It was a question that nobody else had dared to ask. I think they were afraid of the answer.
“I don’t know. Maybe. It might be for the best.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t know what I’m doing,” I truthfully answered. “And I don’t like being responsible for Walkville all on my own.”
Daria stopped brushing and wrapped her arms around me. “You’re not alone. You have me and all the people working at the Trust.”
“I know, but the final decisions still come down to me.”
She held me for a long moment. “You can’t sell,” she quietly stated. “Your family built this place and they never intended for it to be sold off to the highest bidder. Everyone in Walkville is counting on you.”
“It’s too much, Daria,” I told her sadly.
“I’ll support whatever decision you make,” she softly said, “but you don’t give yourself enough credit. You’re strong and you’re smart, Eleanor Wallace. I believe in you.”
We invited Daria’s dad, her friend Ava and Ava’s fiance Steve to join us and Mom for dinner, then we made our way as a group to the Christmas caroling event on Central Square.
“Wow,” I exclaimed when I saw the crowd. The square was nearly full and more people were packing in.
“Everyone loves caroling on the square,” Ava told me and Mom. “It’s so much fun and is a big tradition.”
There was a live band and a huge screen with the lyrics to the carols as we sang. The event kicked off with singing Jingle Bells, to the delight of the kids in attendance. It was followed by O Christmas Tree, Deck the Halls, O Come All Ye Faithful, and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. Carol of the Bells was particularly fun because everyone struggled to keep up with the fast pace of the lyrics.
The second-to-last carol was Silent Night. Unlike the boisterous songs, it was quiet and restrained. People spontaneously linked arms and slowly swayed as they sang. I was grateful to be there at that moment, and overwhelmed with emotion, tears rolled down my cheeks. Daria and Mom noticed and leaned into me for comfort as we swayed.
“Our final carol of the night is Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” the conductor announced. “You can belt this one out, so shake the whole town with your voices!”
The band played and the crowd joined in at maximum volume. Some may have been shouting more than singing, but it was a joyous noise regardless. “Hark! The herald angels sing! Glory to the new born king!”
When we reached the end of the song, I was hoarse. Bells at a nearby church rang as a perfect punctuation to the night. Everyone cheered.
==
CHRISTMAS DAY
Daria and I dressed in comfy sweats and prepared breakfast for my mom and her dad, who arrived bright and early bearing gifts.
We gave Daria’s dad his gift first; pairs of tickets to three upcoming University of Tennessee women’s basketball games. He and Daria loved that team and it was something they could do together. “Hot damn!” Earl exclaimed. “Thank you!” He gave his daughter and I big hugs.
I wanted to get him a new truck or even a new house, but Daria said he wouldn’t accept something as big as that. I stashed the idea in the back of my mind for the future because I wasn’t going to live in luxury while my sister’s dad lived in an old trailer and drove a worn out truck.
Our gift to Mom was next. I handed her a small box and said, “I’m not sure how you’re going to react to this.”
She opened the box and pulled out a key. She looked confused.
“It’s the key to an apartment in the building next door,” I explained. “It’s yours if you want it. Free of course. Do you think that maybe you’d like to move down here?” I was afraid she’d turn it down. She had a life and friends in Maryland.
A smile bloomed on Mom’s face. “Is it as nice as this apartment?”
“It’s beautiful!” Daria gushed. “Wait until you see it!”
“I’d love to move here, honey,” Mom told me. “I was missing you already.”
We hugged and I felt a wave of relief wash over me. “I’ve missed you too, Mom,” I confessed.
I opened my gifts next. A book and a briefcase from Mom. I gave her a look and said, “A briefcase?”
She tried to hold it back, but she laughed. “You’re a business executive now, honey.”
Daria laughed too. Her dad didn’t laugh, but only because he didn’t want to offend me, I think.
“Everyone at the office is going to be so surprised when I start carrying a briefcase,” I said and laughed too. The mental image was too weird. I hugged Mom and told her, “I’ll carry my lunch in it.” She laughed again.
Daria gave me a book too, as I’d suggested. It was a literary novel that was a surprise bestseller. When I unwrapped the other gift from her, I blushed deep red because Mom and her dad were watching.
Daria giggled and said, “For once you’re the one who’s blushing!”
It was the “Velvet Lilly” lingerie set from Fleur du Mal. Demi-bra, thong and garter belt in an icy blue. The velvet embroidery and mesh panels were beautiful, sophisticated and super sexy.
“Oh my. It’s beautiful,” Mom said.
I went to Daria and gave her a big kiss. “Thank you. I love it,” I softly told her.
Finally it was Daria’s turn to open gifts. Her father handed her a largish box first. It was a big, fluffy white robe. She put it right away and exclaimed, “It’s so warm! Thanks Dad.” She gave him a hug.
I brought out a stack of gifts that I’d stashed behind the sofa. Daria gave me a stern look and complained, “Ellie, we agreed to not spend too much.”
I smirked. “I’m a rich girl so ‘too much’ doesn’t mean the same to me.”
My sister/girlfriend rolled her eyes but smiled in anticipation of being showered with gifts.
“This one first,” I instructed.
She unwrapped it, laughed and blushed bright pink. It was a “Roses and Thorns” lingerie set from Fleur du Mal. Like the set she gave me, it included demi-bra, thong and garter belt. “The red and green colors are going to look so good with your red hair,” I enthused with a growl of desire in my voice.
The next three boxes she opened were a long black wool coat, a warm hat, and gloves. “I hate it when I see you shivering outside,” I explained.
She came to me and gave me a kiss like I’d given her. “Thank you,” she lovingly said. To my surprise, she made herself comfortable on my lap and asked, “Now, what’s in this last little present?”
“Open it and find out.”
She opened the slim box and read the papers inside. “Ellie!” she gasped. “It’s too much!”
“No, it isn’t,” I assured her. “It’s a gift for both of us.”
“What is it?” Mom inquired.
“A two-week trip to Hawaii at the end of January,” Daria told them.
“Wow,” her dad said.
“We’ll escape the cold weather and I’ll get away from the Wallace Trust stuff for a while. It will be great,” I said.
“Thank you,” my sister told me. She kissed me again as tears of happiness welled in her eyes.