“My children are well known here and very close to Poppy.” She turns her nose up and continues toward the den. “I doubt they’ll be the disappointing ones.”
“What was that all about?” I ask Braden after Lindsay steps into the den and we hear Braden’s dad say he wanted to speak to her.
“There’s always a fly in the soup.” Braden resumes climbing the stairs. “She seems to think there’s a competition between you and her kids.”
“If she wants them in the family, she’d do better to work on Nash.” I shrug and turn toward the master bedroom where Jolene is handing out costumes.
“Better hurry. All the good costumes are gone.” Damon walks by wearing a cowboy hat decked with holly and ivy and a goofy set of red and green chaps over his jeans and Christmas plaid cowboy shirt.
“You go ahead.” Braden nudges me toward Jolene. “I’m going to wear my own.”
“You brought a costume?” I watch him continue up to the attic. “You should have told me. I didn’t know we’re supposed to dress up.”
“Jolene has plenty of elf costumes, fairy princesses, angels, and Victorian ladies.” He flashes me an OK sign. “You’re the cutest one here, and I’m sure you’ll find something you like.”
He’s right, because Jolene’s closet is like a Christmas consignment shop. Macy and Riley are already dressed, and Susanna is struggling between a rather dowdy Victorian velvet dress and a cowgirl Mrs. Claus outfit with a Christmas themed vest and boots.
“Pick the cowgirl,” I suggest. “I just saw Damon swaggering around like a Christmas cowpoke.”
“Oh, Susanna, wouldn’t you like a cowpoke for Christmas?” Riley giggles, covering her mouth, and Susanna looks like she swallowed a lemon.
Macy shushes her twin and darts a glance at my supposed virginal ears. “Sammie, sorry. Don’t mind us.”
“It’s okay. You’re all over thirty, aren’t you?” I ask innocently, picking up a red-sequined cabaret outfit trimmed with a white faux-fur hemline.
“Not us,” Riley says. “Susanna is the old one here.”
“Then I might as well pick the old maid dress,” Susanna says. “I happen to like staying single and independent.”
“Shall I tell Damon to dress like Ebenezer Scrooge?” Riley quips. “A match made not in heaven.”
“Damon has nothing to do with me,” Susanna huffs hotly.
I leave the sisters to their bickering. For once, I’m glad for my small, three-person family. Mom, me, and my stepfather, Yan. Sure, we worked over every holiday, making other people’s holiday dinners special, but one thing we didn’t have was bickering and family politics.
My mother criticized me, and my stepfather hid in the kitchen. Dysfunctional and one-sided, but somehow, I survived.
Or did I?
I set aside the sexy red-sequined cabaret outfit with the lacy trim and fishnet stocking and choose a more age-appropriate Santa’s helper elf costume with candy-striped, red and white stockings, a fluffy skirt, and white trim around the collar and hems.
“You look cute,” Jolene says after I emerge from the bathroom wearing the outfit. “Let me get the matching fairy boots and wings.”
At least the bickering Brant sisters are gone. I wonder what Susanna decided and why Riley keeps throwing Damon in her face? Is something going on under the table, or the sheets?
“Is this a fairy or an elf costume?” I ask Jolene to keep my mind innocent and scandal free.
“Either one. If you wear the fairy crown, you’re a fairy, but if you wear the Santa’s hat, you’re an elf.”
“I’ll be an elf and add on the wings.” I admire the rest of the beautiful costumes. “Did you make these? The details are amazing.”
“It’s my hobby,” Jolene admits. “You’ve probably noticed, we’re Christmas crazy here.”
Makes sense, since each room has a sewing machine, and there are bolts of material hidden underneath the beds.
“I love it.” I paw through the rest of the outfits, admiring the bling. “I’ve never had a real Christmas before.”
“Then you’ve come to the right place.” She gathers me in a hug, and her scent of cookies, lilac, and butter is exactly how I imagine a mother should smell.
