***
Later that night, I’d plugged in the tree, changed into the new silk pajamas my parents had given me for Christmas (I would never be able to wear the sheep ones again), and stood staring at the fireplace.
I wasn’t going to let Glory win. I cringed only a little bit when I lit the match and dropped it into the hearth. The kindling caught and soon the logs started to burn.
Feeling a sense of pride, I wiped my hands and watched the flames for a few minutes, trying to convince myself they didn’t bother me.
My gaze shifted to the coffee table, to the Almond Joy bar Bobby had sent. I picked it up, my eyes watering. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to eat Almond Joys again. Sighing, I brought the candy bar into the kitchen and shoved it into the nether regions of the freezer. I just couldn’t bring myself to throw it away.
Not yet at least.
I popped some popcorn and pulled out the disc Kit had given me. I slipped it into my DVD player and nearly jumped out of my skin when there was a loud knock on the door.
For a second, I hoped that it was Bobby. That he’d come back.
Then a second later, I hoped it wasn’t him.
It had been hard enough saying goodbye the first time.
“Ho! Ho! Ho!” someone yelled through the door.
Surely not Mr. Cabrera. He was at the love shack with Brickhouse.
I peeked out the window and nearly had a heart attack at the faces peering back at me.
“Open up, I’m freezing my jingle bells off!” Kevin yelled.
Smiling like an idiot, I pulled open the door. “Well, we wouldn’t want that to happen.”
Riley carried an overnight bag, and Kevin carried a pillowcase stuffed with presents.
I closed the door. “What are you two doing here?”
Riley said, “No way were we letting you be alone on Christmas.” He dashed upstairs to drop off his bag.
“We?” I said.
“We.” Kevin pushed a stack of Christmas movies into my hands. Everything from Miracle on 34th Street to Frosty the Snowman. “You don’t mind, do you?”
Truth was, I didn’t mind. At all. In fact, it might be the best present ever.
I set the movies down and walked over to the mistletoe and yanked it out the ceiling. “Just so you don’t get any ideas.”
“Hey,” he said. “You’re the one that fell into my arms wearing your bra.”
I stuck my tongue out at him. And was kind of glad I had been wearing a nice black lace bra the day of the fire.
“’Fess up about the mistletoe,” he said. “You’re afraid you won’t be able to keep your hands off me.”
“Keep dreaming.”
He smiled, and for a second there—only a second—I forgot to ache.
Riley bounded down the steps and grabbed the remote. “What’s up first?”
“Wait! That’s—”
He hit play.
We all stared at the screen as “Jingle Bells” started to play.
“Is that...” Riley squinted. “Dad?”
Kit had created a movie of Kevin in his elf costume by editing pictures together in a comic slideshow.
Riley burst out laughing. Me, too. I couldn’t help it, seeing Kevin in those tights and that jingle hat.
“Give me that remote,” Kevin said.
Riley shook his head. “No way!”
“This isn’t funny,” Kevin said to me.
Tears streamed down my face. Tears of joy. “Yes, yes it is.”
“Look! Dad’s about to fall!”
Kevin stopped and stared at the screen. Kit has slowed the tape to show Kevin falling in slow motion. “Okay,” he said, laughing. “that’s kind of funny.”
“Rewind,” I said. ‘I’ll make some hot chocolate and then we can watch it again.”
“Do you have any of those peppermint marshmallows Grandma Cel made?” Riley asked, sitting on the couch.
“Yeah, I do.” I watched as Kevin sat next to Riley and threw an arm over his shoulder. Again, there was a lump in my throat.
A happy lump this time.
As I walked into the kitchen, I pulled the mistletoe out of my pocket. Instead of throwing it away, I put it in the kitchen drawer.
One never knew when it might come in handy.
***
From the Desk of Nina Quinn
Holidays can be a sensory overload. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the tastes, the touches. Try to take the time to simply enjoy it.
Just be careful with of your favorite holiday plants—some can be poisonous and especially dangerous to small children and pets.
The poinsettia might be the most famous for being hazardous to your health, but it’s not the worst offender. It is likely to cause mouth or skin irritation, or in a particularly bad reaction, vomiting. However, as I found out the hard way, holly berries, if eaten accidentally, can cause extreme stomach upset. Mistletoe, too, is extremely dangerous. Eating its berries can cause stomach upset, heart and breathing issues—even in extreme cases, death.
If you have a real tree, it’s important that if you have pets to pick up the lost needles regularly. If a pet eats the needles, there’s a chance the needle can cause serious damage in the animal’s digestive tract. Best if you have pets to consider an artificial tree—there is no shame in going faux to protect the ones you love.
All in all, it is better to be safe than sorry. Choose your holiday plants wisely, keep them (especially those with berries) out of reach of small children, and if you suspect a poisoning from a holiday plant, call poison control right away.
For something a little less dangerous (except to the waistline), I suggest trying my mother’s recipe for hot chocolate. Happy Holidays!
~Nina Quinn
Celeste Madeline Chambeau Quinn’s Hot Chocolate
2 cups whole milk
1 tsp. white sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
Pinch of salt
Heat milk in a pot, stirring frequently with a whisk. When steam starts to rise from the pot, whisk in sugar and vanilla. Slowly whisk in chocolate until it’s fully melted then add the pinch of salt. Heat for five minutes on low, stirring frequently so milk doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Serves two. Top with a dollop of whipped cream, marshmallows, or chocolate shavings.
PS: Don’t tell my mom, but I use chocolate chips instead of chopping my own chocolate. If she asks, you didn’t hear this tip from me.
***
About the Author:
Heather Webber grew up in a suburb of Boston, where she learned early on how to ride the T, skip rocks in the ocean, and root for the Red Sox. As a young mother, she tried her hand at writing novels and hasn’t looked back. These days she lives in southwestern Ohio with her high school sweetheart and their children. She is currently hard at work on her next novel.
For more information on Heather and her books, check out: http://www.heatherwebber.com
Other books in the Nina Quinn Series:
A Hoe Lot of Trouble
Trouble in Spades
Digging up Trouble
Trouble in Bloom
Weeding out Trouble
Also check out Heather’s other series:
The Lucy Valentine Novels
(romantic mysteries)
Truly, Madly
Deeply, Desperately
Absolutely, Positively
The Wishcraft Mysteries
(written under pen name Heather Blake)
It Takes a Witch
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapt
er Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Heather Webber, Trouble Under the Tree (A Nina Quinn Mystery)
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