The Mills & Boon Christmas Wishes Collection. Maisey Yates
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I’ll bring the serving spoons.”
Once Amory had changed we all sat at the dining table, now laden with food and decorations, ready for our second feast of the day. With the puppy asleep in Amory’s lap I couldn’t help but smile as I saw how sweet they were together. I’d never thought Amory was a pet person, but here she was falling head over heels for a puppy.
I poured everyone a glass of wine, and Mom and Aunt Bessie went to fetch more platters before joining us at the table.
Jostling around in our seats, we turned when Aunt Bessie clinked her glass with a fork. “Now, I wanted to raise a toast before we start eating. Here’s to our first Christmas together in a long time.” She held her wineglass aloft, and blinked back sudden tears. “A big welcome to our guests,” she said, turning to look at each of my friends in turn, “and thank you for spending the day with us. Let’s hope it becomes a new tradition.” She beamed so hard it almost broke my heart. I hadn’t really thought in all the years I’d been away that it would have just been Mom and Aunt Bessie sharing a turkey lunch with all the trimmings. Why hadn’t I come home more? Since being back I’d realized I was as much to blame as Mom for the radio silence. Still, I was here now, and things were changing – albeit at a snail’s pace.
When Aunt Bessie sat down I was astonished when Mom lifted her glass, and cleared her throat to speak. I leaned forward so I wouldn’t miss a thing.
With downcast eyes, she said, “Thank you all for looking after my daughter. I know you’ve been there for her in one way or another in the past few months. It helps…” Her voice petered off, and tears sprung in my eyes. “…It helps knowing she has support and friendships that will carry her through the good and bad.”
Silence fell.
I was so shocked I couldn’t think of a thing to say, but the smile on my face must have spoken volumes because Mom gave me a small nod and a wobbly smile of her own.
Aunt Bessie broke the hush by saying, “Well, now we’ve got the toasting out of the way, let’s drink and be merry!” We all leaned forward and clinked glasses. I darted a quick glance at Kai, who was lost in thought, and I figured Mom’s words might have touched a chord with him too.
The chatter rose as we feasted on every delicious morsel. Even the bread and butter sauce was a hit, mixing with the steaming-hot gravy, and perfect for dipping each mouthful into. Combined with the nutty, herbaceous stuffing, it was a meal made in heaven, and one I wished I had the skills to recreate. I was awed by people who could cook so many things at once and not burn it all. Sadly, I didn’t reach peak adult status because the sprouts, no matter how dressed up, still tasted like bitter greens to me, and in a way I was thankful – who wanted to be an adult anyway?
The puppy chose that moment to steal a piece of gravy-covered turkey off Amory’s plate. It was too big for his little choppers, and somehow missed the napkin on her lap, but found her clothes. She slapped her head. “Outfit number three coming up! He’s a wardrobe menace!”
“Your jeans should be dry by now,” Aunt Bessie said. “You can change again after lunch.”
“Thank you.” Amory grinned. “I’ll throw these in the wash at the same time.”
Mom didn’t say much, but actually ate rather than picking at her food like she would usually do. She was so thin, it scared me, but just maybe this was a tipping point.
Empty plates sat in front of us all and no one moved. We were too full to do anything except sit with blank faces. Aunt Bessie was the only one still sprightly, and she ambled to the kitchen and returned with more mulled wine and a tray of peppermint chocolates.
“Thank you, gang, for making this one of the best Christmases we’ve had in a long time. I’m hoping your youth rubs off on me.”
We laughed, and sipped our wine, and my eyelids grew heavy from contentment.
“Have you all called your families?” Aunt Bessie asked into the satiated quiet. “They must miss you, being so far from home.”
Amory spoke up first. “I rang them this morning. My parents are enjoying their very first child-free Christmas! They’re traveling in India, and quite content to swap turkey for goat curry and not bother with the cleanup, or waiting on their grown-up children. Can’t say I blame them. I’d choose India too. We are a bit of a handful when we’re all together.”
“I’m sure they’re missing you too, though,” Aunt Bessie said. “But I’m glad they’re enjoying India. I’ve always wanted to go there. What about you, Cruz?”
Cruz filled them in on his phone call home – and the fact he’d had to speak to every extended family member, and some of the neighbors. And that they were excited about him and Amory visiting as soon as they could.
“And Kai? I suppose Christmas is over for another year in Australia?”
A blush crept up his cheeks, and I was about to save him by making some excuse when he said, “I’m all set to Skype them when I go back to the lodge this evening.”
Sitting beside each other, we locked gazes for a moment, and I was lost to him, and everything around me.
“Is it hot in here, or is it just me?” Amory made a show of fanning herself. I kicked her under the table but must have hit Cruz instead, who let out a yelp of surprise.
“Sorry,” I said. “Pass it on,” I motioned to Amory, and he grinned.
Under the table, Kai clasped my hand and held it firm against his jean-clad thigh. I couldn’t remember a better Christmas, being surrounded by friends and family, and even my mom, who was smiling at Amory’s joke. Things were looking up for the New Year, especially with all of these people here to stay… or at least most of them.
Back at the lodge, Amory and Cruz made excuses and headed up to their suite with the puppy, who was once again asleep in her arms. My big-city, party-the-night-away friends were no match for a long festive lunch and a country walk in the fresh air. They were wiped out and bleary-eyed, all set to nap.
I flopped on the chaise in the front parlor, and Kai did the same. It had just gone six, and outside the sky shifted from blue to inky black.
“What’s the story with your mom, Clio? You’ve told me bit and pieces but I didn’t realize she’d be so… reserved. She’s very different from you.”
As usual with Kai, the words held no malice, just a greater need to understand. Today had felt like a dream, like life was on the right track. Mom had overcome her anxiety to join us, and even spoken up a fair bit. But I didn’t really want to burden Kai with the whole story when he had so much going on, so I kept it light, told him an edited version. Some secrets should stay secret, so while I told him about my upbringing, my father’s death, Mom’s pulling away, and finally, her mysterious connection to Cedarwood, and the fact no one would fess up to what exactly had happened here all those years ago, I kept some things back too, and sped through it like I was recounting someone else’s story.
“Wow,” he said.
I sighed. “I know.” Things were complicated, and there was no pretending that one Christmas lunch had solved everything. I hadn’t told him about the photographs I’d found or the significance of the maze Isla had discovered. “Mom’s always been that way. I used to think she was cold, sort of bitter about life, but now I can see it’s more than that. She’s fighting an internal battle every day just to be here. I wish I knew what to say or do that would pull her up.”
His brow knitted. “Watching her today made me think of my own mom, and how my silence is probably hurting her. I think you’re right. The longer I wait before talking to them, the worse it’s going to be. So I’m glad I messaged them after our chat.”
I sat up straighter. “I don’t think