Holly and Ivy

by Fern Michaels

  Daniel, Holly, and Jay had arrived a few minutes later. When she realized that Daniel’s friend had not tagged along for just a home-cooked meal, she was absolutely certain that this holiday season was going to start off as one of her best ones ever.

  “We’re finished in the dining room. Let me help get these goodies out while they’re still hot. You’re sweating,” Ivy observed.

  “It’s a bit . . . steamy in here, in case you haven’t noticed,” Sarah said as she lifted the roasting pan from the top of the stove and carried it over to the sink. “I’m going to be washing dishes all night, but who cares? Are you sure you’re okay with all the extra people? I know I didn’t tell you when I invited you and your dad, but I wanted it to be a surprise.”

  “Actually, I think it’s the best holiday gathering I have attended since”—Ivy stopped, but she knew that if she was to move forward, she needed to be able to verbalize her family—“the last one I spent at home with John and the kids. It’s all good, Sarah. Really.”

  “I’m relieved, but I had a feeling this is just what you needed. Me too, for that matter,” Sarah said as she squirted liquid detergent in the roasting pan, then filled it with water. “I am going to let this thing soak for a while.” She rinsed her hands and dried them on a tea towel covered in pictures of cartoon-like turkeys with the words GOBBLE GOBBLE written above their heads in little circles with down-pointing arrow-like extensions.

  “I’m looking forward to gaining five pounds today. I plan to have a slice of each of those pies, too,” Ivy added as she reached for the mashed potatoes. “Let’s get this show on the road. I am starving, and something tells me those two guys are going to be as well.”

  “Mom, can you bring the rolls?”

  “I’m not that far gone, young lady. Of course I can,” Clara Anderson said. She was a bit wobbly, but still was able to walk without assistance.

  Fifteen minutes later, they were all seated around the table in the dining room. “I’d like to thank you all for coming today. It means more than you know,” Sarah said. She smiled and saw that Jay Johnson was also smiling. “I’d like to say grace.”

  They all bowed their heads as Sarah recited all she was thankful for. After several utterances of “Amen,” the food was served, the conversation was light, and everyone seemed to have picked up on the air of general good cheer that the day deserved. When they’d finished the turkey and all of the seemingly endless side dishes, Sarah, Ivy, and Holly cleared the plates and returned with pies, one red velvet cake Margaret had brought, and three trays of sugar cookies, plus a huge bowl of whipped cream for the pumpkin pie.

  When they were halfway through dessert, George tapped his glass with his fork. “If I could have your attention for a minute, I have something I would like to share with you all.”

  All eyes were on him, and he stood, then cleared his throat. “I have an announcement I’d like to make. Ivy, I have asked Margaret to marry me, and though it was touch and go for a bit, I finally persuaded her to accept my proposal.”

  Everyone was silent for a split second; then they started offering congratulations all at once. When the talk died down, Ivy spoke. “Dad, this is the best news I have heard in years. Margaret, I’m thrilled for you. Truly. I think we should make a toast to the happy couple.”

  “Absolutely,” Sarah said, and raced to the kitchen for one of her special bottles of champagne, along with several crystal flutes, all of which she placed on a tray.

  “Let me,” Jay said as he took the champagne from her and expertly popped the cork.

  Sarah knew she was blushing and simply did not care. Jay filled the flutes, except one, and Sarah raced back to the kitchen for the sparkling white grape juice she had purchased for Holly.

  With champagne flutes held high, Ivy made a toast. “To my father, who never gave up on me, and to Margaret, who never gave up on my father.” She paused. “And to Holly, who knocked on my door and changed my life.”

  “Cheers!” they all said, and clinked their glasses together.

  This Thanksgiving, all those at the Anderson home had been given many blessings, and each and every one of them knew that on this day, their lives were changing, and it was all for the better.

  Chapter 39

  Though she knew it would bring back painful memories, she also knew that it was time. After the crash, at some point, Rebecca had taken down Holly’s Christmas tree and packed up all the ornaments. She also must have been responsible for removing James’s and Elizabeth’s things from their rooms, even if Ivy had no memory of doing it or arranging to have it done.

  Just as she used to do over eight years ago, Ivy called Baker’s Tree Farm and asked them to deliver the biggest Fraser fir they had, minus the lights.

  She had spent most of the morning dragging the large crates of decorations from the attic to the living room, where she planned to spend the day sorting through them. She had made a cup of coffee with her new Keurig coffeemaker and brought the drink with her to the living room.

  The last few days had been a whirlwind. Her father’s announcement and the sudden changes in her day-to-day life were still a bit of a shock, but in a good way.

  She recalled her conversation with Margaret during dinner last night.

  * * *

  “I want to move forward as much as you do, Ivy. I understand your loss. More than most,” Margaret had told her.

  Ivy had agreed that she did. “I have been so focused on my own grief, I never gave much thought to what you were going through. I am so sorry, Margaret. I . . . Well, you know what it’s like. I do not think there is anything else I can say, except welcome to the family.”

  Their words had been brief but consoling. Ivy discovered that she and Margaret had much more in common, other than their shared tragedy. Margaret adored her father, and they discussed a wedding date. Ivy found herself getting caught up in Margaret’s excitement, despite all the sorrow that had plagued them both for so long.

  Centering her attention on the large crates, she placed her cup on the coffee table. She brushed off the dust, then pulled the lid aside and placed it on the floor. One by one, she unwrapped ornament after ornament. Tears pooled, and she let them. This was not easy, but it was absolutely necessary. All the reminders of that day came rushing back with full force, but she continued to plunge through the boxes, determined to move forward.

  Two hours later, she had unpacked all of the basic decorations. She had saved the final box for last, as she knew that this box held the most treasured of her ornaments.

  She removed the delicate wrapping from the first ornament. A set of silver Christmas bells with the words OUR FIRST CHRISTMAS and the date of her and John’s wedding engraved on the back brought back so many memories of her wedding day and the day they’d bought this ornament. While sad, it was not so sad that she couldn’t smile at the memory.

  Also in the box were several collectable ornaments she had thought were simply fun and cute at the time she had purchased them. Sleighs with smiling reindeer, snowmen with colorful scarves, and a variety of bears wearing bright red hats were just a few of the ornaments she unpacked.

  Knowing she was saving her most treasured for last, she took the small box and removed its lid. The ornament inside was covered with Bubble Wrap and tissue paper. The tears that she had managed to keep at bay flowed freely as she viewed the small crystal angel etched in gold trim, which was now barely visible, with its soft, faded blue eyes, and the small chip on its left wing, a gift from her mother. She would not be hanging this on the tree this year.

  It was time to pass this angel on to another little girl who’d lost a mother she did not remember; yet Ivy knew Holly would understand the sentimental meaning behind the little angel and would no doubt treasure it as Ivy had all these years.

  A sharp knock on the door startled her. She put the delicate angel back in its box and placed it on the sofa. Hurrying to get the door, she stopped when she saw it was a young man from Baker’s with a giant Fra
ser fir. She opened the door as wide as possible to allow him entrance.

  Fresh pine filled the entrance, along with sharp, cold air. The temperatures had dropped since Thanksgiving. Forecasters were predicting a white Christmas this year.

  “Where would you like me to set this up, ma’am?” the young man asked.

  “In here,” she said, and led him to the den. This year, she was not going to place her tree in the formal living room, as she found the room lacking in warmth and a bit cold. In the den, she would view the tree daily, since she was planning to enjoy every minute of the holiday season this year, unlike Christmases past.

  The young man cut the plastic binding from the tree, sending the tightly wrapped branches springing out in every direction. “Sorry, this is one of our bigger trees this year.”

  “No apologies needed. This is just the kind of tree I asked for. You do have a stand, right?” When she had called Baker’s, she had asked for a tree stand, and as many strands of lights as possible, and had to remind them not to put them on the tree this time as they had before.

  “Yes, ma’am. And a bunch of lights, too. They’re in the truck. I’ll be right back,” he said as he made his way to the front door, which Ivy had left open when he brought the tree in.

  A few minutes later, the giant tree was in its stand, the huge branches dropping to the sides like welcoming arms. The den smelled like the tree farm, and Ivy was so excited about her plans for the evening that she did not hear when the young man addressed her.

  “Again, if there’s nothing else,” he said. “I’ll be on my way.”

  “Sorry, yes, this is perfect.” She had tucked a hundred-dollar bill in her pocket and took it out and gave it to the young man. “Merry Christmas, and thanks so much.”

  His eyes sparked with delight. “Thank you,” he said, clearly delighted at her generosity, and Ivy led him to the front door.

  “If you’re sure you do not need help stringing those lights, I’ll be on my way then.”

  “I’m sure.”

  He waved, and she stood on the front deck and watched as he drove down the long drive until she could no longer see the big truck’s taillights. Then she went back inside and made herself a fresh cup of coffee.

  For the next two hours, Ivy crawled up and down the small stepladder, winding the lights in and out, up and down the tree’s many branches. When she was finished, she placed the cord by the wall plug, but she did not want to turn the lights on until the tree was completely decorated, and that would not happen until later tonight, at which time she was planning to host her very first Christmas-tree-lighting party.

  She had invited Daniel and Holly, and, of course, her father and Margaret. Holly was bringing Kayla and Roxie along, and Ivy could not wait to meet them. She had invited Sarah and Jay, who had already gone on one date since Thanksgiving. Of course Clara Anderson was also invited, but she had told Ivy that she had best stay home, as she did not want to fall and break a hip. Ivy had understood and promised to take lots of pictures for her to look at in the comfort of her home.

  Ivy had also invited Carol Bishop, who promised to bring Maxine Hammond, who had a special guest she wanted to bring. She also included Carol’s friends, Barbara Winters and Helen Romeril. The gathering was also going to celebrate the kickoff of the annual Christmas musical, which was now only one week away.

  She had not seen too much of Daniel or Holly since Thanksgiving, as the two were spending their evenings rehearsing for the big event. She spoke to Daniel daily over the phone, had had dinner at Ollie’s the night before last, and had seen that the change in his outlook, where Holly’s future as a musician was concerned, was a complete about-face.

  Yes, she thought as she stood back to admire her beautiful Fraser fir, this was going to be a night to remember, the first of many, she hoped.

  Chapter 40

  Before going downstairs again, Ivy checked out her appearance in the full-length mirror at the back of her walk-in closet.

  She wore the black skinny jeans she had bought on Amazon three days before, with a red, green, and black cashmere sweater she had had for as long as she could remember. Someone once told her that cashmere never went out of style, and she agreed completely. Her black half-boots would do until she went to Asheville for some serious shoe shopping. She pulled her hair back into a low ponytail and wore a pair of silver hoop earrings. Long overdue for a new hairstyle, she would have to take care of that, too, but for now, this was as good as she was going to get. Adding just a touch of red lipstick to stain her lips, she headed downstairs to check with Tanya and her mother, Darlene, who had made most of the hors d’oeuvres for tonight’s gathering.

  “Wow, you look stunnin’,” Tanya said when Ivy entered the kitchen.

  Ivy smiled. “Thank you. It smells wonderful in here.”

  “Thanks,” Darlene said. “It’s the buttermilk biscuits you requested. With the ham and sliced tomatoes to be added when you’re ready to serve. We have it under control, Mrs. Fine,” Darlene said.

  “Ivy, please.”

  “Ivy it is. The sweet-potato biscuits are finished, and I have the pork and slaw ready to serve as soon as the guests arrive. I left three jars of the blackberry jam in the refrigerator, if you need them, and I made a few deviled eggs, too. They’ll go good with the ham biscuits.”

  Ivy had chosen a menu that reflected her Southern roots, but did not really require a knife and fork for the most part: Cuban sliders, along with the ham biscuits, and sweet-potato pork rounds topped with the pork and slaw. Ivy did not want to go overboard, but she wanted a variety of tastes. Sarah was making her famous mushroom puffs for those who did not want anything too heavy. Margaret, who Ivy was beginning to learn was quite the baker, was bringing a pumpkin espresso tiramisu cake, along with red velvet cupcakes.

  Ivy placed several bowls of roasted pecans, cheese straws she had purchased at The Bakery, and small bowls of olives and pickles on the island, where they had set up a makeshift buffet. She had also put together a fresh fruit salad, which was still chilling in the refrigerator.

  Plates, napkins, and any utensils one might need were placed in a basket at the beginning of her buffet line. She could have had any one of her dad’s three restaurants at The Upside step in and cater this, but she had fallen in love with the biscuits at The Blackberry Café, not to mention its owner, Darlene and her daughter, Tanya. They were a hit in Pine City, and Ivy predicted a great deal of success for the little restaurant.

  “I do not remember when it has ever smelled so good in this kitchen,” Ivy said as she removed another serving platter from the cupboard. She had made sugar cookies last night, and they’d actually turned out pretty decently. She had sprinkled them with red and green sugar, and was reminded of the few times she had gotten to bake with James and Elizabeth. The kitchen had looked as if a natural disaster had taken place, but she had had so much fun watching serious James as she had showed him how to measure the flour and sugar. Elizabeth, on the other hand, had not been able to keep her little fingers out of the sticky-sweet mess. She felt beyond sad, but she knew that she would always feel the loss of her family, no matter how much time passed. They were lodged in her heart forever. If when she remembered the short time they’d shared, tears poured, then so be it.

  The doorbell rang, and Ivy’s heart raced as she went to let her guests inside.

  “Dad, Margaret, you two look”—Ivy eyed their matching red sweaters, with a felt Christmas tree in the center—“very festive. Come in, and I’ll put these yummy-smelling desserts in the kitchen.” She took a giant plastic cake carrier from Margaret, and her father followed her to the kitchen with a matching cupcake carrier.

  “Smells delicious,” Margaret stated as she removed the top of the cake carrier container to reveal the three-layered tiramisu cake. Her father did the same with the cupcakes and placed them at the end of the buffet.

  “If you’re sure you do not want us to stick around and serve, we’d best get out of here and
let you enjoy your evening,” Darlene said as she covered a pan of biscuits with a tea towel.

  “We’re fine serving ourselves. I just wish you and Tanya would join us, there’s certainly enough food,” Ivy added.

  “I would, but we have an early morning, so you all enjoy the food, and you let me know what the folks say about the food.”

  Darlene and Tanya said their good-byes and departed.

  “This probably isn’t the time, Ivy, but I wanted to tell you before anyone else arrives. The airline is sold. One hundred percent—lock, stock, and barrel. And I know this is fast, but I’m pretty sure I have a buyer for the house,” George explained. “To tell you the truth, I am more than a bit relieved to hand off the airlines after the holidays. I did ask that any of my family and friends be allowed to fly for free, and it’s in the contract. Just in case. So what are your thoughts?”

  “It’s a good move on your part, and I’m okay with selling the house. Actually, I have been thinking about putting this place on the market, too. It’s more room than I need. Lots of good memories here, and I’ll miss them, but I need to move forward, too.”

  “I told you she was a smart woman,” Margaret said as she poured a glass of springwater for herself. “You know, I have an idea, and, George, since I am now your future wife, I think you need to listen up.”

  George laughed, then wrapped his arm around Margaret’s waist. “See? What did I tell you? She’s bossing me around already.”

  “Good for her,” Ivy said. “So what’s your idea?” She turned her attention to Margaret.

  “All that land just south of where you’re breaking ground on The Bright Side, what if you were to build a family community? One close enough to The Upside for those who have family members living there, but far enough away so we do not feel as if we are being checked up on.”