“Can I look? I want to look.” Tab still had her hands over her eyes and Samantha pulled them away.
“You can look.”
Tab opened her eyes and then her mouth fell open wide, as if she was at the dentist. No words emerged.
Ella exchanged looks with her sister. “You’ve silenced my daughter. That’s a first.”
Samantha looked pleased as she walked Tab down the steps, where she finally found her voice.
“Reindeer. Are they real?”
“Yes, real.” Samantha put her down and crouched down beside her. “This one is called Goose. The one behind is Sparrow.”
Ella saw the look on her daughter’s face and felt a lump form in her throat. “You’re the best aunt. The best sister.”
“Can I stroke them?” Tab stretched out her arms, and Samantha looked at Kirstie, who was holding the reins of the leader.
“Of course. They would love that.” Kirstie was noticeably more relaxed and friendly, and as Ella drew close she gave a quick smile. “I’m sorry about yesterday. Thanks for listening.”
“Don’t apologize. It was good to talk. I’m just sorry things are tough for you.” Ella reached out and touched her arm. “It’s a difficult situation.”
For all of them, she thought.
Samantha lifted Tab again so that she could stroke one of the reindeer.
The little girl reached out. “Is this one Rudolph?”
“This one is called Finch.” Kirstie held him steady, a million times more happy and relaxed with her reindeer than she was serving breakfast. “He was born here.”
“Hi, Finch.” Tab stroked the reindeer’s fur. “Can I sit in the sleigh? Are we going for a ride?”
“You can. We’re going on a trip into the forest to find the perfect Christmas tree.”
Tab squirmed out of Samantha’s grasp and skipped toward the sleigh. Bear bounded after her, but as no one called him back, Ella assumed that was allowed.
She turned to her sister. “I don’t know what to say. This is magical.”
“I’d like to claim the credit, but it was Brodie’s idea.” Samantha stroked Finch absently. “We’re going to offer this to guests. What do you think?”
“A trip into the forest in a sleigh pulled by reindeer? I think you’ll be flattened in the stampede of clients wanting to book it.” Hearing voices, Ella glanced over her shoulder and saw her mother and Brodie walking toward them. “She’s laughing. He’s making our mother laugh.”
“He’s an easygoing guy.”
Ella wanted more detail of her sister’s day with Brodie McIntyre, but there was no opportunity to ask, so she joined Tab and Bear in the back of the sleigh, and her mother climbed in next to her.
“This is fun.”
“We’re going to find the perfect tree, Nanna!”
Gayle, who had never before shown enthusiasm for a Christmas tree, clapped her hands. “What fun.”
Ella felt faint. She hadn’t known her mother could recognize fun, let alone enjoy it.
Samantha joined them in the sleigh, and Brodie and his sister walked with the reindeer, guiding them as they plodded along the trail that led away from the lodge.
Ella sat cuddled up close to her daughter under the blanket as the sleigh moved through the forest. The only sounds were the dull thud of the reindeers’ hooves as they hit the snow.
It was crisp and cold, and the trees stretched upward, creating a snowy canyon of native pine and spruce.
How could she have doubted that coming here was a good idea? It was perfect.
And today she wasn’t going to push her mother to talk about the past. She was just going to enjoy the day.
Confident that there would be no awkwardness or conflict, Ella relaxed.
Gayle was chatting with Tab, listening carefully and answering the endless questions without a hint of impatience.
She’d been wrong to think her mother couldn’t change, Ella thought. So wrong.
They followed the trail for about half an hour and then stopped.
Kirstie grabbed a backpack from the back of the sleigh and opened it up.
She pulled out a small, prettily wrapped gift and handed it to Tab.
“For me?” Tab stared at it in wonder and then unwrapped it with the speed and desperation of the average five-year-old. Inside the package was a small reindeer carved from wood. “I love it.”
“That’s adorable.” Ella examined it and looked at Kirstie. “Did you make it?”
“My dad made them.” There was no missing the pride in Kirstie’s voice. “He used to give them to the kids in the local school. We had a few left. I thought Tab might like one as a souvenir.”