Elijah’s previous holiday season was a disaster. This year, he’s determined to give a surprise gift he prays will erase the lingering bad memories.
But his idea catches the attention of March, an attractive, mysterious man bent on stopping Elijah in his tracks. Both men are determined to fight for what they want, but they soon find they are also fighting a series of conflicting and confusing feelings.
Will Elijah be able to deliver his gift, or will March forever alter the holiday spirit?
In the lab at Bayview Medical Center, March could hear the Christmas party shenanigans from the nurses’ station. The volume of chatter and the music were at a fairly decent volume; not so loud it would disturb patients, yet not so soft that the patients would feel this was a staff-only celebration.
“March? Come on. Join the party. I’ll be offended if you don’t try my eggnog.”
March looked up from his notes to see head nurse Kathy Bondike standing in the doorway. “Homemade eggnog? Sounds like paradise for enterobacteria. All life forms are invited to this hullaballoo then?”
“Listen to you,” Kathy said. “Trying to make Scrooge sound like a regular St. Nick.”
“Bah.”
“I remember someone being all excited about the Secret Santa.”
“I was. Until my Santa ended up forgetting two of three gifts he or she owed me, and has yet to make it up to me.”
Someone outside the lab whistled. A cat call followed.
March scowled. “It would probably be best if --”
Before he could finish, Kathy raised a finger. “I’ll be sure they don’t get too out of control.” She turned and started back down the hallway, but stopped in her tracks. “Jake!”
“Hey, Mom.”
March spied Jake standing out in the hallway, in front of the X-ray room doors. He held a mug of eggnog in his hand.
“I thought you were spending the day with Bret,” Kathy said. “What are you doing here?”
“Nice ploy,” March said, staring at Jake’s mug of eggnog. “Getting the child to help push your vile beverage. Taking lessons from the Girl Scouts, are we? Can’t say no to a child pushing unhealthy calories.”
Jake stared down at the floor. “I just ... I thought I’d stop in to say hi.”
Kathy smiled. “Well, come on, then, and let’s make the most of the party. We only have about a half-hour. Remember I have to pick up your father from work tonight.”
“Yeah, I know.” The boy looked toward March. They locked eyes. “I’ll be there in a minute, okay?”
Kathy squeezed her son’s arm. “I made the sugar cookies too, you know.”
“Yeah, I know,” Jake said. “Dad was worried that you’d give everyone salmo --”
“Okay, okay!” Kathy threw her arms up in the air as she went back to join the party. “Everyone is slamming my culinary skills today! Where’s the Christmas spirit?”
March put down his pen and folded his hands. “Jake?”
“Can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Of course. Come in and close the door.” He motioned Jake to take a seat. “What’s on your mind?”
Jake looked away, then back at March. “About twenty minutes ago some guy came up to me and asked about ... Mr. Griese.”
March tapped a finger to his lips. “What, specifically, was he asking?”
“He said he was a friend of Mr. McMillan. You know, the other teacher who died? He asked about general junk. Like, I mean, he didn’t really say anything detailed. But ...” Jake paused.
“Jake?”
“He said his name was Liepa, and that he was Latvian. And I think he was asking about…her.”
“Her who?”
“You know. The ... V ... Velu ...” Jake’s shoulders dropped. “I can’t even stand to say her name.”
“The Velu Mate.” Just what March did not want to hear.
“He just asked if I saw her.”
“And you said ...?”
“I just ran. He kept calling out after me.” Jake leaned forward. “He knew my name and everything.”
March stood up. “And you said his name was Liepa?”
“Yeah. Um ... Elijah. Elijah Liepa.”
March nodded. He would have to pay Mr. Liepa a visit. As soon as possible. “Let’s keep this under wraps, shall we?”
“Sure,” Jake said.
“I mean from everyone. Bret, Tina, and especially Niomi.”
“Yeah, I know,” Jake said.
March could count on the boy to keep the secret from his parents, his teachers, his classmates. At least, most of his classmates. He knew that for Jake, keeping a secret from his three best friends would be like a town crier trying to keep quiet about the most earth-shattering news imaginable. He expected within the hour the gang of four would be chattering about what Jake had just experienced.
