Christmas at Holiday House - RaeAnne Thayne Page 0,1
on their way.
Christopher had been a precocious, adventurous toddler but since Kevin’s death, he had become more nervous around other people.
That was another reason she was moving to Austin—for herself and for her son. Both of them needed to reach outside themselves and embrace the beautiful world around them. Kevin, who had spent his entire career trying to help others, wouldn’t have wanted them to be insular and withdrawn.
Abby smiled in the mirror. “How could she not like us? We’re adorable.”
Chris giggled, his dimple flashing. The sound chimed through the interior of her small SUV, warming her heart. He was a complete joy. How dark and dreary her world would have been without him these past two years. In the early days of grief and shock, he had been the only thing dragging her out of bed in the mornings.
“Don’t worry,” she said now. “Winifred Lancaster is wonderful. She’s our friend Lucy’s grandmother, so you know she must be awesome.”
That connection seemed to reassure Christopher. “Lucy’s funny. She’s my friend.”
“I know. Aren’t we lucky to have her in our life?”
“I like it when she sends me stuff from other countries.”
That wasn’t an infrequent occurrence. Lucy had lived in a dozen countries since they lived together at school, always trying to make a difference in the world. It helped that Lucy had a freakish facility for languages and probably spoke eight or nine by now.
First she was in the peace corps in central Europe, then she worked for a nongovernmental organization in North Africa, focused on improving educational opportunities for girls. For the past two years she had taught English in Thailand. Wherever she traveled, she stayed in touch with Abby, often sending local treats or games or toys made by her students to Christopher.
Her life seemed exciting and fulfilling, though Abby wasn’t entirely sure her friend was as happy as she said she was.
“In one hundred feet, your destination is on the left.”
The disembodied voice of her navigation spoke through the car, making them both jump.
“Is that it? That big house?” Christopher asked, a new note of excitement in his voice.
Abby swallowed. Holiday House was vast, easily the biggest house on the block—the biggest one in town, from what she had seen driving here. The house and large garden took up almost half a block at the end of the road.
“Oh, my.”
It was gorgeous, everything Lucy had said and more, illuminated with tasteful landscape lights as dusk gave way to night. How was it possible that she and Christopher were lucky enough to be able to spend a few weeks here? Abby wanted to pinch herself.
“I really hope she likes us,” Christopher said.
Abby’s cell phone rang with a FaceTime call before she could even turn into the driveway. When she saw it was Lucy, she pulled over to the side of the road and shifted her car into Park so she could safely take the call.
“Do you have spies watching for me or something?” she asked, only half joking when her friend’s face flashed on the screen.
“No. I was just checking in, wondering how close you are.”
“We couldn’t be any closer.” She turned her phone camera around so Lucy could see what Abby was looking at out the window—the beautiful pale house that gleamed in the snow.
“Are you just getting there?” Lucy’s relief was obvious in her expression. “Oh, I’m so glad. How was your drive?”
“Mostly uneventful. We learned that Mr. Jingles isn’t a great traveler, but we made do.”
Their cat had thrown up in the first hour then yowled about every hundred miles, requiring a stop. She hadn’t minded too terribly, since Christopher always seemed to need a stretch and bathroom break around that same time.
“Hi, Lucy,” Christopher called from the back seat.
Abby turned the phone in that direction, where her son waved enthusiastically.
“There’s my favorite dude.”
“We went on a long car ride, only now I want to be out of my car seat.”
“You’re there, kiddo. I can’t wait for you to meet my grandmother. I think you two are going to love each other.”
“Okay.” That seemed to put the last of Christopher’s worries to rest and he put his headphones on to watch the rest of his show.
“Thank you so much for doing this,” Lucy said to her. “I honestly don’t have words.”
“Really?” Abby teased. “With all the languages you speak?”
Lucy rattled off a bunch of words that Abby assumed all meant thank you. She picked up gracias and merci, but that was it.