Christmas In Icicle Falls. Sheila Roberts

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       Chapter Five

      The important thing to remember this time of year when things get a little awkward is that we’re all different.

      —Muriel Sterling, A Guide to Happy Holidays

      Come six o’clock Olivia and Brooke were in the kitchen, ready to go, Olivia in her dirndl and Brooke in a maternity-friendly version of the classic German garb. No Meadow.

      The two women got busy filling bread baskets with Olivia’s eggnog muffins, setting fruit on trays and putting out hot water and coffee. Still no sign of Meadow. Olivia put her breakfast casserole in the oven to bake and started cooking sausages.

      It was now six twenty. Meadow had obviously overslept. She was probably rushing around the apartment right now, throwing on clothes and brushing her teeth.

      Or not. By ten after seven the first guests were accumulating in the dining room but there was still no sign of Meadow.

      Fortunately, Olivia’s midweek crowd was sparse, so the extra help wasn’t needed. Still, it irked her that she’d given Meadow a chance to be involved and, after her enthusiasm of the day before, the girl hadn’t bothered to show up. Meanwhile, here was Brooke, eight months pregnant but happily pitching in, keeping the cold-cereal dispenser and the pitchers of juice filled and chatting with the guests.

      By eight James, too, was on deck, clearing tables. “No sign of Meadow?” he asked Olivia as he headed for the sink.

      “No.” So much for her wanting to be a part of things.

      “Maybe she overslept.”

      At that moment Brandon came into the kitchen.

      “Where’s Meadow?” Olivia greeted him.

      “She doesn’t feel good. She said to tell you she’s sorry. She’ll be down as soon as she can.”

      Sick. How convenient, Olivia thought but said nothing.

      “Nothing serious, I hope,” James said.

      “I don’t think so,” Brandon said. “You got any of your casserole left, Mom?”

      “I do,” she said and pulled a second pan from the oven.

      “I always loved this one,” Brandon said as she cut him a large piece. “Thanks, Mom,” he added and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

      The smile that had been dodging her all morning made its appearance. She so loved her boy, and just a simple compliment from him was enough to fill her with happiness. It kept her in a good mood clear through the rest of the breakfast hour.

      It was edging toward ten and the last guests were strolling out of the dining room when Meadow made her appearance, wearing fashionably torn jeans and a long-sleeved black top. She hurried over to where Olivia sat at a corner table, ready to take a coffee break.

      “Sorry I’m late. Did Brandon tell you I was sick?”

      She didn’t look sick now. “He did,” Olivia said and took a sip of her coffee. “Are you feeling better?”

      “Yeah. I’m ready to help.”

      Now that the guests were all done eating... But there was still plenty to do. “Why don’t you spell Brooke and help James with the cleanup?”

      “I can do that,” Meadow said with a nod.

      Olivia watched as she scooped up several plates from a nearby table and moved off to the kitchen. Okay, she was willing to pitch in. Maybe she really hadn’t been feeling well. Maybe she had a little low-grade...something.

      Olivia ate one of the muffins she’d served herself and continued to observe her new daughter-in-law as she bustled in and out of the kitchen, clearing away dirty dishes and silverware, empty pitchers and serving bowls. Perhaps Olivia had misjudged her, thinking she was a slacker. She wasn’t slacking now.

      Brooke came to the table with a glass of milk and a muffin and joined Olivia. “This is my second muffin. I need to stop.”

      “Well, you are eating for two,” Olivia said.

      “More like eating for three. I’m getting as big as a house.”

      “You’ll take it off after the baby comes,” Olivia assured her. Not that she had managed to do that but oh, well. She’d been carrying those extra pounds for years and they had made themselves happily at home. Lucky for her, James thought her figure was just fine the way it was.

      “You’re not going to have many left for tomorrow,” Brooke said. “Sorry.”

      “That’s okay. They’re best when they’re fresh.” Which was why she’d helped herself to three.

      “That’s what I told Meadow,” Brooke said with a smile. “She’s eating one now.”

      Yes, a very short-lived sickness.

      “She says it’s helping settle her stomach.”

      Whatever. Olivia didn’t say anything, just smiled and took another sip of her coffee.

      Soon Meadow joined them, sitting down next to Olivia and facing her. “Okay, the kitchen’s all clean.”

      “That was fast,” Olivia said.

      “James had most of it done already,” Meadow admitted. “What else can I do?”

      “Well...”

      “I don’t want to just sit around and eat muffins and get fat.”

      Two muffins still sat on Olivia’s plate. She frowned.

      “So, tell me what to do.”

      “We need to put out silverware and napkins for breakfast tomorrow,” Olivia said.

      “Okay.” Meadow jumped up.

      “And replace СКАЧАТЬ