bell and had such a big smile on his face. He wasn't like the other Santa impersonators I had seen collecting money for the past few weeks. He looked real. His beard didn't even seem fake. He had the rosy cheeks and everything. Although, my cheeks were probably rosy too from the cold.

I stepped up to him and placed the change into his basket. Maybe the spirit of Christmas the shop owner had given me would spread to him next.

"Merry Christmas," Santa said and continued to ring his bell.

"Merry Christmas, Santa." It sounded silly saying it aloud. Santa wasn't real. He was a part of my childhood that I still held on to in my heart though. And I had never seen a more realistic impersonator.

He rung his bell again and winked at me, like he could read my thoughts.

I smiled and continued to walk down the sidewalk. It was fitting that he had suddenly appeared outside the store that held the most Christmas spirit. I turned around to see him once more, but he was blocked from view from all the people on the sidewalk. It was almost like he had disappeared.

I pulled my hat down a little lower and kept walking. It took every ounce of restraint to stop myself from humming Christmas carols. This was going to be the best Christmas Eve ever. I could just feel it.