by Nancy Thayer
* * *
—
After dinner, everyone except Oscar carried plates and bowls into the kitchen. To Christina’s surprise, Delia helped Janice load the dishwasher. Delia didn’t look or act like someone who ever knew where the dishwasher was.
“We need to get home to get Wink to bed,” Delia said.
“Yes, and I’ll need to help Oscar,” Janice added.
Andy looked at Christina. “Didn’t you mention something about a midnight church service?”
Christina smiled. “Yes. It’s at ten-thirty.”
“I’d like to go with you,” Andy said.
Of course you would, Christina thought, because I’ve fallen and hit my head and all of this is a dream.
“I’d love that,” she answered.
It took a while for the others to gather their various boots, coats, and gloves. Christina and Andy stood on the porch, shivering in the cold, waving goodbye to Delia, Jeff, and Wink, who sat in the backseat of the Range Rover, and to Oscar and Janice, side by side in the front. Janice was driving. Wink, Christina saw through the window, was talking.
Christina and Andy sat together on the sofa, mugs of hot coffee in their hands, looking at the Christmas tree.
“Christina,” Andy said, “I’ve decided to move here permanently. I’ve told my father.”
“Wow,” Christina said. “How did he take it?”
“He grumbled at first, but I discussed various ways I can branch off from investing into philanthropy. He’s aware he’s getting older, he’s entertained by the idea of giving back, and the novelty of having people like him. He knows he’ll stay here year-round.”
“Does Janice have anything to do with this?”
Andy grinned. “Oh, yes. As you know, she grew up here and knows everything about the place. She took the job of cook and general housekeeper three years ago, and since then, well, with her help, Oscar has mellowed.”
Christina muffled her IC who snipped, If Oscar has mellowed I’m glad I didn’t know him when he was tense!
Andy continued, “I wouldn’t be surprised if they had some kind of really leisurely romance going on. They developed a routine for their daily lives, revolving around meals, and Janice goes with him out to dinner or to movies or plays or to parties in the summer.”
Christina smiled. “Lovely.”
“Yes,” Andy said, “being part of a couple is lovely for most people.” He paused. He cleared his throat. He said, “I’d like to be part of a couple with you.”
Christina couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. She babbled on, as if what Andy had just said was something like I’d like to believe a couple is two, which didn’t make any sense, but she was kind of in a state of shock.
“What about Wink? And Delia?”
“It’s hard to believe but Delia and Jeff have reunited. Jeff flew to the island a few days ago and he and Delia spent some time together walking and talking on the beach. Jeff went back to the city, but he returned this morning. They’ve been acting like teenagers.”
“What about Wink?” Christina asked.
“Delia thinks it will be best for Wink to have the security of the school and friends she’s always had, so they haven’t sold their city apartment. They’ll return to the city after the holidays.”
“Oh.” Her heart dropped.
“Wink will spend part of the summer here, of course. And you and I could visit them when we go into the city. I’m willing to use Wink as a bargaining chip if it means you’ll marry me.”
So she wasn’t hearing incorrectly. Now her heart flew to the top of her throat. She was becoming a one-person Cirque du Soleil. “Andy, we’ve only known each other for three weeks!”
“You’ve got to admit it’s been a very special three weeks.”
“True. Still. We should take time to get to know each other, don’t you think? Remember, Andy, you were engaged to Anastasiya Belousova.”
“True too. But I didn’t love her, not like this. I was showing off. Livin’ the dream. It was all an act to impress people. There was no real emotional connection.”
Christina took a moment to reflect. She believed what Andy said. Andy had probably cared for Anastasiya once, but what she’d seen between Andy and the Russian model during the great water pipe disaster had been friendship, a neutral attachment.
“Okay,” Christina said. “I get that. Still, this is all so hurried.”
“I think it’s been instantaneous. The Big Bang.”
Christina blinked. That was what she’d always longed for. Slowly, she admitted, “My parents got married after they’d known each other a month. So I know it can happen.”
Andy said, “Christina, it’s happening for us.” He paused. “And then, of course, there’s this.”
Leaning over, he took Christina in his arms and kissed her. Lightly at first, then with more warmth, and Christina felt every cell in her body responding to him, so that she kissed him back with passion. Soon they were half-lying on the sofa, their arms around each other, kissing as if they couldn’t stop.
Breathless, Christina pulled away from him. They sat up, adjusting their clothes.
Andy grinned. “I think I can count on a definite maybe.”
Christina looked into his eyes. She was thrilled and shaking with desire, and also terrified. “Yes, that’s a definite maybe.” She stood up, needing to move away from him before she fell on him, tore open his clothes and hers, and showed him it was really a blazing YES.
“Andy, it’s almost ten-fifteen. The midnight service at St. Paul’s starts at ten-thirty.”
“Give me a minute to wash the lipstick off my face, and we’ll go,” Andy said.
* * *
—
St. Paul’s Church on Fair Street looked a bit like a castle. Made out of pink granite and brownstone in a Romanesque style, it was decorated with several brilliant Tiffany stained glass windows. Inside, dark oak pews and carved pillars gave the church an air of mystery and grandeur, but in fact, it was a small church, holding only a few hundred. Fortunately, its members were bighearted, industrious, and talented. The church was gorgeously hung with green laurel and wreaths with grand red bows, and red poinsettias were set in the nooks that held the smaller stained glass windows.
Christina and Andy were just in time, but even so they had to squeeze into a pew at the back of the packed church. The rector, verger, and choir opened the service as they walked down the central aisle, singing “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” and the congregation joined in. It was so beautiful Christina almost burst into tears. The service was mostly carols, and the choir was in splendid form, and Richard Loftin stood near the organ and embellished the music with the triumphant sounds from his trumpet.
Halfway through the service, Andy reached over and took Christina’s hand in his.
“No,” she whispered. “Not in church.”
He smiled at her. “Yes. In church.”
Afterward, Andy drove Christina home, walked her to her door, kissed her gently, and said good night.
Something about Christmas morning was magical. Christina lay in her bed for a while after she woke, not thinking, just taking in the day. The air seemed to glimmer and shine like a great light all around her.
She rose, pulled on her robe, and slid her feet into her slippers. The first thing she did when she got downstairs was to plug in the lights of the Christmas tree. She fed impatient Mittens, and made coffee.
She checked her cellphone. Several “Merry Christmas” messages from Mimi and other friends. A very loud MERRY CHRISTMAS from Wink. A quieter message from Andy, wishing her Merry Christmas and asking her to call when she was awake.
A selfie of Harriet and Jacob, both grinning joyfully. Jacob had lipstick all over his face. Harriet’s lipstick was smeared.
Christina called Mimi. �
��Did you get Harriet and Jacob’s kissy-face selfie?”
“I did.” Mimi laughed.
“So Harriet wants to be with Jacob even if he’s poor?”
“Oh, Christina, Jacob never said he was poor. He’s privately very well-off. He’s just one of those oddballs who wants to save the world. It’s true, Harriet and Jacob are different, but you know the old saying that opposites attract.” Mimi paused. “And how are you?”
“I’m happy and confused. Andy and his family surprised me last night when I got home. They’d made dinner and Christmas cookies, and we all got along famously.”
“And…?”
“And I’m going there this evening for dinner.”
“And…?”
“Oh, Mimi, Andy seems serious about me.”
“Serious?”
“Well, he kind of proposed to me.”
“Hot damn!” Mimi cried. “I’m not surprised. I could tell he was smitten the way he looked at you. What did you say?”
“I said maybe. Mimi, it’s all too fast.”
“I get that. And Christmas is so emotionally powerful, we all get caught up in the magic.”
“So you think I should say no.”
“What? NO! I mean, do not say no. I could see the way you looked at him, too. I’ve never seen you look like that at any man.”
“Oh, Mimi, what shall I do?”
“Let your heart lead you,” Mimi said.
Listen to her, her Inner Christina said. She’s right. Or you can listen to me ’cause I’ll say the same thing and I won’t politely shut up.
“You’re so bossy,” Christina told herself.
“I don’t mean to be bossy,” Mimi said. “You asked—”
“No, no, Mimi, I didn’t mean you!” Christina thought fast. “I mean that, um, Mittens is bossy. She’s always whapping her tail against my legs. She wants more food. I’d better feed her. And, Mimi, thank you for the advice.”
“You’re welcome. Merry Christmas, Christina!”
* * *
—
Some Christmas cookies had been left for her, so Christina ate a reindeer, a snowman, and a star for her breakfast. She lounged on the sofa as she talked on the phone, to Louise and to Dora, who had gotten an American Girl doll from Santa and wanted to describe every accessory. To Wink, who was bursting with the news that Santa had given her a makeup kit AND a sparkly slime-making kit. To Georgina Smithers, who had been one of Christina’s mother’s best friends.
And to Harriet and Jacob, who quite obviously had spent the night together.
“Isn’t this wonderful, Christina?” Harriet asked. She’d secluded herself in the bathroom of her apartment so she could whisper in privacy.
“It is wonderful. And totally surprising.”
“We’re taking time to get to know each other,” Harriet said. “I hope this ends up happily ever after, but right now, I’m just happy to enjoy the day.”
“That’s wise of you, Harriet,” Christina said.
“It is, isn’t it? Who would have thought!”
When her phone calls tapered off, Christina dressed quickly and hurried down to her store to choose presents for Andy, Wink, and the others. Back home, she wrapped them all and tucked them into a book bag.
Relaxing at last, Christina took a long, hot shower and washed her hair, and rubbed cream into her skin, and blew her hair dry. She slipped into her favorite robe and lay on the sofa, reading a book her parents had bought her for Christmas. Actually, she had bought it, but Mimi had suggested after her parents died that she keep their memory alive by buying herself a present she knew they would give her. She read Patti Callahan’s Becoming Mrs. Lewis, about the woman who married C. S. Lewis. Later, she put a bookmark in the book and turned on her television and searched for The Chronicles of Narnia. She loved the lion.
She wondered if Wink had seen this movie or heard of the book.
Finally it was time to go to Oscar’s house for Christmas dinner. She wore her knee-high red leather boots—which had recovered nicely from the water-pipe incident, just as Harriet promised—her red silk dress, and earrings shaped like tree lights that blinked on and off. Today was Christmas, and she felt festive. She redid her cherry red lipstick, picked up her bag of presents, and drove to Oscar’s house.
Wink threw the door open the moment Christina pulled into the driveway.
“You’re here! Finally!” Wink was so excited, she jumped up and down as she talked. “We have presents for you!”
Delia appeared behind her daughter. “Sweetie, you’re letting cold air into the house. Let Christina get inside before you start chattering at her.”
Christina stepped inside—it was wonderfully warm—and bent to kiss Wink. From the kitchen came the aroma of delicious baking.
“What’s in the bag?” Wink asked.
“Presents for everyone, of course,” Christina told her.
Andy appeared. “Let me take your coat.”
The sight of Andy and Delia together made Christina blink. “Um, you’re wearing Christmas sweaters.”
“Yes, we are.” Delia bugged out her eyes and smiled determinedly. “Wink gave us each a sweater for Christmas.”
“Grandfather helped me buy them,” Wink said. “Aren’t they cool?”
Both sweaters were gaudily embellished with Christmas themes. Delia had a smiling white-haired Mrs. Santa Claus in the kitchen with the elves stirring a steaming pot. Andy wore a reindeer with antlers and a bright red nose.
“They are extremely cool,” Christina agreed.
“Merry Christmas, Christina,” Delia’s husband said. The front of his sweater dazzled with an enormous and extremely decorated Christmas tree.
“Merry Christmas, Jeff,” Christina said. “Wow, you have a Christmas sweater, too!”
“I got Daddy one,” Wink cried, “because I didn’t want him to be left out at Christmas! And wait till you see what I got for you!” Wink took Christina’s hand and pulled her toward the living room.
Seated in the large leather chair by the crackling fire was Oscar. He also wore a Christmas sweater. His was decorated with a stag with candelabras of antlers standing proudly on a mountain. Appropriate, Christina thought, Oscar was the leader of the herd.
Her Inner Christina cheered: Mimi must have been thrilled to sell so many sweaters!
“Sit here, next to me!” Wink invited, patting a sofa cushion.
Christina sat, cradling her book bag in her lap. “I brought presents for everyone.”
“Wait!” Wink cried. “You have to open your present from me first!”
“Don’t be bossy,” Delia told her daughter. Turning to Christina, she said, “But yes, you really should open your present first.”
“I’ll get it!” Wink scrambled to the floor, took a large present from under the tree, and handed it to Christina.
It was a Christmas sweater. Penguins and polar bears wearing Santa hats danced over the crimson acrylic between snowflakes sparkling with sequins.
“Thank you, Wink!”
“Put it on, Christina!”
Christina slid the sweater over her head. It was loose, and the neckline was itchy, but she declared that she loved it and would wear it every Christmas. Wink glowed with pride.
“Hello, everyone.” Janice came into the room, carrying a tray of drinks. “Champagne for the grown-ups, pink 7Up for Miss Wink.”
Andy jumped up. “Let me help you with that.”
“I see you got your Christmas sweater,” Janice said with a grin.
“Yes,” Christina said, modeling it for her. “I see you got yours, too.”
“I wore it this morning when I had Christmas with my mother and daughters,” Janice said. “My girls made the Christmas dinner and it was like old times. Tonight I’m getting my second Ch
ristmas.”
Janice’s sweater was a stunning purple embroidered with Christmas packages, each package tied with bows of green, red, and blue. Looking at it, Christina was extremely thankful she wasn’t hungover. Janice winked at Christina and left the room.
“May I give out my presents now?” Christina asked Wink, who seemed to be the master of ceremonies this evening.
Wink was wriggling with excitement. “Sure!”
“Why don’t I hand them to you, Wink, and you can be my elf and deliver them.”
“Yay!”
Delia got an enormous jigsaw puzzle of the island. “Wink, you can help me with this!”
Oscar’s present was a game of Nantucketopoly, with a board like Monopoly, but each bit of real estate a business on Nantucket. Christina’s toy store wasn’t featured, nor were any of the sheds—they were too insignificant.
Wink received the gorgeous book about the mermaid. “Thank you, Christina!” She threw her arms around Christina and hugged her.
“Here, Wink. This is for your father.” Christina held out an extremely small present wrapped with a large bow. It was only a pack of cards backed with a map of Nantucket, but she thought Jeff would understand.
“This is great!” Jeff said when he opened his present. “Wink, I’m going to teach you how to play gin rummy.”
“And I’ll teach you how to play crazy eights!” Wink said.
“Thank you, Christina,” Jeff said.
“You’re welcome,” Christina replied. “Here, Wink. Take this last present to your uncle.”
Andy seemed puzzled when he opened it. “A bag of marbles?”
To everyone’s surprise, Oscar spoke up. “You’ve never played marbles? I’ll have to teach you.”
“And me, too, Grandfather!” Wink said.
Delia rose and came toward Christina, which was slightly unnerving.
“Andy tells me you’re a bit prickly about receiving presents, so I stuck with the tried and true. This is from all of us.”
Christina tidily undid the wrapping paper to find a bottle of Joy perfume. “Thank you, everyone.”