Not really,Jo thought. But Beth’s face glowed.
“What a wonderful idea,” Momma said.
Beth jumped up to put the music on.
“And we can open presents,” Amy said.
“Not until after dinner,” Meg, the rule-follower, said.
“Actually, I think now is the perfect time,” Momma said. “You girls deserve a treat.”
“Me first,” Amy said. “I’m the youngest.”
Momma smiled at Jo. “I think Jo should choose first.”
And that’s when Jo knew what she had to do. Pretty, responsible Meg took after Momma—the model daughter. But Jo had always considered herself their father’s child. She was determined to live up to his expectations.
“Take care of Momma and your sisters for me.”
Jo surveyed the piles under the sad, stiff, artificial tree. That flat rectangle? A book, for sure. The bigger box... Well, she’d asked for a laptop this year, but it was probably only clothes—new pajamas, maybe, or a hoodie. Hey, plenty of kids didn’t get that much. She ought to be grateful.
“This one,” she said, and laid a squashy package in her mother’s lap.
Momma looked down at the lopsided bow, a pucker between her brows. “But, honey, this has my name on it.”
“I know.” Jo stuck out her chin. “The rule is, we each pick one present. I want you to open this one.”
Momma smoothed the crinkled paper without speaking as Bethie’s carols played from the old speakers.Silent night, holy night...
“And this one,” Meg said, sliding another present from under the tree.
Their mother frowned. “Oh, I don’t think...”
“My turn!” Beth added her gift to the others.
“Girls...” Momma stopped, her hands stroking the bright packages in her lap. “This is so incredibly sweet. I am so proud of you. But you should open your own presents tonight. It’s Christmas Eve.”
“Christmas is about giving,” Meg said. “That’s what you always tell us.” She looked meaningfully at Amy.
Their little sister sighed. “I got you something, too.”
She dug under the tree, adding a bag covered in glitter to the pile on their mother’s lap.
“Well.” Momma smiled around at them all, her eyes shining. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Open them,” Jo said.
“Yeah, open them!” said Amy.
Their mother peeled the tape from Jo’s present. Later, Jo knew, she would fold the wrapping paper to reuse again next year.
“Slippers!” Momma said, holding them up.
Jo shuffled her feet. “I thought you could keep them by the back door. To change into when you come in from the barn.”
“They’re perfect,” Momma said. “So warm.”
Meg gave her work gloves. “To keep your hands nice,” she explained.
