Page 3 of A Christmas Duet

“I certainly haven’t said anything, and I won’t. What she doesn’t know can’t encourage her.”

“What if Zach contacts her?”

Hailey didn’t want to consider the possibility. Dread filled her. It would be just like Zach to go behind Hailey’s back.

A sinking feeling swept over her. Hailey was convinced that reaching out to her mother was likely Zach’s backup plan to win her over.

Chapter Two

“Hailey,” Katherine said, breaking into her thoughts, “what if Zach contacts your family?”

Hailey couldn’t deal with that now, when her head was fuzzy with eggnog. Her best option was to put it off until necessary. “I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. As of now, Mom knows nothing and that’s the way I want to keep it.”

“I’m grateful my mother doesn’t involve herself in my love life,” Katherine murmured.

“Count your blessings. My mo-th-er is exactly the opposite,” Hailey said, drawing out the word. “Don’t get me wrong, I love my parents. They’re the best. The problem is that all Mom’s friends are grandparents and Mom is dying for grandchildren she can brag about and spoil.”

“I thought you had a sister.”

Hailey closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the sofa. When it came to Daisy, she hardly knew where to start. They looked alike with the same tawny brown hair and chocolate-brown eyes. Both were five-five. As young children, they’d been dressed in identical outfits by their mother. They were so alike they resembled twins. But looks were where the similarities stopped.

While Hailey was reliable and studious, Daisy, her sixteen-months-younger sister, was flighty and impulsive.

“Let’s just say my sister, from the age of ten to this very day, has been a flower child from the sixties. She makes her living selling macramé at farmers’ markets. She grows her own food and hates to wear shoes. We’re about as different as any two sisters could be. Daisy’s relationships never last long. Mom is smart enough to realize Daisy’s unlikely to give her the grandchildren she craves.”

“So that leaves grandchildren squarely on your plate.”

It took Hailey a moment to notice that Katherine was doing her best to hold back a smile.

“This isn’t funny, you know.”

“Sorry,” Katherine mumbled, when she clearly wasn’t. Then, to redeem herself, she changed the subject. “Just think, we have almost two weeks free from classes.”

“I am excited.” And she was.

“I hope you spend at least part of that time writing your music.” Her friend had always been an encourager when it came to Hailey’s dreams.

“I hope so, too.” Those two weeks would fly by in a flash. It was the holidays, after all, and she would be heading to Tacoma, where her parents lived, for Christmas. Busy as she’d been with school, she hadn’t put up a tree or mailed out cards or even started shopping.

“I love your songs,” Katherine said, cutting into her thoughts. “You’re talented, Hailey, and your lyrics are wonderful. I get frustrated when you claim you don’t have the time to do what you love most.”

What her friend said was sadly true. Lowering her gaze to her glass of eggnog, Hailey wanted to blame Zach for the doubts crowding her head. It was time to accept that the only one holding her back was herself.

There’d been a time when she’d enjoyed spending hours sitting at her piano or strumming her guitar in a creative fog. Those moments were all too infrequent these days. Oh, she had excuses, good ones. An entire list of reasons that held her back. Hard as it was to admit, Katherine was right.

“Hey,” Katherine said, her voice full of enthusiasm, “I have a great idea.” She bounced off the sofa and paced in front of the television. “How would you feel about spending Christmas away by yourself?”

“What? How?”

“You’re always talking about never having the time to write music.”

“With school and all…”

“Those are excuses and we both know it.”

Unwilling to argue, Hailey shrugged. She was the queen of excuses, so there was no point in denyingit.

“You’re like the only person I know who doesn’t mind spending time alone.”

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