1105 Yakima Street - Debbie Macomber [120]
“Well, yes. If you’re game, I am, too.”
“Turkey, stuffing, the whole nine yards?”
“Whatever you want.” He’d never been much good in the kitchen but he was willing to give it a try.
She seemed to be mulling over the idea. “I think we could do that,” she finally said.
“Then it’s a date. You and me and Christmas.”
“You and me and Christmas,” Miranda said with a smile.
Thirty-Seven
“Remember, Dad, when we used to string popcorn and put it around the Christmas tree?” Jolene asked, her voice elevated with excitement as she climbed into the front seat of the car.
“I remember that you ate a lot more popcorn than you managed to thread.” Smiling, Bruce slid into the driver’s seat and turned on the ignition.
Jolene giggled. “Where are we going to buy the tree?”
“Where else? On Christmas Tree Lane.” That was their tradition. “But first, we’re meeting Rachel.”
“We are?” Jolene instantly sobered.
“We invited her, remember?”
“Yeah, sort of. To decorate. But it’s always just been the two of us when we went to get the tree.”
Bruce did his best not to show how disappointed he was in her response. “I want her to come with us. Can you deal with that?”
“I guess.” But she let it be known that she wasn’t completely happy.
It was times like these that made Bruce want to groan with frustration. Just when it seemed they were making progress, something would happen to remind him how far they still had to go.
He drove to the terminal, where the foot ferry from Bremerton docked. Rachel had texted him earlier to say she was taking the eleven o’clock ferry. He’d texted back that he’d be there, with Jolene, to pick her up. Then they’d drive to the Christmas tree farm and select their tree. Once they got home, they’d set it up; after that, they’d spend the rest of the afternoon decorating it. As a family.
Jolene had received a special ornament every year since her birth. Stephanie had started that tradition, and he’d continued it. Each year it was those ornaments that Bruce brought up from the basement first. With great ceremony Jolene would place them on the tree.
As soon as he’d mentioned that Rachel would be with them, Jolene had grabbed her cell phone and started texting.
“Who’re you texting?” he asked, glancing over at her in the passenger seat.
“Carrie.”
“Do I know Carrie?”
“Dad, she was over yesterday.”
“She was?” Bruce didn’t remember seeing anyone at the house.
“Well, she might’ve left before you got home from work.”
“Oh.” Bruce wasn’t keen on his thirteen-year-old daughter coming home to an empty house. He’d felt much better about it when Rachel lived with them. For one thing, Rachel had a day off during the week; for another, she was diligent about keeping in touch with Jolene after school. But there was no alternative as long as Rachel lived in Bremerton.
She was standing by the totem pole when Bruce pulled up. He waited for Jolene to get out of the front seat and go to the back. Instead, she stayed where she was.
“Jolene,” he said impatiently. “Give Rachel that seat.”
Rachel had already opened the rear door and slipped inside. “It’s okay,” she murmured.
She didn’t sound like herself but before Bruce could say anything, Jolene said, “Rachel doesn’t care.”
Bruce’s happy mood was quickly whirling downward, but he had to choose his battles carefully and there were bigger ones to wage. So he dropped the issue.
He turned on the radio, which played Christmas music, and soon both he and Jolene were humming along. Rachel didn’t join in. He glanced into the backseat and she offered him a tentative smile, which he returned. Still, he sensed that something wasn’t right.
When they arrived at Beth Morehouse’s farm on Christmas Tree Lane, Jolene was the first one out of the car. Beth served hot cocoa while her crew directed customers to various areas, depending on the type and size of Christmas tree they wanted. His daughter got in line for her cup of cocoa.
When Bruce came around to open Rachel’s door, she had her hands over her stomach and was deathly pale.
“Are