Page 186 of How My Neighbour Stole Christmas
I haven’t been doing anything wrong.
I’ve been putting in my best effort.
I’ve been trying to win, and up until this last competition, I was carrying the team in first.
And I’m not that far behind.
But I still feel guilty.
Maybe because you’re lying to your sister.
She hands me my cup of coffee and then grabs the cream from the fridge. “I wish Mom and Dad were here,” she continues. “I know Aunt Cindy would have liked it.”
“Yeah, I wish they were here too. Once they got the timeshare, though…everything kind of changed, and then we were both in college. I don’t know, I feel like all of us have been letting Aunt Cindy down every Christmas. She must have been sad without us.”
“She was,” Taran says softly, ratcheting up that guilt that’s consuming me.
“Maybe we make more of an effort then. I could talk to Mom and Dad. I mean, imagine if they were here this year. They could have joined in on theMean Girlsdance. It would have been so much fun.”
She smirks. “Imagine Dad in that getup?”
“You know he would rock it.”
Taran chuckles. “He would.”
“What are we laughing about in here?” Aunt Cindy comes into the kitchen, leaning on her cane. She’s been using that more around the house rather than the walker since it’s clunky.
“Dad in our routine outfits,” I say.
Aunt Cindy looks between us and laughs. “Now that is a sight I would not want to see.”
“I don’t know,” Taran says. “Could be good fodder to use if we ever needed blackmail material.”
Aunt Cindy gestures to Taran. “Very good point.”
Cole
Max:Sewing tonight at my house. My mom has everything you need to learn.
Cole:Okay, need me to bring anything? I can grab sandwiches or pizza.
Max:Bring pizza and stop at Prancer’s Libations for some cans of cider. I think we might need it.
Cole:That doesn’t sound promising.
Max:If one thing takes you down…it’s going to be the sewing.
I pocket my phone just as I see Storee walk up to me on the corner, wearing one of her lighter jackets but decked out in a scarf, winter hat, and boots.
“Hey,” I say as I take in her cute red nose from the cold.
“Inside,” she says, motioning to the store.
I chuckle and hold the door open for her. She walks right past me and then lets out a deep breath.
“How are you just in a flannel shirt? You don’t even have gloves on. Are you insane?”
“No, you are. It’s thirty degrees out today.”
