Read Online Merry's Christmas: A Love Story by Susan Rohrer - Free Book Online Page B

Don’t tell Daniel.”
    Merry breathed a reassured sigh.
    “Form follows function,” Joan continued.
“That’s what they say in the art world. Doesn’t matter how elegant it looks if
it doesn’t suit your family, does it?”
    Merry listened intently, picking up a
hint of subtext in Joan’s tone. Was Joan really saying what Merry thought she was?
Merry played along, testing to be sure. “So, when you’re shopping. For
him...for the dishes, I mean. You’re saying you might not get fancy china?”
    Though Joan’s words remained casually
discreet, her undertone continued to speak volumes. “China is, well, it’s
lovely to look at, to show off at society functions. Don’t get me wrong; it has
its place. But it’s kind of fragile, high maintenance, not really built for
actual family living.”
    Joan looked fully into Merry’s face. “I’m
thinking Daniel might be surprised at how much he’d like something more
comfortable, still very attractive in its own way—but less fussy, more
festive—like if I turned a handmade set at my pottery shop.”
    Merry studied Joan quizzically,
surprisingly at ease. “Are we still talking about dishes?”
    Joan smiled knowingly. “There’s more than
one kind of dish.”
    Merry couldn’t help but press. “And
you’re saying...?”
    Merry watched as Joan chose her words
carefully. It seemed that Joan wanted to be as clear as was appropriate,
without overstepping her maternal bounds.
    “I’m saying,” Joan confided, “What’s
Christmas without a secret or two between the womenfolk?”

    Merry climbed the Bell’s front stairs.
There had been a note on the refrigerator that Tara had stayed after school for
a student council function. Hayden had come straight home and wordlessly
disappeared into her room.
    Of all the Bell family, Merry related to
Hayden the most. No matter where Merry had been as she’d bounced around the
system for abandoned children, then into her adulthood—even when she’d been
with other people—she’d always felt alone. Everyone else seemed to have found a
sense of belonging that Merry had never had. Something in Merry longed to
connect with Hayden. It was just that she had no idea how.
    Merry peeked into the twins’ bedroom.
Hayden sat inside, clearly perplexed.
    “Knock, knock,” Merry started.
    Hayden barely looked up. “I don’t have a
list for you, if that’s what you want.”
    “No, I just...” Merry took a step inside.
“Are you okay?”
    “Fine.”
    “Because you look sort of—”
    “I said I’m fine,” Hayden snapped. She
just sat there, sullenly staring into space.
    Merry flushed. She kicked herself,
realizing she’d pressed too hard too soon. Clearly Hayden didn’t want her there
for some reason or another.   “Okay,
then. I’ll just... Bye.” It was beyond awkward, but Merry backed out. She
extracted herself the only way she could.

    By the time Daniel pulled up to the
garage, the sun was going down, casting a golden glow on the backyard. Merry
waved cheerfully, and then went back to pruning holly boughs off of an
overgrown bush. Ollie waited nearby with a large, open basket, gathering the
trimmings.
    Merry thought to herself how nice it was
that Daniel got home at night before she had to leave. Bankers hours ,
she mused.
    Daniel ambled over. He tousled Ollie’s
hair as he arrived, but he looked directly at Merry. He had kind eyes, she
observed. He had loosened his tie.
    “You don’t have to do my yard work,”
Daniel began. “I have a man I pay.”
    “Just getting some holly for the mantle—Ow!”
Pricked by a holly briar, Merry recoiled.
    “There’s big stickers on that,” Ollie
informed.
    “Yeah,” Merry agreed. “But it’ll be worth
it. Sometimes good stuff is that way, you know.” Merry put a last sprig into
Ollie’s basket. “Want to run this into the living room for me?”
    Ollie took the basket and went inside.
Left alone with Daniel and suddenly unsure what exactly to say, Merry did