Christmas Tales - Brandon Witt Page 0,21

one of the magic ones. So much better.” He smiled at me then, kinda like he was really seeing me for the first time since I’d come into his house. “It really is good to see you. Sorry I’m in such a rush.”

“No big deal.” I opened his door. “I just was returning a dish.”

Two could play games.

Even if one of us didn’t really know what the game was.

He called another goodbye to me before he shut the door.

I was nearly back to my house, and practically frozen solid, when it hit me. I now had another pan to return to Raymond Webber.

I wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing.

Turned out, I wasn’t sure of much anymore.

* * *

It was cold enough that the entire herd of cattle had gathered in the open part of the barn, sheltering within the three walls. I enjoyed working with cattle, not as much as the birds, but I’d never met an animal I didn’t love. Even with the cold, I relished caring for them. The work was much more manual than most things the birds required. Between tossing out hay bales from the loft and putting out a couple of new salt licks, I actually let myself get lost to the familiar rhythm of the work.

So much so that when I heard a slam of a vehicle door outside I let out a yip. I’d not even heard it drive up.

Before I could fully climb down the ladder, a man poked his head through the barn doors, his large body silhouetted against the whiteness of the snow outside. “Hey, Samuel.”

I relaxed somewhat but felt a fleeting disappointment, though I wasn’t sure why. Maybe part of me had hoped Raymond had shown up. Thought. Maybe part of me had thought Raymond had shown up. “Travis! What are you doing here?”

He stepped all the way inside the barn, his handsome face now visible. “Same time as normal. Just making the CCFC deliveries.” He looked at me with concern as he stepped closer. “You doing okay?”

“Oh, yeah. I’m fine. Sorry. Just got busy with the cows and all the cold.” Yeah, because that made sense.”

Travis seemed satisfied. “Tell me about it. I swear these Missouri winters get more brutal every year.”

“Yep, and hotter every summer.” God, it felt good to talk about the weather. Just like Travis and I did every week. No games here. I’d ask about the family, and then we’d be done talking. Just unload his truck in comfortable silence. One of the reasons Travis was the only person I actually liked being around anymore. “How are Wesley and the kids?”

“Oh, fine.” Travis grinned. “Caleb’s back from college for Christmas break, so the twins are thrilled. Well, all of us are thrilled. Wendy’s cooking enough to make sure he puts on the freshman fifteen before he goes back in January.” He stood a little straighter. “Speaking of, Wendy sent me with a platter of cookies she made. There’s about twenty varieties. I reminded her you’re just one man and that we weren’t trying to kill you with instant diabetes, but you know my sister. Don’t let me forget to give them to you before I leave, she’ll have my hide.”

The Bennetts were the nicest family. If I’d been told there’d be a gay married couple in El Dorado who hadn’t been run out of town, I’d have called bullshit. However, Travis and Wesley had been accepted. Hell, their feed and veterinary business was booming.

And just like that, we fell into our routine.

It was nice. Or at least it would’ve been. Travis’s words started kicking around in my head. I reminded her you’re just one man….

Just one man.

That thought wouldn’t have even registered before. But now? Well, now it hurt. Just one man.

What the fuck had Raymond Webber done to me?

I nearly asked Travis a question. Nearly asked him a million questions. Asked his advice. Told him about Raymond.

I didn’t.

We finished our work. Said goodbye, and Travis didn’t forget Wendy’s cookies.

As I watched him drive away, I wished he had. The platter seemed like it was enough to feed an army.

The cheerful color of the frosting and sprinkles just made me feel lonely.

Wendy sent me those cookies every year. Every damn year. And not once had they made me feel lonely. Not even after my momma passed.

Raymond really was messing with my head.

Five

Nearly another week went by. The brownies were placed in the deep freeze. At least until the second