Chapter 25
Wednesday, December 19
“Go on, open it,” Anita urged the next morning as I propped my phone against the stack of books on the coffee table so she could watch what I was doing via FaceTime.
I held up the biggest box of the Advent calendar, a gift I’d spotted tucked away at the bottom of the pile on the very first day of my Christmas countdown. Finally, I was about to find out what was beneath the sparkly green Grinch paper.
“I’m taking my time with this one,” I said, and Anita rolled her eyes. “Indulge me. It’s one of my last treat days, so I’m savoring the moment.”
“Say what now?” Anita cupped a hand to her ear. “The woman who initially thought this whole Advent calendar idea was, and I quote, wild , is upset we’re nearing the end?”
“In my defense,” I replied with a giggle, “I never said the idea was wild. Only the bit where I had to do whatever tasks the calendar specified without knowing what they were first.”
Anita batted her eyelashes. “Have I led you astray these past few weeks?”
“Not unless you consider me nearly breaking a hip sledding, getting stuck on a roof chasing your cat, and the mere thought of caroling making me want to throw up…oh, and Marco and me almost turning into ice cubes at the Holiday Dip.”
“Ah, but look how you’ve grown, young grasshopper.” Anita leaned in toward her screen. “Now open the dang thing already, or you’ll make me late for work.”
My eyes widened as I tore off the wrapping paper and lifted the lid from the Steve Madden box underneath. “No, you didn’t,” I whispered as I caught sight of the black leather lace-up winter boots, my hands reaching for the snowy white faux-fur lining. “You bought me the same pair as yours? Anita!”
My sister laughed. “Nope, they are mine. Or they were.”
I stared at the shiny footwear, buffed and polished to perfection. “These look brand-new. I thought you took yours to be repaired.”
“Bit of a fib, seeing as there was nothing wrong with them,” she declared. “Considering how often you borrowed those since I brought them home last month, they basically belonged to you anyway. I just had them spruced up again for you.”
“I don’t know what to say.” I grabbed my phone. “I mean, thank you, but everything you’ve given me with this calendar, and with what you’ve done to help me…” I swallowed the lump in my throat but didn’t get very far. “This is too much.”
“It isn’t,” Anita replied gently. “You’re my sister. I’m looking out for you. To be honest, I felt guilty for leaving you alone with the Advent calendar tasks, but you’ve certainly come out of your shell.” She paused a few beats. “Mind you, I didn’t expect to push you into lighting your comfort zone on fire quite so spectacularly.”
“Don’t take all the credit.” Catching the slight terseness in my voice, I softened the edges. “I do appreciate you giving me a few clever and well-intended shoves. I needed them. I see that now.”
“I’m glad you think so.” She paused for a few beats. “Are you still okay quitting your job without having another lined up?”
“Yes, of course. Why do you ask?”
“Because it’s the kind of thing I’d do,” Anita said gently. “Don’t get me wrong, you definitely needed to move on from Whitlock & Blake, but my concern is that you had an atypical knee-jerk reaction.”
“You were the one telling me earlier this year I should quit,” I said, irritation zapping through me. “Maybe you’re worried I won’t need you to swoop in and save me anymore.”
“Why would you say that?” Anita looked hurt. “I’ve always wanted you to be independent and strong. You know that.”
“Providing you approve of my decisions,” I said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’ve been trying to change my mind about going to Pineville for months.”
Anita nodded, looked straight at me. “Yes, and I maintain that you not coming is a bit selfish.”
“What?” I said, mouth dropping open. “Don’t you think that’s unfair, considering you missed three Christmases in a row?”
“I was working ,” she said with a flicker of irritation.
“What’s your point?” I asked, trying not to snap. “ I’m going to be working.”
“We both know you could still come,” Anita said, throwing an arm in the air, clearly exasperated. “You’re staying there, alone . Don’t you think it would be nice for the four of us to be together?”
“Mom and Dad understand why I’m not going. Why can’t you?”
Anita made a “calm down” gesture. “Okay, okay. Let’s take a beat.”
“Look,” I said, wishing I could push a hand through my screen and reach for hers. “You don’t need to doubt my choices. I’m happier than I’ve been in months. Yes, it’s definitely in large part thanks to you and your very elaborate Christmas countdown, but I’ve made plenty of progress on my own, too.”
“You’re right, you have,” Anita said. “I’d do anything for you, and I guess I sometimes forget how capable you are on your own and that you don’t always need your big sister protecting you.”
Before I could respond, a message popped up on my screen. “Uh-oh. Mom texted. She wants to speak with us ASAP. I hope it’s nothing serious, but if this is about me not going home for the holidays, can you help dilute her? Let me add her to the call.”
Anita smirked. “See? You do still need me. Okay, I’m bracing myself. Let’s see what Mrs. Trouble wants.”
Five seconds later, the three of us were connected, peering at each other through our screens. “Hey, Mom. Are you and Dad okay?” I asked. “You said it’s urgent.”
“We’re fine, and what a treat to see you both.” Mom quickly turned the phone to Dad. “Say hello to your lovely daughters, David.”
“Hello, ladies,” he said, waving at her cell.
Mom turned the phone back her way and dove straight in. “What’s this about you resigning from Whitlock & Blake, Callie? What happened?”
“Who told you?” I asked, glaring at my sister again.
“Ursula mentioned it,” Mom said. “She stopped by for a chat last night. Sweetheart, your father and I are worried about you. I figure maybe the four of us can get to the bottom of what’s going on.”
“There’s no need to get to the bottom of anything,” I said. “My new boss was an ass.”
“Callie.” Mom’s expression filled with unease. “What’s going on with you? It’s not like you to make rash decisions. It’s what we’ve come to expect from your sister.”
“Hey,” Anita objected before shrugging. “Okay, fine. Carry on.”
“Your life has always been incredibly stable,” Mom continued. “Which is a good thing, but now you seem off-kilter. First the video of you on the roof, now quitting your job completely out of the blue.”
“It wasn’t completely out of the blue,” I said.
“It’s true,” Anita offered. “Her boss really was an ass.”
“Nothing wrong with leaving a job you don’t enjoy,” Dad piped up off-screen.
“Providing you have another to go to, David,” Mom said. “Callie, I have to ask. Is your boss really what your decision was about, or is it because of Oliver’s engagement?”
“No,” I said. “I’m not—”
“Because if it is…” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I got the distinct impression from Ursula that things aren’t going well between Oliver and Sarah.”
“Really?” From the way Anita’s eyes lit up, I knew she was enjoying the gossip as much as my mother. “What did she say, exactly?”
“Nothing concrete, but I could tell,” Mom said. “Callie, I was thinking that you coming to Pineville for the holidays could drive more of a wedge between them.”
“You mean for revenge because he dumped her?” Anita asked. “We could—”
“No, Anita,” Mom said, her voice indignant. “Not revenge. I mean for Callie to win back Oliver. We all know they’re the real deal. They’ve been a foregone conclusion since she chased him around the garden with a Super Soaker.”
“I was five, Mom,” I said.
“Oliver’s who Callie wants,” she said, as if I were invisible. “Always has been.”
“Is he?” I spluttered. “Or is he who you want for me?”
“Either way, he’s no good for her,” Anita said. “In case you forgot, Mom, he moved her to Fallbrook—”
“He didn’t move me here,” I protested.
“—and then he dumped her,” Anita finished.
“I’m sure he regrets his decision,” Mom said, talking over us both.
“Okay. I’m hanging up now,” I said, voice raised.
“Darling, wait,” Mom pleaded. “We need to talk about this.”
“Why?” I asked. “Sounds like you want to figure it all out for me. Have at it, guys. Bye.”
I didn’t wait for their reply to hang up, infuriated not only by the way Mom and Anita had held a conversation as if I wasn’t there, trying to decide my life for me, but also at my mother’s insistence about Oliver and me belonging together. Not that I needed it, but it was another clear example of why going to Pineville for Christmas was still a bad idea.
Maybe part of the reason why I’d molded myself around him so much was because of this so-called foregone conclusion , our families insisting we had a special bond ever since we were kids. It had never been a secret how I’d been completely smitten with the handsome boy next door. We’d played together in the yard and he’d walked to school with me every day, never laughing when I geeked out over math because he liked numbers, too.
Smart and considerate, mature and responsible, many girls had wanted to date him. I’d felt so lucky he’d chosen me, and that I’d made my mom proud at the same time. He and I had never spoken about it, but perhaps Oliver had always felt a similar kind of pressure from his family but had hidden it away. Maybe it was another reason why he’d become so unhappy in our relationship, or why he’d fallen for Sarah.
My mind flicked back to how she’d seemed a little despondent at A Different Drummer last night. Was Ursula right in saying there was trouble between Oliver and Sarah? If so, what was the source of the tension? And how could there be any trouble at all when he’d so recently proposed?