Page 30 of Unexpected Gifts

“I should have gotten a dog,” Jack said, sounding regretful.

“There’s always next year,” Abby said.

Jack perked up and seemed to let go of his jealousy as Luke walked up.

“You guys ready to find the perfect tree?” Luke asked.

“Yes, I am,” Jack shouted.

“Me too,” Lily said.

Soon, they were outside. Abby shivered against the cold, pulling her scarf a little tighter as she followed Luke and the kids toward the rows and rows of cut trees. The scents of pine and fresh snow filled the air. Twinkling lights danced above the rows of evergreens.

Occasionally, a deep laugh echoed through the lot.

“That’s Frank,” Luke said. “He’s got a great laugh.”

“Can I run ahead?” Jack asked Abby.

“Yes, but stay where I can see you.”

Jack darted off, his six-year-old excitement bubbling over as he ran from tree to tree, while Sophie walked slowly, inspecting each one with care. Lily held on to her daddy’s hand, her big blue eyes wide with excitement.

“We get one, too, right, Daddy?”

“Yes. Mimi told me to get a good one,” Luke said to his daughter.

Jack turned back, beckoning to Lily. “Come on, Lily and Sophie. Help me look.”

“I’m coming.” The pom-poms on her pink knit hat bounced as Lily dropped Luke’s hand and ran after Jack, clearly pleased to be included.

Sophie, ever graceful, continued to take her time, inspecting each tree as if it were a matter of national security. She really moved like a dancer. Where had she gotten that from? No one in Abby’s family had ever danced, as far as she knew anyway.

“We have to get a really big one,” Jack called back to them, stretching his arms high above his head. “And fat.”

“We’ll see,” Abby said noncommittally. She should have measured the spot before they came. What size was appropriate? Yet another question she didn’t know the answer to.

“Since I’ve been an adult, I’ve never bought a tree,” Abby said to Luke. “Is that weird?”

His eyebrows raised. “Yeah, a little. Was there a reason? Are you like a secret Grinch or something?”

“I might be. Or I mighthavebeen. Now, I have to embrace the whole season or disappoint the kids. I’m not sure I’m feeling festive. It’s hard to feel the magic of a season without Ramona in it.”

“Don’t forget our pact.” Luke nudged her shoulder with his own.

“Right. Magical for the kids.”

“You have to summon some Christmas cheer or fake it, anyway.”

“I’ve never been that good an actress.”

“I get it. There are so many times with Lily that I feel sad or guilty—school things mostly. You know, mother’s tea and mother’s this, that, or the other thing. I try never to let her know how much it bothers me so that it doesn’t bother her.”

Abby didn’t say what she knew to be true. Even though Lily hadn’t known her mother, at some point ,she would begin to feel curious and wonder why she hadn’t loved her enough to stay.

Abby’s mother hadn’t told her much about her own father other than he took off before she was born. Most of the time, it hadn’t bothered Abby that it was only the two of them, but every so often she would notice a traditional nuclear family and a yearning for a father had crept into her consciousness. Where had he gone? Did he ever think about her? Had he married someone new and had a family with her?

“She’s lucky you’re her father,” Abby said. “And she has Grace.”

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