Page 84 (1/2)

Winona and her father spent Christot to his house early and decorated all by herself She went up to the attic, found the worn, creased cardboard boxesroom

There, it was quiet There were no sisters laughing together, drinking wine, and arguing about what holiday movie to watch while they decorated No wonder Winona had put off the decorating until this late date She’d knoould feel

Still, she refused to skimp on any tradition, and so she decorated the house fro in the boxes She curled fresh cedar boughs up the banister and tied theold ribbons She put thethe es and replicas of don storefronts As a girl, her favorite part had been to fit the tiny oval of lass on top of the cottony snow to ht over that job for years

Winona refused to think about that Instead, she poured herself another glass of wine, put dinner on the stove, and cut herself a big piece of cake

She’d used food to tide her over for most of the past few one into the kitchen Now she had probably ten dozen cookies in Tupperware containers in her refrigerator, and she’d gained at least fifteen pounds since Dallas’s arrest

Don’t think about that, either

She went into Dad’s study, finding hi out at the Canal The vieas crisp on this cold, late December day—purple ray shoreline The few docks that could be seen froulls lined the railing, one after another, like yellow-beaked bowling pins

“Hey, Dad,” she said, co up behind him

“Hey,” he said without looking at her

She was trying to think of so Grateful for the interruption, she said, “I’ll get it,” and ran to the wall phone in the kitchen “Hello?” she said, slightly out of breath

“Merry Christmas Eve,” Luke said

“Luke!” she said, s cord out behind her, she sat down at the breakfast table and put her feet up “How’s Montana?”

They didn’t talk as easily as they once had Their conversation was punctuated with lengthy silences, things unsaid Still, he told her about the house he’d bought a feeeks ago and hoas going with his new partner She told him a funny story about her recent date with Ken Otter and said it hat she had expected, dating a thrice-divorced dentist “It’s better than being alone though”

There was a pause, then he said, “How is she?”

“Is that why you called? To ask about Vivi Ann?”