Page 56 of The Best Christmas Choir Ever

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Charlie said. “Might get swarmed by the dust bunnies.”

“They can have me,” Julian wheezed. “That’s the most labor I’ve done in a long time.”

“Should have demanded your payment up front,” Charlie teased. She nudged him out of the way so she could cover the couch with a tarp.

Julian perked up. He was probably ravenous now. “Time for sustenance.”

“Pizza from Gordo’s?” she suggested.

“Pepperoni with hot honey?”

“We’ll get half hot honey, half something else.”

Julian grinned. “Still have your aversion to spicy foods?”

“Unless you want me to have hiccups for the rest of the night.”

“It’s very cute.”

Charlie headed inside to place their order and tried not to dwell on cute. By the time the pizza arrived, they’d cleared enough boxes from the living room to utilize the sofa. Charlie hadn’t gotten around to canceling Gram’s cable yet, and Julian quickly flipped it to the local news channel.

“Look!” he said excitedly. “There we are.”

“I didn’t know this was on tonight!” she said, settling down next to him.

“Hold on,” he said, texting furiously. “I’m just letting the admin team know. Hopefully someone can go put the news on in the common room for the residents.”

He was quiet for a moment, then the corner of his mouth curled.

“All good?” she asked.

“They were already on it. Apparently Maggie saw a commercial break earlier and rallied the choir to the common room.”

“Should have known she’d be on top of it,” Charlie said, taking a sip from her beer before setting it down on the coffee table next to Julian’s. She pointed at the TV as the footage played across the screen. “Frank looks so dapper with his bow tie and suspenders.”

Watching the news bite, seeing the residents smile and laugh and clap their way through “Jingle Bells,” Charlie knew she’d made the right decision letting go of the reins. Music was something to be enjoyed, and she was glad Julian had helped her remember that.

“I see they cut out any front-facing view of Harriet’s sweater,” Julian noted.

Charlie laughed. “I told you they would. You really think this’ll improve our chances of getting into the competition?”

“I don’t see how it can hurt.”

Charlie sighed. “The choir will be so bummed if they don’t get to perform.”

Julian laid his head against the back of the couch. “I know.”

“I won’t be able to bear the looks on their faces.” An uncomfortable feeling twisted in her gut as the news bite ended. She hadn’t realized just how badly she wanted this for them.

“You okay?” Julian asked, putting down his plate.

“Just thinking,” Charlie said.

“About?”

“I don’t want Gram to be disappointed. Glendale should be a new chapter for her, and I want that to come with good memories.”

Julian glanced around the room. “There’s…a lot of pictures of Tom. More than I remember.”