family and our mother? Pretend you’re going to work?”
“Thanks for reminding me what a total mess I’m in. What am I going to do?”
“What are we going to do? I’m part of this ‘family Christmas.’” Samantha stood up. “First we order pizza, then we take a shower, and after that we raid the mini bar.” She grabbed her phone and ordered pizza to be delivered.
“I’m not sure I can eat.”
“This is the best pizza in New York City. You won’t be able to stop yourself. And I cannot strategize on an empty stomach.”
“There’s something about our mother that makes me too nervous to eat. My stomach is already bloated with panic. But I have to get over that. Maybe it will be okay. She apologized. She actually apologized.”
“She did not.”
“She did,” Ella said. “She used those words. She said, ‘I apologize.’”
Samantha pulled out her laptop and put it on the desk next to the TV. “She didn’t apologize for what she said. She apologized for upsetting you.”
“Same thing.”
“It’s not the same thing.”
“But she was reaching out. Trying to make amends, even if it was in a ‘mom’ way.” Ella sat up, too. “What did you talk about before I arrived?”
“I don’t know.” The whole thing was a blur. She’d seen her mother lying there and felt so many things she hadn’t been able to untangle the emotions. “Nothing. Small talk. Awkward silences. It was pretty hideous.”
“I guess it’s bound to be awkward after what happened, and after so much time.” Ella sat cross-legged on the bed. “What are we going to do? I’ve been looking forward to Christmas for ages. I have so many plans. It’s going to be magical.” She slumped. “It was going to be magical.”
Samantha saw disappointment and desperation and knew she had to do something. “We deal with this one problem at a time. First, we kill her plan. There is no way she is spending Christmas with us. You’re not the only one who is looking forward to it.”
“I feel guilty saying she can’t spend Christmas. It’s family time.” Ella fiddled with the buttons on her dress. “I know she hurt us, but she is reaching out and trying to make amends. We can’t reject that.”
“Fine. But we take back control. We will visit again tomorrow as planned, and tell her that we already have plans we can’t change, but we can meet her for a celebration dinner in the city if that’s what she’d like. I’ll book somewhere fancy.”
“All right.” Ella uncurled her legs. “Keep talking. This is sounding good.”
Samantha pulled open the minibar and removed a couple of bottles.
Ella frowned. “I thought the minibar came after the pizza and shower in your plan for the evening?”
“I’m changing the order.” Samantha twisted the top off one of the bottles and emptied it into a glass. Normally she wasn’t much of a drinker, but it seemed that an embarrassing phone call and an encounter with her mother could change that. “You have to tell Michael the truth before you tell Mom.”
“Right. I agree. Any idea how?” Ella’s phone rang and she jumped up and grabbed her purse. “That will be him. I feel guilty. Look—my hand is shaking...” She held out her hand as evidence and then dug out her phone.
“Tell him.”
“I can’t tell him over the phone. This is huge. It has to be in person. I’ll tell him as soon as I get home.” She answered her phone, a huge smile spreading across her face. “Tab! Hi, sweetheart. I miss you so much. I’m here with Aunty Sam...of course...” Ella thrust the phone at Sam. “Your niece wants to say hi.”
Samantha took the phone. How did life get this complicated? “How is my princess...? You slayed the dragon? Well, go you...” She reached out and tugged Ella’s hand away from her mouth to stop her biting her nails. “How many sleeps until Christmas?” She kept a tight grip on Ella’s hand to stop her ruining her nails. “I am so looking forward to it...yes, you can snuggle in my bed...we will totally read that story about the rabbit in the snow that you love...” As she listened to her niece’s excited chatter, she grew steadily more determined not to let their mother ruin the holidays.
They chatted for a bit longer, and then Michael came on the phone and Samantha held it out to her sister.
Ella took it. “Hi, honey... I miss you.”
Samantha tried not to listen, but it was hard not to in