Read Online Cocoon by Emily Sue Harvey - Free Book Online Page B

arms. That Zoe wasn’t with him was disappointing, but not enough to dampen her joy at seeing her grandson.
    â€œCome on in, darlin’. Long time since you visited.”
    â€œMama let me drive her car over here while she’s doing some makeup dance lessons at the studio.” His long lankiness still surprised and delighted her.
    They slid onto the den sofa together, looking at each other in wonder. “I’ve missed you, Nana,” Peyton said in his deepening voice. A man.
    Yet, still so much her little boy.
    â€œAhh, Peyton, I’ve missed you, too. I know we see each other at church, but it’s not the same as quality visiting time. How’s your mama?”
    Peyton shrugged. “She’s – mama. You know.” He looked uncomfortable.
    Seana nodded. “Yes. I know. I miss her, too.”
    The silence settled thickly. Then Seana perked up. “Go play me something on the piano, honey. Something Christmas-y.”
    Peyton smiled, shrugged, and sloughed over to the piano. He sat for long moments before he started playing Seana’s favorite holiday tunes.
    â€œOh I love that,” she murmured, laying her head back and closing her eyes as “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” rolled off his long artistic fingers then modulated into a fingery version of “O Holy Night.”
    Suddenly, the notes grew so full and rich her heart seemed to expand, and when she heard Peyton’s surprised chortle of laughter, her eyes sprang open. Barth had quietly entered and slid onto the piano bench, joining Peyton at the keyboard. Ten fingers now flew over those ivories, sometimes crossing over each other until they crescendoed and came to an impressive finish.
    â€œKnow this one?” Peyton immediately swung into a rousing rendition of “Jingle Bell Rock.” During it, he and Barth switched places twice without any discernable note gaps. This happened through three more lively holiday selections until, exhausted, the two halted the concert, looked at each other laughing, and high-fived each other.
    â€œSay,” Barth looked at Peyton. “You got time to go down in the woods and help me find a tree for Christmas?”
    Peyton hiked up his long arm, peered at his watch, and nodded. “Yeh. Mom’s got several lessons to make up. Couple of hours at least.”
    â€œThat should do it.” Bart slapped him on the back, and Seana heard them laughing as they bundled up and headed out the back with Brutus trailing them.
    She knew that Barth had not included her in the tree hunt because he wanted a male-bonding time with Peyton. How like Barth to find the icebreaker in the current arctic standoff. She sighed as she watched her two guys disappear into the forest, wishing Zoe were as open-minded as her son.
    â€¢ • •
    Happy Feet Dance Studio bustled that night with holiday cheer. Reds and greens emblazoned by sequins brightened up every nook and cranny of the place. Two large trees laden with tons of ornaments and lights illumined the place. Holly-based Yule candles centered the white-clothed tables and painted everyone romantic and festive.
    It was still a week before Christmas, but Zoe had so Yuletide-spritzed the décor that one had to, in self defense, get into the spirit of things.
    Seana and Barth had spent the afternoon trimming the freshly cut fir. Peyton had been a big help, Barth told her. They’d loaded the nine foot tree into the back of Barth’s pickup – one that Seana had recently insisted on purchasing for his gardening activities – and hauled it to the house where the two men set it up in the den amid much grunting, huffing, and puffing.
    Zoe had cornered Seana at church to express her disapproval of Barth’s extravagance in demanding a pickup, at her mother’s expense, she’d added. And though Seana had pointed out that it was she who’d insisted they needed the truck for farming, not