Chapter Eight
Joy to the world, Ivy is stranded
Beau
I couldn t have asked for a better Christmas present if I tried.
Ivy. Here. With me.
Well, Ivy here with me, Mom, Dad, Janey, and two snow-covered dogs who are currently leaving wet paw prints all over the downstairs floors as Ivy and I chase them with towels, and Ivy keeps saying, I m sorry.
So sorry. I know how excited you guys all were thinking Beau was bringing a girl home for Christmas, but Beau and I aren t together.
We re not engaged. We re never ever getting married.
And by never ever, she means most likely, of course, I say, lunging after Pinky Collar and missing again.
I mean never ever , says Ivy, tackling Hamish before he slides into the Christmas tree. I can t believe you lied to your mother like that, by the way.
It was a joke, I say, snagging Pinky before she does another Indy 500 lap around the dining room table.
Some joke, my mom says from her seat at the table.
Yeah, next time stick to the knock-knock variety, says Dad between bites of vegetable soup.
I walked through a blizzard just to meet her, you know, adds Janey, dropping more crackers into her soup bowl.
Pinky won t stop squirming in my arms to get back to Hamish. I was just trying to keep you guys from setting me up with the neighbor girl. I never dreamed Ivy would actually be here.
And once again, I m so sorry about that. Ivy s cheeks are flushed. Can t tell if it s from embarrassment or the WWE wrestling match she s currently involved in with Hamish as she attempts to dry off his paws. I still can t believe Lucy told me to come here without even asking you first.
I m about to fess up about the weird call I got from Lucy yesterday that suddenly makes a lot more sense now when Mom digs out her phone and says, You know, now that you say that, I m wondering if that s what those text messages were about yesterday.
I didn t have my reading glasses on at the moment and couldn t make out the number, so I figured it was some sort of spam, but.
.. She smiles, peering down at her phone through her reading glasses.
Oh, yeah. She did reach out. These messages are from her.
What did she say? asks Ivy.
Mom s grin widens. That you think the world of us and have zero other plans for Christmas, so she thinks it d be great if you spent the holidays with us. And I must say, I wholeheartedly agree.
But—
No point in arguing, Ivy, Dad says, cutting her off as he digs his spoon into his soup. Cecilia s not letting you go anywhere.
You don t have to make me sound like a maximum-security prison warden, Rob.
Janey blows on her soup. With all the snow I d say this is more like a holiday version of The Shining . Either way, consider yourself trapped, Ivy.
Oh, would you two knock it off. Listen to me, Ivy.
You re not trapped. Obviously if you have somewhere else you d rather go, we re not going to stop you.
I just don t want you to leave because you don t feel welcome.
Trust me, you are completely welcome to stay here as long as you want.
Stay through New Year s as far as I m concerned.
You certainly look like you could use a little downtime and rest.
New Year s? Hamish and Pinky Collar dance around each other in front of the Christmas tree. I sort of want to do the same at the thought of having Ivy beneath this roof until New Year s.
You sure? Ivy says, trying to get something out of Hamish s mouth. Pretty sure it s a Christmas tree ornament shaped like a gnome. Because I don t want to intrude.
You re not intruding, everyone assures her.
Besides, where else would you go? I ask, genuinely curious. The one time I talked to Lucy, she mentioned how you never spend Christmas with your family. She said you typically spend it working... and alone.
I hear my mom gasp just like I knew she would. There s no way she s letting Ivy out of these doors now. If there s anything my mom can t stand, it s the thought of people spending Christmas alone.
Ivy s apparently gasping for a different reason. One time? You and Lucy talked one time ?
Twice, counting yesterday, I say in defense as I dig the gnome out of Hamish s mouth only for Pinky Collar to snatch it out of my hand a half second later.
It s settled, Mom declares. Ivy s staying here. Grab another bowl of soup, everybody. I made plenty. Didn t I tell everybody that this was going to be a great Christmas?
Best Christmas ever. Because it sounds like I may have ten days to win Ivy over. And you better believe I m making her keep the promise she made back in September.