Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 94687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94687 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 473(@200wpm)___ 379(@250wpm)___ 316(@300wpm)
A festive wreath hangs on the door, but otherwise there isn’t much in the way of decoration. I suppose it’s too much for them to be climbing ladders to string lights at their age. Too bad they don’t have a Jed next door to come over and help.
A set of eyes watches through the front blinds. “They’re here!” comes a muffled shout.
We’re not on the porch for more than two seconds when the door flies open, and we’re met with a grinning Violet, Gayle behind her. Bing Crosby croons in the background and the scent of cloves and cinnamon permeates the air.
“Let them in!” Gayle ushers her granddaughter back into the living room and waves us through in her customary way, dropping her voice to whisper, “She has been watching that window like a hawk for the past two hours, waiting for you.”
“I have not!” Violet retorts. “This is where the cookies are.”
Howard pokes his head out of the kitchen. “Merry Christmas! Tea will be ready soon.”
“My, my.” Gayle admires the festive floral arrangement in my arms, bursting with red, white, and green flowers and foliage. “What is all this?”
I slip off my boots. “Just a little something for your table.” My favorite part about enjoying Henry’s wealth is buying gifts for others, and the fact that he never made a single comment about how outrageously expensive these were makes me love him more. Most people don’t realize how generous Henry is.
Violet’s curious eyes are on him and the armload of wrapped packages he carries. She trails him to the Christmas tree like a small, eager child while I follow Gayle to the dining room.
“Henry said you had family coming over?” Their table is set for eight with crammed placemats and folding chairs. I move a few things out of the way to fit the arrangement in the center.
“Yes, a cousin and her family. It’s been a while since we’ve had Christmas here. We’d been going to Audrey’s for years.” Gayle adjusts a setting. “They’re bringing the turkey and dressing with them, and Violet is helping to peel all the vegetables. It’s a bit too much for us these days. Both of us have such terrible arthritis.”
“Get out of here!” Henry scolds but his tone is pleasant.
We turn to find Violet hovering over his shoulder like a nosy cat as he stoops to unload gifts under the tree. She inhales deeply. “Farm Girl Soap!”
“I’m serious, I’ll put them all back.”
“Violet! Help Gramps with the tea,” Gayle urges, waving her away with a shooing sound.
“Yes, Gramma.” Violet skips past us, wearing an impish grin and not a hint of shame, disappearing into the kitchen.
Gayle shakes her head, but she’s chuckling. “She’s always been outgoing and energetic, but when Audrey’s health declined, she seemed to lose that spark. I haven’t seen her so full of beans in … well, a long time.”
“That’s a good thing.”
“Yes, I … I hope so.”
I frown, wondering what she means by that.
“Abbi!” Howard hollers from the kitchen. “Violet said you two were heading to your parents’ today?”
I wander into the kitchen, leaning against the doorframe. “We are.”
“Your first Christmas together. That’s exciting.”
“We’ll see.” I chuckle. “Henry doesn’t know what he’s signed up for when it comes to Christmas with my family.”
Violet’s eyes light up. “What do you mean? Like what?”
I steal a peek around the wall. Gayle is holding out a tin of cookies for Henry as he strategically tucks gifts around the tree. We might have gone overboard. “It starts with Christmas caroling around Greenbank tonight at eight,” I whisper.
Violet slaps a hand over her mouth.
“Him? Singing Christmas carols?” Howard’s bushy eyebrows furrow with doubt.
“Oh, believe me, I know.” I giggle. “And then we go to a midnight service at the Finlays.” Another upstanding family in our congregation. This part I’m most worried about given how Henry feels about the church. “They have this huge barn that they fill with bleachers and hay bales for people to sit, and on one side are the farm animals. They have an especially loud donkey named Boris who heehaws the entire time.”
Violet hoots with laughter.
“And on Christmas Day, there are sweaters.”
“Christmas sweaters?”
“Matching Christmas sweaters, with Bible verses.” Mama asked for Henry’s measurements.
“And he has no idea?” Howard asks.
“Who has no idea about what?” Henry suddenly looms around the corner, making me jump.
“Nothing.” I smooth my palm over his chest in an affectionate gesture.
His eyes narrow on me and Violet, then move to Howard, who clears his throat and keeps his focus on the teapot. “I don’t like surprises, Abbi,” he says evenly.
“Really? And I was so sure you did. You know, remember Halloween?”
He opens his mouth, but stalls.
“I thought so.”
A slow, vicious smile unfolds on his lips. “You really want to play this game with me?”
My stomach flips. Somehow, I’m going to pay for this. I’ll likely enjoy it immensely, but I’ll still lose.