Page 41 of A Christmas Duet

“Of course. We’re sibs.”

“Right. And I feel I can be direct with you.”

“Of course.” The light in Daisy’s eyes dimmed.

Instantly, Hailey realized her mistake. After feeling rejected by her parents, Daisy waited, her spine stiff, as if preparing herself for yet another rejection.

Her sister raised her hand, stopping Hailey from speaking. “I understand. You want me to leave.”

Hailey swallowed hard. Although she sincerely wanted her sister gone, she couldn’t do it. Her sister needed to know she was loved. “Of course not,” Hailey insisted, willing to sacrifice her time. Somehow, some way, she’d figure out how to work around her sister. It simply wasn’t in her to send Daisy away.

“You don’t? You mean I can stay?”

“Of course you can. We’ll have a Charlie Brown Christmas the way we once did, with just the two of us.”

Instantly Daisy brightened, and she smiled. “I understand you’re here for a purpose, and I promise I’ll be quiet as a mouse. You’ll be able to sit with your guitar for as long as you want. I won’t make a peep.”

“I’d appreciate that, but like you said, it’s Christmas. Remember how as a family we used to put jigsaw puzzles together every Christmas day? I found a few in a cupboard. We’ll start our own traditions, just you and me.”

Daisy slouched back on the sofa as though relieved. Tears gathered in her eyes, and when she spoke her voice wobbled as if she was holding back her gratitude. “That sounds like a great idea.”

Hailey didn’t know what had brought Daisy to her front door. Whatever it was, she suspected it had far more to do with something else than not wanting her to be alone for Christmas. Daisy was her sister, and for some unknown reason, she needed Hailey. No way would she let Daisy down. The music would come when the time was right.

Chapter Fourteen

True to her word, Daisy left Hailey alone for the remainder of the afternoon. The song she’d started writing that morning had taken shape in her mind, but when she returned to it, she was met with one mental setback after another. She couldn’t stop thinking about their earlier conversation. Daisy was hurting. Hailey hadn’t recognized it at first, concerned as she was about the intrusion. Something was definitely up with her sister. All she could do was hope Daisy would be willing to confide in her.

Hailey found herself doing what she always did when stymied. She made herself a cup of tea, put a load of laundry in the washer, and looked through the cupboard for a snack. After wasting several minutes, she found nothing interesting as she aimlessly sought inspiration.Nothing seemed to help when her thoughts were occupied with concern for her sister.

Two hours later, frustrated and angry with herself, Hailey gave up even trying. Noticing it was dinnertime, her stomach growled, and she realized she hadn’t eaten anything since a protein bar early that morning—plus a few handfuls of unsalted popcorn.

Standing at the foot of the stairs, she called for Daisy. “You can come down and join me. I’m starving.”

Her sister appeared at the top step. “You sure? I don’t want to be a bother.”

“You aren’t a bother, you’ve never been a bother,” she said and laughed, seeking to reassure her sister that she was welcome and always wouldbe.

Daisy looked relieved. “Good.”

“What did you do the rest of the afternoon?” Hailey asked. Without the internet or cell service, her sister must have been bored out of her mind.

“This and that,” Daisy told her as she started down the stairs. “I unpacked my bag, crocheted a little, and fiddled with an idea for a macramé pattern.”

“Are you hungry?”

Daisy placed her hand over her stomach. “Starving.”

“What would you like for dinner?” she asked, willing to cater to her sister’s unique dietary needs as much as possible.

“Let me do the cooking,” Daisy was quick to suggest. She knew all too well Hailey was no whiz in the kitchen.

“Are you still vegan, because I don’t think I’ll have what you need here.” Her sister changed her eating preferences as often as she did her relationships.

“No worries,” Daisy was quick to reassure her. “I gave up on that a long time ago. I’m back to enjoying meat and butter. I decided I can’t live without pasta and cheese.”

That was a relief. Knowing her sister, Hailey hadn’t expected this latest dietary decision to last long.

“What are you in the mood for?” Daisy asked, as she ventured into the kitchen. She started opening and closing cupboard doors until she found the food pantry. “I can make us macaroni and cheese,” she said, holding out the boxed dinner.

---