Lib Novel Page 17
“I’ll just run down and turn off the basement lights,” Dad said.
“Don’t track up any sawdust,” Jared heard himself say.
“Goodness,” Mom said.
“Someone’s nervous that his girlfriend is coming over,” Derek teased.
“She’s not my girlfriend,” Jared corrected him quickly. “Don’t even tease about that when she’s here, or you’ll scare her off. And I’m only worried about setting off Sylvester’s allergies. If he reacts to anything in the house at all, she won’t let him have a real Christmas tree. And he really wants one. I can tell.”
“Don’t worry, love,” Mom said with a funny little smile. “After breakfast, you and I will go over this house with a fine-tooth comb. We’ll make sure there’s not a speck of dust or anything else that could interfere with that little boy’s Christmas.”
He strode over and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pressing his lips to the crown of her head.
“You’re the best,” he whispered.
“Just tell me what else we need to do,” she said quietly. “I have a feeling today might be a very important day.”
“She’s just a friend, Ma,” he told her, pulling back to make sure she understood.
But she just smiled and stirred her gravy.
The next few hours passed quickly, as they always did on tree-decorating day.
Dad and Derek carried boxes of ornaments down from the attic, while Jared and Lucy sat at the dining room table inspecting them to be sure none were broken. This year they were joined by Lucy’s husband, Ashton, who was plugging in the strands of lights and replacing the burnt-out bulbs as he checked for frayed wires and loose connections.
Mom and Josh were in the kitchen, getting started on the oatmeal raisin cookies with Josh’s daughter, Scout. Josh hadn’t been home to do his part with the cookies in years, and it was clear how pleased Mom was to have her helper back—two helpers now. And soon Brody and Caroline would be over with two more.
Friends of Mom’s, Betty Ann and Shirley, as well as Ginny, who he’d seen yesterday, were sitting at the small table in the family room, sewing decorations onto a new felt skirt for the tree. Every year, the three of them did a little project to add to the Christmas cheer.
There was a gentle knock on the front door, and Jared shot out of his seat before anyone else could answer it. There was only one person who would bother to knock today. When he opened it, he found Cora, looking a little nervous, with a smiling Sylvester by her side.
“I’m so glad you guys could make it,” Jared told them. “Come on in.”
His mother joined them in the entryway, wiping her hands on her Christmas apron.
“Thanks for coming,” she said. “I’m Leticia.”
“Cora and Sylvester,” Cora said, smiling. “We were so happy to be invited. Sylvester has allergies and asthma, so it’s possible that we’ll have to leave in a hurry, but it won’t be because of your hosting.”
“Well, I hope you’re not allergic to oatmeal cookies, young man,” Mom said, bending down. “Because my granddaughter and I are baking up a bunch, and we could use some help.”
“I love baking cookies,” Sylvester squeaked.
“Right this way, then,” Mom said with a big smile.
Jared and Cora watched after them.
“She’s so nice,” Cora said. “He’s usually a little shy with new people, but I think he would have followed her to the moon.”
“She had lots of kids herself,” Jared said. “And she was really excited to meet him. I guess I talk about him a lot.”
Suddenly he realized that might be a weird thing to say about someone else’s child. He glanced down at her, but she was smiling up at him, her gray eyes twinkling.
“He talks about you all the time too,” she said.
Suddenly he was lost in those eyes, like drifting clouds before a summer storm. Time seemed to stand still and he wondered if she could hear the thunderous beat of his heart.
Quick footsteps on the hardwood floor had them both stepping back slightly.