by Susan Shay
On Monday I went to our storage locker and pulled out our artificial Christmas tree along with our decorations. When I got the tree set up and glowing, I yelled at Bella to come help me.
She came into the room as if her feet were made of lead. “I’m not really up for this.”
“If we don’t get up for it, Christmas will be over and the tree won’t be put up at all.” I held out her favorite ornament—an antique bulb in shades of green and gold that said, Happy Holidays. “I knew you’d at least want to put this one on.”
Giving me a tired smile, she took the ornament and wandered to the tree.
While she did her normal “where’s the absolute best possible place for this ornament” I heard my cell phone playing, Santa Baby.
I picked it up and glanced at the screen. Doc.
My heart danced as I flipped it open. “Hello.”
“Hi.” His voice warmed me all over. “Where’ve you been lately? I haven’t heard a word from you.”
“I know. I had to run out to the family farm to take care of some business.” I remembered the journals for the first time since my worry about Bella had taken over my thought processes. “How are the babies?”
“The runt is doing well. I don’t know what you did, but she started eating after your visit.”
“I just told her the facts of life. ‘You want to live, you gotta eat.’”
He chuckled low in the phone. “Well, I’m glad you spoke her language. She probably gained several ounces over the weekend.”
I glanced at Bella, who finally put the ball on the tree, and wondered if she’d gained that weekend, too. The best way to gain weight was to eat a lot and get no exercise. Sleeping was the best way to get no exercise I could think of.
****
Bella curled up on the couch and stared at the Christmas tree. Why Jazzy was bothering to put it up this close to Christmas, she didn’t know. She’d just have to take it down again in a week or two anyway.
Laying her head on the arm of the couch, her thoughts drifted to Spencer, which they did more and more these days. He’d told her the night they’d been together that he had to be out of town for a few days, running records at the bottom of Texas and points south. Whatever that meant.
Of course when he’d told her, he asked her if she’d like to go along.
She should have gone. At least she’d have done something besides sleep.
Like mind blowing sex. All things considered, not a bad pastime.
Heat swirling through her, she forced her attention back to the nearly nude tree in their living room. She really ought to put on a few more ornaments, just to let Jazzy know she wasn’t a Scrooge this year. Or would that be Scroogetta?
As she started to get up, she realized she had to go to the bathroom. Again.
It seemed the thing she did most that weekend, after sleeping and eating, was visit the powder room.
But there was no helping it. When you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go.
When she came out, Jazzy was off the phone and back to decorating.
Bella refused to ask about Chase’s brother. After all, he hadn’t called even once, and she’d have sworn his mind had been blown the other night as surely as hers. “What did Chase have to say?”
Jazzy tossed her a glance and a secret smile. “He wants me to come back out and see the litter y’all are hand raising. I fed the runt the other night, and since then, she’s really started eating well.”
Bella nodded absently as she bit the inside of her lip, trying to think of another question to ask that didn’t include Spencer. “You should come out tomorrow if you don’t have appointments scheduled.”
“This close to Christmas, I don’t usually have many. But right after, look out!”
Spencer! Tell me what he said about Spencer. She forced herself to remain quiet while she picked up another bulb. Strolling slowly, she circled the tree, looking for its proper place.
Jazzy stepped to the far side of the tree, giving her voice a muffled sound. “He said he’d take me out there tonight, but he had to do something for Spencer.”
“What?” Bella demanded almost before Jazzy stopped speaking.
“What?” Jazzy stuck her head around where she could see Bella.
“I said what did he have to do for Spencer?”
Jazzy shrugged. “I don’t know. Water his plants, feed his tarantula. Something.”
Bella swallowed hard. “He has a pet tarantula?”
“Just kidding. I don’t remember what he said he had to do, but Spence had to go to southern Texas and Doc promised to take care of something for him.” Jazzy smiled. “I think Spence told him to say hi to you.”
A small shock jolted Bella’s stomach then she warmed at Jazzy’s words.
Idiot. You aren’t in middle school anymore. Why are you acting like this? But no matter how much she chided herself, Bella couldn’t help thinking about him. DGL—darn good looking—and manners, too. Who would have ever put the two together?
Suddenly, Bella was filled with energy. “Let’s get finished decorating this tree.”
When Jazzy looked at her as if she’d lost her mind, she gave her a huge smile. “Come on, Jazzy. I’m starving!”
When they finished the tree, she talked Jazzy into going with her to the nearest drive-in for a burger.
As they pulled in to the old-fashioned hamburger place, Bella pushed the button to order.
“Just a Coke for me,” Jazzy murmured.
“Aren’t you hungry?” Bella looked over the menu as she waited for the people inside the restaurant to answer.
Jazzy shook her head. “We just ate a little over an hour ago.”
Finding the double cheeseburger she craved on the menu, Bella shrugged. “But that was over an hour ago.”
Jazzy shook her head, but thankfully was silent while Bella gave the girl on the intercom their order. Double cheeseburger, onion rings and two Cokes.
“Think that’ll get you through the night?” Jazzy teased.
Bella gave her a sharp glance. “If you’re lucky, it should.”
“Maybe we should get something to keep in the fridge tonight. Then if you get attacked by the hunger monster again, you can zap it.”
“Not a bad idea.”
The drive-in’s speaker system played Christmas music, as was every other retail establishment in Texas that time of year. And Christmas music made her think of Christmases past and the great food they always had on Christmas Eve at their parent’s house.
And she got hungrier, something she often did in winter, but rarely to this degree. She could only hope what she ordered would be enough to tide her over until morning.
Finally, a girl wearing inline skates and carrying a tray with a bag of food and two drinks came out of the building, rolling to a stop at Bella’s window. The girl handed Bella the food and drinks, then gave them a plastic smile. “That’ll be nine fifty three.”
As soon as the burger was inside the car, Bella tore it open and took a bite. Oh, that was good. As she chewed, she found her purse and shoved it into Jazzy’s lap.
Rolling her eyes, Jazzy shook her head then dug for Bella’s wallet. She pulled out a twenty and handed it to Bella.
Bella took the bill and shoved it into the girl’s hands. “Keep the change,” she mumbled around a mouthful of onion ring.
The girl grabbed the bill and skated away before Bella could reconsider.
“That was a twenty, Bella.” Jazzy’s eyes practically bulged.
Grabbing her Coke, Bella took a long drink. “I know.”
“You just gave that girl a ten dollar tip.”
Bella nodded.
“That’s way too much.”
Bella shrugged. “So the kid got a break tonight. And I got my food, which is delicious. Want a bite?”
“No.”
“Good.” Bella ate for a while before she realized Jazzy watched her intently. “What? Do you want an onion ring?”
“No.”
Jazzy shook her head then put her hand on Bella’s shoulder. “Bella, I think you need to see a doctor.”
Bella looked around the car. A double cheeseburger and a large order of onion rings as well as a large Coke. That was more than she was used to eating in an entire week, and she’d scarfed down it after having dinner.
Something was definitely wrong.
Chapter Twelve
Christmas Day grew near with Bella in the strangest mood I’d ever seen. I started wondering if manic depression could suddenly happen to a person, until I remembered she’d started acting this way just after she’d gone out with Spencer.
And as far as I knew, she hadn’t heard from him since. There was no manic to it. It looked to me as if my sister was just depressed.
We finally got our tree decorated and our shopping finished so I was free most of the time. I’d started reading Grandma Maleva’s journals from the beginning when we got a call from Mom.
“Hi, Jazzy.” She always sounded so happy at Christmas; you’d think she believed in Santa. “How are my girls?”
Should I tell her about Bella? I wondered. About the mood swings and food orgies my twin has gone through in the last several days? I don’t think so.
“We’re great, and almost ready for Christmas. How about you and Dad?”
“Oh, you know your dad. As long as I do all the preparation, he loves holidays.” She chuckled, warming me all over. I doubted I’d ever get too old to enjoy my mother’s laughter.
“What do you want us to bring for Christmas Eve?” How about a couple of guys we’ve been seeing? But I knew better than to ask. Unless we were married to them, making them officially part of the family, no one would be invited to our special Christmas Eve celebration.
“Nothing but yourselves.” And, of course, gifts. She’d have a breakdown if she didn’t get Christmas gifts. “Has your father made his last minute call to you for what to buy me for Christmas yet?”
“No, Mom. I haven’t heard from him.”
“Well, when he does, tell him I’d really like a Timarrah bag…” She went on to describe the most expensive bag in an ultra expensive line of purses, and to go with it, she wanted the matching wallet and sunglasses case. And if Bella and I hadn’t found her gift yet, she’d like to have some of the company’s jewelry—an overpriced gold ring with the company insignia on it—and their perfume, which to me smelled like a cat had urinated in a bottle.
“In other words, you want to be a walking billboard for them.”
“No.” She cut the word so short, it almost didn’t get out of her mouth. “I knew I should have spoken to Bella.”
I laughed softly. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll tell him.”
“Without your billboard comment?”
“Yes. Without it.”
“Good. We’ll pick you up Christmas Eve at three.” She sounded as if she were about to hang up.
“Wait, Mom!” I spoke quickly so I wouldn’t have to call her back. “Pick us up?”
“I told you we were going to the farm to celebrate this year, didn’t I?”
I cleared my throat to keep from barking at her. When my mother focuses on something she wants, she can be very absent minded. “No. You didn’t mention that, Mom.”
“Oh. I thought I did.” Her voice was almost musical. “I called the Newkirks and told them we’d be out to spend a night or two. They’ll have everything ready for us.”
“Mom, aren’t the Newkirks are getting a little old to have to get everything ready?” I had to be careful how I worded my questions if I didn’t want to start a war that would last through the holiday.
“It’s not like I expect them to chop down our tree and drag it to the house for us.” She laughed softly into the phone. “We’ll do that ourselves. All I asked them to do was the grocery shopping. Oh, and to make sure the sheets were fresh on the beds.”
I closed my eyes and thought about the old couple trudging up and down that staircase, and had to stifle the sigh that built inside me. “We could have done that.”
“Why do you think they’re there, dear? It’s not a retirement home.”
Maybe it should be. Happily, I was able to withhold my opinion. A war, especially at that time of year, wouldn’t be pretty. “All right, Mom. We’ll be ready at three.”
“Maybe we’d better make it noon,” she answered almost before the words were out of my mouth. “With the drive down, and we’ll have to cut the tree then decorate it. No, let’s make it ten o’clock.”
If I didn’t get off the phone fast, we’d have to get up at daybreak to leave. “Okay, Mom. Bella and I’ll be ready.” If I can get Bella to wake up long enough to come. I disconnected the call before I could break down and tell Mom about my worries.
It wouldn’t do any good to tell her. She’d just go crazy and want to take her to Johns Hopkins or some other high dollar medical place.
I thought about calling Doc and confiding in him, but how could I tell him that his brother had broken my sister’s heart? I couldn’t.
I looked for Bella, but she wasn’t in the room with me, so I looked around the apartment, where I found her asleep in front of the TV. “Ready to go shopping?” I asked, sitting down next to her.
She blinked awake, then yawned. “Now? Do we have to?”
“Only if we’re going to get Mom what she’s requesting for Christmas.” I stood up, knowing Bella would follow me just to find out what Mom wanted.
“What is it this year?” She got off the couch, following me to the door. “A trip to Paris?”
“No.” I laughed then shook my head. “You know Mom. Just think of the most expensive, hottest item out there.”
“Not a Timarrah bag?” Bella looked horrified at the thought.
“No. Not just the bag. She wants everything they make.”
Bella groaned, but having lived with our mother our entire lives, she knew it was no good arguing. If Mom wanted the entire line, she’d get it. Or we’d hear about it until the end of time. “What about the Alaska cruise tickets we bought?”
I shrugged. “I guess we’ll give them to Dad.”
Although several of the shops in the shopping mall where my office is carried Timarrah bags, we decided to go to the Timarrah store itself. They’d surely have whatever was the latest.
When we got there, we looked around for a few minutes before a woman on the sales staff approached us. “May I help you?”
“Yes.” I told the woman which bag we were looking for, and she led us to the display with three different sizes. Although Mom had been very specific about the bag she wanted, she hadn’t told me which size. I decided it was time to call Dad.
While I was on the phone with him, Bella wandered away, looking at the jewelry, t-shirts and other items made by the company. It wasn’t long before she came back and dropped into the chair beside me.
“Dad said to go ahead and get everything Mom asked for. Even though he’s already bought her the necklace and earrings she wanted, he’ll pay for most of this, too.”
“Fine.” Bella’s voice was so thin, I turned to see what was wrong. The girl was so pale, the veins showed blue through her skin. In the back of my mind, I wondered how she could remain upright.
I dropped to my knees beside her. “Bella? What’s wrong?”
The saleswoman sounded concerned. “Would you like something to drink? Or a plate of fruit?”
“Yes.” I’d have said yes to anything just to get her to leave us alone for a few minutes.
I squeezed Bella’s cold hand tighter. “What is it, Bella? Are you sick?”
“I think I’m going to be.”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“Spencer just walked into the shop.” She took a shaky breath and blew it out before she continued. “And he’s with someone.”
The woman came back with a plate of melon balls and thin slices of ham and a small cup of cola. I took them from her and pressed the cup into Bella’s hands. Then I turned back to the woman.
“We’ll take it.”
“Which?” she asked.
I pointed out the middle sized bag, the matching wallet, sunglasses case, makeup case and belt. Then I instructed her to get the ring that matched Dad’s gift. No way was I buying the cat pee fragrance. She’d most likely buy it for herself the week after Christmas, but at least I wouldn’t have to smell it throughout our time at the farm together.
When the saleswoman left with a wide grin on her face, no doubt thinking of her commission, Bella peeked around me to see where Spencer had gone. “I’ll be in the car.” Turning up her coat collar, she strode swiftly for the exit.
The clerk came back with our total, which rivaled the national debt, and I abandoned the fruit plate on a nearby shelf and fished through my wallet for a credit card. As I dug, I caught a glimpse of Spencer, leaving through the door Bella had taken.
Alarm rushing my actions, I grabbed the first card I came to and shoved it into the woman’s hands. “I’ll be right back.”
The woman caught my wrist. “Before you leave, I need to see some identification.”
Frantic to get away from her, I dug for my license. When I finally found it, I slapped it into her hand. “And I’d like everything wrapped separately.”
I could tell by her near scowl that wasn’t what she’d hoped to hear, but she nodded and walked away.
By the time I got to the door, Spencer walked back inside. His mouth dropped open then he focused on me with a singular intent. “I thought I saw your sister go out that door a minute ago.”
“You did.” Anger roiled in my stomach. I didn’t bother to try to act like I was glad to see him. Why should I? This jerk had put my sister in the mood from hell for the last few weeks and made my life a misery.
“Where’d she go? I wanted to say hi.”
I glanced through the plate glass at my Z, but the car was empty. She must have ducked into a nearby doorway when she saw him coming. I shrugged. “I don’t know where she went.”
“O-kay. Well, tell her I said—” His brows rose, puckering his forehead. “Merry Christmas. I’ll call her—”
“We’re going out of town.” Where she can’t be reached.
“Oh.” His shoulders sagged as if he were really disappointed. As if she meant something to him. As if he cared.