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I wander into the kitchen, leaning against the doorframe. “We are.”
“Your first Christmas together. That’s exciting.”
“We’ll see.” I chuckle. “Henry doesn’t know what he’s signed up for when it comes to Christmas with my family.”
Violet’s eyes light up. “What do you mean? Like what?”
I steal a peek around the wall. Gayle is holding out a tin of cookies for Henry as he strategically tucks gifts around the tree. We might have gone overboard. “It starts with Christmas caroling around Greenbank tonight at eight,” I whisper.
Violet slaps a hand over her mouth.
“Him? Singing Christmas carols?” Howard’s bushy eyebrows furrow with doubt.
“Oh, believe me,Iknow.” I giggle. “And then we go to a midnight service at the Finlays.” Another upstanding family in our congregation. This part I’m most worried about given how Henry feels about the church. “They have this huge barn that they fill with bleachers and hay bales for people to sit, and on one side are the farm animals. They have an especially loud donkey named Boris who heehaws the entire time.”
Violet hoots with laughter.
“And on Christmas Day, there are sweaters.”
“Christmassweaters?”
“MatchingChristmas sweaters, with Bible verses.” Mama asked for Henry’s measurements.
“And he hasnoidea?” Howard asks.
“Who has no idea about what?” Henry suddenly looms around the corner, making me jump.
“Nothing.” I smooth my palm over his chest in an affectionate gesture.
His eyes narrow on me and Violet, then move to Howard, who clears his throat and keeps his focus on the teapot. “I don’t like surprises, Abbi,” he says evenly.
“Really? And I was so sure you did. You know, remember Halloween?”
He opens his mouth, but stalls.
“I thought so.”
A slow, vicious smile unfolds on his lips. “Youreallywant to play this game with me?”
My stomach flips. Somehow, I’m going to pay for this. I’ll likely enjoy it immensely, but I’ll still lose.
“My money’s on Abbi,” Violet says through a mouthful of cookie.
“Traitor.” Henry glares at her. “What are they planning, Howard?”
The old man holds up the tray. “Tea, anyone?”
* * *
My phone chirpswith another text from Mama, asking where we are and how long before we get to Greenbank.
“We should get going soon.” Henry peers out the front window. “The snow is picking up and we have a few hours to go still.”
Disappointment skitters across Violet’s face. “But you haven’t opened your gifts yet!” She dives under the tree, rifling through Henry’s deliberately set piles, picking one up to shake it—while flashing a toothy grin over her shoulder at him—before pulling out two wrapped boxes. She drops one in each of our laps.
Henry eyes it. “You didn’t need to get me anything.”
She shrugs. “It’s nothing big. ’Cause, you know, you haveeverythingalready. But you might as well open them together.”
