Chapter One
Way up north, nestled in the heart of Vermont, there’s a little town called Evergreen. Some say it’s so far north that on a clear day you might be able to catch a glimpse of Santa’s workshop in the North Pole.
Evergreen beckons tourists from all over. Many come just to see its famous magical snow globe that sits in a place of honor in the Chris Kringle Kitchen, owned by Joe and Carol Shaw. People come from far and wide to give that snow globe a good shake and make their wish, then drop a letter to Santa in the big red mailbox in the middle of town square. If they’re lucky, they might even catch a glimpse of the old red truck, decorated with garland and bows, delivering Christmas trees to the locals.
A winter wonderland of sorts, most any winter day you’ll find Evergreenians skating on the pond as the Evergreen Express, appropriately numbered 1225, brings new visitors from the city to town for a proper dose of holiday cheer.
Only five passenger cars long, the train rides sold out well in advance. And although most of the people boarding the Evergreen Express in New York City this morning were visitors eager to see if all the hype about the small town was for real, Ben Baxter was just trying to get back home.
The bright red Evergreen Express stood out against the other trains in the station.
Ben grasped the shiny brass rail and climbed aboard. As he walked down the aisle to choose a seat, he noticed a pretty blonde in a burgundy sweater taking pictures of the inside of the train so enthusiastically he could almost hear “Deck the Halls” playing inside her head.
Thoroughly enjoying herself, she leaned back to get a better angle of one of the wreaths. She clicked off another picture with her smartphone, probably posting it to social media right now. Tap-taptap-tap-tap. She looked pleased with herself, and her smile pleased him.
Fresh garland draped the interior of the train from end-to-end above the windows, leaving the scent of fresh pine hanging in the air. Twinkling white lights reflected in the red-and-gold Christmas ornaments. Festive. Beautiful. Every detail had been addressed, right down to a cheery red velvet bow at the end of each aisle of seats in the historic train. The Evergreen Express could probably even tempt Scrooge out of a bad day.
The train, over one hundred years old, had been restored to its original glory about fifteen years ago. Ben could still remember the weekly news reports about the project. The tongue and groove two-inch wooden plank flooring had been refinished by hand, one board at a time. It’d been a painstaking process, but even today the pine that lined the walls gleamed as if it were brand new. The original bench seats, positioned face-to-face from the days when the train had traveled in both directions on the same track, had been reinstalled, but thankfully they’d chosen to update them to add a little cushion for the guests.
For a split second, Ben considered sitting across from the perky blonde, but instead he turned and took a seat a couple of rows forward, facing the direction the train would be running.
Ben glanced across the station at the other trains lined up waiting for passengers. He wondered why someone hadn’t taken the initiative to attempt some type of nod to the holiday on any of the other trains. Not a wreath or a bow to be found. They seemed quite bah humbug sitting there, void of colorful decorations.
He considered himself lucky to be aboard the 1225 to Evergreen this morning. He slid a hardcover novel from his briefcase, put on his glasses, and settled in to pass the time on the nearly six-hour ride.
“All Aboard for Evergreen, Vermont!” The announcement boomed with authority across the platform.
And with that, the train whistle blew, and the train lurched and pulled away from Penn Station right on time, headed for the snowy hills of Vermont. Through the city and suburbs there wasn’t much to see, but the closer they got to Vermont, the prettier it became.
Ben lowered his book for a moment, letting his imagination wander while enjoying the view. The clickety-clack of the wheels on the tracks changed pitch as they entered the tunnel. In the darkness, the festive lights seemed even more magical.
On the other side, tall pine trees laden with snow seemed to curtsey along both sides of the tracks, a welcome sign of what was ahead. High above the valley, the train chugged over the bridge that crossed the river. Against the icy backdrop, puffs of smoke guaranteed the folks tucked away inside the homes dotting the hillside were warm and safe.
Black cows dotted the bright white fields as the snow continued to fall.
Imagining how hard it must’ve been for the pioneers working their family farms in this valley during the harsh winters, he was thankful for the modern amenities of today.
Then again, maybe he was more suited to that time. He still couldn’t believe how he’d blown that job interview today. Sure, they’d been impressed by his portfolio of work, but they were right. None of his bylines were current. He’d have to prove he still had those journalistic chops if he was going to work in that field again.
He wrestled with the idea of resuming his career at the paper. He’d loved that job, but he loved helping Nan at the library too. And the kids were great. Helping them bond with books, find power in story, it was so satisfying.
Maybe the universe was trying to tell him something.
A photo click from a phone, followed by another and another came from behind him. He was so tempted to turn around to see her again. Self-conscious, he smoothed the back of his hair.
He heard a moan, followed by a grumbling from behind him. “Really? Low battery already?”
The age of technology, he thought with a laugh. He didn’t even have to turn around to see who the complainer was. It was a wonder her phone had lasted even this long. She’d been taking pictures the whole ride.
He’d never personally understood why people were so obsessed with taking pictures from their phones. While concentrating on that tiny screen to capture the moment, they missed it real-time and life-sized altogether. Sometimes it was better to just open your eyes and be present. Those memories were the ones that’d last.
A moment later the woman walked down the aisle with her phone charger in hand. Just as he was about to let her know there wasn’t a charging station, the train jostled, throwing her off balance right into him.
Ben dropped his book and reached out to break her fall.
“Oh, wow!” She juggled a magazine, her phone and that phone charger, practically plugging it right into his nose.
“Are you okay?” He steadied her by the elbow. Taking off his horn-rimmed glasses, he set down his book and smiled.
She waggled the phone charger in the air. “I’m so sorry. I was just…uh…looking for a plug.” The train pitched again.
“Sit,” Ben said, motioning to the seat across the aisle from him. “Good luck with that. This train’s been running since way before anyone needed to plug anything in.”
“Oh, yeah. I guess that makes sense.” She studied her surroundings. “This is authentic? It’s incredible. Look at all the decorations. It’s the Polar Express combined with the Hogwarts Express and ended up the—”