Page 53 of Promise Me This Christmas
“I’m so happy for you.”Amy gave her friend a hug.She wished they had more time to talk, but the rest of Gemma’s family was waiting for her.No doubt Sawyer was anxious to see Santa.
“Let’s go for a coffee after Christmas,” Amy said.
“Definitely.But we’ll make mine a decaf,” Gemma said.
Amy thought about how tired she’d been feeling.Her up and down moods.When had she had her last period?She’d been so busy, she’d completely lost track.
“Penny for your thoughts?”Chet set a tray with their drinks on the table.
“I was just talking to Gemma.Guess what?She’s three months pregnant.”
“Wow, that’s big news.I didn’t know they were planning to start a family yet.”
“These things aren’t always planned.”
“That’s true.We sure weren’t expecting Robin, were we?”
Amy took a sip of her hot chocolate.She and Chet had been experimenting with contraception methods back then.None had seemed the perfect choice.It was a dilemma they still struggled with.“Do you ever think about when we should have our second?”
“Not for a while,” Chet said.“Robin’s still a baby, right?”
“Officially he’s a toddler.”
“Yeah, but still.There’s no rush.We’ve got lots of time to make Robbie a big brother.”
Amy took another drink of her hot chocolate and wondered if that was true.
*
After her meetingwith Marly, Larkin returned to Bramble House and took her grandmother out for lunch.She passed Shelley on the front porch stairs.The young woman seemed to be in a hurry.
“Leaving already?”Larkin asked.Usually Shelley worked until well after lunchtime.
“I’ve got a hair appointment,” Shelley said.“My boyfriend and I are having a special date tonight to mark our one-year anniversary.”
“Have fun.”Larkin continued up the stairs and into the house.Her gran was in the library, just finishing the last page of her book.She waited patiently for her to finish.
“What a great twist at the end.Stephen King always delivers.”Her grandmother closed the book and handed it to Larkin.“Would you put this back on the shelf for me?”
Larkin returned it to the fiction section.“Ready for lunch?”she asked.“Where would you like to go?”
“Main Street Diner.And I’d like to try walking.It’s only a few blocks.”
Since the sidewalks had all been cleared of snow, Larkin figured that was probably a good idea.Her grandmother did remarkably well and seemed very pleased with herself when they settled at a table and placed orders for beef and barley soup.
Christmas carols were playing over the sound system, and everyone in the diner seemed to have at least one shopping bag tucked under their table.The mood in the diner was happy and joyous.Larkin wished some of the magic would rub off on her.Though she was pleased Marly had seemed so happy with her story, her earlier argument with Carson weighed heavily on her mind.
“Gran, do you remember Angela Akers?”
“Of course I do.For almost twenty years I wrote a gardening column for theCourier.Angela told me I had a flair for the written word.”Gran’s eyes took on a new gleam.“Maybe you inherited your talent for writing from me.”
“I bet I did,” Larkin said.She told her grandmother about the invitation to have Christmas dinner with Angela, Marly, and Drake.“I could cancel our reservation at the Graff if you’d like to accept?”
“Oh, yes, I’d love to see Angela again.The Graff’s restaurant is so special and fancy, but Christmas is for family and friends, don’t you think?”
Larkin nodded.“I’ll phone Marly later and accept the invitation.”
The soup was served with a thick slice of focaccia bread, and neither Larkin nor her grandmother felt any inclination for dessert or even a cup of tea after.
