Chapter 12
The house didn’t feel very festive when Lacy and her father arrived home. Her mother was in the living room, flipping through a magazine with such ferocity that she risked ripping out the pages.
“Mom,” Lacy said tentatively, “everything okay?”
“Of course it’s okay. Why wouldn’t it be okay? Just because a stranger is in the kitchen, working with my mother like he owns the place. It’s fine. Everything is just fine.”
Lacy sat and pried the magazine from her mother’s clutch. Capturing both her hands, she clasped them tightly in hers, waiting to speak until she had her mother’s full attention. “Mom, it’s not just Grandma who loves Mr. Middleton. I love him, too. You can’t imagine how much he’s come to mean to me the last few months. He’s not only loving and caring, but he’s incredibly wise. I’ve come to feel that’s he’s a surrogate grandfather, which is nice because I miss Grandpa a lot. I’m not saying he has to take the place of your dad, but he’s important to me, and he’s important to Grandma. That alone should be reason for you to try and make peace with his presence. He’s here to stay, and you know he’s a good man. Think about it—when was the last time you saw Grandma this happy?”
Her mother took a couple of deep breaths, her nostrils flaring as she tried to get wild emotions under control. “I miss my dad,” she said, sounding more like a little girl than a grown woman.
“I know,” Lacy said, urging her mother into her embrace. Not that she had to do a lot of urging. Her mother collapsed against her and wept, long and loud. “Let’s set the table,” Lacy suggested after her mother cried herself out.
Frannie nodded, sniffling.
Lacy, feeling like she had just taken the first step toward parenting her parent, was glad for the distraction of setting the table. They worked in silence, and when her grandparents emerged from the kitchen, they found their subdued daughter working in studied silence. They sent a questioning look to Lacy who gave them a helpless shrug in return.
Gladys and Sean arrived as soon as the table was set. Sean was wearing a suit and red bow tie, one which he explained he had received in show choir, and Lacy smiled, adjusting his tie with a pat.
“I think you look very handsome. In fact, you’ve inspired me to dress up, too.” She departed to change clothes and freshen up, adding some makeup to the bare bones routine she had performed on her face earlier that morning. There was a green velvet dress she occasionally pulled out at Christmas. She didn’t often wear it because with her red hair she sometimes felt like a Christmas tree. But what better time to look like a tree than Christmas?
Knowing they had a few minutes until supper, she also took her hair out of its perfunctory bun, brushed it, and used her large iron to give it some loose curls before misting it with hairspray. After giving herself an approving nod in the mirror, she left her bathroom, just in time to answer the door and greet Tosh.
He whistled in appreciation. “You look fancy, though I’m a little disappointed not to see that slinky red number again.”
“There are children present,” she reminded him, jerking her head in the direction of Sean.
“Right, children,” Tosh said. He glanced at Sean and smiled. “That kid looks almost exactly like me when I was his age. Is that bowtie from show choir?”
Lacy nodded and she and Tosh shared a laugh. “He’s like our lovechild, if we had one, which we could if you wanted. Just letting you know I’m open to the possibility. Also, I brought eggnog.” He held a milky-white jug aloft. Noting Lacy’s grimace, he hastened to add, “I didn’t make it. One of my parishioners made it for me, and I’ll never drink it.”
“Does anyone actually drink eggnog?” Lacy said, sticking out her tongue. “I can’t think of anything worse than raw eggs and nutmeg.”
Tosh shrugged. “It’s a senior citizen thing. Every party I’ve gone to this season has served it, and they always run out. The sweet lady who bestowed this gallon on me made it seem like a great honor. But I’m with you. Gross.” He bent and kissed her cheek, breezing by her to take the eggnog to the kitchen.
She trotted after him, realizing she would need to make the introductions to her parents. They encountered her father first.
“Dad, this is Tosh. Tosh, my father, Clint Steele.”
“Mr. Steele,” Tosh said, offering his hand for a shake. “Lacy tells me you’re a golfer. We have a family friend who is a member at Pine Valley. We’ll have to arrange a day to play.”
Lacy wasn’t a fan of golf, but even she had heard of Pine Valley, the ultra-exclusive dream club in New Jersey. Predictably, her father’s eyes were glazed over with ecstasy at the mention of the place.
“Dad, are you in there? Do you need a drool cloth?”
“I’m buying you breakfast,” her father replied absently, and Lacy smiled. Tosh had apparently passed muster.
“I’ll explain later,” Lacy told a clueless Tosh, leading him past her still starry-eyed father to the kitchen and her mother. “Mom, this is Tosh,” Lacy said, presenting Tosh with a flourish of her hand.
Her mother turned with a speculative smile, sizing up Tosh from head to toe. “Mrs. Steele,” Tosh exclaimed upon first sight of Lacy’s mother. “You look exactly like…” He broke off and Lacy knew he had been about to say “your mother,” referring to Barbara Blake. “Your daughter,” Tosh hastily added. “The resemblance is amazing.” He looked back and forth between Lacy and Frannie with a smile.
Lacy’s mother beamed. “Why, thank you, dear. Isn’t it amazing that we got two redheads in a row when we’re the only ones in our family for generations?”
“Amazing,” Tosh said. Now that he had regained his footing after his earlier stumble, he was unflappable. They would have continued to make small talk, but Lacy’s grandmother interrupted with an exclamation of delight.
“Oh, eggnog, Pastor Underhill, you shouldn’t have. That’s my favorite!”
“My pleasure, Mrs. Craig,” Tosh said, his earnest tone conveying his sincerity. “If there’s any left over, please keep it.”
“Are you sure?” Lucinda asked.
“Positive,” Tosh replied.
“Such a sweet boy,” Lucinda muttered, turning to place the jug on the counter. She rooted in the cupboard and poured a generous serving of the drink, offering it up to anyone in the room. When everyone refused, she drank it herself.
Lacy squeezed Tosh’s bicep, smiling up at him. He definitely had her family’s approval and, if his smug grin was any indication, he knew it. “Come and meet Sean,” she suggested, tugging his sleeve to lead him back to the family room.
Sean sat in a chair, sullenly listening as Gladys and Mr. Middleton discussed friends who had died that year. His cheerful bowtie was a direct contrast to his glum countenance, but he cheered considerably when Lacy and Tosh entered the room.
“Sean, this is my friend, Tosh.”
“I’ve noticed you from the platform,” Tosh said. “I’m sorry I haven’t had a chance to say hello before now. This is my busy season. Lacy tells me you like video games.”
Sean relaxed and leaned forward as the conversation moved to familiar territory. There was another knock on the door, and Lacy’s heart began to flutter in nervous anticipation. What would be Jason’s reaction to his gift? By now he had to have seen it. In his down time, he often drove by his house or hers to check on things.
Tentatively, she pulled open the door and saw him towering in the entryway, his black uniform making him look larger and more menacing. His features were carefully schooled into a placid expression, so she had no idea what he was thinking.
“Are you here to arrest me, officer?” She crossed her wrists, holding them submissively in front of her.
He clasped her wrists, circling them with his fingers as he stepped inside and closed the door with his foot. “What’s your crime, Miss Steele?” He quirked an eyebrow, waiting for her to incriminate herself.
“I plead the fifth,” Lacy replied.
“Merry Christmas,” she returned. For a few seconds it was as if they were the only people in the room, or on the planet, for that matter. But reality came rushing back, and Lacy remembered that not only were there other people present, but one of those people was intensely interested in their little interaction.
Sure enough, when Jason dropped her wrists, Lacy turned to see Tosh staring at her, paying half-hearted attention to Sean who was animatedly describing the war game he had played with Lacy.
“Come and meet Sean,” Lacy said, beckoning Jason to follow. Perhaps it was unwise to put Tosh and Jason within striking distance of each other, but Sean was the only person in the room Jason didn’t know.
“Officer,” Tosh said, his tone cool and sarcastic.
“Reverend,” Jason answered in kind. “How do you do, Sean?” he added, infusing warmth and politeness in his tone when he spoke to the boy.
“Sean let me beat him at video games the other day,” Lacy said, smiling at Sean.
“That was a good choice,” Jason said gravely. “This one doesn’t like to lose.” He pointed to Lacy. “She goes all Yosemite Sam on you.”
“Who?” Sean asked, looking confused by the reference. A debate about old cartoon characters was sparked while Lacy tried to protest that her temper had been exaggerated.
“I’m going to have to agree with him on this one, only it’s more like watching David Banner turn into the Hulk,” Tosh said.
Jason snickered, and Lacy wasn’t sure which was worse—their jealousy or their agreement.
“You guys are exaggerating. My temper is not that bad,” Lacy protested.
“The hole in my drywall disagrees,” Tosh said.
“Tosh,” Lacy said embarrassed that he had brought it up.
“I think we’re going to need to hear this story,” Jason said.
“No,” Lacy said, attempting to cover Tosh’s mouth with her hand, but he pinned her arms to her side and spoke over her protests.
“She was mad because I was out of butter and she was baking cookies. She threw a spoon through my wall,” Tosh said.
“That is a total fabrication, and you know it,” Lacy said. “I was mad because I had just bought you some butter two days before and you gave it to your neighbor even though I had told you I was planning to bake with it. And I didn’t throw the spoon; I tripped and the spoon flew out of my hand.”
“So you say,” Tosh said, smiling fondly at Lacy.
“No, I think the falling story sounds believable,” Jason said. “Mind you, this is the same woman who was trampled by the percussion section of the marching band during halftime.”
“How would you know? You were in the locker room,” Lacy said.
Jason shook his head. “Someone came and told us and we all ran up to watch, even the coach. Sorry, Lacy, but it was funny.”
“That was not funny. It hurt, and they broke my clarinet. A chivalrous person would have come to my defense instead of standing on the sidelines and laughing at me.”
“I didn’t want to get trampled,” Jason said.
“Well I think Lacy is perfect,” Sean added loyally.
“Thank you, Sean. It’s nice to know who your real friends are,” Lacy said.
“Suppertime!” her grandmother called.
“She sounds cheerful,” Tosh whispered.
Lacy nodded. Her grandmother wasn’t an extrovert, but maybe having her friends and family nearby was having a heartening effect on her because she was all smiles as they sat. Lacy was between Tosh and Jason. There was a moment of awkwardness as they both attempted to help her with her chair. At last she simply sat and scooted her chair forward without assistance.
Tosh prayed, and the meal started. For a while, they were busy passing dishes and filling their plates. “Everything looks delicious, Grandma,” Lacy said.
“Thank you,” her grandmother replied. “But I had a lot of help.” She turned to Mr. Middleton, patting his hand with a smile before picking up her eggnog to take a sip.
“She really likes eggnog,” Tosh whispered, leaning close as he passed Lacy the dinner rolls.
Lacy nodded and passed the dinner rolls to Jason who also leaned in close. “You’re in big trouble,” he whispered.
“Why?” she asked, feigning innocence.
“You know why,” he said, but he was smiling. “Later, I’ll think of a way to punish you.”
“What did he say?” Tosh leaned in again to whisper on her other side.
Lacy shook her head.
Tosh leaned back to scowl at Jason who returned his look. Lacy cleared her throat. “Who’s up for a game after supper?” she asked.
“I am,” her grandmother blurted, smiling.
Lacy blinked at her in surprise, as did everyone else. Lucinda was usually the last person in the room to speak, and she wasn’t much of a gamer. “Great,” Lacy said halfheartedly. She shot a questioning look to her grandfather who shrugged one shoulder before turning to inspect Lucinda with a smile. I guess she’s just happy, Lacy thought.
“Mom, you’re cheerful tonight,” Frannie said warily.
“Why shouldn’t I be?” Lucinda said. “I have my family here, my friends, my Tom. It’s a happy gathering.”
“I suppose,” Frannie said, sounding subdued. “I wish Riley was here, though. I can’t help but feel like something is missing.”
Yes, the drama, Lacy thought. For once the family was having a nice, peaceful family event. Even Tosh and Jason were getting along, which was practically a Christmas miracle. So of course it couldn’t last.
“How are Riley’s wedding plans coming along?” Gladys asked. Lacy wasn’t sure if it was a pointed question or general nosiness. Sometimes her grandmother’s friends seemed catty, but Lacy could never be sure if their intentions were purposely cruel or simply ignorant of any ensuing awkwardness.
“Slowly,” Frannie replied, oblivious to the way Lacy was now staring intently at her plate, her hands clenched in her lap. “Robert’s family has certain ideas about how things should be, and they’re not always cognizant of our budget. And then there’s the issue of her maid of honor.”
“What issue?” Gladys asked, leaning forward intently.
“She doesn’t have one. She wants Lacy to do it, of course, but hasn’t had the opportunity to ask.” Now it was her mother’s turn to stare pointedly at her oldest daughter.
“She wants me to do it?” Lacy repeated, incredulous. Could her sister really be that selfish and oblivious to the havoc she had caused in Lacy’s life? At that moment the only thing that kept Lacy from turning and fleeing for safety was the mental image of Tosh and Jason fighting over who would go and get her.
“You’re her sister, Lacy. Who else would she ask?” Frannie said.
Someone whose fiancé she didn’t steal, Lacy thought. “I don’t know, Mom, anyone on the planet but me because I won’t do it.”
“Lacy,” her mother intoned.
“If I get married again, I’m going to elope,” her grandmother blurted, startling everyone. Tosh sputtered a laugh and Jason dropped his eyes to his plate, his shoulders shaking in silent mirth.
“Mother!” Frannie exclaimed, diverted from Lacy. “Please tell me you’re not planning on eloping.”
“Well, Frannie, I’m not getting any younger, and I’ve always wanted to go to Vegas,” Lucinda said. That’s when everyone at the table lost it, including Lacy, her father, and Mr. Middleton who put his hand over his eyes to wipe away the tears. Only Frannie remained stoic as she disapprovingly frowned at her mother. Lucinda was oblivious, though, as she surveyed the gathering with a bemused smile and sipped her eggnog.
“This is the best Christmas ever,” Sean announced, sparking another round of laughter.
The remainder of supper was equally as merry with n
o more mention of Riley, marriage, or any other awkward topic. Lacy’s grandmother was in especially high spirits and either seemed to feel it was her mission to keep things lighthearted or just couldn’t stop herself from being funny because she kept them in stitches throughout the meal.
Lacy’s father volunteered to clean the kitchen as soon as supper was finished. She wasn’t sure, but she thought maybe it was to escape her mother and the tension that seemed to be constantly between them lately. She would have worked with him and asked him about it, but Tosh and Jason were both circling her, waiting to claim her attention. Before she could try and decide which one to talk to first, her grandmother spoke, claiming all of their attention.
“You know what we don’t have enough of in the Episcopalian church, Tosh? Dancing.” Everyone watched, spellbound, as Lucinda turned on a CD of Christmas music and started to dance what Lacy could only assume was the twist.
“Oh, my,” Gladys said, taking mental pictures so she could tell everyone she knew.
“What’s up with your grandma?” Tosh whispered.
“If I had to guess, I’d say it’s that eggnog she’s been pounding all night,” Jason said. “I didn’t picture your grandma as a drinker.”
“She’s not,” Lacy said. “She’s never tasted alcohol in her life.”
“She did tonight,” Jason said. He reached for the cup that now only contained trace amounts of eggnog, and held it under Lacy’s nose. She blanched and turned her head away, trying not to gag at the overwhelming alcohol smell.
“Tosh!” She turned accusing eyes to a sheepish-looking Tosh. “You brought alcoholic punch to my grandma’s Christmas party?”
“I didn’t know it was alcoholic. Most of the other stuff everyone has been serving at the parties has been alcohol free. Only some of my parishioners drink. I’m going to go dump it before she drinks anymore and starts taking her clothes off.” He escaped to the kitchen while Lacy stared helplessly at her grandmother who was now sashaying around the living room doing a two-step all by herself.
“What should we do?” Lacy asked, sure that her grandmother would be humiliated when she came to and realized what she had done.
“Dance,” Jason said. He grasped her elbow and Mr. Middleton’s, leading them forward into the center of the room. Leaving Lacy to dance with her grandfather, he caught hold of her grandmother’s hand and steered her into a more subdued, yet still lively, dance routine. Giggling like a schoolgirl, she giddily twirled around the dance floor until her daughter’s booming voice interrupted her progress.
“Mother, what has gotten into you?” Frannie demanded.
“She’s in love,” Mr. Middleton answered, letting go of Lacy and grasping Lucinda’s hand. “And so am I,” he added, bowing to kiss Lucinda’s hand while she blushed and fluttered like a schoolgirl.
“But…” Frannie started, but her husband interrupted her.
“Oh, come on, Frannie. It’s Christmas. Let your mother have her fun, and let’s have some fun, too.” He finished drying his hands on a dish towel, tossing it behind him into the kitchen, and then he grasped his wife’s hand, drawing her onto the makeshift dance floor. Tosh came back to the room then, too. Ignoring Gladys’s protests, he led her onto the dance floor, and soon she was laughing along with everyone else.
Lacy turned to look up at Jason with a smile. “Thanks for doing this,” she said.
He returned her smile. “Your grandma is a nice lady; no reason for her to make a spectacle of herself if she can help it.”
“I guess you just can’t escape drunk people today. I bet you never thought you’d have to help subdue one here. How has your day gone, by the way?”
“It’s been quiet. Your grandma was the most excitement I’ve had all day. At least she’s a happy drunk. If they were all like that, I’d be out of a job.” Electricity began to crackle between them, and everything else faded away, including the music which was too upbeat for their slow dance. “Is Christmas always this much fun at your house?” he whispered, smoothing his fingers across the hair at her temple.
“No, you caught us on a boring year. Wait until Riley’s here; then things get interesting.” Her smile faded at the mention of her sister.
“I’m sorry you’re hurting, Red,” Jason said.
“It’s not so bad,” Lacy said. “I’ll get over it.”
“I’m banking on that,” Jason said. “About my house,” he began, but then his lapel radio crackled to life with a set of codes that meant nothing to Lacy but everything to Jason because he swiftly let her go and took a step back. “That’s my cue,” he said. “Thanks for supper, and please thank your family for me. I have to go.” Ducking forward, he placed a swift kiss on her cheek before turning to sprint out the door.
Lacy looked around and saw Sean sitting alone, watching everyone else dance. She caught his eye and beckoned him forward. “I don’t know how to dance,” he said when he reached her, red-faced with embarrassment.
“Neither did I when I was your age, but you have to start somewhere. It’s easy.” She took his arms, resting them on her waist and shoulder and they began to sway gently to the music. “See, you’re a natural,” she added.
He smiled, but didn’t respond. Instead he seemed to be concentrating very hard on not stepping on her toes. Sometimes Lacy felt like she was still an insecure kid, but being near Sean made her realize how far she had come. She so vividly remembered being his age, feeling as if the world was ending over every embarrassment, wanting to simultaneously be noticed and slip into oblivion. She had never felt comfortable with kids her own age, preferring instead to spend time with her grandmother when she wasn’t at school.
Another memory occurred to Lacy then, too. When she was fourteen, she’d had a huge crush on a neighbor boy who was a senior in college. He had been someone safe, someone to dream about that she didn’t have to talk to—someone who couldn’t reject her because she was so out of his realm. She smiled, knowing once and for all who had sent her the locket.
Christmas Steele, A Lacy Steele Mystery Bonus Novella Page 12