#1939 Classic neckties made by McMurray woolen mills, weavers of handsome plaid and solid-color woolens for over 100 years. Made in Canada. Dry clean only. Three lengths: boys, regular, and tall. Be sure to specify size and pattern on order form. $12.

The next morning Lucy made breakfast, kissed Bill good-bye, packed lunches for Elizabeth and Toby, kissed them on their cheeks, and waved them off on the school bus. Then she made the beds, washed the dishes, and swept the kitchen floor. Chores completed, she sat down at the big oak table with a cup of coffee and a pencil and paper to take stock of her Christmas situation.

Only seven days until Christmas. One week. Yesterday she’d finished the sleeves of the sweater she was making for Bill. Now all she had to do was sew the parts together and knit the neckband. The tools she’d ordered from Brookstone had come, and she’d used her Country Cousins discount to buy some other clothes for him. Bill was taken care of. She put a check next to his name.

Next on the list was Bill’s father, Bill senior. She had used her Country Cousins discount again and bought him a fly-tying set, which was sure to be a big hit. She put a check next to his name.

Below him on the list was “two moms,” hers and Bill’s, with a row of question marks next to them. Lucy fought down a rising sense of panic, scratched her head thoughtfully with her pencil, and added another question mark to the row.

This afternoon she would finish Elizabeth’s angel costume, really just a sack with armholes made from an old sheet. With her long blond hair, a little tinsel, and wings provided by the church, Elizabeth would look lovely. She put a check next to “angel costume.”

Looking over her list of toys for the children, Lucy decided there was no way around it. She had to work tonight, and that only left tomorrow, Saturday, for a final trip to the Tons of Toys store in Portland. She wrote “Sat” next to “toy store” and went on to the next item, “meals.” Just then the phone rang. It was Sue Finch.

“Sue, I was just going to call you! I had such a nice time last night, and it’s great having all those cookies in the pantry.”

“Thanks for coming and bringing those Santa’s thumbprints. Everybody loves them. Listen, Lucy, are you going to Sam Miller’s funeral?”

“I want to,” said Lucy. “I’m sure it’s going to be the social event of the year in Tinker’s Cove. But I have to do some major Christmas shopping in Portland.”

“So come to the funeral with me and we’ll zip into Portland afterward. You’ll hate yourself if you miss it,” coaxed Sue.