by Nancy Thayer
“Wink is fine,” Christina assured him. “We talked about it in the car. I told her that Oscar was mad at me, not her. She was smiling when I took her to the house, and Janice met her at the door and offered her hot chocolate.” Christina paused. “Delia’s not very happy with me.”
“My family.” Andy sighed. “We’re really not as awful as we seem. Look, I’ll be back on the island tomorrow. Let me take you somewhere fun, somewhere festive.”
“I’d love that, Andy. Tomorrow night is the Nantucket Music Community Center’s Holiday Chorus Concert. It’s always gorgeous.” Defensively, she added, “Many of the singers have sung in New York or Boston; some are professional but use Nantucket as a vacation home—”
“That sounds great, Christina. What time?”
“It’s four in the afternoon, which means I’ll close my shop early, but I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
“After that, I’ll take you out to dinner.”
“Or, after that, we can go to Mimi’s Christmas party, where you’ll get more than enough to eat and drink.”
“Great! Should I wear a tie?”
“If you have a Christmas-themed tie, yes, but I’d bet my bottom dollar you don’t possess such a thing.”
“You’re right. I don’t.”
“Good to know. Now I know what to tell Wink to get you for Christmas.”
“I look forward to that!”
They continued to talk, easily bantering, joking, or letting silence fall between them. Christina felt as if she’d known Andy for hundreds of years. She could almost believe in past lives.
As they talked about their childhood Christmases, Christina turned off all the lights except those on the Christmas tree. She stretched out on her sofa, covering her legs with a red, green, and white throw. In the corner, the tree glowed steadily, filling the air with gentle colors. This was perfection, her warm quiet house, the Christmas tree, and Andy’s voice as close to her as if they lay on pillows in a bed.
The bright, mild day brought shoppers out in droves. Christina didn’t want to close for lunch, but she had to talk to the other Shedders about what had transpired the night before, so she put up a sign that said BACK IN TEN MINUTES, locked her door, and raced over to Mimi’s.
“I can’t stay long,” Christina said.
“Nor can we,” Mimi told her. “Isn’t it wonderful, all the business we’re getting!”
“Hurry up and tell us what happened,” Harriet said.
“Basically,” Christina told them, “he said he wants his ten percent or he wants us gone.”
“Did you tell him about the community?” Harriet asked.
“Of course I did. He doesn’t care about the community. He cares about money. He said that, and little Wink was in the room with us. And she tried to argue with him and he told her to get out of the house.”
“Oh, dear,” Mimi said. “Poor little girl.”
“Poor little girl, my aunt Mabel,” Harriet snapped. “She’ll grow up rich and be as haughty as the rest of them.”
“Delia isn’t haughty,” Jacob said. “She’s shy.”
“Jacob Greenwood!” Mimi clapped her hands and laughed. “Do you have somethin’ goin’ on with Delia Lombard!”
“We’re acquaintances. That’s all. I met her at Christina’s tree decorating party and we know some of the same people from school.”
“I can’t believe this!” Harriet exploded. “How come you two are hooking up with that family? It should be me.” She was on the verge of tears.
“Harriet,” Christina said. “It doesn’t matter what we do with anyone in that family. We still have to agree to pay ten percent more for our sheds, and that is the cold hard truth.”
“Maybe I could hook up with Oscar,” Mimi said.
Everyone stared in horror.
“Just kidding,” Mimi told them. “Just a little desperate attempt at humor.” Sighing, she leaned against a counter stacked with merchandise. “Look, everyone, we might as well go back to work and be glad we’re too busy to eat lunch. Christina did her best but she’s right. We’ve got to decide what to do. But not now. Now we’ll enjoy Christmas. And we’ll have fun tonight at my party, right? Wear your ugliest Christmas sweater.”
“As if I even have one,” Harriet scoffed.
* * *
—
Christina stepped from her warm shower into a bathroom swirling with steam. She was determined to enjoy Christmas tonight. She wouldn’t allow herself to worry about the hike in rent.
Last year at the January sale at Vis-A-Vis, she’d bought a sensational red silk dress and tonight was the perfect time to wear it. She could wear her highest heels, because no snow or ice had yet turned the sidewalks and streets into hazard zones.
She tied her long brown hair back with a green Christmas ribbon. She frosted her lips with her most shimmering red lip gloss. She looked good.
“Wow!” Andy said when he came to the door. “I don’t know whether to put you on a pedestal or ravage you.”
Christina laughed. “Just don’t smear my lip gloss.”
“Oh, you can always redo your lip gloss,” Andy teased, and took Christina in his arms and kissed her firmly.
Christina’s legs went weak and her heart did flips. She pulled away. “We have to go. We don’t want to be late for the concert.”
In the car on the way to the performance, they chatted idly about their days. Neither of them mentioned her unpleasant meeting with Oscar. The church was packed and decked out with Christmas wreaths, and entering the nave lifted her heart. She knew everyone in the chorus, or almost everyone, and that added a special pleasure to the event. It was good, Christina thought, that she and Andy would spend most of this evening with other people. That way they would have no time for a serious talk.
And really, she didn’t know what she wanted to say.
Could she tell Andy that she was breaking it off with him because his father was such a miser? She had strong, honest feelings for Andy, but could she possibly think that they could be together long-term when his father was a mean, unpleasant, cranky old scrooge with a heart of ice?
The music was heavenly. Her thoughts were not.
After the concert, they drove to Mimi’s party.
“I bet you can tell which house is Mimi’s,” Christina said as they turned onto Mimi’s street.
“Could it possibly be the one with the sleigh and reindeer on the roof, Frosty on one side of the yard, and the crèche and wise men and even a donkey on the other side?”
Christina laughed. “Mimi really likes Christmas. Since her husband, Jude, died, the neighbors help put up this light show every year.”
They had to park down the block because so many cars were already there. Inside the house, laurel wrapped the staircase handrail, elves hung from picture frames, and angels swung from the chandelier over the dining room table. Anything that couldn’t move was tied with red and green ribbon.
The house was packed with people, so Christina took Andy’s hand to lead him to the bedroom where they dropped their coats. The dining room table was laden with cheeses, a ham, biscuits and honey, crackers and dip, and about a hundred different kinds of Christmas cookies.
“Come with me,” Christina yelled at Andy. “I want you to meet Mimi.”
They found her in the kitchen, slicing a three-layer Christmas cake.
“So nice to meet you!” Mimi said over her shoulder. “Go drink some eggnog. You’ll like me much better after you’ve had a cup.”
Christina laughed and guided Andy back into the noisy mass of the party. They found the creamy, frothy eggnog in a crystal bowl in the living room and ladled themselves each a cup.
Andy coughed after his first sip. “What’s in this?”
Christina said, “I think the main ingredients are ice
cream and brandy.”
“Hey,” Andy said. “There’s my sister. I didn’t know she was coming.”
Christina turned. Delia wore a green velvet dress. Her hair was in an upsweep. She looked very pretty, and Jacob seemed to think so, too, as he leaned close to hear her.
“Who is Jacob?” Andy asked Christina.
“That’s what I want to know!” Harriet, wearing an extremely low-cut gold dress, accosted Christina, clutching her arm, maybe to get Christina’s attention, but maybe to help herself get her balance.
“I mean really,” Harriet continued. “You’re her brother, tell me why she’s stalking Jacob.”
“I don’t believe she’s stalking—”
Harriet interrupted. “Okay, fine. But look at them! I’m prettier than she is.”
Christina intervened, pushing Harriet to the left to help her stand straight. “Harriet, this is my friend Andy. Andy, I believe Harriet has had a little too much eggnog.”
“And that’s all I’ll have,” Harriet lamented. “You and Jacob will swan off with the rich kids and I’ll just drink eggnog and get fat.”
Before Christina could decide what to say, Danny Folger appeared with a plate full of food. After a quick nod to Christina and Andy, he said to Harriet, “I got you some goodies. Come sit with me and let’s eat.”
Danny Folger was one of the island’s favorite sons. He was without a doubt one of the most handsome men on Nantucket, with his construction worker’s muscles and his thick blond hair. He’d been trying to date Harriet for months, but even though his family was one of the first families of the island, he wasn’t rich and he certainly wasn’t cultured. He’d rather rake for scallops than sit through a symphony, and he’d never make enough money to give Harriet the mansion she dreamed of.
Poor Danny, Christina thought, but thank heavens he was taking care of Harriet. Christina didn’t want to be the one to see that Harriet got safely home on this cold night.
Christina and Andy set their eggnog aside and returned to the table where plates and utensils were stacked. They filled their plates and wandered through the party. Christina introduced Andy to some of her friends, and at one point they found themselves with Delia and Jacob.
“I want to apologize for the other night,” Delia said. “I’m sorry I was so rude about Wink. I was afraid she’d run away and, frankly, I wouldn’t blame her. This divorce is hard on her and Oscar has been her hero. I’m sure it shocked her terribly when he told her to leave the room.”
“He told her to leave the house,” Christina corrected.
“That’s not what he says he said.”
“But I was there. I heard him. Don’t you think Wink’s reaction was so strong because he said house?”
In response, Delia turned to Andy with a sad face. “Do you think Father is losing it?”
“No,” Andy said. “It’s normal for people his age to mix up their words, especially under emotional stress. Dad needs to slow down. He works too hard.”
Delia laughed. “You can tell him that.” She turned back to Christina. “I apologize again for bringing our family problems into your pleasant evening. I think I should leave now. I told Wink she could stay up until I came home to put her to bed. She and I have a busy day tomorrow, so she won’t be able to help you.”
“That’s fine,” Christina said. “Give her my love.”
Jacob moved closer to Delia. “I’ll drive you home now if you like.”
“I’d like,” Delia replied, and she sounded absolutely sultry.
“What’s going on there?” Christina asked Andy as Jacob escorted Delia from the room.
Andy shrugged. “Do you think she tells me anything? I’m just glad she’s having a good time with someone. This divorce business is hard on her. I think she’s overwhelmed.”
They circled the food table again, choosing cookies and sweets. Friends of Christina’s wandered up to say hello. Christina introduced them to Andy. After a while, she didn’t mention his surname, but merely said, “This is my friend Andy,” because the name Bittlesman was so impressive people forgot to talk and simply stared. But some of her friends already knew who he was and were glad to see him. Peter Berry talked to him about deep-sea fishing and promised to take him out some summer day. Bart Manville invited Andy to ride out to Great Point to see the seals. And two of Christina’s prettiest friends who ran shops in town invited Andy to stop by their stores. They were full of Christmas cheer and winked at Christina as they chatted with Andy. Christina rolled her eyes at them.
It was nearly eleven when the crowd began to thin out.
“I should go home,” Christina told Andy. “Busy day tomorrow.”
Back in the car, Andy said, “I like your friends. Especially Peter and Bart. You know a lot of cool people.”
Christina smiled. “I do. Nantucket attracts cool people. Or you could call them eccentrics. A lot of environmentalists live here—well, you and your father are aware of that. The world is changing, and this island, because it’s an isolated area, is a good place to test stuff like ocean water quality, eel grass, bird migration, and climate change.”
“You feel like you belong here,” Andy said.
“I do. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.”
Andy was quiet after that.
When he pulled into her driveway, Christina asked him in for a drink.
He put the car in park but left it running. “I’d like to come in, but I don’t know if I should.” Andy paused. “Oh, man, I really want to kiss you.”
Christina leaned forward.
They sat in the car kissing like a pair of teenagers until Andy’s elbow hit the horn. They jumped apart.
“I hope I didn’t wake people up,” Andy said.
Christina smiled. “I don’t care if you did. But I’ve got to go inside. Really. Until Christmas Day, my business takes priority.”
“Before you go, Christina…this is awkward. I wish I could help you with my father and the rent hike. But I’m afraid Father would be resistant to anything I propose. He and I are locked in a battle right now. He wants me to stay in New York. I want to move here. This is a tough time for him, too, with Delia getting divorced. He’s getting old and losing control. I want to get through Christmas before going to war with him.”
“I understand, Andy. Christmas is always such an intense time. So emotional.”
“I’ll be here after Christmas,” Andy said. “I’d like to be with you, Christina. I’d like to be with you all the time.”
Christina raised her hand to her forehead. What was Andy saying? It was too enormous to take in. “Can we wait just a few days to talk about the future? I’ve got to concentrate on this rent problem before I can focus on anything else. I need to get some rest for tomorrow.”
Andy nodded. “I understand. Let me walk you to your door.”
“Fine,” Christina said, “but no more kissing. I’m sure some neighbors woke up to that horn blast and are peering out their curtains to see what I’m up to.”
Andy grinned. “We could give them something to talk about.”
She punched his arm lightly.
He walked her to the door, gave her a gentle peck on the lips, and returned to his car.
Christina entered her house. Before taking off her coat, she plugged in the Christmas tree lights.
“Mittens,” she said to the cat yawning on the sofa, “I believe I have stars in my eyes.”
Christina awoke with a smile on her face. Mittens slept in her usual place in the curl of Christina’s knees. The cat purred loudly, content to be lazy and warm. Outside her window, the sky was a clear bright blue—it would be a perfect shopping day. She was eager to get to work, but for just a few more minutes she allowed herself to snuggle into her warm pillows and remember last night.
Especially the part of last night
when she and Andy were kissing.
And the way he’d looked at her when he walked her to her door. She knew she saw love in his eyes, she’d felt it all the way into her heart. They had something special between them, she was sure of it, and everything else, including her shop, was somehow swept up in the magic glow of love. It would all work out. It would all be fine.
She rose, pulled on her L.L.Bean flannel robe, slid her feet into her warm fleece-lined slippers, and went down to the kitchen. She started her coffee maker, then opened the back door. The day was magnificent! Clear and crisp—and cold, yes, but the kind of cold that brightened her spirits.
“Deck the halls with boughs of holly!” Christina sang. Suddenly she was overflowing with song and a sense of good will and celebration. Shivering, she closed the door, turned back to the kitchen, and quickly opened a can of food for Mittens, who clearly did not feel uplifted by her singing. Christina ate a piece of toast thick with butter and cherry preserves and drank a cup of coffee while she made her lunch. Taking another cup of coffee with her, she went upstairs and showered, still singing. By the time she’d finished all the verses of “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” she was out of the shower and ready to dress, and she was in such a good mood—such a Christmasy mood—that she paired her best sweater, a green cashmere pullover, with yoga pants and knee-high red boots. She chose her brightest red lipstick and added her Christmas bell earrings. Standing in front of her mirror, she assessed herself. She looked gorgeous and festive. Maybe a bit over the top, too, but if she couldn’t do it this close to Christmas, when could she?
It was too cold to bike to work, so she drove to Union Street and parked in a summer friend’s driveway. She strode toward the wharf in her A-line red wool coat, and the hem flipped with each step. She waved at passing acquaintances, and then as she stepped onto the brick wharf, she slowed down and paid attention to each step. Bricks were beautiful and historic, but easy to slip on, even in the summer.
