Page 3 of It's a Wonderful Knife

“I do, but we’ve heard the same CD the entire drive. I was simply wondering if perhaps he had another one… we could… er… enjoy.”

“He’s right,” Girdy said. “I wouldn’t mind hearing a different CD.”

“Definitely,” Todd agreed.

“I’ll ask the bus driver if he has another CD,” Hermina said cheerfully. “Oh, yoo-hoo, Hank. Would you by any chance have another Christmas CD? Dr. Thornton is tired of this one.”

I clenched my teeth and slid down in my seat. Why was she singling me out? Girdy and Todd were also hoping for a different CD.

“Oh! Oh!” River’s voice came from a few rows back. “I have a Christmas CD we could play. I just happened to bring one of my favorites. It’s guaranteed to put a smile on evenyourface, Maxwell.”

I frowned at him over my shoulder and saw him rifling through his leather carry-on bag. My guess was he’d have some happy holidays positive vibrations rubbish that would make my head hurt even more.

My gaze slid to Royce, who sat next to him. When our eyes met, Royce winked. I wasn’t generally a winking type of person, so I nodded instead. I didn’t have it in me to smile. Seeing Royce brought back my earlier frustration. I’d have been so much happier sitting next to him. Maybe I could have held his hand and tuned out all these annoying people.

River passed the CD down the rows of passengers, and it eventually made its way to the driver. Hank ejected the Dean Martin CD and slipped in River’s. The sound of The Chipmunks singing “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” came over the speakers, and it took every ounce of control I had not to swear.

Royce gave an uneasy laugh, barely audible over the squeaking chipmunks. Girdy warily peered at me over her seat, as if I were a ticking time bomb. I curled my hand into a fist until my nails dug into my skin, but I smiled. I plastered on the biggest, fakest smile I could muster and I didn’t let it slip, even as sweat gathered on my upper lip.

“Oh, I love the Chipmunks,” squealed Hermina. “Mary Puppins loves them too. Don’t you, baby? Don’t you?” She rained kisses down on the wiggling pup.

“They sure are awesome,” I said through gritted teeth. As I finished speaking, more of the golden garland fell onto my head.

Girdy grimaced. “Oh!” She reached up and tugged the streamer so that it wasn’t directly hitting me. “Better?”

“Thanks.” I ran a hand over my hair.

“I’m sure this isn’t really your kind of music,” Girdy said softly. “You don’t have to pretend to like it.”

“It’s great. Very… festive,” I mumbled. No way was I voicing my true opinion of the music. It felt like a trap.

“You sure you’re doing okay, Max? Your face is awfully red.” Girdy grimaced.

“Of course. This is what holidays are all about, right?”

As if I knew?

“Um… sure.” Girdy nodded.

“I was telling Dr. Thornton about the hayride,” Hermina said cheerfully.

I cleared my throat. “I can’t wait for the hayride.”

“Really?” Girdy wrinkled her brow watching me suspiciously.

“Sure. Fresh air and… things. What could be more holiday-ish?” I couldn’t hold her gaze because my smile was slipping. Instead, I glanced out the window at the barrel cactus–dotted landscape. Metal windmills whipped by as did the occasional buffalo statue and flagpole with the Texas flag flying high. I glanced at my watch for the millionth time.

Has time literally stopped?

“Mary Puppins will be in heaven on the hayride.” Hermina said. “She just loves the outdoors.”

“Who doesn’t?” I interjected.

Girdy blinked at me. “You feeling all right, Max?”

“Of course.”

“Like I said, you seem a little red in the face,” Girdy murmured.