“Look,” he said to Savannah, who appeared as fascinated as he was. “That’s Rudolph with his red nose.”
“How cute. I like the horses pulling sleighs too. And did you see the tree decorated completely with candy canes?”
He nodded. “There’s a dog beside a fire hydrant. He hasn’t lifted his leg yet but he’s just about to. You can tell by his expression.”
Savannah looked where he pointed and laughed. “Whoever made this had a sense of humor.”
After leaving the train room, Harlan followed Savannah as she made the rounds in the lobby, which also hosted tables with Christmas decorations. Every kind of ornament was available. Beaded stars, glass balls, delicate figurines of all sorts. Ornaments knitted by hand, mass-produced Santas, angels, and elves. Every kind of animal was displayed, some carved out of wood, some in glass, some in clay.
“I think my eyes are going to burst,” he told Savannah at one point. “I’ve never seen so much stuff in my life.”
“I know, isn’t it great?” Her eyes sparkled and she had a bag stuffed full of various ornaments and other decorations.
“Where are you going to put all that? Do you have a ten-foot-tall tree?”
“In my apartment? Fat chance. Besides, mine is already full to bursting. A lot of these are for you. We only bought lights and a few ornaments for your tree. You need more.”
“I don’t need that many.”
“Don’t worry, I take most of them to places like the children’s home, the youth center in the Barrels, assisted living and nursing homes. Wherever there’s a tree that needs ornaments.”
“You really get into this, don’t you?”
“Just doing my small part to make Christmas more festive for everyone.”
Harlan smiled, leaned down and kissed her smiling lips.
He stopped to look at a display of glass ornaments that caught his eye and heard Savannah say, “Dad, I wondered if you were here. The bank looks lovely.”
So, she was trying for civility. Probably a good idea, but he wasn’t sure Taylor would buy into it.
“Savannah,” he said sternly, “a word with you in my office.”
No, he didn’t sound too civil.
Savannah tugged on his arm. “I’m sorry, Harlan and I were just leaving.”
Harlan had to work to suppress a smile. Savannah’s father looked at him silently, like he was dog shit on the bottom of his shoe. Harlan figured half of the reason the man was so angry with him was because he knew he had absolutely no leverage over Harlan. Unlike when he’d been a kid and the man had held his family’s future hostage.
Taylor turned back to his daughter. “Savannah, I need to talk to you. Alone.”
“Why?”
“Laurel and the kids just came in,” Harlan said before he could answer. “I’m going to say hi. Once they see the train set they’ll be there for an hour.”
As he walked away, Harlan heard Savannah ask, “What now, Dad? If you’re going to attack Harlan again, you can forget it.”
Right. He’d make book that was exactly what Taylor planned to do.
