Holiday in Holly Oaks

Chapter 2

Tallie pulled her coat collar up, trying to fight the cold bite in the morning air. The sun was just peaking past the church's tall spire as she made her way across the square towards Oak's Coffee.

The coffee shop looked invitingly warm with its large glass window fogged up from the steamed milk and the crowd of early risers. Oak's was the only coffee shop in the downtown area, and it was always busy.

She smiled as she passed the orange crane at the center of the square. The crane came first at the beginning of December to transform the main square. There was always a shift in the town the first morning it appeared. It signaled Christmastime, and everyone agreed the holiday season didn't really start until then. The square would turn into a flurry of activity as men hung the lights and holly wreaths on all the buildings, lampposts, and flower boxes and the store windows followed suit, showcases their versions of a winter wonderland.

Tallie had been the one to wrap lights and evergreens around the instruments displayed in her father's music store window. She had bought the store's small Christmas tree and brought out the wreath to hang on the door. But she had waited to do so like all the other stores until the crane had appeared.

The town enjoyed the Christmas decorations all month while eagerly anticipating when the crane would return for its final task of removing the center fountain to bring in the town's Christmas tree. Tallie smiled as she thought of the crowds of kids that would gather to watch the momentous occasion. Once settled, the tree would stand dark until the Christmas Tree Lighting that night.

Tallie's thoughts were focused on details of her day as she stepped into Oak's Coffee. The warm air was like a bear hug from her father and her shoulders instantly dropped, no longer having to shield against the cold. The quiet of the cold morning was left behind outside, replaced with the friendly chatter of the crowd.

"Morning Tallie," one of the barista's called out.

"Morning Charlotte," Tallie called back and waved as she made her way to the counter, passing all her regular coffee morning friends.

When she had first started coming to Oak's, she had recognized everyone but only in the way you knew everyone just from living in a small town. But now that she was a regular, she truly knew the morning crowd.

The older men at the back table were deep in discussion like they had never left the day before. The two middle-aged women in workout attire, whose cheeks were always pink from their morning walks before coffee. The other store owners who moved in and out in the same timely fashion as Tallie. And the baristas who were like old friends. They called everyone by name and knew everyone's order by heart.

"Morning Ben, Pastor Daniel," Tallie said, as she passed where he sat with the pastor of Grace Church. Both men greeted her with cheerful smiles.

"Did you see the crane is back?" Ben asked in excitement.

"I did. All we need is snow and Christmas will finally be here."

Both men agreed. She said goodbye and was almost to the front counter before she noticed someone ordering coffee who wasn't a part of the usual morning crowd.

"Case," she said, joining him at the counter.

"Tallie," he greeted her as he paid for his coffee. "Good morning."

"Good morning,"

"The usual?" Charlotte asked Tallie. She nodded and paid. They moved to the pick-up counter and Case was greeted by everyone in the group waiting.

"You're up early for a vacation day," Tallie said.

He shrugged like he hadn't been the king of sleeping in when they were in high-school. "College changed that. Plus, I've learned if I don't run in the morning, I won't run at all."