Chapter Four #2
“Honey, we have one dog, and he knows he’s not allowed in the room when we eat.”
To Neva’s credit, she spoke quietly, though in the surrounding silence everyone could still overhear her words.
Should she have a guilty conscience for sometimes feeling like it had all been too much?
Angie had many questions, but she figured if no one was upset, perhaps she shouldn’t be either?
She glanced at the packages under the tree, perfectly wrapped in silver and gold.
Everything was so unfamiliar. New didn’t have to mean bad, did it?
She couldn’t shake the confusion. Maybe she was still dreaming, a long, weird, and much too elaborate dream. She needed a good night’s sleep.
In the morning, she and Neva would laugh about it, the idea that no one was talking at the table, that Christina attended Caron, that they only had one dog who wasn’t allowed to sleep under the dining table. So strange.
Just like Neva dressing up and producing a four-course dinner.
The wine was excellent, and the raspberry mousse cake and coffee the perfect ending to a scrumptious meal. Finally, she allowed herself to taste something, now that it was almost over, and that was part of the problem too.
Everyone was safe. Christmas was around the corner, and Nadine had created the most beautiful gift for Neva. What did she have to worry about? She was savoring the last spoonful when Nadine said,
“Thank you so much for having me tonight, but I should really go. It’s late.”
“It’s Friday,” Neva said. “Don’t you want to stay for a nightcap?”
“Thank you, maybe another time?”
“I’ll walk you out.” Angie got to her feet as well. “Thank you again for your wonderful work,” she addressed Nadine when they had reached the front door.
Nadine leaned against the closed door, smiling.
“It was my pleasure, Angie. How do you like it?”
“Like what?” Angie asked, confusion returning.
“Your wish.”
“My…”
“Your perfect Christmas.”
She still wasn’t sure what Nadine was talking about, though her unease grew with each word.
“It’s peaceful and quiet, isn’t it? All that chatter, barking, singing, you could never concentrate and cross everything off the list. Three kids at once, three pets, it’s a lot to handle.”
“What are you talking about? We still have three kids…one pet, apparently. Wait, how did you know?”
“What do you think?” Her tone was patient, and a tad patronizing, Angie thought. “I made it come true for you. You’re not confused, Angie. This is your wish, and it came true just before Christmas. You’re welcome.”
Nadine left before Angie could react. When she yanked the door open again, Nadine was gone.
No.
None of this was possible.
Christina didn’t go to Caron. The twins were never quiet, and they had three beloved pets, and they didn’t do formal Fridays.
Angie hurried back into the living room, the soft music now getting on her nerves.
What had happened to this place? Was someone playing a prank on her because she had insisted everyone go along with her lists?
This wasn’t what she had wished for!
In the kitchen, she opened the fridge, expecting to see the last batch of dough she had prepared the day before. It wasn’t there.
“Neva!”
“Right here, darling.” Neva sounded like she was close to tears. What was she keeping from Angie? “What’s wrong?”
“Where’s the dough?”
“What dough?”
“Yesterday’s cookie dough! You said you didn’t have the time to finish up.”
Neva laid a hand on her shoulder and turned her around.
“Angie, please, stop. You know we haven’t had the time to bake cookies in years.”
“What is happening?”
“Please, take a breath and sit down. You’re scaring me. Should we call the doctor?”
“I don’t need a doctor. I need to know what happened here. Where is Christina?”
“I told you. At Caron. She’ll be here next Thursday.”
Angie closed the door of the fridge with more vehemence than necessary, making bottles and glass jars rattle.
“Christina doesn’t go to Caron. Where is she, and what happened to the pets?”
“We can call Christina right now if you want,” Neva suggested, sounding anxious.
“Yes, I want to.”
“Okay.” Neva took out her cell phone and opened a video chat. After three rings, a sleepy Christina appeared on the screen.
“Hi Moms. Everything okay?”
“Yes, of course. Angie was home late and wanted to see you. We miss you.”
“Miss you too, but I’ll be home soon.” Christina yawned. “I’m sorry, but I have a test tomorrow.”
“That’s okay,” Angie reassured her. “I’m sorry. Good night, sweetie.”
“Good night, Moms.”
“Come with me.” Neva took Angie’s hand and pulled her along back past the living room to another sitting area.
A sunroom? They had talked about turning a storage room into one but never gotten around to do it.
Now, everything was clean and in order, and in his dog bed, Bert stood up, wagging his tail.
“Come on, Brad. Say hi to Angie.”
Brad? Who names a dog Brad? And why was everyone so weirdly polite? Even the dog? She still wasn’t ruling out an elaborate prank or strange dreams from complete exhaustion.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow would be better.
“You’re okay now?” Neva asked, her hand gentle on Angie’s back. Brad followed them into the living room but stayed at a distance from the tree and gifts.
“I think so.” About to sit down, she froze. “When did we get that piano?”