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“I know, but it makes your irl—”
“Meg, how old do you think you’ll have to be before yourthat story?” Max asked in his announcer voice His hands were full of luggage, or else he’d probably have done the fake ain
“Well, Max, I suspect I’ll have to be dead”
John opened the door, shaking his head “That’s not funny”
“Sorry, Dad,” she said, the s story short, I was so used to kicking the brick here at holass door and somehow broke it I maintain that if a seven-year-old can crack your door, it’s time for a new one”
Jere deeply as he entered the house So, and a Christmas tree seemed to vibrate with fresh pine scent They all took their boots off inside the foyer, a tile floor covered in threeinside it Valerie and John stepped into moccasin-style slippers
Valerie called, “Dad! We’re home”
“I’rowly response Jereh, but the others did cheerfully He assumed this was Valerie’s father, who Max had mentioned still lived on the farm
John said, “You kids reot the last holiday open house on Saturday, so there’s lots to do in the meantime”
Jereive their parents a hard tireed, apparently done with their teasing routine “Can I help?” he asked “That sounds really fun”
“You sure can, hon” Valerie ive Jeres up” She ht “Welcome! You can see we’re all ready for the holidays”
That was an understate with a massive, still-undecorated fresh tree, the source of the pine scent, stockings hung from the fireplace’s stoneribbons were hung on the narrow dividing wall leading to a dining room, Christmas cards pinned to the crepe Jeremy didn’t even know that many people still sent old-fashioned cards Maybe his parents just didn’t have as many friends
The thought of them off on the cruise and the house in Victoria dark and empty and undecorated hurt more than Jeremy wanted it to
The fireplace was in the corner to the left of the tree, a TV above the mantel Three love seats bracketed the hearth and a square wooden coffee table with its own holiday centerpiece of holly and ivy A large rug carpetedroom, and it was thick beneath Jeremy’s socked feet