As everyone sat around in uncomfortable silence waiting for them to get back with the candles, Claudine felt a longing for her husband that she had never felt before, not even that night in the forest when she first set eyes on Miller’s cabin. Then came a voice:

It’s a lonely time to live through

How do you expect anyone to have any fun

Zara was singing.

Zara

When the lights went out I got super freaked out. I mean, I had just asked if Montague House was haunted. And then, bam, I’m surrounded by pitch-black in a snow storm? No way. Nu-uh. I would’ve grabbed Dave and we would have gotten the hell out of there, but I hadn’t picked my gift yet. I was 100 percent not buying this house that was possessed by two ghosts who’d killed each other, but I figured I’d come all the way to Aspen, so I shouldn’t go home empty-handed. I deserved something for my trouble.

When I’m afraid, I grab Pip. And when I’m still afraid, I sing. So that’s what I did. I picked an old Claudine Longet holiday song called “I Don’t Intend to Spend Christmas Without You.” It was originally written and performed by this American folksinger Margo Guryan, but Claudine’s rendition is much more mournful. The piano player knew it, because after the first few lines he started playing along.

When it ended, everybody stood up and started clapping. Then Jules and Henry came in carrying lit candles—and a fresh cocktail for Henry. I’m not one to count drinks, but he seemed to be hitting it pretty hard.

Finally the game continued. At this point we were about halfway through. I don’t remember all the specifics of who picked what, especially in light of what happened next. The time immediately before is kind of foggy. Basically, my tickets and backstage passes got stolen as much as possible. Henry didn’t have to worry about Steve getting them. Eventually they wound up with Rashida. Then it was Claudine’s turn. She picked right before me.

“Well,” she said, “I know how important tonight is to everyone, and I’m not about to let one of you go home with a joke. So, Natalie, I’ll take the statue, please.”

I saw Jules look at Henry and raise her eyebrows like, See? Henry tipped his glass to her and drank all of it.

Natalie looked relieved and went and picked from the table. Then it was my turn. I couldn’t help making it a bit dramatic. That’s part of my job, after all.