Page 4 of A Christmas Duet

Another excuse. “I’m an introvert.” Unlike Daisy, who was friendly and outgoing. Her sister had never met a stranger.

“All the better.” Katherine refused to give up on the idea. “This is perfect. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it earlier.”

“Think about what?” Her friend had lost her between being alone and making excuses.

“My grandma’s cabin in Podunk.”

“Podunk?” Katherine had to be kidding. “There’s an actual town called Podunk?”

“There sure is. It’s beyond me how it got that name.” Katherine continued pacing, bouncing her index finger against her lips. “But that isn’t the point.”

“What is the point, and why are you wearing out my carpet with your pacing?”

Katherine ignored the question. “The thing is, thecabin is a bit remote, but that shouldn’t bother you. Besides, the town is about five miles away.”

“Podunk?”

“Right. There isn’t much there. A store, and when I say ‘store,’ I meanstore. It’s one-stop shopping for the entire town.”

“Really?”

“Yup, but I digress. This is perfect. You really need to do this, Hailey.”

“Do what?” she asked, tossing her hands into the air.

Katherine looked at her as if Hailey was completely oblivious to this picture-perfect idea. “You should spend Christmas at the cabin.”

The idea held more appeal than Hailey was willing to admit. Ditching her parents over Christmas, however, was sure to cause problems. Hailey knew Daisy wouldn’t be coming. As a free spirit, Daisy rarely stayed in one location long. She suspected that came from their childhood. Daisy followed the farmers’ markets and rarely showed up for holidays.

“I love that cabin,” Katherine continued. “My brother and I spent nearly every summer there. We had the time of our lives. Gramps took us fishing and then Grandma would cook up our catches. We hiked the trails, and Gramps let us drive his quad long before either of us had a license. We picked blackberries and baked cobbler.Some of the best memories of my childhood were spent at that cabin.”

“It sounds idyllic.”

“It is. The thing is, we don’t go there much since Gramps died. Grandma has been after Mom and my uncle to take advantage of it. I think my uncle was up last summer, but I can’t be sure. Unfortunately, since Gramps has been gone the cabin doesn’t hold as much appeal as it did. That and the fact that there’s no cell service or Wi-Fi. Gramps never was fond of television, and so there isn’t a satellite dish, either.”

“You think your grandmother would want a complete stranger staying in this special cabin?”

“I know she would,” Katherine insisted. “Grandma was disappointed when she learned we were going to Whistler instead of spending Christmas at the cabin. She loved Christmas there above all the holidays, and it’s sat empty every Christmas since we lost Gramps.”

“But she doesn’t know me.”

“That doesn’t matter. She’d be thrilled to know someone was using it. And once I tell her you’d be there to spend this time creatively, she’d be over the moon.”

The possibilities were quickly taking shape in Hailey’s mind. The minute she arrived home, her mother would start reminding her that when she was twenty-seven, she was already married and pregnant with Hailey. In caseHailey wasn’t aware, the prime years for having children were when a woman was in her twenties or early thirties.

“Will you think about it?” Katherine asked, her eyes widening with encouragement.

Hailey mulled over the invitation. As good as it sounded and as much as she wanted to accept this offer, she wasn’t sure she could or should.

Hanging her head down, she slowly shook it. “That would be great, but I don’t want my parents to be alone over Christmas.”

Katherine considered this for a few moments. “In other words, you’re living your life to make your parents happy. It doesn’t seem to bother Daisy.”

Katherine was right. Hailey had always been the good daughter, the one who got top grades and made them proud.

Sitting back down, Katherine reached for her drink. “I understand. Just know the invitation is open, if you change your mind.”

“OK, thanks.” Unfortunately, Hailey couldn’t see a way out of spending Christmas with her family.

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