Read Online One Imperfect Christmas by Myra Johnson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Myra Johnson
Tags: Fiction, Contemporary Women
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jammed the gearshift into park. “Don't do that to your mom. It'll break her heart if you aren't there.”
“Like you haven't already broken her heart by staying away?” Book bag hugged against her chest, Lissa flung the passenger door open, slammed it, and flounced up the sidewalk.
Pausing at the foot of the stairs to their unit, she turned, her face contorted. “You guys don't even try anymore. All you can think about is yourselves and how you don't want to do anything that makes either one of you uncomfortable.” She made a growling sound that made her whole body shake. “Both of you make me sick!”
“That's enough out of you, young lady!” Daniel launched himself from the Bronco and stormed toward Lissa, who immediately hightailed it up to their apartment. Inside, he aimed his index finger toward her bedroom. “Go. And don't come out until I say so.”
“Fine. You want to ground me for telling the truth? I'll stay in my room till Christmas. Till next Christmas! Till I'm a hundred and five!” Seconds later, her bedroom door slammed, and it felt as if the whole building trembled on its foundations.
Daniel could only stare immobilized and wonder how his world had tilted so far out of balance.
7
D ad greeted Natalie at the door with a hug and planted a wet kiss on her cheek. He smelled of aftershave and chili spices. “Here she is, my Christmas Rose! Happy birthday sweetheart.” He linked his arm with hers and ushered her into the warmth of the country kitchen. “How's my little girl tonight?”
“Come on, Dad, at thirty-six I'm not exactly a little girl anymore.” Natalie rested her head on his shoulder. The soft brush of warm flannel made her feel momentarily safe. How sweet it would be if she could only make herself small enough again to crawl into her daddy's lap and find shelter from all her troubles.
“Hey, Sis, happy birthday.” Hart rose from a spindle-back chair and hugged her, whispering so only she could hear, “Glad you changed your mind. Dad's been cheerier tonight than I've seen him in a long time.”
“You were right, I couldn't let him down, but … ” Biting her lip, she fixed Hart with a desperate gaze. On her way in, she had seen the freshly cut Christmas tree leaning against the house in a bucket of water, the green-and-red plastic boxes of lights and ornaments stacked neatly on the back porch, and finally, the crate containing the ceramic nativity scene, hand-painted and fired by her mother.
How would she ever get through this night without falling apart? How would any of them?
Celia, her sister-in-law, claimed a quick hug, her perky chestnut ponytail bouncing. “Happy birthday, Natalie. Love that sweater. Baby-blue is your color.”
Celia stepped aside to make room for Kevin and Kurt, Natalie's lanky teenage twin nephews, who offered awkward, boyish embraces. She held her composure long enough to accept each greeting with as much grace as she could muster and then took a step back and glanced around nervously.
No Daniel. No Lissa. She cast Hart a questioning look.
He ran the toe of his boot across a tear in the yellowed linoleum floor. “Daniel called at the last minute—said they couldn't make it.”
So much for her fleeting hopes for this dinner. At the very least, it would have provided the rare chance to spend a little more time with Lissa.
Yet the pressure had lifted. No more worries about staving off the all-too-predictable clashes between her and Daniel. No more worries about disappointing Lissa if this tentative step toward a reunion ended in disaster.
“How come?” she asked through a tight-lipped smile.
“Homework or something.” Hart gave an evasive wave of his hand.
Dad forced a laugh. “You know how it is with teenagers.”
Natalie caught the regretful look in his eyes. Undoubtedly he, along with everyone else in the family, had harbored visions of getting her and
“Like you haven't already broken her heart by staying away?” Book bag hugged against her chest, Lissa flung the passenger door open, slammed it, and flounced up the sidewalk.
Pausing at the foot of the stairs to their unit, she turned, her face contorted. “You guys don't even try anymore. All you can think about is yourselves and how you don't want to do anything that makes either one of you uncomfortable.” She made a growling sound that made her whole body shake. “Both of you make me sick!”
“That's enough out of you, young lady!” Daniel launched himself from the Bronco and stormed toward Lissa, who immediately hightailed it up to their apartment. Inside, he aimed his index finger toward her bedroom. “Go. And don't come out until I say so.”
“Fine. You want to ground me for telling the truth? I'll stay in my room till Christmas. Till next Christmas! Till I'm a hundred and five!” Seconds later, her bedroom door slammed, and it felt as if the whole building trembled on its foundations.
Daniel could only stare immobilized and wonder how his world had tilted so far out of balance.
7
D ad greeted Natalie at the door with a hug and planted a wet kiss on her cheek. He smelled of aftershave and chili spices. “Here she is, my Christmas Rose! Happy birthday sweetheart.” He linked his arm with hers and ushered her into the warmth of the country kitchen. “How's my little girl tonight?”
“Come on, Dad, at thirty-six I'm not exactly a little girl anymore.” Natalie rested her head on his shoulder. The soft brush of warm flannel made her feel momentarily safe. How sweet it would be if she could only make herself small enough again to crawl into her daddy's lap and find shelter from all her troubles.
“Hey, Sis, happy birthday.” Hart rose from a spindle-back chair and hugged her, whispering so only she could hear, “Glad you changed your mind. Dad's been cheerier tonight than I've seen him in a long time.”
“You were right, I couldn't let him down, but … ” Biting her lip, she fixed Hart with a desperate gaze. On her way in, she had seen the freshly cut Christmas tree leaning against the house in a bucket of water, the green-and-red plastic boxes of lights and ornaments stacked neatly on the back porch, and finally, the crate containing the ceramic nativity scene, hand-painted and fired by her mother.
How would she ever get through this night without falling apart? How would any of them?
Celia, her sister-in-law, claimed a quick hug, her perky chestnut ponytail bouncing. “Happy birthday, Natalie. Love that sweater. Baby-blue is your color.”
Celia stepped aside to make room for Kevin and Kurt, Natalie's lanky teenage twin nephews, who offered awkward, boyish embraces. She held her composure long enough to accept each greeting with as much grace as she could muster and then took a step back and glanced around nervously.
No Daniel. No Lissa. She cast Hart a questioning look.
He ran the toe of his boot across a tear in the yellowed linoleum floor. “Daniel called at the last minute—said they couldn't make it.”
So much for her fleeting hopes for this dinner. At the very least, it would have provided the rare chance to spend a little more time with Lissa.
Yet the pressure had lifted. No more worries about staving off the all-too-predictable clashes between her and Daniel. No more worries about disappointing Lissa if this tentative step toward a reunion ended in disaster.
“How come?” she asked through a tight-lipped smile.
“Homework or something.” Hart gave an evasive wave of his hand.
Dad forced a laugh. “You know how it is with teenagers.”
Natalie caught the regretful look in his eyes. Undoubtedly he, along with everyone else in the family, had harbored visions of getting her and
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