Christmas Comes to Dickens

by Nancy Fraser

  He decided to take his coffee to the sunroom on the east side of the house. The morning sun—should it be able to penetrate the snow—would warm the room nicely on a day like this. He wandered through the family room and down the hall, then turned into the sunroom.

  There was one low light on in the room, in the far corner next to the sofa. Someone else was up. The glow from a laptop screen lit up her face, and immediately he knew who was there. Ariana typed furiously, and obviously didn’t realize he was there until he stepped inside and flicked on the overhead light. No way he was sitting in the near dark with her. That felt a little creepy and stalkerish—and the last thing he needed.

  Her head jerked up, and a hand went to her chest. “Oh.”

  “Good morning.” He took a sip of his coffee. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. I didn’t know anyone was in here.” Something was different about her. Oh, yes. Glasses.

  She bit her lip. “I was trying to be quiet.”

  “As a mouse, you were. I didn’t mean to sneak up on you, either. Working?”

  “Yes. Just finishing up, actually.”

  The conversation was a little stilted but not necessarily unfriendly. Okay, he could do this. He headed toward an armchair. “Don’t mind me. I’ll just watch the snow and wait for the sun to come up.” He sat and peered out the window, although there was not much to see, other than the blowing snow around the outside lights. Besides, it was still dark, and it appeared unlikely the sun would light or warm up the room today.

  “Good luck,” she said softly, and maybe a little sarcastically.

  He chuckled a little, inwardly. Pulling an afghan draped over the back of the chair around his shoulders, he asked, “Are you chilly?”

  She finished typing, then peeking over the laptop screen, pushed her glasses back up her nose and briefly met his gaze. “No. I’m fine. I have coffee to warm me up. Thanks.” She gave him a half-smile.

  “Hm.” He noticed the mug of coffee on the side table to her right, and the small plate of cookies next to it.

  Ariana went back to her work.

  Closing his eyes, he listened to the gentle and rhythmic tap of her fingertips on the laptop keyboard. She’d feverishly type for a minute, then pause, then start in again. Something like that could possibly lull a fellow back to sleep.

  The clatter of her fingers stopped. A soft snap suggested she’d closed her laptop. Opening his eyes, he looked across the room.

  She sat staring back, her coffee mug to her lips, and took a sip.

  “Cookie?” She motioned to her plate. “I brought plenty.”

  His immediate reaction was to say no. Christmas cookie? No way. Then he looked at the pile of cookies on her plate and thought, why not?

  “Sure.” He got up and crossed the room. “What have you got there?”

  “Pecan Meltaways, chocolate chip, and a fruitcake bar.”

  He took one of the powdered sugar-covered meltaways. “I always loved these as a kid.” He took a bite.

  Ariana giggled.

  “What?”

  “Your shirt.”

  Looking down, he saw his shirt was dusted with sugar. “Well, now I look like a Christmas confection. Maybe you’ll like me now.” Immediately, he stepped back. Why those words came out of his mouth, he didn’t know. Stupid. Glancing to Ariana, he caught her blank gaze, and then backed away. “I’ll go back over here.”

  He did and she scooted to the edge of the sofa.

  “I don’t not like you, Matt. I don’t really know you.”

  Embarrassed, somewhat, he downplayed the situation. “I was joking, Ariana. See? I can have a funny, upbeat side of me too.” Badly played, but it was an attempt.

  “Sure. Hey. I should get back to my room.” She began gathering her things. “I need to post this piece to my blog and do some other work stuff.” She slipped her laptop into a bag at her feet, followed by a mouse and mousepad. Then pulling off her glasses, she snapped them inside a case and tossed them in the bag too. She rose and moved toward the door. “Enjoy your...um, sunrise?”

  They both glanced out the window only to see blowing snow.

  “Not happening.” Matt stood. “I’m off to find Kat. She’s usually up by now.”

  Ariana turned back at his words. “She’s sleeping in this morning. I told her I didn’t need breakfast. She was very tired last night.”

  Matt pondered that. Kat leave a guest to fend for herself? “That’s unlike her.”

  “I insisted. Besides, it’s Christmas Eve Eve. Everyone needs a down day occasionally. She’s been going a mile-a-minute since I got here.”

  “Yep. That’s my sister.” He thought for a second or two. “Christmas Eve Eve?”

  “Yeah. It’s a thing. In my world, anyway.”

  “Ah.”

  Ariana just stood and looked at him. After a moment, she faced him fully. “Matt, look. I want to apologize for yesterday. I think we started off on a bad note. I was a bit rude, and....”

  He stopped her by putting a hand up. “No, I was the rude one. I was impatient standing in line yesterday and, in case you haven’t noticed, I don’t enjoy the holidays, so I was testy. Plus, I was hungry. So, it’s all on me.”

  Still, she stared at him. “Not really. I appreciate it but I goaded you a bit. Can we call a truce? Start over?”

  Now it was his turn to stare. “I can do a truce. But that doesn’t mean I still won’t be grumpy.”

  Ariana laughed. “All right.”

  “But on one condition.”

  “Which is?”

  “Just don’t push the Christmas stuff on me. That’s going over the line.”

  Her eyes twinkled as she answered. “Oh, of course not, Matt. I wouldn’t think of it.”

  Chapter 4

  I WOULD JUST DO IT.

  Ariana smiled back at Matt. There would be no thinking, she was certain. If she pulled him kicking and screaming into Christmas, she would likely do it without rhyme or reason. She couldn’t help it.

  Christmas should be happy and spontaneous and giving. And like Kat said last night, she just had to be herself.

  “There you two are. I wondered where you’d wandered off to.”

  Turning, Ariana saw Kat standing in the doorway. “I thought you were sleeping in?”

  Kat looked at her watch. “Well, it’s six-thirty in the morning and I’m usually up by five, so I say that’s a rather good sleep-in. Are you two hungry?”

  “I had cookies.”

  Kat looked at Matt’s shirt. “Looks like you did, too.”

  “And coffee,” he added.

  “Well, that barely counts. Let’s see what we can do. Besides, Aimee will be up soon, and she’s cranky if she doesn’t get a good breakfast. Plus, we have tons of things to do today—baking the gingerbread for the gingerbread house assembly tomorrow, prepping the cookie trays for tonight, and finish getting all of the lights up in the house for the lighting—so let’s get cracking.”

  Ariana watched Matt roll his eyes. “Tons of things to do that sound like Christmas—and we don’t even know if anyone will be here for the lighting. As much as I would love to help out with gingerbread and cookie arranging...”

  Kat stopped him with her glare. “Oh no. Not today, Mr. Pessimist. All the roads are closed, and the officials are telling everyone to stay in, so you’re not going anywhere.”

  “My case in point.”

  Kat ignored him. “We are moving forward whether we have a crowd, or not. It’s—”

  “Tradition. I know.”

  “And don’t you think for one minute, Matt Matthews, that you are going to escape off to the attic or basement or barn to tinker, because today, in this house, it is all-hands-on-deck. Do you hear me?”

  “Not sure what I can contribute, Kat.”

  “You’re in charge of lighting.”

  “What? But you always take care of the lighting, and you are so particular.”

  “I’m going to be busy, Matt. Can you help please
?” She winked at Ariana.

  Ariana truly had no clue what Kat was winking about, although she liked the way she handled her brother, and had rather enjoyed listening to their banter. She wondered if that was her usual modus operandi, or something new.

  “I’m in,” she said. “Just point me in the right direction. Matt? What do you say? We can do this. Right?”

  “Is this a conspiracy?”

  Kat shook her head. “No, this is family. Now, let’s get breakfast and we can discuss.”

  Family?

  Ariana warmed at the thought. Being part of a family like this would be wonderful. Not that her own family wasn’t great—they were. And she loved her parents and sister more than anything. But this family—even with their quirks—just felt like...

  Well, like her circle was complete.

  How she could feel that way in such a short time, she didn’t know.

  About an hour later, Ariana peeked over Kat’s shoulder at the list she was making while standing over the kitchen island. The three of them had breakfasted on sausage, eggs, and biscuits, and of course, more coffee. Aimee decided to take sleeping in seriously and still wasn’t up yet.

  “So, this morning, Aimee and I will make the gingerbread dough and start baking the slabs so they will all be cool later today.”

  “Sounds good, Kat,” Ariana said. “What can I do?” Then she glanced at Matt, who was perched on a stool at the end of the kitchen island drinking coffee. “I mean, what can Matt and I do?”

  He arched a brow.

  Kat glanced sideways at her. “You two are going work on the window lights if you don’t mind. I want something in every window.”

  Matt cleared his throat and glared at his sister. “Seriously? All the windows? Do you know how many that is?”

  Pushing upright, she nodded. “Yes, I do. There are forty-two windows. I wash them every spring and fall. Since we can’t do much outside other than what has been already done, let’s focus on the house. I want a candle or maybe a wreath in every window. There are already candles in the porch windows. I know there are enough in the attic to do the rest. Remember when Mom used to do that? Of course, I don’t know if all of the light bulbs still work so we will have to check them.”

  “Hm.” Matt stared at the list.

  “Okay?”

  “Of course. What else?”

  “I’m not sure,” Kat said. “Do you two have any ideas?”

  Ariana interrupted with a thought. “We have to be organized about this. I need to get a lay of the land and look at the windows. Where do you store your extra Christmas decorations, Kat?”

  “Those are in the attic, too.”

  Ariana directed her attention to Matt. “Can we go look?”

  Matt shoved off the island. “We have to go up there to get the candles, anyway.”

  “Great.”

  “What are you thinking, Ariana?”

  Of course, she should tell Kat her idea. “Well, I’m just wondering if we can simulate a Christmas tree in some of the random windows too. It would be more lights, and maybe illuminate the house a bit more. But it should look balanced and not randomly chaotic.” She watched Matt’s face. He appeared to be thinking about that.

  Matt crossed his arms. “Mom also used to put a small tree in some of the bedrooms.”

  “Of course,” Kat said. “Can you two see what we have in the attic? I’ve not gone deep into the tree room in years.”

  The tree room? Ariana felt a little giddy. “Are you kidding?” She looked at Matt. “Point me in the right direction.”

  “This way.” Matt started toward the kitchen door, where suddenly a crying Aimee appeared. He stopped short. “Aimee? What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

  She sailed past him and into her mother’s arms. “Mommy!”

  Her wail startled Ariana as she watched Kat scoop her up.

  “Goodness, honey. What is the matter?” She held Aimee in her arms and sat her on the edge of the island. The little girl clung to her mother, her arms wrapped around her shoulders and her pajama-clad legs around Kat’s waist.

  “Dream,” she finally said, hiccupping between words. “Bad. Daddy.”

  “Oh honey...” Kat’s eyes closed, and Ariana saw a tear escape a lower lid. At once, her heart went out to Aimee and her mom, and she wondered what in the world was going on.

  Worried, she looked to Matt for some sort of answer. Instead, he crooked his finger for her to follow him, and then quickly and silently left the room.

  She pursued him down the hallway and toward the entry, stopping at the base of the stairs.

  “Matt?”

  He put a finger to his lips. “Sh.”

  She nodded and whispered, “Okay.”

  Then he grabbed her hand and led her up the two flights of stairs to the attic.

  TAKING HER HAND HAD been bold of him—and to be honest, it was such an impulsive act that had he thought about it, he wouldn’t have.

  But he was glad he did.

  It had been a long time since he’d held any woman’s hand, and the feel of Ariana’s small, soft palm in his was nice. Very nice. In fact, her fingers laced with his was pleasant enough that he slowed his steps as they approached the landing to the attic, and was semi-reluctant to let go when they got there.

  But just as quickly as he’d grabbed her hand, he released it.

  The attic door creaked as he pushed it open. Moving past the threshold, he yanked an overhead pull string and light flooded the area. Before he could move farther inward, Ariana grasped his arm and stopped him.

  “Matt?”

  “Hm?”

  “What was going on with Aimee? Seemed like more than a bad dream.”

  He perused Ariana’s face. Her expression appeared full of concern and worry for his niece, and that touched his heart. Who was this woman who had suddenly burst into their lives? Someone who had him in the attic looking for Christmas decorations and felt genuine concern for his family?

  “Yeah. Well, Dylan, Kat’s husband, is deployed right now. He’s on a mission and we don’t know much. He’s in the Navy, a SEAL. That, in and of itself, is stressful for Kat, as I’m sure you can understand. But right now, we are not quite sure where he is or when he’s coming home. It’s unlikely he will be here for Christmas.”

  “Oh, that’s awful for a little girl.”

  “It’s difficult for Kat, too. Although she understands Dylan’s commitment. We’re all proud of him. Aimee has been having a hard time because it’s the first Christmas she won’t see her daddy. And they’ve not been able to video call like they normally do.”

  “Poor baby.”

  “I know. I think Dylan being gone is one of the reasons why Kat keeps so busy. It keeps her mind off wondering where he is and if he’s safe. It keeps Aimee’s mind off it, too.”

  “Then we need to make sure this is the best Christmas ever, for Aimee and Kat.” She stared at him, a dead serious look on her face.

  Matt paused. “In case you haven’t noticed, Christmas is not my forte.”

  “Really? Well then, it’s a good thing it is mine.”

  He wanted to chuckle at her semi-amused expression, at the one cocked eyebrow and her slightly rounded lips. He couldn’t help but grin at the twinkle in her big blue eyes. He had to admit she possessed an alluring charm that was sucking him right in. “All right. I’ll make the effort. I can already see a plan forming in your head.”

  She laughed, but just as quickly, grew serious. Again, she touched his forearm. “No plan. Let’s just make it a happy time. Matt, I came here because I wanted to write about the town of Dickens and experience a Dickens Christmas—but suddenly, I feel there is more here for me. I know this probably sounds odd, but I am drawn to your family and this place. And since I know my way around some Christmas decorations, I want to help make these next couple of days special. I need your help, though. Please? Let’s do this for everyone. Even if it’s just us here tonight.”

  He nodded. “Which i
s entirely likely.”

  Ariana blinked, looking up at him. “And that’s really enough. Isn’t it?”

  He supposed it was. “All right. This way.” He motioned and turned, still a bit in awe of Ariana. She’d fallen into their lives like a Christmas angel of hope and had suddenly changed the mood of this Christmas season—at least for him.

  He led the way deeper into the attic. She followed, glancing about as they wove their way through boxes. “Wow. This is what you call a real attic.”

  Laughing, Matt headed to the right, where he knew the Christmas decorations were stored—or used to be anyway. “I suppose you don’t have real attics in...” He stopped and turned. “Where are you from?”

  “California.”

  For a moment, Matt studied her. “You drove all the way here from California?”

  “Oh no.” She began picking through a box of assorted Christmas paraphernalia. “I flew into Boston and rented a car. I’ve been in New England for a little over a week.”

  “And you’re staying how long?”

  She shrugged. “Through Christmas, at least. Longer, if the snow doesn’t let up.” She smiled warmly.

  “But what about Christmas with your family back in California?”

  “I’ll miss it this year—and them—but I need to be here because this is where my writing brought me, and my writing pays the bills. My family understands my obsession with Christmas. Besides, there is no snow in So-Cal, and this year I want to be where the snow is.”

  “Well, you got that, for sure.”

  “I did.”

  “And you don’t mind being stuck here for a few days longer than planned?”

  “Mind? Oh no. I’m ecstatic. I’ve never seen snow like this in my life.”

  She grinned wide and Matt smiled back.

  There was something infectious about her enthusiasm. He watched her turn back to the box and start poking through it. Matt realized he didn’t mind watching her dig through the items. Their conversations were nice, too. Seemed they truly had called a truce.

  “Oh, look at all of these...” Ariana peeled back an old quilt, covering the contents of a box, to reveal several wooden ornaments underneath. She picked up one and showed it to him. “These are gorgeous. Are they hand carved?”