Hi, honey, it’s Mom. I love you so much. I know things are . . . really weird right now. I was hoping to talk with you, not just text . . . I didn’t know you were coming home for Christmas. I wouldn’t have . . . (She sighed.) I would have made sure to be there if I had. (A long pause.) Anyhow, I’m going to try to call again tomorrow. Maybe in the evening? If that works for you. I love you and I miss you . . . Bye.

The voicemail ended.

For a moment I thought about calling her back. I knew she was still awake; the message was from only fifteen minutes ago. I didn’t.

Between that message and now, she probably had talked with Dad, and it didn’t look like that had gone well.

Which was the excuse I gave myself for putting my phone back in my pocket and continuing on up the stairs, to my temporary room.

Where, at least for the night, I could try to sleep, and hide.

Eight

DECEMBER 20

Grandma Jo was at her hostess best when she told me and the others that Dad would be joining our merry band of reindeer sightseers on the day’s adventure, thus bringing the group’s total to an even six: Grandma Jo, Dr. Raymond, Dad, Aunt Esha, Arthur, and me.

We all met in the lobby.

Arthur wore his dark Wranglers and every few minutes he’d covertly bend at the knees to stretch the stiff material. I probably should’ve advised him to wash them at least once before wearing them, but he was old enough to figure that out. Besides, watching him was oddly adorable.

I was as surreptitious as possible in my attempts to read Dad’s expression. He seemed like his normal self, though the dark circles under his eyes were new and I spotted the first glint of gray hair at the back of his head.

Which I definitely would not point out.

Ayisha was manning the front desk when we’d gathered to leave in the late morning. If there was any part of her that felt the smallest longing to join us, she covered it extremely well.

Grandma Jo smiled. “Thank you for coming in on short notice, Ayisha.”

“Sure thing, Ms. Brown. Happy for the extra hours.”

“Val called a while ago. She’ll be in at twelve thirty to relieve you instead of noon. That won’t cause you any trouble, will it?”

Val Limekiller was one of the half dozen other employees who worked at the Hoyden and she hadn’t been on time to anything starting with when she showed up two weeks past the due date for her birth.

Ayisha, who was always punctual, maintained her smile. “No, that’s fine.”

Grandma turned to the rest of us. “Looks like we’re going to have to take two cars. Skip, do you want to drive?”

Dad nodded. “Sure.”