Angela went to Philippe’s an hour earlier than usual on Tuesday, so that she would be finished in time to get to the church to help Kate and the others give out the baskets.
When she arrived, Mandy raced across the room and seemed glad to see her. Philippe looked on proudly.
“She’s so smart. She remembers you from the other day.”
“How is she settling in?” Angela asked.
Philippe laughed. “Look at her. She looks like she’s lived here for ages.” Mandy was flopped at his feet, rubbing her cheek against the side of his shoe.
“She’s ridiculously cute.” Angela gave her a quick pat before plugging in her vacuum cleaner. Philippe went into his office and closed his door, and Mandy flew across the room at the sound of the vacuum and hid under the sofa. Sam always did the same thing.
When Angela finished vacuuming, Mandy eventually resurfaced and started following Angela around the house, though from a distance. It was very cute. When she was finished except for Philippe’s office, she knocked on his door and he brought his laptop out to the kitchen so she could get in to tidy up.
When she was done and went into the kitchen, where Philippe was sitting at the island, she saw that he had the weather map up on his laptop.
“What’s the latest on the storm?” she asked.
He sighed. “It’s not looking good. I think I’m going to have to insist that my parents postpone their trip a few days. We’ll just have to celebrate Christmas the following weekend. I don’t think it looks good for them making here for Christmas Eve at this point.”
“That’s too bad.” Angela knew how excited he’d been to host Christmas with them.
He closed his laptop and smiled. “It could be a lot worse. Are you ready to go hand out some Christmas baskets?”
“I’m ready.” Angela gave Mandy a final scratch behind the ears before she grabbed her cleaning supplies and stepped outside. Philippe followed her to the church and when they arrived at a quarter to four, there was already a line of clients waiting for their baskets.
“Why do they get here so early?” Angela asked Kate when she unlocked the front door to let Angela and Philippe in.
“I think it’s a habit for some of them. The first people in line on food pantry days have dibs on the best meats that have come in that week, before they run out of things.”
“Oh, that makes sense,” Angela said.
“Philippe, do you want to help Chase carry down the cases of turkeys?” Kate asked.
Philippe went off to find Chase and the turkeys. They brought several cases into the parish hall so that clients would get their bag of food, then grab a turkey on their way out the door.
For the next two hours, they handed out the remaining half of the bags of food and the turkeys. They’d given out the first half the day before. Angela helped out wherever they needed a pair of hands, bringing more bags out, adding the sticks of butter, whipped cream and cheese or helping a client choose a pie. They had stacks of freshly baked pies that had been donated and there was an assortment of flavors—pumpkin, apple, cherry and blueberry.
Lisa and her friend Sue checked everyone in, crossing their names off the list and sending them to Angela and the others to hand out the bags.
Angela’s heart went out to the families that came in. Most of them were single mothers with their children. Angela had once been there herself. Though her memories of that time were vague, there were occasional vivid images that stood out, and standing in line with her mother at a food pantry was one of them. Chrissy had always seemed taken by surprise when the holidays rolled around. She was never prepared and their refrigerator was mostly empty.
They’d received baskets like these before and Chrissy had done her best to try to cook the turkey and peel a few potatoes. She didn’t always remember to turn on the oven, though, so there was one year where the turkey never happened and while Chrissy was passed out on the sofa, Angela had feasted on an apple pie and nothing else. She hadn’t cared, though, at the time, because she didn’t really know any different.
“We’re going out for our traditional after-turkey-basket drinks,” Kate said. “You have to come with us.”
Angela laughed. “Okay, if I have to. Lead the way.”
They went down the street to Kitty Murtagh’s, an Irish Pub that was open year round. There was room at the bar for their small group and Kate opened a tab and took everyone’s drink order, and a hot tea for herself. Once everyone had a drink in front of them, Philippe lifted his glass for a toast. “To another successful Christmas basket giveaway. And thanks to Kate for organizing.”
They all tapped glasses and agreed that Kate had done a great job coordinating everything.
“How’s Jessica?” Kate asked. “I thought you mentioned you were going to see if she wanted to join us?”
“I did mention it to her and she seemed all enthusiastic, but when it was time to actually help, she was suddenly busy with her friends. They had to go off-island to do some final Christmas shopping.”
“Did your parents postpone their trip?” Kristen asked.
“The forecast is pretty grim. I don’t think they should risk it at this point. I told them to shoot for this weekend.”
“Well, that’s too bad,” Lisa said. She and Sue were sitting at the bar, sipping cabernet. “Please join us Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, too. We’d love to have you and if you’re going to be here, I think I have to insist. Angela is joining us, too. It’s going to be fun.”
Philippe smiled. “Thank you. I’ll gladly accept that invite. I really do appreciate it.”
He was standing next to Angela and spoke softly so that only she could hear. “It’s not a day to spend alone. I’m glad you’ll be there, too.”
Angela’s first instinct was to explain that she was used to spending that day alone, but thought better of it and just nodded instead. “I’m grateful for the invite, too. It should be a fun day.”
“And a little bird told me that it’s someone’s birthday, too,” Lisa said with a gleam in her eye as she looked Angela’s way.
“Oh, right, Christmas is your birthday,” Philippe said.
“It’s nothing. I never make a fuss of it.”
“I didn’t realize it was your birthday,” Kate said. “How fun!”
If she only knew how not fun a birthday it could be. But Angela just smiled and sipped her wine.
“It really will be a good time,” Kristen said softly. Angela sensed that she had picked up on her apprehension.
“And the food will be amazing,” Kate added.
“So much food,” Kristen chimed in. “Though now that Philippe is coming, maybe we should double it,” she teased.
“I’m glad we decided to close the Inn for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day,” Lisa said.
“Odds are, you would have had cancellations anyway,” Kate added.
Angela was glad the Inn was closed, too. The less she had to drive in snow, the better.
“Your car probably isn’t all that good in the snow,” Philippe said, almost as if he’d read her mind. “Why don’t I pick you up on my way over to the Hodges? My Jeep has four-wheel drive and goes through anything.”
“Thanks. I was just thinking that I wasn’t looking forward to that drive, even though it’s not far.”
“We’ll have all those rooms free upstairs, too, so if the weather is really bad and it’s not safe to drive home, there’s plenty of room for everyone to stay over,” Lisa added.
“I’m still hoping we’ll get lucky, and the storm will go out to sea,” Kristen said.
Angela was sort of hoping the same, yet part of her was curious about what a true Nor’easter would be like. As long as she was with other people and not by herself or driving, it might be fun to experience.
“What can I bring for dinner?” she asked Lisa.
“Just bring yourself. And no gifts,” she insisted. “None of us need a thing.”
But there was no way Angela was going t
o show up empty-handed. “I’d really like to bring something. How about wine or a dessert?”
Lisa thought for a moment. “We’re really all set for dessert, I think. But, I suppose if you want to bring some wine, it won’t go to waste.”
“Perfect. I’ll do that, then.”
They didn’t stay long at the pub as the next day was Christmas Eve and with the storm coming, everyone had last-minute shopping to do.
As they walked out to their cars, Philippe told her he’d be by to pick her up around six. As Angela drove home, she made a mental list of what she needed to do the next day. She wasn’t used to doing much of anything for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day and for the first time, she was surprised to find that she was actually looking forward to it.
13
Angela woke early the next day and over a cup of rich, dark coffee, she made a list of what she needed to get at the store. She also put the weather channel on to get the latest updates on the coming storm. They were still forecasting that it would hit sometime that night and continue all through Christmas Day.
She called Jane to check in and wish her a Merry Christmas and two minutes after she got on the phone, Sam came flying into her lap, wanting her attention. He’d been sleeping in the other room, but as soon as he heard Angela talking to someone other than him, he came running. It always cracked Angela up as it was almost like he was jealous of her giving someone else attention, even if it was just talking on the phone.
“I saw on the news that the East Coast is going to be slammed with a huge storm. Hundreds of flights have already been canceled,” Jane said.
“It’s true.” She told her about how Philippe’s parents rescheduled their trip because it might be too difficult to get to Nantucket.
“The boats stop running, too? That must be so strange. I can’t imagine.”
“I know. And I drove in snow for the first time. I didn’t like it much. The driving part that is. The snow itself is kind of fun.”
“Nothing about snow sounds fun to me. Have I mentioned that it’s seventy degrees here today? It’s gorgeous out.”
Angela laughed. “San Francisco really does have great weather. But I have to admit, I’m secretly looking forward to my first big storm.”
“Well, don’t drive in it!”
“I don’t intend do. Philippe is giving me a ride to the Hodges house.”
“Remind me who Philippe is? Is he more than a friend?”
“No. Just a friend. He’s the one I clean for and he’s good friends with Kate Hodges. I’ve actually become friends with all of Lisa’s daughters. And her son, Chase, is doing the repairs on my house.”
“How is that going?”
“He’s done with the roof and trim replacement. Only thing left is to refinish the floors, but that won’t happen now until after New Year’s. Pretty much everyone here takes the week between Christmas and New Year’s off.”
“Could you ever see yourself living there?”
The question took Angela by surprise. “You mean permanently? Or for a vacation?”
“Permanently. You sound like you’re settling in.”
Angela laughed at the idea of it. “Of course not. It’s lovely here and I’d love to come back for a vacation, but San Francisco is home.”
“Good. Because I miss you! I am glad that you are excited to go somewhere for Christmas. That’s a big step for you.”
“I know. It’s strange, but I really am looking forward to it. Lisa and her family have been so welcoming.”
“Well, I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a happy birthday. I’ll call you after to hear all about it. And be careful in the snow.”
Angela smiled. “I will. You have a Merry Christmas, too.”
Sam walked around the living room, flicking his tail back and forth and occasionally pouncing on the curling ribbon as Angela tied it onto the small, clear bags. She’d cut the homemade soap into bars, put one in each bag and tied a red ribbon at the top. The bars needed to cure still but she could just tell everyone to not use them right away. She wanted to do something for the family that had been so welcoming to her. And even though Lisa said no gifts, a bar of soap was just a small thing and it made her feel happy to do it.
She gathered all the wrapped soaps in a tote bag, along with the two bottles of Josh cabernet, the one that she’d noticed Lisa had ordered at the pub. She wasn’t sure how everyone would be dressing, but given the weather, she decided against a dress and went with her black pants, a white turtleneck and a soft red sweater that had a white pattern across the top. She’d bought both the turtleneck and sweater at one of the shops downtown a week or so ago when they were both on sale.
It wasn’t snowing yet, but when Angela went outside to get the mail, the air had a cold, damp stillness that went right through her. She shivered and hurried back inside. The sky was dark and gray, and she wondered if this was what people meant when they said that it felt like it was going to snow.
She was ready when Philippe arrived a little before six and climbed into his Jeep.
“When are your parents going to come?” she asked as he drove the short distance to the Inn.
“They’ve re-booked their flights for this Saturday. The forecast looks clear for the rest of the week.”
When they reached the Inn, there were already a line of cars parked out front. Philippe parked and grabbed a box from the back of the Jeep.
“What did you bring?” Angela asked as they walked to the front door.
“Lisa said they usually have something bubbly on Christmas Eve, either Prosecco or Champagne, so I brought of few bottles of one of my favorites and Gehricke, a new pinot noir I recently discovered, for tomorrow.”
Lisa opened the front door as they reached it and welcomed them in. The rest of the family was already there—Kate and her boyfriend, Jack, Abby and her husband, Jeff, and their baby, Chase and his girlfriend, Beth, Kristen, and Rhett.
“Rhett’s daughter was planning to join us, but she postponed her trip to the weekend, too,” Lisa said as she took their coats. She thanked them both for bringing wine and had them bring it into the kitchen.
Angela looked around the room and was amazed at how much food there was everywhere. The kitchen island had an array of appetizers—stuffed mushrooms, scallops wrapped in crispy bacon, huge cocktail shrimp, dips and chips and fresh veggies as well as shucked oysters and littlenecks.
“The theme for the night is seafood. We’ll have chowder and lobster casserole for dinner and also a tenderloin for those that want some meat as well. Help yourself to everything. What would you like to drink?”
“You said you like to have bubbly on Christmas Eve, so I brought some champagne. We could open a bottle,” Philippe suggested.
“That’s an excellent idea. Would you like to do the honors?”
Philippe reached into his box and pulled out a bottle of champagne. Lisa’s eyes lit up when she saw the label.
“Veuve Cliquot, very nice!”
Lisa got some glasses out and Philippe poured for everyone. They spent the next few hours eating, drinking and laughing. All the food was wonderful, but Angela was especially impressed with the lobster casserole which was full of chunks of fresh, sweet lobster.
“It’s the easiest thing in the world to make,” Lisa said when Angela asked what was in it. “You just crush up some Ritz crackers, add a lot of butter and a drizzle of sherry. Heat until warmed up and eat!”
“I look forward to this every year,” Abby said as she heaped a second helping of the lobster casserole on her plate. “I always go back for seconds but I feel less guilty about it this year.”
Her husband Jeff grinned. “She misses ‘eating for two’.”
Abby laughed. “I really do!”
“The shrimp are really good too,” Angela said as she reached for a shrimp and dunked it in the spicy tomato cocktail sauce.
“Those are from Jack’s place. The lobster was too, actually,” Kate said. Angela knew that Kat
e’s boyfriend, Jack, ran Trattel’s Seafood, a family business.
“We set a new record today. I think everyone on the island must be having shrimp and lobster for the holidays. The line was out the door this morning and we didn’t stop until just before closing time, around three.”
Angela looked around the room. The kitchen opened into the living area and there was a huge and beautifully decorated Christmas tree by a fireplace that had a fire burning brightly. The mantle was decorated with tiny white lights and boughs of holly. And under the tree, like a beautiful gift, baby Natalie was sound asleep on a snowy white blanket, looking peaceful and adorable in her tiny red velvet dress.
Angela sipped her champagne and felt warm and fuzzy inside as she looked around at all these people who had become friends. She realized that for the first time ever, she was enjoying the holiday. It was a nice change.
“You look deep in thought.” Philippe smiled down at her. Everyone else was off in the kitchen, gathered around the island, talking and laughing. A clock above the fireplace showed that it was almost eight thirty, which is when Lisa said they’d be leaving to go to the nine o’clock Christmas Eve service.
“Just thinking that so far this is the nicest Christmas Eve I’ve ever had,” she admitted.
“The first of many, hopefully,” he said. “Oh, look up.”
Angela glanced up to where Philippe was looking and felt herself blush. They were standing directly under a sprig of mistletoe.
“I don’t think we have a choice. It’s Christmas law, after all.” Philippe grinned as he leaned over and very lightly touched his lips to hers.
“Merry Christmas, Angela.”
“Merry Christmas,” she said softly. Although it had only lasted a second or two, she’d liked the feel of Philippe’s lips on hers. It was unexpected and a bit disconcerting. But it was just a kiss, a mistletoe kiss, so meaningless in the bigger scheme of things.
“Okay, everyone, it’s time to head out if we want to get good seats,” Lisa called out.
Nantucket White Christmas: A feel-good, small town, Christmas story Page 8