Christmas Therapy

“Please, Sonia. I don’t want him to feel uncomfortable.”

Sonia raised her right hand. “I’ll be on my best behavior. I won’t even tell him how you tortured me as a kid.”

“I never!”

“You told me what to do.”

“I’m supposed to. I’m the oldest.”

“I don’t see you two working,” her mother said. Her arms folded across her chest.

Heather resumed painting her red stripes on her candy cane. “She’s being a distraction.” She gestured towards Sonia.

Her mother gave a come-hither sign to Sonia. “I have work for you. Let’s go.”

Sonia stuck her tongue out at Heather, but her laugh gave her away. “I can’t wait until Heather brings her boyfriend over for dinner.”

Heather choked. “What?”

Her mother beamed. “It’s going to be great, Heather. He will love my sweet potatoes.”

“Mom, for the record, Allen’s not my—”

“You heard her,” Sonia said.

Heather rolled her eyes as they walked away. Allen coming to her mother’s house? Reality set in even more than when her mother asked over the phone. She hadn’t brought a date home since her senior prom, and even then her mother disapproved of the boy.

“Having fun?” Allen asked from behind her.

Hairs raised at the nape of her neck. “Trying to. Taking a break?”

“While your mother’s not looking.”

She giggled. “When she’s in planning mode it’s best to stay clear.”

“I can’t get over the fact that the town does this every year.”

“Maple Meadow does every holiday in a big way.”

Allen sat next to her. “July 4th?”

“Fireworks, hot dogs, and relay games.”

“St. Patrick’s Day?”

“The whole town wears green,” she said.

He grinned. “Seriously?”

She bobbed her head. “We had ‘best-decorated house’ for Christmas, but the Sawyers won every year so we stopped. Mrs. Weiss thought they rigged the judging.”

Allen covered his mouth to stifle his laughter. “I can hear her saying that.”

“I hope she’s better. She’s needed physical therapy too.”

“She’s one of my clients.”

“How’s that going for you?”