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“Okay, here’s the next one,” Ivy said when the laughter died down. “‘Dear Santa, I would like a new coat and a new pair of boots. Red please. If there’s any extra room in your bag, I’d also like a dress. A real fancy one. P.S. My baby sister’s too tiny to write for her but I think Charlie would want one of those bouncy chairs that plays music.’”

“Gotta be Mads,” Rhett said. “Fancy boots and a red dress.”

“Yes, that’s mine,” Madeleine said, burying her face in her hands. “So embarrassing.”

“I think it’s sweet,” Ivy said. “Especially the part about your sister.”

“Do the next one. This is fun,” Holly said.

Ivy chose another. “‘Dear Santa, Most of all, I would like a guitar. A pink one. I would also like to do better at school so no one calls me slow ever again. I have been pretty good except for daydreaming at church and thinking bad things about the mean girls at school. Thank you for coming all the way to Juniper Creek, Tennessee. P.S. Don’t forget Mama. She works awful hard to take care of us. I don’t have any money or I would buy her a new dress.’” By the time she’d finished, Ivy’s voice wobbled, and it was obvious she was trying not to cry.

“Wasn’t she the sweetest thing?” June asked.

“That’s my baby girl,” Gus said, wiping his eyes.

“I’d like to murder any of the kids who were mean to you,” Madeleine said. “A slow and painful death.”

“I’ll help,” Knox said.

Jack, who had been quiet, wiped under his eyes with the back of his hand. “Baby, that’s a sad letter.”

“Not really,” Ivy said. “Because I’m obviously very loved. And I got that guitar.”

“It wasn’t pink,” Gus said. “We couldn’t find one.”

“All right, here’s the next one,” Ivy said, brushing the attention aside. “Imagine this one with some misspellings. ‘Dear Santa, Chrismas is taking forver to come. I would like a sience kit and a sientific jernal to keep my notes in, please. I would also like to go to sumer school so I can get smarter than evryone else. P.S. Even tho it won’t improov my brane, I would also like the dollhouse at Murphys.’”

I looked over at Luci, sure it was hers. Who else asks for a science kit at six years old? She smiled at me, nodding her head just slightly.

“That’s clearly me,” Luci said. “I remember that dollhouse. We used to stop and look in the window of the toy shop where they had it on display.”

“Did you get it?” Knox asked.

Luci sent a guilty glance toward her mother, who was dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. “No, but it wasn’t a big deal. Mom, please don’t cry.”

Carol just waved her hand, which was Ivy’s clue to get to the next one.

“‘Dear Santa, Carol is making us write this even though I know there’s no Santa. If you were real, I’d ask for all four of the Harry Potter books. I borrowed the first one from the library but my dad spilled whiskey on it and now I can no longer use the library.’”

“I remember that,” Holly said softly. “Even my mother couldn’t get your library card reinstated.”

“She tried?” Rhett asked, voice rough.

“You know how she is—she takes her role as pillar of the community very seriously,” Holly said. “And she was always fond of you. She used to say, ‘That Rhett Lawson’s going places. You just watch.’”

“I didn’t know that,” Rhett said.

“It’s true. She’s always asking about you,” Holly said. “Thrilled about all your success. For all three of you.” She gestured toward Luci. “She’ll say, ‘And our little Luci, a doctor. I knew it.’”

“Holly’s parents lived in the good part of town,” Rhett said to the rest of us. “Jack, Luci, and I lived in the trailer park. Where Santa didn’t seem to visit very often.” He gave us a wry smile. “In fact, when I was about six or so, my dad told me Santa had died.”

“No, really?” Luci asked. “I didn’t know that.”

“It’s not the kind of thing you tell other kids,” Rhett said. “Just in case it wasn’t true. Anyway, go on to the next one.”

Ivy unfolded another one. “Dear Santa, I would like to stay home this Christmas instead of going on a boat with my dad and his new wife. But I know that’s impossible, so I would like a camera instead.”

Blake groaned. “Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. I didn’t know you were reading mine too.”