Christmas With Hover Hill (10 page)

Bud drained his cup. “Time for me to get back to
work.” He headed to the back door and turned around. “Oh, by the
way, that coffee wasn't half bad. I've tasted worse.”

Elizabeth giggled. “Thanks, I think. See you
tonight.”

After Bud left, Elizabeth went to check on Hover
Hill. He was still standing in front of the fireplace. “Are you
drying out?”

“
I am much more comfortable now that I've stood
here this long.”

“
If you need to change into another shirt and
slacks, I can go get a set of your spare ones out of my father's
closet,” Elizabeth offered.

“
Won't be necessary now. These clothes are
dry,” Hover said, pinching his shirt and pulling it away from his
chest.

“
Bud is coming back tonight to pick us up to go
to Wickenburg to look at the Christmas lights,” Elizabeth
said.

“
I thought you were going to take me to do
that.” Hover droned deeply.

“
I was, but Bud says he wants to show me where
all the businesses are so we'll know our way around town. I thought
it was nice of him to invite you along so you can see the
decorations. As deep as the snow is, I might not be able to drive
through it in my car to the highway. I really think Bud has a good
plan. His pickup is probably four wheel drive,” Elizabeth
explained.

Hover moved passed her. “Time to fix lunch.”

After that, Hover didn't say anything as he worked in
the kitchen. Elizabeth took that as her cue to stay out of his way
while he was busy. She went into the office, her father rebuilt
from a small bedroom, to check her laptop. The battery was charged.
She might as well start that book she kept saying she came here to
write. Maybe she'd come out with something productive from this
whole mess. Beat sitting around while she worried and twiddled her
thumbs.

Hover came to the door to tell her lunch was ready.
He quickly left for the kitchen. When Elizabeth sat down at the
table, he had already started clean up.

“
Out with it, Hover. Why are you so
quiet?”

Hover bent to put a pan in the cupboard. “I think you
would rather go look at the lights without me along. That is all
right with me if I would be in the way.”

“
I thought you said you weren't a mind reader.
I intended to take you, because I knew you would enjoy the
Christmas lights. If you don't go I won't go, either. No more
discussion on this subject. We should both go with Bud. Enjoy the
moment,” Elizabeth ordered.

“
All right, but I have not the programming for
emotions like joy,” Hover Hill responded in a deep
drone.

“
The point is do you want to go?” Elizabeth
shot back.

“
Yes.”

“
Finally! Go you shall so no more discussion on
the subject,” Elizabeth declared.

That evening, she found herself enjoying all the
decorations and lights through the enthusiastic eyes of Bud and
Hover Hill. They had her looking one direction then another as Bud
drove slowly up and down the streets of Wickenburg. As Bud made a
pass down Main Street under the crossed light strings, Elizabeth
studied the businesses and read the signs above the doors out
loud.

Hover said, “Beth, do you recognize any of the
businesses?”

Elizabeth shrugged. “If I remember correctly, most of
them are in the same place. Not much changes in a small town,
Hover.”

Too late! In the light from a street lamp, she
spotted the quizzical look on Bud's face. “Have you been to
Wickenburg before?”

After a long hesitation to think, she said, “Yes.
When I was a child, my family used to come visit here.”

When they neared the diner, Bud said, “Listen, I
think I'll stop and get us a cup of hot chocolate.”

Elizabeth watched him through the plate glass window.
She saw Susie greet Bud with an extra warm smile. Curiosity ran
through her. Had Susie been a girlfriend in the past? Recent past
from the congenial look on her smiling face. Maybe she was Bud's
current girlfriend that had the misfortune to work tonight.

Bud ordered two hot chocolates. When Susie placed the
cups on the counter, he said, “Thanks, Sis.”

“
Who is the other drink for?” Susie
asked.

“
The woman living in our old house. We've been
looking at the Christmas decorations all over town. Say would it be
all right if I invited Lizzy to have Christmas dinner with
us?”

“
Oh, I don't know,” Susie drew out.

“
It's you that always says one more at the
table isn't going to make a difference,” Bud wheedled.

“
One more? What about her boyfriend? That makes
two more,” Susie corrected.

“
Oh, well, he doesn't get out much. He wouldn't
want to come,” Bud hedged. “You're the one that says no one should
be alone on a holiday when we can help it. Right?”

“
Sure, I said that,” Susie agreed
reluctantly.

“
Please,” Bud begged.

“
She doesn't know us. Are you sure she would
want to come to our house for the day and leave the boyfriend at
home?”

“
I haven't ask her yet if she'd like to spend
Christmas with us. As for the man living with her, she says he's
not her boyfriend. I've met him, and I have reason to believe her.
I wanted to okay the invitation with you, before I ask Elizabeth.
I'm pretty sure I can talk her into it,” Bud said.

“
All right. Ask her.” Susie had doubt written
all over her face.

“
Thanks, Sis. You're a peach.” Bud laid payment
for the chocolates on the counter and headed for the door,
whistling
Jingle Bells.

Chapter 8

Two hours later, they were back at the Winston house.
Bud helped Elizabeth get Hover Hill up the steps. As soon as they
turned loose of him, Hover headed for the kitchen. Bud and
Elizabeth had just wiggled out of their coats and sat down on the
couch when Hover presented them with a cup of coffee.

“
You sure make a fast cup of coffee,” Bud
exclaimed.

“
Not hard when I left the percolator plugged
in,” Hover droned. “I am powering down now. Good night,
Beth.”

“
Good night, Hover,” she replied.

“
Hope you two enjoyed the Christmas tour of
Wickenburg as much as I did,” Bud said, looking at Elizabeth over
his steaming cup.

From his powering down spot, Hover voiced his
approval with a soft drone. “I did. Thank you, Farmer.”

“
I did, too,” Elizabeth said. “Thank you for
doing that for us.”

“
No problem. It's a lot more fun to look at the
lights with someone. As much as I wanted to see them, I wouldn't
have gone by myself. Thanks for going with me.” Bud took a drink
from his cup before he blurted out, “Lizzy, you going home for
Christmas?”

The unexpected question caused Elizabeth to swallow
her mouth full of coffee wrong. She choked. Bud patted her on the
back until she took a deep breath. “Sorry about that. I'm fine now.
To answer your question, I'm staying here. I don't have a reason to
go anywhere.”

“
Good!”

At Bud's joyful reply, Elizabeth gave him a baleful
look.

“
I mean that's good for me. Would you like to
come with me to my sister's house for dinner Christmas
Day?”

“
Your sister doesn't know me. She might not
like a stranger's intrusion into her family day,” Elizabeth
reasoned.

“
Actually, she's the one that always says one
more at the table doesn't make a difference. I've already asked
her. She says it's okay with her. Come with me.”

“
I don't know,” Elizabeth stalled.

“
Lizzy, I hate to think of you here alone on
Christmas. Please come,” Bud pleaded.

“
Actually, I'm never alone as you can see.”
Elizabeth nodded at Hover, quietly standing next to the
fireplace.

“
You know what I mean. I really would like you
to meet my sister and her family. She's got three cute kids and a
great husband,” Bud declared. “It's about time you met some other
people and got out of this house more often.”

“
All right,” she gave in.

“
Good, that's one date taken care of. Now for
the next one. The Christmas dance is this Saturday evening at the
legion hall. Will you be my date?”

“
A dance. I – I don't know,” Elizabeth
floundered. “I'll have to think about it and let you
know.”

“
What is this? You got two or three other guys
that have asked you before I did?”

Elizabeth gave him a weak smile. “You know better
than that. I'm just not sure I should go. I am really not a very
good dancer. I have to think about it.”

“
Think hard on it. You will have fun and
dancing with me will be a breeze,” Bud insisted as if she had said
she'd go with him. “Now I'm headed home. Morning starts early at my
place.” He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “See you in the
morning, Lizzy.”

The next morning, Hover's breakfast for Elizabeth was
oatmeal, toast, juice and coffee. While she ate, he sat down at the
table across from her. “You are very quiet. I sense you are
worrying about something again.”

“
I am. Bud asked me to go to a Christmas dance
in town Saturday night,” she confided.

“
I heard,” Hover droned.

Elizabeth gasped. “Hover, you were listening to my
private conversation? Do you ever go completely off?”

“
Yes, but I was slow powering down last night.
All the excitement keyed me up,” he droned. “Now tell me what you
are thinking about the dance.”

“
I'm afraid to say yes to Bud. When I'm out in
public, I'm exposed to too many people who can identify me if
Steven or Scott come looking.”

“
If you really want to go to this dance, you
should go. Those two men do not know you are here. You think it is
the last place they would look. If you will remember correctly,
Beth, I was the one that said you needed to loosen up more and have
fun. Go to the dance,” Hover urged.

“
You are so sure of your advice. What if you're
wrong? Maybe your transmitters are scrambled from that fall in the
snow, and you're giving me the wrong advice,” Elizabeth
worried.

“
Think of the evening as a fun adventure in
your life,” Hover Hill insisted. “Farmer will forgive you for
having two left feet.”

“
Thanks ever so much for the encouraging words.
It's just that I've never been programmed for fun adventures,” she
shot back, throwing his own words back at him. “Besides, I wouldn't
have any more adventures if Steve or Scott came snooping around.
Any of the good citizens of Wickenburg can give them directions to
the old Carter Place.”

“
Those men won't come this soon. They aren't
smart enough to think of you hiding here in the winter. They are
programmed to come here in the summer when it is ---- cozy,” Hover
said confidently.

“
You're right. I think.”

“
You know you can not live here forever in this
house,” Hover said. “You are hiding, and that is no way to live for
the rest of your life.”

“
I know that, but I just can't face Scott and
Steven. Not yet anyway,” Elizabeth declared.

Soon the worry about showing up in public was topped
by what dress did she have that she could wear to the dance? What
was the appropriate dress for a Christmas dance in southern Iowa?
She didn't have a clue if she had a suitable dress. After Steven
ditched her, she gave all her gowns to Good Will. She didn't see
any reason to have them take up closet space any longer. Her dating
days were over or so she thought.

That afternoon, Elizabeth went through the suitcases
and boxes she'd brought with her. She'd cleaned out her closet,
thinking she might not be able to go back to Cedar Falls.

She shook out each dress and held it up to her, threw
it on the bed and dug for the next one. Two hours later, she had a
mountain of clothing on the bed and not a clue which dress to
wear.

“
Hover, come here,” she called.

Hover appeared in the doorway and droned, “You
yelled.” He looked at the open boxes and the bed piled high with
clothes. “Oh Happy Days, is this ransack your closet day? Looks
like fun.”

“
That's more your style than mine. Just stop
picking on me and help me make a decision. In this mess somewhere I
hope is a dress that I can wear to the dance. Which one is
it?”

“
So now you are going? Let me remind you that
you adamantly told me you could pick out your own clothes,” Hover
recalled.

“
I can, but I need some advice. Which one of
these dresses do you think seems suitable to wear for a Christmas
dance?”

Hover hummed louder as he thought. “It's Christmas.
Pick a red dress. No matter how bad it looks on you, you will get
credit for the dress being a holiday color.”

“
Your idea presentation stinks, but your
suggestion is great. Thanks, I think,” Elizabeth said, digging
through the pile to draw out the only red dress she had. “This is
it. The only red dress I own.”

“
Then make do,” Hover said with
finality.

Elizabeth tried the dress on. The red, form fitting
dress was a warm knit. The dress had reminded her of a large
sweater when she bought it. Was this the right choice? How could
Bud put her in this predicament? He waited until a few days before
the dance to ask her which didn't give her enough time to go
shopping. Not that she could have found a dress in Wickenburg. Not
many choices in women clothing in the stores in that town.