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Sarah fetched her candy from the breadbox; Tad grabbed his from his truck. They laid it out on the table and stood gaping at the spread, chocolates and candy canes, fancy confections in shiny wrappers. Tad picked up a giant lollipop and turned it over in his hands.
“He won’t have any teeth left once he gets through all this.”
“He won’t eat even half of it,” said Sarah. “We’ll pick off some, and he’ll give some to Beth and Ann. The rest, he’ll take to school and share with his friends.”
“You really do think of everything.” Tad held the stocking and Sarah filled it to bursting, from the chocolate orange in the toe to the line of candy canes hooked to the top. Tad reached for the card.
“Will this even fit?”
“I think so,” said Sarah. “But, hold on—let’s sign it.”
Tad dug through the torn scraps of wrapping paper and came up with a pen. “Let’s see… ‘Merry Christmas?’ Or should we try to be funny? ‘Merry Christmas from, uh, Dr. Boltzmann?’”
“Who’s that?”
“His dentist.”
“Oh, give me that.” Sarah snatched the pen and uncapped it. She thought for a moment, then scrawled a few words. Tad peeked over her shoulder and felt his heart grow two sizes.Merry Christmas,she’d written.Love, Dad and Aunt Sarah.
“It’s perfect,” he said, his voice a little hoarse.
“Then let’s get this hung.” She scooped up the stocking and nodded at the stairs. “I’m not sure, but I think our time’s about up.”
Tad cocked his head and listened. Sure enough, West was up, hushing about in his big fuzzy slippers. Any minute, any second, he’d come charging down the stairs.
“I’m kind of nervous,” said Sarah, straightening West’s stocking on its hook. “Are these enough presents? Did we get the right ones? It’s like working in a restaurant when a critic comes in.”
“Don’t worry,” said Tad. “I got everything he asked for, except—”
“Whoa… Is thisours?” West stood in the doorway, gaping at the tree. “There’s so many presents. And the wrapping’s so nice.” He reached for a big box and patted the bow. “Can I keep this after? It’s like one of those flowers, you know, with the…pouf.” He did a starburst with his hands.
“You can keep anything you want,” said Tad. “It’s all for you.”
“The stocking too?” West had spotted his stocking, and his eyes had gone round. “Wait, is that—” He ran up, grabbed it, and squeezed at the toe. “Is that a chocolate orange? Did you get it? Can I look?” He dumped out the stocking, too excited to wait, a rainbow of sweets spilling out on the rug. He found the chocolate orange and held it up like a prize. “I’m bringing this to dinner at Uncle Will’s. We can break it open—you know, for dessert? A slice for Beth, one for Ann, one for Granny Pat. One for Aunt Nancy, Uncle Al, Uncle Vern…”
“His teeth’ll be fine,” said Sarah.
“Yeah, no worries there. At this rate, he’ll hardly get a bite for himself.” Tad reached into his pocket and pulled out a long box. “I got this for you,” he said. “I saved the receipt, in case—”
Sarah smacked him. “Oh, hush.” She pushed a big, lumpy package into his lap. “I got you one too, and you’dbetternot come looking for any receipt.”
“You open yours first.”
Tad watched, scarcely breathing, as Sarah tore into her present. In the store, it’d seemed perfect, but what if he’d guessed wrong? He’d never seen her wear jewelry, not even a—
“Oh my God. It’s perfect.” Sarah held up the necklace, swinging the pendant on its chain. “A lucky horseshoe—I love it. Help me put it on.”
Tad took the necklace and fumbled with the clasp. His hands were unsteady, and he took a deep breath. “I thought, you know, because they’re all over the ranch—on the sign, on the stables, on the back of your truck…”
“It’s Carson tradition,” said Sarah, as Tad fixed the necklace in place. “To hold in our luck.” She turned around, clapped her hands. “Now, you open yours.”
Tad tore off the paper and laughed out loud. “‘Baking for Dummies’—yeah, sounds about right.” He dug through the package, pulling out a whisk and a set of measuring cups. “A big spoon, a spatula, a…okay,what’sthis?” He held up a toothed thing—a giant nail file?
“It’s a lemon zester,” said Sarah. “I thought you and West could learn to use it together.”
“Can we make cupcakes?” West pulled out a muffin tray. “The chocolate kind?”
“Only bran muffins and dry corn cakes.” Tad scooped him up and tickled him till he couldn’t hold his giggles. “Of course we’ll make cupcakes. We’ll be the kings of dessert.”
West stretched out, laughing, still clutching the tray. “I love my presents so far,” he said. “Especially the watch.” He turned his wrist to show it off. Tad ruffled his hair, frowning.
“You’re not disappointed? You know, about the bike?”
West shook his head. “Uncle Will got that for Beth and Ann. They found it in the garage. We’re all going to ride it later, in the old barn.”
Tad smiled, relieved. He could picture it already, hear the kids laughing as they raced around the barn. West had been right—he’d known the score all along.If another kid gets it, I’ll just borrow it off them. And wasn’t it more fun that way, when you thought about it? Three kids playing happily, instead of just one? A whole family, a whole town, built on share and share alike?
“I’m so glad I found this place,” he said. “I’m so glad I found you.” He pulled Sarah to him, and West as well, a tight Christmas hug, gingerbread-sweet. Brief regret seized him—that he couldn’t hang this moment on his wall above the mantel—but he had more to look forward to, a future full of riches.
