“No, no, darling,” Mimi said, “just sit down and listen to us.”

Warily, Christina perched on the edge of an armchair. “Okay.”

“So,” Jacob said, clearing his throat and sitting up very straight, “we three have been discussing how wrong we’ve been to let you carry the burden of dealing with the rent raise.”

“Although it made sense since you’ve got an in with Andy Bittlesman,” Harriet added.

“We decided we want to do our fair share,” Jacob continued. “We’ve spent hours trying to figure out what we can do to change his mind.”

Mimi couldn’t keep quiet. “So we finally decided to go all Charles Dickens on him! We’ve called Elsa Fartherwaite, she’s the organizing power behind the Nantucket Victorian Christmas Carolers—”

“They sang on Main Street during the Christmas Stroll,” Jacob interjected.

“—and we asked her if we could borrow their Victorian costumes—”

“Because we’re going to sing Christmas carols to Oscar at his house!” Harriet announced.

Christina studied the three faces before her, all so eager and hopeful and bright, like children waiting for the teacher to tell them they’ve given the right answer.

“What’s more,” Mimi continued, “we’re going to give him presents from each of us.”

“I’ll give him a Ralph Lauren tie in red and white stripes,” Harriet said.

“I’ll give him a handsome brass-plated barometer,” Jacob said.

“And I’ll give him a Christmas sweater!” Mimi concluded.

“And you can give him the Great Point lighthouse model,” Harriet told Christina.

Christina bit her lip. Were these adults sitting in her living room serious? Did they actually think a few songs badly sung—because she certainly didn’t have a strong voice and she doubted if the others did—and a few presents would sway Oscar the Great’s mind?

“I know what you’re thinking,” Mimi said. “It’s not about the carols or the presents, although that should get him in the mood. It’s about community. About being part of the island. Here we are, four people who live here year-round, and he’s been pretty much isolated up there for three years—”

“Except for Janice,” Christina reminded her.

“Exactly!” Mimi agreed. “And Janice is our trump card. I know she wants Oscar to feel part of the community, so after she hears our carols and sees our gifts, she’ll soften him up.”

Mimi, Jacob, and Harriet stared at Christina, breathlessly waiting for her response.

“I don’t know what to say,” Christina admitted.

“We’ve had a lot of ideas,” Harriet told her. “I suggested that we kidnap Oscar and tell him we won’t let him go unless he promises not to raise the rent.”

“We decided against that,” Mimi said.

“Really not in the Christmas spirit,” Jacob added, winking at Harriet.

Christina’s IC choked. Jacob winked at Harriet?