Both girls are sitting at the desk surrounded by piles of colored paper and glitter pens.
"Ash!" they shout at the same time, and come running to me, leaving their chairs to fall on the floor. I pick them both up and squeeze them.
"You two smell like Christmas cookies. I think I might just take a bite." I pretend to bite them, and they wiggle in my arms so I can let them down.
Another year or two, and they'll be too grown to play like this, so I appreciate every second I have while they're still children.
"Mommy made cookies today and we helped her decorate," Annie says.
"And now we're making a glitter garland to go on our Christmas tree," Izzy says.
"Wow, you've had a busy day. Maybe this weekend you can teach me how to make a glitter garland, so I can make one for the cottage."
They look at each other, in the way twins do, that I both love and am also a little jealous of, and start whispering into each other's ears. I can make out that they're deciding on colors, but not much else.
I leave them to their planning and go back downstairs to see Victoria.
"Glad you finally decided to join me," she says.
"I'm sorry, I heard the girls and went up to say hi."
She nods, and then sits back on the chair behind the dark mahogany desk that used to belong to my dad.
"I know things are a little tight at the moment, and with Christmas coming soon, I've been thinking about how I can contribute."
It's a good thing I'm sitting down because there's no way I'd still be standing after hearing Victoria's words.
"Oh, um...what do you have in mind? I heard the general store is hiring temporary staff until Christmas. You could work while the girls are at school."
Victoria snorts. "What a preposterous idea, Ashton."
It doesn't surprise me that she doesn't want to do a job as menial as working the checkout at the general store, even though it would mean we'd get the staff discount on groceries. That's help we're in desperate need of.
She runs her hand through the intricate carvings on the edge of the desk.
No. No. No!
"The house is in need of updating. We should start by getting rid of the old stuff. I spoke to the manager of the antique store in town and he's coming tomorrow to evaluate this old desk."
"No."
"I think that should cover the expenses for Christmas, such as food, presents, Christmas tree, decorations, and maybe even stretch to a new dining set."
"No way."
She looks at me, completely ignoring that I am refusing to let her sell my dad's desk, and gets up. She walks toward the built-in shelves on the wall, full of books.
"These old, dusty books should also go. I'm sure there's a few first editions here that could fetch a good price. That should cover Anastasia's piano lessons for a few months."
I get up and put back the book she just took off the shelf.
"No. These are the only things I have left from my parents. They're not for sale."
"How very selfish of you, Ashton. I am trying to come up with a solution to your problems, and this is how you thank me?"
My heart is racing, and I feel rage building inside me.
"I will work myself into the ground before I let you sell my parents' furniture, or their books," I say before I leave the room.
