Home for Christmas
Diana sank
back against the couch cushion and took another sip of egg nog. The sweet
harmony of her boys’ voices recorded 4 years earlier filled the living
room, somewhat comforting her uneasy heart. This was going to be the first
Christmas since Zac was born that all
three wouldn’t be there.
A melancholy
little sigh left her lips, attracting the attention of Walker from the
kitchen. Her indirect call for affection persuaded him to go comfort her.
He, too, had been upset at his sons’ decision to stay in Aspen for the
holidays. But, he
told himself, it’s their lives. He
had become a bit concerned for his wife- she had listened to “Snowed In”
constantly for the past four days.
“Cheer up, honey. It’s Christmas Eve. They said they’d call in the morning.”
“I know.”
“Think of it this way- at least we’ll get to go caroling this year.” Mercury Records felt that the guys going Christmas caroling was a free concert, and that was just unethical.
“But it’s just not gonna be Christmas without them. It’s gonna be so...” She paused a moment as the CD volume was lowered. “Avery, I told you to.... that’s better.”
The opening verses of ‘White Christmas’ began, only much deeper and clearer than usual. “See, honey? You’ve listened to it so much the disc is beginning to wear out.” Walker’s last few words were muffled by Diana’s hand over his mouth.
“And may all your Christmases be...” As each ‘white’ was sung, Isaac, Taylor, and Zac stepped into view accordingly. Diana couldn’t believe her eyes. She wiped them free of the tears that were welling up, then went to embrace the best Christmas present she had ever gotten.
