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No sooner were those words out of his mouth than Jory, Melodie and Bart joined us Jory slow in our eyes Bart frowned Melodie sank into a deep-cushioned chair and see in with bells that she shook ht red Finally Joel slunk into the room to stand in a corner with his ar his own pall, like a soerous children

It was Jory who first responded to Cindy's char "Hail to the joys of Christmas Eve! May my mother and father always look at one another as they do this night, with love and tenderness, with co May I find that kind of love in the eyes of ainsoon"

He was directly challenging Melodie and in front of all of us Sadly, his ti was bad for this kind of confrontation She drew herself into a tighter knot and refused to meet his eyes; instead, she leaned forward to stare more intensely into the fire The hope in Jory's eyes faded His shoulders sagged before he swiveled his chair so that he couldn't see her He put down his chane and fixed his eyes on the fire just as intensely as his wife, as if to read what sy In a distant dim corner, Joel smiled

Cindy tried to force gaiety Bart, by attrition, gave in to the corroding gloo Truly our little faloriously festive room was a flop Bart refused even to look at Melodie now that she was so grossly out of shape

Soon he was pacing the rooifts under the "fa at him hopefully, and only too quickly he looked away, as if e In a fewin a low voice that she didn't feel well

"Anything I can do?" Chris asked i up to assist her up the stairs She plodded along heavily, flat footed "I'ht," she snapped near one newel post "I don't need your help--or anyone's!"

"And a merry Christmas was had by all," intoned Bart, much in the , alatching

The one from the room, Jory slumped forward in his chair before he stated, too, that he was tired and not feeling too well His next prolonged bout of coughing revealed that "I've got just thefor the stairs "You can't go to bed yet, Jory Stay a while longer We have to celebrate Before I dose you with soht not be appropriate, I need to listen to your lungs"

Bart leaned casually against thescene between Jory and Chris as if jealous of their relationship Chris came to me "Perhaps it is better if we retire now, so we can be up at dawn to eat breakfast, open our presents, and then have naps before we start getting ready for the ball toht"

"Oh, glory hallelujah!" cried Cindy, whirling around the room in a small dance "People, hordes of people, all dressed in their best--I can hardly wait for to to hear it Jokes and s serious, looking at gri sad talk I hope all those old fuddy-duds bring along their college-aged sons--or any son as long as he's over twelve I'm that desperate!"

Bart wasn't the only one of us to throw her disapproving looks, which Cindy ignored "I', whirling around by herself, pretending to have a partner, refusing to let her anticipations be di anyone of us could say "And then I'll dance some more"

Despite hiht, happy song Chris s ht Just try to contain yourself Now, since Jory looks so beat, let's head for bed To day"

It seeood idea

All of a sudden; falling into a chair, Cindy sagged as li sad and near tears "I wish Lance could have stayed I'd rather have him than any other"

Bart threw her a furious look "That particular young ain" He turned to me next "We don't need Melodie at the party," he went on with deter soso we can enjoy opening our gifts I think afternoon naps are a good idea, so toht and happy for my party"