Christmas Snow Page 4

  “You too,” he said. “If you hear anything rumbling it’s just my stomach. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a home cooked meal like what I’m smelling.”

  “Don’t tell me you live on microwaved macaroni and cheese,” she replied.

  He shrugged. “I do. But it’s not so bad when you get used to it.”

  She didn’t believe him for a minute but didn’t say so. He was dressed far too well to live on microwaved foods. Occasionally, maybe but not as often he was hinting. Admittedly, she did the same when she was rushed for time.

  “Really, I do,” he insisted. “I kind of like it. Just add a can of cold beans on the side and you’re good to go.”

  She laughed at that and shook her head. “Come on both of you, dinner is waiting.”

  Ron led the way, looking back over his shoulder. “Here, I’ll grab a can of beans off the shelf for you. No point in disturbing your usual diet.”

  “Hey, uh, no thanks,” Brett put the can back on the shelf. “I’m going to live it up and enjoy this feast and later I’ll savor the memories to make it last.”

  This was a mild taste of their old humor which she’d been subjected to during their high school years. She had always believed that Brett was the instigator while her brother was just a co-conspirator, not that she absolved him of all guilt. For the most part, it had all been high jinx and simple fun, except for the pranks he had pulled on unsuspecting targets. Surprisingly, he’d gotten away with all of it due to his ability to charm his way out of pretty much anything.

  In the dining room, the extended table was completely set by the time the three of them stood with the others. Bowls of steaming mashed potatoes, gravy, three kinds of vegetables, two casseroles, homemade noodles, salad, veggie tray, and a honey baked spiral ham were spread from one end to the other. Nora indicated the seat at the head of the table for Ron while she took the one next to him. The boys were interspersed between their aunts except for the youngest whose highchair angled in between Ron and Nora. Brett chose the seat across from Elise, giving her a quizzical look as if asking for permission to sit there. She felt her face flush as she sat down, letting him make up his own mind where he planned to sit. Without further hesitation, he sat down.

  After the many words of praise for the cooks had died down, Ron said the blessing and gave thanks for their bounty.

  “Now, go ahead, help yourself and if you pass your plate this way I’ll cut a piece of ham for you,” he told them as he began slicing

  “Thank you, Nora, for inviting me,” Brett said. “If not for you, I’d be sitting all alone next door eating scraps of stale, frozen bread with no one to thank but myself for my situation.”

  “Sounds like a play for sympathy to me.” Ron grinned at his friend.

  “Just stating the facts and feeling grateful. And yeah, a little sympathy can’t hurt,” he replied as he passed his plate for a slice of ham.

  "That reminds me of an incident," Ron began as he sliced more ham. "I remember when you got no sympathy at all from a particular teacher when she discovered a live slimy frog that was fresh from the creek. And it ended up in her desk drawer. That would have been in sixth grade if I remember correctly."

  "I think she jumped two feet when it sprang out at her," Brett said with a sheepish grin. "That wasn't very nice of me, but it was funny." He and Ron both chuckled at the memory.

  "Not much changed after the two of you moved into the higher grades," Elise said, thinking about memories of similar pranks.

  "Such as?" Julie prodded.

  "Well, I remember my first week in high school and feeling a bit insecure about my boatload of classes only to discover a live mouse in my locker." She narrowed a glance at Brett. "I can't imagine who might have done that." Everyone around the table broke into laughter as they leaned forward far enough to see Brett’s response.

  Elise recognized that familiar impish grin as Brett looked straight into her eyes and said, "You should have seen her running down the hall."

  "Sorry, Elise," Nora said, laughing. "It's such a visual."

  There were other snickers around the table too, not just Nora's. But she hadn’t been upset with him for his prank, once she’d regained her composure. Actually, that event had brought him into view as more than just her brother's best friend. Even though he’d singled her out for a harmless prank, she was young enough to think he might have done it because he liked her. And everything changed after that, although it took a few years to act on it.

  His current look of regret surprised her. "Believe it or not, but I've wanted to say this for a long time… I'm sorry for doing that to you."

  She hesitated, waiting for a punch line. When there was none, she felt compelled to reply.

  "Apology accepted. On one condition." She leveled a steady stare at him.

  "Which is?" he asked, looking hopeful.

  "On condition that you don't ever do it again," she said, squelching a grin.

  "Scouts honor," he said with his hand raised in complete seriousness.

  Elise nodded, feeling unsure what to think. Years ago, he never would have apologized for a prank. She had convinced herself that he was the same person he'd always been but there appeared to be an improvement.

  Micah, who usually said very little during meals, interrupted the silence. "I like the orange stuff," he said while pointing at his dish. "What's that?"

  "Sweet potatoes," Laura told him. "Would you like more?"

  "That's not potatoes," he insisted, staring at it skeptically as though it was a trick.

  "He only likes french fried potatoes," Nora said. “Maybe I have a new dish to add to our meals now."

  "I like it too," said five-year-old Aaron.

  "Like it too," Jacob mimicked, although there was none on his plate. Everyone laughed and the slight tension between Elise and Brett lifted.

  Later the conversation turned to college, focusing particularly on Brianna and Julie. The desserts had been dished up, the coffee refilled, and the boys were set free from the table having finished their dessert of cookies and milk.

  "It's only been a couple of months but I'm loving it," Julie said.

  Brianna groaned. "Not me. I've had enough." She looked at Julie but said nothing.

  "Your classes are harder than mine," Julie replied. "I'm taking the easy ones so it's all good. I mean, after all, it's not like I want a forever career, you know." She sampled the chocolate cheesecake then rolled her eyes in ecstasy. "This is de-licious."

  "I do," Brianna said, and Elise's heart went out to her. Brianna had a passion and wouldn't stop until she achieved it.

  "Well," Laura said, "two years was enough for me. I couldn't see paying that much for something I wasn't likely to use. I have no idea why I thought I wanted a degree in business management. My heart just wasn't in it."

  Elise didn’t want to bring up her college years, especially since Brett was there. But the truth was she loved her job and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Being the director of a small library suited her to a "T." The environment was ideal, socializing with the community couldn't be better and she felt a great sense of peace doing her work. She loved interacting with children as well as the elderly and was gratified to see them enjoying the many events presented at the library. She worked hard at being innovative enough to draw in more patrons. It was challenging but also rewarding.

  "By the way, whoever made this apple pie did a great job. It's my favorite," Brett said, looking around the table.

  "Laura did. She's our baker," Kristin said. "Best bread baker in town. Now if we could just talk her into running a bakery of her own. All in favor, say aye!"

  "Aye!" came the resounding response.

  "See there," Kristin said, giving her sister a nudge. But Laura just smiled and waved her off.

  "Well, the boys are getting a bit rambunctious in there," Nora said, nodding toward the living room. "So, if someone wants to play referee while I begin the cleanup process, that would be fine with
me. We'll put away the food, except for the cookies and desserts which I'll leave on the kitchen table. If anyone wants more just help yourself."

  All the girls helped clear the table, scrape the dishes and stack the dishwasher although most of the best dishes had to be hand washed. Nora released the youngest girls from any notion that they had to stay for dishwashing and Elise felt sure there was a reason that had nothing to do with pitying them. Brianna expressed gratitude and went in search of a quiet corner with her book bag over her shoulder. Kristin and Julie volunteered to play games with the little ones while Laura filled the sink with sudsy water. Elise preferred not to be in close quarters with Brett any more than required so she pulled a stack of drying towels from a drawer.

  "I can't believe how fast the time goes," Nora said, glancing at the clock. "But we still have plenty of time before leaving for church tonight. I hope it's a good turnout. The kids have worked so hard and the program is really cute even when some of the littlest ones just sort of wander off. I doubt if Jacob will be able to stay in one spot for two minutes."

  Elise listened but she wasn't paying a lot of attention. "Everything will turn out fine. You'll see." She dried the first stack of dishes while Nora put them away in the hutch while her mind wandered back to those earlier Christmases of her school years.

  The window over the sink faced the drive and Brett's home. A blanket of white frosted the roof, the porch railing and the old garage out back. A wooden picnic table in their backyard was stacked with at least five inches of snow and it was still coming down. Elise heard the muted scraping sound of a snowplow going by.

  "It's beautiful," she said. "Especially at Christmas."

  Nora joined them, crowding closer to see the wonderland outside the window. "It is beautiful. It isn't often that we get such a perfect snow."

  "Why do you say that? What's a perfect snow?" Laura asked, sliding another stack of dirty dishes into the sink.

  "Because nothing is disturbing it. No wind at all. It just stays where it falls then it grows, inch by inch," Nora replied.

  "I hate to be a Debbie Downer but pretty is as pretty does, as Mom always says. And driving in this doesn't look too perfect to me," Laura replied in her usual sensible way. "If it all gets plowed and scraped then I'm okay with it but I hope it doesn't get any deeper."

  "I have to agree." Nora sighed. “Being snowed in is one thing but having to drive in it is another.”

  Elise didn't agree at all. It was perfect and it practically called to her by name to go for a walk so she could enjoy it instead of just looking through the window at it. Maybe later, after church would be a good time, she decided. If nobody would go with her, she would just bundle up and go by herself.

  Later, when the dishes were all put away along with the games, the boys finally succumbed to a nap on the floor with soft pillows beneath them. Ron and Brett quietly returned to the garage to put the finishing touches to the wagon, snitching a few cookies on their way through the kitchen.

  "You've got about an hour," Nora told them, "and then we'll have a bite to eat before we leave. If you're hungry, that is."

  "I think an hour is more than enough," Ron said as he closed the door behind him.

  Laura stood up from the table and said, "I think I'm going to sit in a recliner and look through one of your magazines for some recipe ideas."

  "Me too," Kristin said. "Except I'll skip the recipe magazines and just curl up in a chair for a few minutes."

  "Is it something I said?" Nora turned to Elise then laughed. "Looks like we've got the kitchen to ourselves. How about some coffee?"

  "Only if I can have a slice of pie to go with it," she replied. "And that will be enough food for me today." She groaned but smiled happily.

  When the coffee was brewed and the cups filled, Nora plopped into a chair at the table. "I can't let myself be tired yet. Maybe by tomorrow evening." She sipped her coffee as though it was invigorating. "That helps."

  Elise tasted the pie, savoring the sweetness of it. "Oh, that's good, if I do say so myself."

  After a few moments of silence during which Nora watched Elise carefully, as though judging if she should speak or just be quiet.

  "What's on your mind, Nora? It isn't like you to let the cat get your tongue."

  "You're right, it isn't." She played with the spoon beside her cup, rolling it over and over.

  "Don't make me nervous. Just say it." After a few more seconds went by she added, "I'll bet I know what's on your mind. Brett. And me."

  Nodding in acknowledgment Nora replied, "I never wanted to ask but I've always wondered what happened between you two."

  Elise leaned back in her chair, glanced at the closed door to the garage, and said, "I don't know." And she didn't.

  "Is there any hope you can patch it up? I mean, he is a nice guy."

  "I wasn't the one who ended it."

  "Oh. I thought you… I mean, you didn't?"

  "No." She didn't elaborate.

  "I'm sorry, Elise." Nora reached over and carefully touched her arm. "I guess I've been kind of obvious with my hopes of you two reuniting, but I can see I need to stay out of it. Except, well, I can't uninvite him to Christmas dinner, you know."

  "I wouldn't expect you to do that, and besides, it's over and I'm fine. Honest," she smiled at her sister in law. "Now, let's see who wants a bite to eat before we leave. Okay?"

  Nora glanced at the clock. "You're right. And I need to get the boys dressed and ready too."

  Elise put the word out to the girls that if they wanted something to eat, now was the time then she called a fifteen minute warning to the guys in the garage. Nearly everyone preferred a ham sandwich and pie or cookies, so Elise and Kristen set everything out for them to make their own. Nora looked after the boys who seemed refreshed after their short naps. The chaos in the kitchen made it easier to avoid conversations and after that everyone went in search of a place to sit. Elise chose the easy chair at the far end of the living room, away from the dining room table. But she wasn't so far away that she didn't hear Nora asking Brett if he'd like to join them for the Christmas program at their church. Knowing Nora as well as she did, there wasn't any way she could ignore a lonely man, which was how she viewed Brett. Elise understood there was no motive behind her invitation and she was thankful they had gotten that out in the open.

  "I appreciate the offer, Nora, but I think I'll stay home and call my family tonight. My brother is having a large gathering so we're planning a video chat. Next best thing to being there," he said.

  Inwardly, Elise sighed with relief. She understood that Brett was Ron's best friend from way back when and on top of that he and Nora were neighbors to the Andersen's. Truthfully, she didn't wish for him to spend the holidays alone, but she was just more comfortable if their paths didn't cross or possibly even collide.

  Chapter Five

  Brett unlocked the back door and turned on the kitchen lights. The first thing to do was put the covered containers in the refrigerator. Nora had insisted that he take home a few pieces of ham and a dish of mashed potatoes as well as Laura's homemade bread plus a side of sweet potato casserole. They'd keep nicely for a few days, she'd told him. At the moment, the dish holding four different pieces of pie was the most interesting to him and the can of whipped topping that she had included cinched it. After selecting the slice of apple, he slathered on the whipped cream then dumped the pot of day-old coffee and put on a fresh one. The way he'd been eating over the past couple of days was likely to spell trouble for him since he wouldn't make it to the gym until he got back to St. Louis. Of course, there wasn't any reason he couldn't take a walk through the neighborhood a few times. For now, he would sit in the recliner and enjoy his pie and coffee.

  Turning on cable tv he flipped through the stations, passing up his usual sports channels and bypassing any news as well as all sitcoms until he came across a movie channel that made him press the okay button. "Scrooge." It seemed like he would be in good company if he wa
tched the Charles Dickens version. They could both heartily say "bah humbug" together. He looked forward to it because so far this was the worst Christmas he'd ever spent and he meant no disrespect to Nora and Ron who had lifted his spirits considerably. No, the blame lay solely with himself. He knew it and accepted it. That was hard to do but not as hard as figuring a way out of it.

  With the sound turned up loud enough to fill the room but not so much that any neighbors could hear it, he immersed himself in the glum colorless life of Scrooge. It was a world where loneliness met the old man at every corner, where bitterness eeked out of him and memories nearly drove him crazy over the choices he'd made. After an hour of that, he set aside his empty cup and turned it off. Watching Scrooge come to a happy ending wasn't something he was ready to deal with, mostly because the whole point of the story was to come to an awareness and make a change. Bah humbug. No way to make that happen, he told himself. Just get on with your life and don't look back had been his philosophy for the last several years.

  From his current vantage point, he studied his parents' home, taking inventory of the furniture which consisted of new pieces and plenty of family heirlooms that had belonged to his grandparents as well as his great grandparents. The entire house was a collection of memories, some had been difficult but most represented great times together and all of those memories had been made by his family. Ron's family was in the early stages of building their own great memories. And what about him? Well, he'd been living off other people's stored up memories. He hadn't built anything that was lasting or even memorable for himself.

  He glanced at his watch then pulled out his phone. He hadn't exactly told the whole truth when he said he couldn't go to the church program but neither had he lied. He truly would call his parents that evening, but the video chat was scheduled for tomorrow. The reason for the discrepancy was because he needed to avoid seeing Elise. It was just too hard to see her without acknowledging he'd made a mistake and wondering how he'd own up to it. Every time he looked at her across the table he got that familiar pang in his gut. Whether she was laughing with her sisters over some silliness or playing games with her nephews, he saw a deep sincerity in her eyes and her smile. Even when she blushed after she had delivered a glancing blow at him, he thought she was especially pretty. But it was also obvious that she wanted to avoid him. He inhaled deeply and let it out slowly. He couldn't blame her for that.