“That’s a whole other problem. Your problem. We’ll get to that in a minute. I’m still trying to handle the fact that our mother wants to ruin Christmas. What were her exact words? I’m sure you can handle one more for Christmas. If I’m having one more of anything for Christmas, it’s going to be a big strong drink.” Samantha hung up her coat and slid off her shoes.
Ella did the same. “She didn’t say she wanted to ruin Christmas. She said she wanted to spend it with us.”
“Yeah, and she’s always been so great at making Christmas special. I’m remembering the year she told you that there was no Santa. You were four and you cried for two days.” Samantha stared at her sister. “Why are you wearing a dress? Are you going for an interview tomorrow or something?”
“I wanted to look like a person who had just sprinted from work.”
“You could have just told her you’ve chosen to be at home raising your child.”
“After she said how proud she was that I’d finally stuck at something? I don’t think so.” Ella removed her gloves and Samantha frowned.
“Since when have you suffered from bad circulation?”
“I don’t, but I didn’t want to take my wedding ring off. It would feel unlucky.”
“Ella, this is impossible! Do you know how hard it was to have a conversation, knowing that I couldn’t talk about your marriage, your child or your job?”
“I’m sorry to put you in that position.”
“It’s unreal. But none of it is as unreal as the thought of spending Christmas with our mother.” Samantha unzipped her overnight bag violently. “Can you believe she would even suggest it? After everything that has happened between us? And then there’s the fact that she hates Christmas. She must have brain damage. It’s the only explanation.”
“Don’t say that.” Ella’s forehead had been locked in frown lines since they’d left the hospital. “They’re only keeping her in because she was unconscious for such a long time and they’re concerned about the bruising on her ribs. And can you keep your voice down? Everyone in this hotel is going to hear you.”
“I don’t get it. She hates the holidays, works right the way through and always has. She thinks gifts are a waste of time, the whole thing is a commercial racket and the ‘family togetherness’ thing is designed to give everyone feelings of insecurity and resentment. She doesn’t decorate, we never even had a tree—” Samantha forced herself to breathe and calm down. She needed a plan, not a panic attack.
She and Ella adored the holidays. It was their favorite time of year. In fact it had been their love for Christmas that had given Samantha the idea for her business. She’d realized that out there somewhere there had to be people just like them. People who looked forward to the festive season and wanted an extra special magical Christmas. People who would appreciate the Christmas markets of Europe, a cozy chalet in the Swiss Alps, or a visit to Lapland to see Santa and the elves.
She fell backward onto the bed with a groan. “Kill me now.”
“No way, because then I’d have to go through this alone, and that’s not happening.” Ella flopped next to her and they lay, arms touching, bonded by blood and shared experiences as they stared up at the ceiling. “You should have checked in under a fake name. We could have stayed here forever and no one would have been able to find us.”
“I think Michael and Tab would have something to say about that.”
Ella moaned and covered her face with her hands. “Michael is going to have a lot to say about a lot of things. How do I tell him?”
“If I knew that much about how to sustain a relationship I’d be in one.”
“It was just an unfortunate sequence of events. It was after one of Mom’s sessions that we met. I was crying on the train station—”
“—and he came and sat with you. I know. It’s adorable. And annoying that you can meet The One on a crowded train platform when the rest of us just get bruised ribs.”
“He thought the wedding would be the perfect time to heal things, but I couldn’t invite her. I just couldn’t. He doesn’t know our mother the way we do.”
“He doesn’t know her at all. But you’re going to fix that. You have to be honest. What’s the alternative? You’re going to rent a house and run between your